How our myths do rule us! The unacknowledged role they play in our national affairs contests with our notion of ourselves as "advanced", or "modern", as opposed to "primitive" people. Of course myths and metaphors are not to be belittled-- we live and die by them, though we may not feel comfortable admitting it.
It may be worth reflecting upon how often our myths are fraught with error. Examples of this might include our inability to accept the findings of "science" when it has a good deal of evidence on its side, as well as our tendency to lean on "scientific evidence" when it substantiates our own biases, though the evidence may be shaky. How many corporations have used scientific studies to prove that their products are safe, etc.?
In this instance, the story buttresses my skepticism of border paranoia. Borders are always dodgy places, though, and invariably attract those who are engaged in smuggling and so forth. In this regard, the US-Mexican border is probably no different than many others.
What the article does not address is the insistent discourse in the US press which presents immigrant Mexicans as dangerous, while ignoring the US policies that have made a decent life all but impossible for millions in the Mexican countryside, and conveniently ignores the essential role immigrants play in US agriculture and other economic sectors.

Hymenaea ,

Excellent post..Thank You...

"You are not going to be a victim of violent crime here," said Jeffrey Kirkham, police chief in Nogales, Ariz. "We haven't had murder here in five to eight years."

60 miles to the north, Tucson is going on a murder spree. Perhaps the National Guard is needed in other places than the border regions.