Illegal Immigration, With a Focus on "Illegal"

I, as most Americans, am at a loss to concoct a way to have my representatives listen to me. I have yet to see a return email on this issue, though I've sent several. It's very unsettling to realize that the public has absolutely no control over their Legislature now, in suit with the loss of control over their President a long while ago.

The more I watch this, the more I pick up on the real motivators for these former Legislators, now renegade hucksters jockeying for position. The DNC apparently is so awe struck by the possibility of picking up 12(20) million voters that they are in a state of delusion about how many existing American voters they have already lost and will lose if they successfully pull the amnesty trigger. They're shooting this country in the chest if they do. My only consolation will be that they're shooting themselves in the head. They lost this DNC voter for life when Kennedy produced this ultimate sabotage upon his country. The rest will drop like flies the minute the bell rings.

Since I hate the Republicans for running cover for Bush's fake war, I'm stuck with Independent. Then again, hopefully this will spur such complete hatred for our existing two party disgrace that a whole new breed of politics will emerge. Regardless of what transpires, the DNC, now known as the Hispanic National Committee, is gone and the only chance for the Republicans to redeem themselves after aiding and abetting Bush's homicidal rampage for oil is to hold the line on immigration. God Help Us!!!!

BAD TEDDY, NO SECRETARY!!!!!

The author clearly feel bad for himself probably for fighting and screaming for a green card for such a long time and now his nightmare of milions similar to him-yesterdecade getting the same quickly just because of being at the right place at the right time.Hmm.. I can felthe pain and I'm not saying it's not right to feel so but why to publish "small people talk".US interest scream for immigration reform(not necessarily shaped like that exactly but who's perfect?)no question about it.I feel for THE GREAT NATION and understand that The Great Americans don't need more simple americanos but short sight may be painful in a long ride na American economy has to go.Outsourcing(job going abroad my Great fellow) is unavoided if you don't have inexpencive labore at home.John Smith will not work on somebodys farm/or in factory/ for $10/h -no fancy benefits included,etc.With no reform problem will solve itself anyway of course but I don't think The Great Citizens will be happy by that solvation.John Smith will get this job for $20 + benefits for a while and when in a few months oranges apples and stakes prices reach $20/lb rest of The Simpsons will go bananas...Than of course we'll import oranges for $5 -no problem,but after a while Smith and Mr Farmer will not be able to buy a banana.Sorry-OUT OF CASH...
Shhhhh,I heard something from above!!TI'S THE ECONOMY STUPID!!!Brrr Who deare to say stupid to me!!!???
Fellow European

Why do we reward those who ran faster and evaded the border guards? Or threw a rock at a border guard? A government that cannot process passports of US citizens has no right to invite more foul-up by pretending they can process 20 million illegals in 24 hours. The stupidity of things like gang member renunciation, which allows criminals to stay if they promise to stop killing US citizens. Yes, let us believe them. The invitation of more fraud by the only proof of residency is an affidavit from someone other than a relative. For the next decade, any illegal who might be caught has only to get a non-relative to say they were here on January 1, 2007. The whole idea of day labor centers are literally tax evasion headquarters for big and small business, while the US taxpayer is hit with the burden of healthcare, schools, and law enforcement. It is shameful that politicians are dismissing the objections of Americans who don't trust their government. Allowing 20 million uninsured, uneducated people to become citizens at once, regardless of their prior criminal record, is the the biggest piece of pork barrel spending and assault on the middle class.

Not passing the current bill would not be "defacto amnesty". If the Amnesty bill fails, don't forget we already have very good immigration laws...they are just not being enforced. If we did start to enforce them, the illegals will start to be sent home or self deport when employers will no longer hire them and the welfare benefits are shut off.

This is a humanitarian problem. Millions of hard-working men and women must be recognized as human beings and deserve a chance at the American dream.
Congress must act now. The bill is being held hostage by radicals who think that America we live in is still the America of the 1950's. These same people would love to still have "separate but equal". I am talking about Senator Sessions, Lou Dobbs, Tancredo, etc.
Yes to humane immigration reform!

