The United States Association of Immigrants
The responses to my last article reveal deeply held feelings that surface on both sides of this issue. Few supported my suggestion to end automatic birthright citizenship because it would result in children born here to parents from some countries to be “stateless”. Several took issue with the Immigration Policy Center (IPC) study showing little relationship between recent immigration and unemployment among U.S. natives, including FAIR. They responded by blasting the entire report, claiming the IPC study mixed data from both legal and illegal immigration. Ultimately, the issue boils down to the question of how to handle the numbers of undocumented aliens already here.
If you listen to the “anti-immigration” forces, they say that a path to citizenship for illegals (i.e. “amnesty”) will be very expensive to taxpayers and will result in the influx of yet more uneducated, poor people that we can’t absorb, mainly in the form of chain migration via family-based reunification. That is, if we admit the 10-13 million illegals, their extended families could add another 50 million or more to our population. They also say that lawbreakers must be punished (since we are a nation of laws), and that amnesty will only encourage more illegal immigration.
But FAIR is wrong when they characterize a path to citizenship as a full amnesty. A monetary fine was always part of the plan. So, FAIR’s argument that letting illegals get away with a crime is hollow, since paying a fine is a standard form of punishment. It should also offset some costs.
FAIR also clings tightly to the notion that “attrition” will work. That is, if we make life difficult enough for illegals, they’ll just naturally go home. I strongly disagree with this core assumption, because for that to happen, we’d need to become a virtual police state and agree to “stick it” to innocent families of illegals. Folks, this just isn’t going to happen in a mostly Christian nation with a Democratic Congress and a large Latino minority. FAIR's proposal is more likely to cause skilled undocumented workers to leave, not the majority of those without skills. That means the major underpinning of FAIR’s proposal (attrition) is completely wrong. So, let’s start with the logical assumption that most undocumented aliens that are already here will stay here.
However, FAIR and other groups make enough valid points that a compromise should be in order. First, is it possible to limit follow-on immigration for this particular act? Is it possible to limit follow-on visas to just the immediate family? If so, that could appease the right. Also, why not reduce some numbers of legal immigrants and/or encourage more educated immigrants with the skills we need? One method might be to amend diversity visa legislation to admit more winners with college degrees.
I certainly can’t speak for all progressives but I might support a more secure border (yes, more and higher fences), if that’s what it takes to finally get this package passed. Toughening our borders could end the debate whether “amnesty” will facilitate more illegals to enter the U.S. Besides, strengthening our borders was part of the plan all along.
A key point to remember is that path to citizenship is not automatic and will first require getting a green card. If FAIR, the Center for Immigration Studies, NumbersUSA, VDare, and other nativist groups don’t “get it” and realize that bringing those already here out of the shadows is not debatable, then and only then will be progress be made on this issue. Their alternative is to continue blocking comprehensive immigration reform, further cementing the perception that Republicans are out of step with reality, and are truly the Party of No.
Comments
The only way that illegal immigration will be eradicated, is the paramount overwhelming pressure of public awareness bearing down on their Senators and Congressman? Outside of this--NOTHING WILL HAPPEN--EXCEPT ANOTHER PRE-ARRANGED AMNESTY, THAT TAXPAYERS WILL GET THE BILL TO INFINITY. Digest more of the facts and unbiased truth at NUMBERSUSA, JUDICIALWATCH,CAPSWEB, ALIPAC, AMERICANPATROL, THEDARKSIDEOFILLEGALIMMIGRATION & ILLEGALIMMIGRATIONDAILY.
Necessity is the Mother of Invention
Necessity = Lost cost labor for cheap products like Fruits, Vegetables, Meats Houses, Nanny, Day Care etc....
Invention = Illegal Immigrants
We need cheap products.
Business and Farms need cheap labor.
Illegal immigrants need better life for their kids and family.
Politicians need to take care of everyone.
Now tell me who is at fault!
