One of the dirty little secrets on our southern border is that Mexico actually encourages its citizens to come here illegally. Not only does Mexico refuse to work with us to secure its side of the border, it’s actually put out comic books explaining to its citizens how to cross into our country illegally. To a barely functional, exploitive nation like Mexico, this is a win/win situation. The illegals who come to the United States send billions back home every year, plus Mexico uses them and their families in the States as a political wedge to try to manipulate our political process in its favor.

That may be all well and good for Mexico, but it’s an expensive proposition for the American taxpayers. So, why not ask Mexico to pay the bills for its own citizens?

A state legislator is taking the unusual step of corresponding directly with the leader of a foreign nation.

Republican Texas State Rep. Lyle Larson is calling on Mexican President Felipe Calderon to reimburse Texas for services used by illegal aliens.

In a letter he revealed Tuesday and sent in late March, the San Antonio legislator requests that Mexico pay Texas back for the annual $6 billion to $8 billion he said that Texas spends on health care, education and other public services for the estimated 1.6 million illegal immigrants in the state.

According to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, Larson does not expect a response from Mexico. However, that did not stop him from offering Mexico suggestions for how to pay off the tab.

“If Mexico is unable to provide monetary compensation, we should be open to discussing other forms of payment,” Larson said, according to News 4 WOAI. “Mexico could provide payment for these services by allowing U.S. companies to develop mineral rich areas of northern Mexico and collect these resources as an in-kind payment.”

The real question isn’t why would Larson send that request to Felipe Calderon; it’s why haven’t we done this already?

Mexico is our third biggest trading partner behind Canada and China and we’ve given it billions of dollars in aid. What’s unreasonable about asking Mexico to either make a good faith effort to stop illegal immigration into our country or pay the tab for its citizens that are coming here illegally with its blessing?