Tragic Cycle of Illegal Immigration

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Since 1994, when the US began Operation Gatekeeper as a way to crack down on illegal immigration around urban areas, nearly 2000 undocumented workers have died trying to cross the border from Mexico into the United States. Is US policy contributing to those deaths? Is there a way to stop illegal immigration? Does the threat of terrorism mean the border should be sealed completely? We look at the conditions that push people to secretly cross the border and whether either country is doing enough to solve the problem with a reporter who's accompanied illegal immigrants, a former US Border Patrol agent and experts on both sides of the border who are leading the search for economic and political solutions. Sara Terry guest hosts. Newsmaker: Civilian Bombing in Afghanistan There are conflicting reports over the bombing of a house in the Afghan town of Bagram today. While the US claims its warplanes initiated the attack after American forces in the area came under fire, local eyewitnesses say the bombs killed scores of guests attending a wedding. Michael O'Hanlon, senior foreign policy fellow at the Brookings Institution, considers the contradictory possibilities of pilot error and terrorist strategy. Reporter's Notebook: World Cup and Geopolitics Every four years, the world seems to slow down a bit as millions of people around the globe tune into soccer's championship games. This year's 17th World Cup was filled with surprises, upsets and a fifth victory for Brazil. Dominique Moisi, deputy director of France's Institute of International Relations, looks back at this year's games and what its surprising events tell us about our global village.
Since 1994, when the US began Operation Gatekeeper as a way to crack down on illegal immigration around urban areas, nearly 2000 undocumented workers have died trying to cross the border from Mexico into the United States. Is US policy contributing to those deaths? Is there a way to stop illegal immigration? Does the threat of terrorism mean the border should be sealed completely? We look at the conditions that push people to secretly cross the border and whether either country is doing enough to solve the problem with a reporter who's accompanied illegal immigrants, a former US Border Patrol agent and experts on both sides of the border who are leading the search for economic and political solutions. Sara Terry guest hosts.
  • Newsmaker: Civilian Bombing in Afghanistan
    There are conflicting reports over the bombing of a house in the Afghan town of Bagram today. While the US claims its warplanes initiated the attack after American forces in the area came under fire, local eyewitnesses say the bombs killed scores of guests attending a wedding. Michael O'Hanlon, senior foreign policy fellow at the Brookings Institution, considers the contradictory possibilities of pilot error and terrorist strategy.
  • Reporter's Notebook: World Cup and Geopolitics
    Every four years, the world seems to slow down a bit as millions of people around the globe tune into soccer's championship games. This year's 17th World Cup was filled with surprises, upsets and a fifth victory for Brazil. Dominique Moisi, deputy director of France's Institute of International Relations, looks back at this year's games and what its surprising events tell us about our global village.

Defense Department's News Release

Brookings Institution

1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act

Border Solutions Task Force

Immigration and Naturalization Service/US Border Patrol

National Immigration Forum

Operation Gatekeeper

Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development

World Cup

French Institute of International Relations

Credits

Host:

Warren Olney