Is GM going bankrupt Fault of illegal immigrants?
AIG a Fault of illegal immigrants?
Thanks GOD its because of these so called "Illegal Immigrants" we at least get our basic Food for cheap price. Don't they deserve a better life too? or we always wanna keep them as slaves.
I truly feel sorry for hardworking illegal immigrants but am 100% against the Criminals aliens either Illegal or legal
Here is a reason I think we must give second chance to Illegal immigrants....
I agree with everyone that says people who come to USA without Visa or overstay their visa break immigration laws of our country. They must be punished for that. But don't u think coming to USA walking those miles in killer & lonely desert itself is punishment. working in farms, construction, restaurants and factories like slaves is punishment, living without any rights or driving license is punishment.... I guess we have punished them a lot. They do deserve better life after scarifying so much, its not that they are here for fun, they come here for better life for themselves and their kids just like our Great grandparents did for us.
Even a hardcore criminals like bank robbers, rapist and con-artist are given Second chance after serving 3-4 years in prison. I guess a life of illegal is worse then being in prison. While working, undocumented workers fear being fired or reported to immigration or cops.
Illegal immigrants committing crime or they themselves are victim! I hear a lot about illegal immigrants or undocumented aliens committing crimes, the only crime they commit is that they over stay their visa or they come to this county looking for better life for their kids. I guess our great grandparents or our parents did the same. For the crime they commit they suffer a lot too, they walk through desert for miles, they are exploited by their employers for years, they do not have no benefits or driving licenses. They are treated like 21st century slaves in America. Even hardcore criminals in USA like child rapist or bank robber break the laws and are punished for 3-5 years and allowed to live freely. As soon as they come to the United States, undocumented workers start desperately seeking for job opportunities to sustain and provide a better life for their families-the very reason for migrating. And of course, employers are more than happy to take advantage of Illegals.
How do illegal steal your jobs??
How can a person without any skills, not educated, unable to speak English, not able to Drive without licence, physically not powerful then an average American etc... Steal your Jobs?
The only person to blame is yourself, who is lazy & does not wanna work! If every unemployed American starts working as hard as illegals do, there would not be any work for them and they will have to return back to where they came from.
We only need to worry about educated guys coming to USA from countries like India and China on H1B Visas because they are the one taking our good jobs too!
illegals are only taking what we don't want!
I think it's right! we knew they won't leave unless CIE catch them, but that will separate the families...affect the future of america.
This article is childish and disingenuous. There is no way that a simple fine of a few thousand dollars will offset the huge rise in social benefit costs that adding 50 million new poor, uneducated citizens to the US population will cause. Moreover what will happen to those who won't pay the fine? The pro-illegals will whine that they are too poor to pay even a token fine. Personally I'm particularly angered by the thought that an estimated 10 million elderly relatives of illegals being allowed to settle here and immediately given Social Security and Medicare. I've paid into Social Security and Medicare for 30 years and still have 18 more years to pay before I can collect. Why should Mamacita from Jalisco immediately start to collect what I've paid into for 30 years, just because her son or grandson crossed our borders illegally? The native-born American gets nothing -- NOTHING -- from amnesty for 50 million illegals and stands to suffer a huge loss of quality of life on top of it.
Another point: you offer strengthened borders as some kind of sop in order to get your pro-amnesty bills passed. But adding 50 million Mexican voters to our voter base will make enforcement a moot point. Hispanics are already politically powerful enough to block most enforcement measures even TODAY. Obviously with 50 million new voters in their power block, we can forget about enforcement. So no, you are not offering us ANYTHING in exchange for amnesty when you talk about reluctantly accepting more enforcement.
Necessity = Lost cost labor for cheap products like Fruits, Vegetables, Meats Houses, Nanny, Day Care etc....
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The labor is not at all "cheap" because the taxpayers subsidize these labor costs through the taxpayer-supported benefits that the illegals cost us.
