No Man’s Land

Moshe sipped his morning coffee, examined his waitress’ backside, and listened as Mordecai talked.

“Moshe, did you read the news about what Claudia Sheinbaum, the President of Mexico, said about what she wants the US to do with the deportation of non-Mexican refugees?”

“Yup, I read it in the Jerusalem Post. But Mordechai you don’t even make a comment about a Jewish female president of Mexico. Now that’s interesting.”

“But Moshe, it’s more interesting that she wants non-Mexican aliens sent directly from the US to their home countries. Sheinbaum’s request will place a huge burden on the US. America will have to deport people all over the world. All those related costs would fall directly on the US. Her request is gonna cost the US a whole lotta change. And Trump knows that dumping aliens on the Mexican border will be a lot cheaper. Moshe, do you think Trump will agree to her request?

I haven’t a clue. But here’s what might happen if Mexico and the US don’t come to an agreement. The non-Mexican refugees may be held in a no man’s land between the two countries until the problem is resolved.”

Moshe paused and looked into Mordechai’s eyes to see if we was paying attention.

“Moshe do I sense that you’re about to give me one of your famous historical lectures about a similar situation.”

“Boychick, you got that right. Have you ever heard of the word, Polenaktion?”

“Nope.”

“It means ‘Polish Action’ in German. In 1938 the Nazis decided to kick all Polish Jews out of Germany. They called this project a Polenaktion. The Poles didn’t want the Jews to return to Poland so they enacted a law that said that if the Jews had lived for more than five years in another country that their passports were suspended and they could not reenter Poland without special permission. Of course that special permission was hardly ever granted. This new law pissed off the Nazis. So the Gestapo was called in to forcibly deport the Jews over the Polish border. During these deportation many old Jews died and other Jews committed suicide. Seventeen thousand (17,0000)  Jews ended up in a “no man’s land” of refugee camps on the border between the two countries. The conditions in these camps were deplorable.”

Moshe took a breathe and then asked Mordecai, “Do you want to hear the rest of the story.”

“Of course.”

“Among those sent to the “no man’s land” were the Grynszpan family who had a son Hershel, living Paris. Hershel had received a letter from his family and learned about their awful plight. As revenge he decided to shoot and kill a German diplomat in Paris. His deed caused an act of vengeance by the Nazis. It was a pogrom known as Kristallnacht. A pogrom that lasted for two days and nights throughout the Reich. By the time it ended, 91 Jews were killed, 7,000 Jewish businesses were destroyed, 267 synagogues were burned and looted and 30,000 Jewish men were sent to concentration camps.”

“I bet Hershel never foresaw the potential consequences of his action and I wonder if Trump and Sheinbaum know this Polenaktion story?”

“I haven’t a clue. But I’m sure the law of unintended consequences will pop up its ugly head on the US-Mexican border by the end of January of 2025.”

Moshe took another sip of his coffee, reexamined his waitress’ backside, and listened as Mordecai said, “Buddy, thanks for the informative lecture. I feel like I’m back in college every time I eat breakfast with you.”

And Moshe smiled.