A sad site can be seen just south of the border. There gathers a multitude of individuals, ranging from small children to grown men, all there with a single hope in mind: to cross the great barrier that separates America from more destitute lands. Escaping poverty and violence in their home country, thousands flee Mexico each month searching for a better life in the north (Hersher). Though many are detained and returned to their country, and there is also a clear decline in the number of those immigrating (Hersher), it is a sure matter that many more will make it across. Many lose their lives in the dangerous journey.  Those who do not often find themselves in dire living conditions.

A great deal of sympathy can be afforded to the immigrants, but it does not change the nature of the situation. They still present a drain on United States resources, as the border must be constantly enforced to ensure the law is upheld. The constant flow of people forward and back across the border guarantees a thriving drug trade, another problem. This in turn has escalated the war on drugs and has indirectly led to the opioid crisis. It’s clear illegal immigration cannot be tolerated.

The immigrants cannot be blamed for these problems; that judgement lies on the shoulders of the Latin-American political scene. For centuries since their wars of independence, Latin-America has been plagued with rebellion, poor rulers, corrupt officials, and all manner of military juntas. Occasionally, men like Símon Bolívar, Augustín de Iturbide, or Pedro II would rise to power and seem to bring their nations and countrymen to glory, but their work would either be struck down by tyranny or be torn apart by corruption. The men that find themselves in power in these nations have been bad rulers, mediocre at best, and have more often than not exacerbated the problems rather than solving them.

It is a shame that such a pestilence of greed and avarice infects these men in power, because the land itself is quite rich. Millions of square miles of rich and bountiful lands lie untapped to their fullest potential. Farmland, metals, energy resources, and more, not to mention the massive potential for tourism-based services. If the officials of this land could only agree to work in a just and fair manner, then all would be well. But they have not, and they will not.

So what can be done to solve this problem? It is clear that border enforcement is not a cure, but rather a treatment for the symptoms. What is the solution for both America and the nations of Latin-America? To this question, I offer the following solution: The annexation of Latin-America.

Let me preface this by making my ideas more specific; as it stands, the previous sentence reads as insane ramblings. I do not argue for the immediate annexation of the entirety of Latin America. I do not argue this as a means to expand American influence, nor do I argue that it is the most idyllic solution. The beginnings of the project would be done as an experiment and would be designed to only aid the targeted nation instead of serving as a radical solution to border control. Similar ideas have been played with by vastly more intelligent men than me (a gross understatement), such as president Grant’s attempt to liberate the citizens of Santo Domingo (now the Dominican Republic) (Hildago, 51). It is clear then that the idea has both precedent and merit.

An ideal candidate for this experiment would be Honduras. The nation has the highest homicide rate in the world, being roughly 25% higher than the next highest nation, El Salvador (Lemahieu, 24). It is geographically close to the United States. Though a country with a smaller population such as Belize may be easier to work with, most countries are not as small as Belize and using it would give a flawed result. Therefore, we will start with Honduras for this hypothetical.

I am no administrator and only intend offering the essentials of the plan, so I will not go into excessive detail. There are three distinct goals that need to be reached: The elimination of criminal activity, the distribution of living and education resources to the local population, and the removal of corrupt officials from office. To achieve these, the United States military would be key. The superior might of America’s armed forces would easily crush the gangs in Honduras, which currently serve as the most rampant source of crime. The military could also solve the problem of government corruption, as local officials could be hand picked and installed based on their suitability. As for the living and education resources, the member states of the United Nations could work to aid the American endeavor.

Over time, and with strict military oversight, the crime and violence would dry up. The Honduran people would become educated, and the gangs would disappear. Both would strongly bolster the Honduran economy. This would stop immigration northwards, as people no longer fear for their lives and are able to raise families in their homeland. Eventually, democracy could be restored to the nation and a status similar to that of Puerto Rico could be granted.

There is one major concern with my argument I have not yet addressed: where will the money for such a project come from? To this point I ask another question: is more money than we already have actually necessary?

The American military is by far the greatest the world has ever seen, and only continues to grow. As it stands, much of the military remains unutilized for the purposes of combat and conquest. Though there are several conflicts that require American attention, most of the military currently focuses on administration around the globe and keeping American influence present there. Instead of levying a tyrannically large tax on American citizens, all that must be done is to orientate a portion of our existing military to a combat focus.

The poverty and violence in countries like Honduras is great (Gonzalez-Barrera) (Gao) (Lemahieu), and is a driving force behind the immigration problem in America. Only foreign intervention into the affairs of the south can save America, and her neighbors, from a terrible fate. No longer can we have tin-hat dictators ruling over the poor Hispanics of Central America and thumbing their noses at America while smoking their Cuban cigars.

I do not advocate war: I advocate peace through strength. I would not suggest such measures if previous attempts and solving the problem had succeeded. It is clear that more radical measures must be taken to ensure a long-lasting peace. By invading Latin-America, the United States would help liberate the oppressed, feed the hungry, and protect the innocent.

Works Cited:

Hersher, Rebecca. “3 Charts That Show What’s Actually Happening Along The Southern Border.” NPR, NPR, 22 June 2018, www.npr.org/2018/06/22/622246815/unauthorized-immigration-in-three-graphs.

Hidalgo, Dennis R. “Charles Sumner and the Annexation of the Dominican Republic.” Academia.edu - Share Research, 1997, www.academia.edu/277925/Charles_Sumner_and_the_Annexation_of_the_Dominican_Republic.

Gonzalez-Barrera, Ana, et al. “DHS: Violence, Poverty Drive Children to Flee Central America to U.S.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 1 July 2014, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/07/01/dhs-violence-poverty-is-driving-children-to-flee-central-america-to-u-s/.

Gao, George. “5 Facts about Honduras and Immigration.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 11 Aug. 2014, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/08/11/5-facts-about-honduras-and-immigration/.

Lemahieu, Jean-Luc, and Angela Me. “Global Study on Homicide 2013: Trends, Context, Data.” Vienna: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2013. Print.