Mexico wants our land for their burgeoning population. And they will get it unless we say NO! NO AMNESTY; NO COMPRHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM; NO CHAIN MIGRATION! NEVER!
"Also, why not reduce some numbers of legal immigrants" ? what kind of bullshit is that. You want to reduce legal immigrant visa numbers to give it to illegals who broke the law ? ridiculous! LEGALS come before ILLEGALS. PERIOD!
Focusing on the individual illegal aliens misses the big
picture ... That Mexico is doing everything it can to create
an ILLEGAL MEXICAN NATION" *loyal to Mexico First into the
7th Generation " within the borders of the USA! Think
about the fact that 20% to 30% of Mexico's population
are already here ILLEGALLY!!
* Juan Hernandez...Mexico's Minister of Mexicans Abroad
NumbersUSA
Capsweb
alipac
CCIR
***** $511000 - $1116900 Millions a year savings in Labor Cost *****
If there are 10-12 Million working illegals in US and doing the same that we do for less, who benefits?? For Example a Meat packer before was paid $19 + benefits ($5 expense to company) total of $24 an illegal does the same job for $7-$10 without any benefits. Average saving of $14 - $17 an hour X 10-12 million illegals X 10-15 hours a day (you do the math) = $1400 - $3060 Million saving everyday passed to the consumer in cheap labor ... eventually this savings is passed to us by the company thus we can get cheap food.
Multiply $1400 - $3060 Million saving everyday passed to the consumer in cheap labor with 365 days of year, that is $511000 - $1116900 Millions a year.
If it was not for illegals all our companies might go the way GM did! Please have mercy on them and their kids they are humans too. I guess we love our pets (animals) more then we hate these illegals.
I wish they can get to live decent lif
***** $511000 - $1116900 Millions a year savings in Labor Cost ***** I guess thats the reason Businesses and Farmers don't want illegals to become legals. How will they replace these Cheap Slaves? Good Luck and God Bless... I don't see them coming out of slavery anytime soon!
finally...i see more positive pro amnesty responses. yes, FAIR and other antiamnesty are selling half truths...hey..they are politicians...
non-criminal illegals are not stealing jobs from american citizens. we need to find out how the census is by getting them out of the shadows and legalize them and then pay fines, to get at end of line behind legalized immigrants to get green card, which can be 10-20 later. So, come people need to get more educated on the truths of illegal immigration. Each case is different. they are not criminals compared to murderers, rapists, bank robbers, cat killers. ect...
thank god fro background checks and FBI files. right!!
Call your Congressional Representatives and demand that they:
1. Support HR 1868 to end the so called anchor baby issue.
2. The border fence be finished.
3. Pass and strictly enforce E-Verify.
Until we stop the flow of illegal aliens in this Country amnesty needs to be taken off the table.
Guess what happens when you grant permanent residency to millions of illegal aliens and they no longer fear deportation? Presto! They leave those "punishing" low-paying jobs for better conditions or demand higher wages and benefits. They also start the "chain migration" process rolling by starting to bring in their relatives.
Then, the "cheap labor is great" folks and unscrupulous businesses will respond by just bringing in new waves of illegals to replace them. After a time, you are back to where you started with millions of illegals "living in the shadows" and undercutting the wages of American citizens. Time for a new amnesty!!!
Wash, rinse, repeat.
I am amazed at the level of bigotry and hate I see here. As a third generation American who's great grandmother immigrated here 'illegally' (she never went through Ellis Island or normal procedures) I am appalled at the number of Americans here who are refusing to recogonize facts about immigration issues, but instead spew their bigotry is hardly subtle comments.
Reiterate our commitment to equality under the law --no special privileges for illegal aliens?
Yes we can!
Commit to the ideal that all people must obey the law, as enshrined in the Constitution?
Yes we can!
Enact attrition through enforcement and let illegals and would-be illegals know that they already have a path to citizenship: the one the chose to shirk?
Yes we can!
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