To the Editor:

It is interesting that the U.S. is so outraged over Mexican illegal immigration when Mexico was actually first to bear the brunt of illegal immigration on this border. 

If you are familiar with history you may remember Sam Houston and his followers “immigrating” to Texas, Mexican land at that time. Mexico, unable to curb this unwanted occupation, established a law making it illegal. Ignoring the law, Sam Houston and his allies persisted and began the campaign to annex Mexico to the U.S. 

Mexico, overwhelmed and frustrated by these actions, eventually agreed to annexation. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo established the new U.S. and Mexico border. When marking boundaries, the U.S. took advantage of Mexico and moved boundaries to positions more favorable to the U.S. 

Annexation put the rights of now former Mexican citizens and their lands into question. We promised to deal fairly and honor their property rights, if documents proving they really owned the land were produced. Sometimes deeds did not exist because the land had been family owned for many generations. The U.S. appropriated much of this property. Ironic isn’t it? 

More is to be learned if we choose to examine this subject more carefully.

Judy Stockinger

Franklin