In a previous column I referred to the hidden migrant camps in remote locations in Panama that are funneling middle easterners and other migrants through Costa Rica and on northward to the U.S. border. It is referred to as “controlled flow.”

What has been happening in recent weeks has suddenly highlighted the clearly organized criminal enterprise that is encouraging and managing the surge of illegal migrants crossing the southern border. It is a wonder that law enforcement has not already begun pursuing RICO charges against the organizations aiding and abetting this flood at the southern border.

The arrest recently in Mexico of several of the “caravan” organizers, and freezing financial assets of 26 others may indicate someone finally woke up there with pressure from the U.S. It is time for U.S. law enforcement to come down hard on the activists/organizations funding and/or encouraging/facilitating these activities.

To backtrack a bit — the media narrative that this is a made-up crisis is absolute hogwash.

If anything is “made-up” it is the portrayal by ignorant politicians and their media allies that these migrants are in any way “victims of the United States government.” Notable in the galaxy of not-so-bright media stars, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez really demonstrated both her anti-American ideology and stupidity when she claimed the U.S. was running “concentration camps” in America and that illegal aliens were being imprisoned within them.

It is hard to fathom the idiocy of such remarks, but when the media gives people with that viewpoint any credibility it just reinforces the disdain that many Americans have for the media.

What has been hidden almost entirely from view is the corrupt connection between non-governmental organizations  abroad, activist organizations, and the drug cartels, both here and in South and Central America (including Cuban operatives). These NGO’s funnel people from the Middle East, Africa and Asia into Central America and then traffic them — either on foot through Panamanian jungles or via bus/truck caravans to Mexico.

The end game is to then flood them across the U.S. border between legal points of entry and overwhelm the Border Patrol system. The hidden “migrant camp” in Panama is just one example, showing cooperation between the Costa Rican government and Panama to coalesce some of the illegal aliens into a “controlled flow” route that they — the governments – can control.

This one camp is located in Darien Province in southern Panama at La Penita, a very remote location 15 miles from the main highway. At La Penita the Panamanian police operate a prison-like way station for illegal aliens traversing the country northward. It is clear that Panama and Costa Rica are operating in this way to simply move many thousands of these illegals through their territory by bus or truck in stages.

They are not allowed to claim “asylum” there or to stay and disrupt their own economy or culture. The documentary by Center for Immigration Studies fellow Todd Bensman shows the tip of the iceberg, and it is just one facet of the serious international security problem this represents.

Another camp at Golfito, Costa Rica operates on much the same method, collecting about 700 illegals per week, trekking into that country from other routes, many from Asia and Africa. It is well documented that terrorist organizations know that this route is one that is a pathway into America.

We Mainers just saw the end-effect of the insane “controlled flow” process last week when 200-plus Africans who had illegally crossed the Rio Grande in the Del Rio sector immediately and unanimously declared they wanted “asylum” and wished to be sent to Portland, Maine.

What a coincidence.

Current reporting indicates that, during intake interviews with the Border Patrol, they flew from Central Africa to South America and were either bused (some claim to have walked) or trucked into Panama.

How is this financed? Follow the money — estimating costs — cheap airfares are about $1,100 from Kinshasa, D.R. Congo to Bogota Columbia.

Who is paying for this?

It is very hard to believe that people “fleeing poverty and violence,”many with young children in tow, have several thousand dollars to gamble on getting smuggled into America illegally. They then traveled onward through Central America to Mexico, where they have been coached by either NGO’s or activists about what to say when they break into America and surrender to Border Patrol.

They claim “asylum,” which is the get-out-of-anywhere-free card these days, and that has got to change.

The absurdity of the current system, due to the Flores decision — a legal precedent begging to be overturned, is that since these invaders have overwhelmed the capacity of BP to house them, they are almost immediately “released into the interior to await a hearing on their asylum claims.”

The chief of Border Patrol in Maine has stated that the statistics show that more than 90% of these illegals never show up for their assigned hearing, and are untraceable within the USA at that point.

For a longer view of the dishonesty of the wailing about “immigration enforcement,” this lengthy study gives the facts of what Congress has refused to fix to date. It is beyond appalling. For reference see https://cis.org/Report/Courting-Disaster

Portland’s mayor has virtue-signaled his way to prominence alongside AOC and our governor by declaring Portland a “sanctuary city.” But, of course he doesn’t want the city to pay for all that will entail as the flood overwhelms Portland, so the rest of the state will be coerced into supporting this insanity.

It begs the question: where can American citizens go to claim “asylum” from these illegal and oppressive  “progressive” policies?

Another View is a weekly column written collaboratively by Dale Landrith of Camden, Ken Frederic of Bristol, Paul Ackerman of Martinsville, Jan Dolcater of Rockport and Ralph “Doc” Wallace of Rockport.