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Image provided by NASA. Jose Hernandez on the far left.
Jose Hernandez, the prominent Mexican-American astronaut, became a magnet for controversy after taking a stance on illegal immigration. The rare political commentary from a US astronaut advocated for the legalization of all immigrants.
“I believe it's only fair to find a way to legalize them and give them an opportunity to work openly, so they can also retire in a traditional U.S. system,” said Hernandez in a phone interview with Mexico’s Televisa network.
Hernandez also stated that the American economy would benefit from such a move. Historically, the US did benefit from immigrants. From fruit pickers to Nobel-prize-winning scientists, immigrants that chose to live in the US have contributed immensely to its economy and culture.
However, it is undeniable that his statements fueled an already hot issue. Proposing to legalize those that live in the country illegally was too much even for NASA to handle.
In a statement released to The Associated Press, NASA spokesman James Hartsfield said that Hernandez’ views were “not representing NASA, the astronaut office or any NASA organization in his responses.”
In a video hookup from a Mexican restaurant owned by his wife in Houston, Hernandez said, “I work for the U.S. government, but as an individual I have a right to my personal opinions […] Having 12 million undocumented people here means there’s something wrong with the system, and the system needs to be fixed.”
Despite the controversy, Hernandez refuses to back off from his opinion. His humble beginning helped this spaceman relate to the plight of the millions of immigrants that come to the US in search of the all-American dream. For many people in Mexico and the US, his courage to stand for what he believes gives them hope for a borderless world.
He recalled his voyage to outer space and related the experience with the immigration issue. In an interview with Televisa he said: “What surprised me is when I saw the world as one. There were no borders. You couldn't distinguish between the United States and Mexico.”
Comments
Mr. Hernandez may be an excellent astronaut with an admirable background, but he obviously has not researched and studied the issue of illegal immigration and the impacts on American scoiety. For example, the Heritage Foundation estimated that if the terribly flawed 2007 Bush/Kennedy amnesty bill had passed, it would have imposed a net burden of at least $2.6 TRILLION on U.S. taxpayers. The cost would likely be even higher now.
And rather than using his public profile to advocate for another sure-to-fail mass amnesty and open borders, Mr. Hernandez should encourage illegal immigrants to stand up, return to their home countries, and fight to make it a better place to live. This would be the just and moral course of action to take.
Jose Hernandez speaks for the majority of Americans;
NY Times/CBS Poll dated April 22-26, 2009; 65% would like to see undocumented immigrants legalized.
documents.nytimes.com/new-york-times-cbs-news-poll-obama-s-100th-day-in-office/page/16#p=16
Pew Research Center Poll: 63% of Americans Favour Path to Legalization for Undocumented.
immigration.change.org/blog/view/pew_poll_63_of_americans_favor_path_to_citizenship_for_undocumented
An April 30, 2009 ABC News/Washington Post poll finds 61% of Americans support Path to Legalization for Undocumented
www.abcnews.go.com/images/PollingUnit/1089a6HotButtonIssues.pdf
@ Steve;
The Heritage Foundation "study" has been debunked numerous times.
See the middle of this page by the Southern Poverty Law Center;
www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?sid=415
Comptroller for the State of Texas;
"The absence of the estimated 1.4 million undocumented immigrants in Texas in fiscal 2005 would have been a loss to our gross state product of $17.7 billion. Undocumented immigrants produced $1.58 billion in state revenues, which exceeded the $1.16 billion in state services
they received."
www.cpa.state.tx.us/specialrpt/undocumented/undocumented.pdf
@ Steve;
Why didn't YOUR family "stand up, return to their home countries, and fight to make it a better place to live"?
Why didn't Irish, Italians, Germans, Danes, Russians, Poles, etc "stand up, return to their home countries, and fight to make it a better place to live"?
Cowardice??????????
I don't think I would put to much stock in anything the Southern Poverty Law Center says. That organization is doing every thing it can to remove our right to free speech. Any time any one objects to the country being full of illegal aliens because of our immigration laws not being in forced they scream racist. What Mr.Hernandez seems to want are no borders between Mexico the US and Canada. If that had been the case when he was growing
up I doubt he would be where he is today. What would have been left would have been a third world country spread from Mexico up through what was left of Canada. The country would have been overrun with the poor from South America and everyone would be fighting each other for something to eat. It would have been unlikely there would have been a space program. Third world countries don't have space programs.
I see "Human League" is posting his sophomoric cut and past nonsense again.
The fact is the well-respected Heritage Foundation study has not been debunked by any credible group.
In fact, the fund-raising odious group known as the SPLC has been "debunked," even by many mainstream journalists. The SPLC and potok simply have no credibility.
And the fact is illegals from Mexico are in fact taking the easy way out by whining for another amnesty instead of fighting for their own country as Steve states.
Shame on them, and this is one reason why most Americans continue to reject pathway for illegals. See recent Rasmussen and Gallup polling.
One of many polls that show Americans continuing opposition to amnesty for illegals:
Seventy-eight percent (78%) of likely voters were opposed to legalizing the status of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the U.S. with only 19% supporting it. 88% of African-Americans were opposed to legalization.
-Pulse Opinion Research, LLC, of 1,000 likely voters on August 26, 2009
Mr. Hernandez fails to realize that these people have broken the law. Yes, America has benefited from immigrants. There is a way to enter into this country. That is way we have laws. The fact that 12 million decieded to break the law does not mean that our system is broken. We have good laws on the books that only need to be enforced. We should not reward any criminals. That is what people are forgetting. These people have broken the law. Also, back in the late 1800's and 1900's, this country was not overburdened with people, there was threat to employment, no threat to the eco system, no welfare and free give aways, which has created a bankrupt California. Times have changed. Our country is not like before. We don't need a mass invasion of foreigners. America can not take care of the world!! I agree, that these people need to fix their own governments, not come here and try to change our way of life. They are shredding the fabric of American life. Retirement is cheaper in Mexico!
Mr.Hernandez doesn't care about the law. Not a tiny bit. He is just another one of the large group of hispanics, who think that U.S. laws don't apply to them. The LARGE MAJORITY of these people are ALL THE SAME and there isn't a day that goes by, where some way or another they don't prove it.
Let this nut bag orbit Pluto because his ideas are out of touch with the real world. Go back to Mexico and help his PEOPLE with their space program. Oh I forgot, they don't have one. How about this astro-nut go back to his homeland and give them his money. I don't mind if people do what they want with their own money but I don't like it when they tell everyone how their money should be spent.
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