Rodrigo Abal/AP

Graves in Ciudad Juarez, waiting to be filled.

​Why have so many Mexicans come to this country illegally? One reason is that it's practically impossible for them to do so lawfully. Chris Vogel of the Houston Press and Patrick Michels of the Dallas Observer report this week that even though Mexico's war on drug cartels has led to unprecedented violence, fewer than 2 percent of asylum claims made by Mexican nationals are granted. That's a fraction of the number approved for would-be immigrants from other Latin American countries--despite the fact that, according to experts, roughly 70 percent of the Mexican claims appear to be legitimate. The result: Many Mexicans believe their only choice is to go north or die.