That word says it all! I pray to God that the house stops this nonsense because I'm pretty sure the senate will pass it! Bunch of lawbreaking jerks! I've never been so angry about anything in my life, and I've been angry about a lot of things! I can't believe the nerve of these people! THEY ARE ILLEGAL! Nothing can take that away! I know that they come from a lot of different countries but primarily from Mexico. Please explain why one of the riches countries in the word gets a pass on taking care of it's own citizens! This is outragous! I have voted for democrates all of my life but NO MORE! They are in bed with Bush, Corp. America and Mexico! This is the end of our country if someone doesn't stop this train wreck! Oh and I'm NOT a racist, I have LEGAL immigrants in my family who LOVE this country and did things the right way!!!

The guy in the article use a lot of fallacies and qvasi-argumentations of his immigration ideas.I'm not going into detail because there will be no room. At one point (hillarious), he extrapolates illegal immigration trends to come to the conclusion that in 2028 there will be 48m illegal immigrants. I have no idea what calculation he used but if you assume constant immigrant arrival rate the answer will be 22m not 48m. He probably assumed exponential-growth or massive exodus will happen sometime in the future. DANGER! DANGER! BE AFRAID AMERICA!IMMIGRANTS BAD! - that is the politics of fear. Everybody exaggerate the immigrant situation to create panic. Some people seem to be against the individual and not the system: this is intolerance (the super-set of racism if you want).

As an exercise for your low math skills, try calculate only the financial cost in deporting 12m people in aproximatelly 70 different countries.

PS: And then he drops the bomb "America has had a difficult time dealing with the 12 million already here". Pardon me! Where is that difficulty? You mean the difficulty of writing decent articles about immigration? Because, there is no difficulty in dealing with immigrants that have no rights. Employers find that even convenient, they pay them half the salary or even no pay. Some industries flourish on the work of immigrants. Note the construction industry. Americans have the possibility of buying really nice homes really cheap, because of the low cost of immigrant labor.

So please argument you point mr Writer.

To the last "Anonymous" poster:

What about the American construction workers who lost their jobs, or who are struggling to keep their families above poverty, because they have to compete with illegals being exploited by greedy businesses? I don't mind paying THOUSANDS more for my house if it means righting this injustice.

Why do you put the interests of illegals above those of Americans?

Of course we want to help the poor people of the world. But there is only so much we can do. If you visit www.NumbersUSA.org/video, you will get an idea of the scale of the problem. For every million people we allow in, 80 million more poor people are born into the world. No, immigration is not the answer to the world's poverty problem, it never could and never should be. If we want to help, we need to find ways to better their situation in their home countries.

Our immigration policy should be for the benefit of America and Americans. Some amount of legal immigration is good for America.

However, the current volumes, and the fact that so many are illegal, is not. It depresses wages, puts a strain on our social services ($3 in social services consumed by illegals for every $1 in taxes that they pay), adds to our overpopulation and city congestion, and poses an integration problem as the immigrant population reaches such a critical mass in certain areas that they no longer even see the need for learning English and assimilating.

And please, no calls of racism or bigotry. I lived in Latin America for 10 years, speak Spanish fluently, and love the Latin culture and people. I stayed as a guest, obeyed all the laws, learned as much of the language and culture as I could, etc. In America, we want legal immigration, at a reasonable rate. But we want people to come here respectfully, learning our language and our culture and obeying our laws, and becoming part of the American society, all in an orderly fashion.

Until we clamp down on illegal immigration and restore order, this is not going to happen. By not enforcing our laws, we are telling people, "Yes, come in, ignore our laws, don't respect us, do whatever you want, hey, here's a business that wants to hire you and exploit your cheap labor." I don't blame people for listening to that message. But now the message needs to change. "Yes, come in, but by the front door. Learn our language, our culture, and respect our laws. If you do so, we will embrace you warmly."

Confession:

I am an "illegal alien". Indeed, tho I am an educated white person from the Great White North, I must accept that label with all the dignity I can muster in an environment that seems to hate me for it.

Since that label was first cast upon me, I have started 2 companies, which together are providing honest employment to a host of American citizens. If I'm successful, there will be LOTS more. To that end, I am thwarted - there is no accommodation in the law for someone in my circumstance, which occurred largely as a result of antiquated laws (so the lawyers told me).

While listening to the rhetoric around the immigration debate, I look at myself: "Am i really that much of a threat to the future of America? Who am I hurting by remaining here - as a 'lawbreaker'. Are my sins so much more dangerous and unforgivable than, say, speeding on the Interstate?"

