A police stop in Mexico

A while back my wife and I were returning from a weekend pig-out of lobsters and margaritas in Puerto Nuevo, Mexico.

As we approached the border, I was pulled over by a motorcycle cop. He approached our car. I rolled down the window. He looked exactly like Ponch from “CHiPs,” except maybe he was better looking and his uniform’s creases were sharper.

He asked in Spanish if I spoke Spanish. I told him no. He then proceeded to explain to me in flawless English that I had violated a Mexican law by driving 36 mph in a 35 mph zone. He explained to me that I had a choice: I could follow him to police headquarters, where I’d be detained for hours until a magistrate could review my hideous crime and establish the fine, which could be quite severe, don’t you know, or I could cough up $35 to make the whole thing go away. In cash, if you please. Needless to say, I paid the bribe ? er, fine ? and returned to the good ol’ U. S. of A., mumbling to myself under my breath most of the way home.

Flash forward to our current immigration policy. “Speeding” in Mexico is the equivalent of a misdemeanor. Being caught while entering the U.S. illegally is also a misdemeanor, at least currently. The difference is that we employ the so-called “catch and release” policy whereby we apprehend illegal immigrants, then turn them loose. I guess this is something like the Southwest equivalent of sportfishing for marlin off the coast of Cabo San Lucas. My question is: Until or unless the feds choose to ignore the tens of thousands of hard-working Latinos who are marching against America actually enforcing its borders and immigration laws (what a concept), do you think the Mexican authorities would be kind enough to return the favor and do some of that “catch and release” for minor traffic violations?

I didn’t think so.

CHUCK CASSITY

Costa Mesa