Monitor contributor Jody García uncovers something interesting in her story today about patterns of illegal immigration. 

The human smugglers and traffickers exploiting the situation promise a false sense of cooperation. Basically, they tell vulnerable people, “We can help you get over the border safely.” Meanwhile, humanely resolving the situation depends significantly on true cooperation, with nations coming together to manage a crisis that, by definition, ignores borders.

It’s a reminder that, in immigration and beyond, the line between progress and predatory behavior is almost always honesty.