Now, I could leave and take my second business with me. But that seems more an act of cowerdice than good smarts - it wouldn't be good for operations either. I could quit...but that's worse. So, I push forward. And hope that calm legislative heads will prevail and at worst, my American daughter won't have to watch me lynched in the town square.

Wanna help? Please ease on the harsh language pointed in my direction, and that of the millions of others like me. Even better - you could could ask for sensible reform - put in a good word to your friends and senators.

Dave

I read an article yesterday which stated that,

"The TOP 527 contributor in the 2006 mid-term election that shifted congressional power to Democrats was the Service Employees International Union, giving $33 million in 2006 alone, nearly all of it to Democrats."

if this is true, it would explain why so many Senators are fighting so hard for this bill.

What we need is a strong Republican president like Dwight Eisenhower -- who beat back the mexican invasion before by enforcing what was called as "Operation Wetback". He deported about 1 million illegal aliens in about 1 year period.
Only liberal democrats will have you believe that we cannot deport 10-12 million illegal aliens. If we get to it in and deport good 2-3 million illegals, rest will leave by themselves.Also, it is important that we perserve American culture.By some estimated illegal alien amnesty crowd will be in majority by 2015 if we allow amnesty for 10-12 million illegal aliens.

I am not against legal immigrants, I am against illegal immigrants. Democrats support amnesty and say we cannot deport illegals but if we put some effort and money into the effort of deporting illegls this time around, this will serve as a example for the mexicans who may be thinking about coming into this country illegally.
America is a country of laws and we must uphold our laws by enforcing the present law which clearly states that illegal aliens must be deported and there is no two ways about it, I don't care how much money and time it takes.

We must defeat this massive Democrat's illegal alien amnesty bill and bring back the rule of law back to this oountry.

My Uncle fought side by side with Americans in US/Japanese conflict in the Philippines.
From what I understand, all Filipinos that served in the war wiil be granted a visa and eventually a greencard.
My Uncle has applied and was patiently waiting his turn to be processed. Sadly he passed away and his dreams of coming overhere never materialized.
Now illegal aliens are demanding to be legalized NOW.
In a way I'm glad he passed away before this nonsense came about.

I agree with one of the above comments that the USA is about to lose its humanity if they turn a blind eye on millions of hard-working immigrants.
The "American people" doesn't mean "White-Anglo-Saxon Protestants" any more. We do not live in the 1950s. And, if it was up to the "White-Anglo-Saxon Protestants", "separate but equal " will still be in place.
Congress must act and pass a humane immigration bill that recognizes the contributions of millions of hard working human beings. If that doesn't happen, history will judge our country harshly for its cruel treatment of immigrants.
And the Republicans, if they give up to their racist right-wing, are on a verge of becoming an extinct party and never winning another minority vote. And, as of today, there are over 100 million LEGAL Americans who are minorities(black, Latino, Asian, etc.)
Stop the racism and pass the immigration bill.

the quality of life has greatly diminished by people who claim that this land was stolen from them. take away the jobs, social services, medical care, and other freebees and they wont even think about the crusty piece of earth that's left. gimme a break, you don't want the land you want the American way.

A Wall Street firm studied the increased demand on public services to get a more accurate estimate of the actual number of illegals currently in the country. The 11, now 12 million, are Bush's government numbers. Bush has attempted to distort the truth in government reporting in everything from the CIA's estimate of Iraq's threat of WMD all the way to the collective opinions of thousands of scientists presumbably acting in good faith to alert the world to the danger of fossil fuel greenhouse gases. Hitler's Minister of Propaganda would be jealous of Bush's success in misleading the people he took an oath to protect. The Wall Street firm estimated 30 million illegals in this country based largely upon the additional load in public services that they created.

When your elected officials look the other way while 30 million potential terrorist walk into their country, people have a tendency to get angry. Maybe someday when we regain control of our country, then we can be more tolerant of immigration. Right now, we are no more secure in our own country than the illegals who have occupied it. Until we remove the people responsible for this from office, we are likely to be a bit irritable.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a non-profit business that represents around 3 million FOR PROFIT business, wrote much of this legislation directly for Bush and Kennedy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Chamber_of_Commerce

According to the above, they are-

Anti minimum wage
Anti labor union
Anti environmental regulation
Anti Employee Free Choice Act
Anti Sarbanes-Oxley Act (act which holds companies responsible for criminal activity in reporting, etc.)
Anti Web Neutrality (they want to control the internet via giving ultimate power to control access to a very small group of large companies)

Pro globalization
Pro Arctic Wildlife Refuge Oil Drilling

In other words, people who just can't make enough money to fill the gigantic hole in their soul created by the abandonment of all ethics wrote this legislation to give my country to global slave traders. They'll give my country to global slave traders when they pry the gun from this dead patriots hand. IMPEACH KENNEDY, BUSH. No amnesty, no way.

