JANUARY 6, 2005 - Every flip of the page is a virtual "Dummies Guide" for Mexican immigrants to break U.S. immigration laws.
The illustrated guide book on how to illegally cross the border safely, comes free with comic books, courtesy the Mexican government.
"The comic book is trouble."
For more than a decade Walt Miller's had to live with this.
"On a nightly basis we probably have 25 illegals that come through here."
It's Lake Texano in Hidalgo. Home to mostly winter Texans, the community is nestled less than a quarter mile from the border.
"I've learned to live with it... but a lot of people see something like that... and they want to get out of here."
Walt believes this guide encourages illegal migration with tips on everything from how to beat the heat to beating border patrol.
"It goes back to your Mafia days... we're going to teach these guys how to be gangsters."
But the book is looked at in a whole different light here at the Mexican Consulate in McAllen. In fact, people here say, for some, the book is actually a deterrent.
"We have deaths not only on the river but also hypothermia."
Arturo Salgado works at the consulate and says the proof is in the pages ... pictures of a sizzling sun and smugglers enough to change many would-be migrant's minds.
"It is intended to those who have already made up there minds to come across the border," said Salgado.
Their journey? A chance to gain employment opportunities not available in Mexico. Salgado calls it simply a survival guide to help save lives. But Walt's not buying into that theory.
Not because he's not all for sharing the American dream. It's just he wants it to be done by the book and not this book.
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