Good Article. If this bill passes the bloody american will surface again. Not in England but in America. Citizens are fed up with paying the costs of others.
Not to mention the security issues that are huge!
Food For thought: Milwaukee Cop May of 2007 is Illegal Alien using Fake I.D. 5 years of services.
Senator Mc Cauls 10th Texas Website
Iraq's Learn Spanish Before Crossing to America Page 29
of "A LINE IN THE SAND CONFRONTING THE THREAT AT THE SOUTHWESTERN BORDER"

Funny how when people tell the truth of the devisiveness of Dobbs, Sessions, and Tancredo people quickly diminish it by calling it "inflammatory rhetoric." It is these hateful people who prey on the fears of the public who use inflammatory rhetoric.

Funnier are those phonies who urge us not to call others racist but direct us to racist web sites to validate their racist arguments.

It seems to me that the real problem most Americans have is this. We want to see the border enforced first, that law already exists from 1986 and from the 700 mile fence passed last session. Second, we wish to have immigrants learn how to speak English. 3rd Employers held accountable fined and jailed for hiring illegal aliens.

Once this Government (our politicians and agencies)PROVE the border has been enforced, that employers have been held accountable for breaking the law, THEN let us allow whoever wishes to come with a 3 year work visa AFTER a solid background check has been done, if that takes a year so be it, it takes a year. After 3 years let the LEGAL immigrant take a test in English, should they pass it then onward and upward towards citizenship if thats what they wish.

If a person fails, but shows some progress then issue another 3 year work visa, if after 6 years a working and understandable grasp of English has not been attained, they go home. Losing any benefits that they may have paid towards Government retirement benefits.

Those LEGAL Immigrants that have learned at least a 7th grade level in English speaking and comprehension may if they choose apply for permanent citizen status, or if they choose to remain a citizen of their home country and that upon retirement they be eligible for all benefits they would have received as a Citizen. just a few thoughts

The news papers and the President of the United states of America keep saying “jobs Americans won’t do.” Most Americans find when they go for a job, one of the requirements is that they speak Spanish even in construction jobs. The illegal aliens use phony ID, work for low wages, get a 1099 at the end of the year that they never file and therefore don’t pay taxes, but most of them do speak Spanish. Americans are being displaced in the workforce. Yes, there are some Americans who are not good workers, there are also illegal aliens who are not good workers. There are approximately 12 million of them in this country and only 7.2 million of them hold jobs. The illegals have sent 25 billion American dollars back to other countries this past year.
They come into this country with no health check and no criminal background check. The CDC says Tuberculosis is on the rise, it was almost eradicated in the USA. Illegal Aliens have injured and killed hundreds of Americans in auto accidents, they drive with no insurance or license, and then they run back to their respective countries to avoid prosecution. Identity theft is on the rise and is costing Americans millions. We have enough homegrown criminals without importing more.
Illegal aliens have taxed our social services to the point that some hospitals have closed. Illegal aliens flood across the border when they are pregnant so their children will be American citizens and their care and the care of their children is paid for by Americans. Our property taxes continue to go up to build new schools because of overcrowding. One of their arguments is that they pay sales tax on everything they buy. Perhaps they think Americans don’t pay sales tax.
There are radical groups who claim that all the Southwestern states belong to them anyway and that they intend to take them back. They wave the flags of Mexico while saying they want to be American citizens. They yell threats aimed at the American people and this is how they expect us to see their side of the issue.
The illegal’s continue to tell us how much our country needs them and that they are what is keeping the economy going in this country. What did they do for the economy in their own country? Americans did the jobs before the illegal aliens came and Americans, given the opportunity, will do them again.
ICE arrested 125 illegal fugitives in April, they were from 28 different countries. The issue is about illegal aliens, not Hispanics as they like to claim. If an American does not support the efforts of the illegal aliens, they are called Racist. If wanting to protect our country from intruders is racist, then call me a racist but don’t call me complacent.
Congress and the news papers want us to believe that we need to accept these people who are trying to jump ahead of immigrants who have applied for legal citizenship. Of course Congress gets its money from businesses who want to keep the people who will accept lower wages and no benefits. They want to give them green cards. Well, Americans have a card too. It’s called a Voter Registration Card.

God will punish us if we act on our basic and cruel survival instinct. We are going to neglect millions of people, and a lot of those have families, children here. And why is that? Because they have "broken the law"?
Ridiculous argument: our ancestors came here on a boat and signed their name at Ellis Island. Becoming a citizen a century ago was a joke.
The fear is that this is the beginning of the end of white America(which, based on the demographics and the numbers, is inevitable, for good or bad).
Deep down, Billy Bobb hates Jose. But Jose& co is becoming a powerful voting block as being the largest minority as of last year.
The Republicans are dooming themselves into extinction!
Look at their Presidential candidates: white, middle aged Protestants who have no idea or compassions about the plight of a 100 million of their potential minority voters.
Warning to the Republicans: there will be a comprehensive immigration reform. If not now, the next time you lose the elections even more convincingly, maybe you will smell the coffee.

Do we want people to come to this country who are willing to wait in the immigration bureacracy? I don't; they're probably all shiftless, lazy socialists. I want the Mexican Triathletes (the ones who swim, run and jump to get here). They have initiative as well as athletic prowess.

For those who can't seem to understand the difference between the words "Legal" and "Illegal", allow me to give a few simple examples. I'll "K.I.S.S.", since English is so difficult for those in the pro-illegal camp to understand.

I can go to my local bank and make a Legal withdrawal or I can go to the same bank and make an Illegal withdrawal. Now is there a difference?? You bet your bottom dollar there is, or should I have said "bottom peso"? Especially if the funds came out of your personal checking account.

Indulge me in one more example. I can follow the law and hunt deer Legally or I can break the law and go hunting the same deer Illegally. Some prefer to call the later "poaching" and I would agree. So is there a difference?? Barring tree huggers and PETA, all resonable Americans would agree with a resounding "YES" there certainly is.

So why is there any difference with Legal and Illegal immigration? Illegal means just that, and act that violated the laws of this nation. Unlike the nations where most illgals come from, the US is a nation of laws. Following the laws, all of them, ensures all Americans and legal aliens can live safely and are treated fairly. Some will argue, "but they are only trying to support their families." What about the shoplifter who steals from a grocery store so he can feed his family? Is he no less a criminal than the person who steals a TV set?

Illgeal immigration is destroying this great nation. Yes, most Americans are decendants of immigrants but the key word here is Legal immigration. They were immigrants because they chose to obey the laws. Those who violate our laws can not use the term "immigrant" since it implies legallity. The only accurate term for them is "Illegal Aliens", not "migrants", not "undocumented workers" but ILLEGAL ALIENS!!! Let's not play word games here, in America we call a "spade a spade".

However our lawmakers in Washington and even our President have chosen to ignor the will of the American people. The US is a democratic republic and it was our votes who put them into office. So I would continue to encourage every American to call, fax, email and mail letters to your elected officials and demand "THEY SECURE OUR BORDERS FIRST AND SECONDLY ENFORCE CURRENT IMMIGRATION LAWS".

There is nothing "broken" about our current immigration laws other than those who are paid to enforce them only do it occationally.

Illgal immigration is in no way a "victimless crime". Countless violent crimes are commited by illegals daily, not to mention the ID theft and theft of social benefits they are not entitled to. I live in Phx, AZ and in the last few weeks 5 Americans died as a direct result of illegal immigration. In the first incident, an illegal was stoppped by a deputy sheriff. The illegal rams the deputy's patrol car several times and pushes it into on comming traffic, where a woman driving by, strikes the patrol car and died. In the second incident, a family of four died when an illgal alien slammed into the back of their mini van. The mini van rolled and caught on fire, burning to death the father, mother and two very young children. The bottom line, if these two illegals weren't here in our country these 5 Americans would still be alive today. Now if you can, those of you who hold to the Pro-illegal position, go tell the family members of these victims that illegal immigration is a victimless crime.

Enough is enough, the American people have spoken.