The headline today from CNS News was "Democrats Want to Stop Immigration-Enforcement Raids."
The headline might as well have read "Democrats Want to Stop Enforcing the Law."
Immigration reform advocates, including Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee, are calling for an end to Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids at businesses that knowingly hire large numbers of illegal aliens.
Meanwhile, a report published Tuesday by a Washington think tank shows that raids, along with other enforcement measures, are doing exactly what they are supposed to do: reducing the number of foreigners illegally working and residing in the United States.
So like liberals: find out what's working and put a stop to it.
The report from Dr. Stephen Camarota of the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) says the illegal alien population in the U.S. has declined by 1 million in the last year.
That's good news--especially when liberals told us there was nothing we could do about the illegals already in the country.
The report indicates that the stepped-up immigration raids of the past year or so have had the effect of deterring additional border crossings, and "self deportation" of some who were already here and didn't want to get caught.
If we are to solve the problem of loose borders and millions of illegal aliens in our country, we need to work the issue from several levels.
First we must lock down the border so that it's harder than just walking across as they do now.
Then we must work on identifying, locating, and deporting the 12 million illegals in our country.
Will it be hard work? Yes. Will it take a long time? Yes. Will we get them all? Probably not.
But we'll get a lot more if we try than if we do nothing.
People who respect our laws and our American culture are welcome here. We don't need immigrants who break our laws. Let's make room for the law-abiding immigrants who want to come for a piece of the American life.
Our economy, our tax burden, and our national security demand that we make the effort.
13 comments:
You say we should deport all 12 million illegal immigrants in the U.S.
Most illegal immigrants live in households where the parents are illegal, but the children are U.S. born. Should we deport only the parents, separating them from their children? Or should we deport 4.7 million children who are American citizens?
Should we deport the illegal immigrants serving in the US military in Iraq and Afganistan? The first two hispanic soldiers killed in Iraq arrived in the US undocumented. They died protecting your freedoms. Should we have deported them?
The Center for Immigration studies puts the total cost of deporting every illegal immigrant at $41 billion every year for the forseeable future. Meanwhile the Dep. of Education estimates the education of every undocumented child and US-born children of undocumented adults was only $28 billion in 2004.
'Rounding them up' is not a solution any professional immigration expert takes seriously because it is impratical, inhumane, and very expensive. This is a much more complicated issue than you are making it seem.
"Most illegal immigrants live in households where the parents are illegal, but the children are U.S. born. Should we deport only the parents, separating them from their children?"
Yes. Children should be with their parents. If their parents should be in Russia or Brazil, the kids should be with them.
"Should we deport the illegal immigrants serving in the US military in Iraq and Afganistan?"
One cannot serve in the US military without valid documentation confirming one's identity. Those who serve are eligible for citizenship. If there are people serving in the military who have no been properly identified, then no, they should not be deported, but imprisoned on espionage charges.
"'Rounding them up' is not a solution..'"
It is the only solution.
"This is a much more complicated issue than you are making it seem."
It is very simple. A nation without borders is not a nation. A person breaking into a country without authorization is either a spy or an invader.
There is only one way for any nation to deal with such threats. The United States of America is no exception.
Mexico delenda est!
"Yes. Children should be with their parents. If their parents should be in Russia or Brazil, the kids should be with them."
It is not legal to deport American citizens. But the legality of it probably wouldn't bother you a whole lot would it?
"If there are people serving in the military who have no been properly identified, then no, they should not be deported, but imprisoned on espionage charges."
You would have men fighting and dying for you and for the chance to be an American thrown in jail for espionage? One word comes to mind: evil. Actually one more: stupid.
"It is the only solution."
Hey, your only one word off from Hitler's plan for the Jews. (Hint: that word is Final)
"A nation without borders is not a nation."
Then this planet is devoid of nations, because there is not a country on Earth with 100% secure borders, save maybe Vatican City.
"A person breaking into a country without authorization is either a spy or an invader."
... or a hotel maid or a kindergardener.
"There is only one way for any nation to deal with such threats."
False dichotomy. There is always more than one way.
"Mexico delenda est!"
What language is that? ¿No hablas Español amigo? ¡Qué sorpredente!
Braden - In four months during 1954 President Eisenhower used 1,075 Border Patrol Agents to deport 1.1 to 1.3 million Illegal Immigrants. They self deported after 130,000 Illegal Immigrants were arrested resulting in the disruption of the jobs magnet. This worked.
In 1986 a law was passed that granted amnesty and promised and end to Illegal Immigration. This did not work.
History is not on your side.
To those who would complain about how terrible it is to deport Illegal Immigrant Children I would ask where you were when those same children were ripped from everything they knew, the culture they were growing up with, and the language they spoke to be hauled off as Illegal Immigrants by their Parents to that foreign land known as the United States of America? And where were you when parents deserted their poor young people leaving them at home to come and illegally work in the U.S.A., later to entrust those poor children to criminals to smuggle them illegally into the U.S.A.? To possibly drag them across harsh desert where they could easily die. Or to force them to leave everything behind by overstaying a tourist visa rather than returning to their home? Where were you when that Illegal Immigrant mother went to a U.S. Hospital to give birth to a child that would incredibly complicate her life, warning her that someday she might have to choose between keeping her child with her family versus leaving the child in a land where the rest of their family is not entitled to stay? With Illegal Immigration being a violation of the law and Deportation being a reaffirmation of the law why do you only choose to complain about “hurting the children” in connection with acts that reaffirm the law but are totally silent in connection with those same acts that result from violating the law? Hypocrite seems to be too tame a word to use in a case like this. Crocodile tears seem more genuine than the tears shed by those who complain about how terrible it is to deport Illegal Immigrant Children. Or is it just a new rendition of the ugly American syndrome that no matter what, everyone is better of if they are American? And worse off if they are not?
"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
So we don't mean these words anymore? The United States has always been the greatest hope of the poor all around the world. You can try to put quotas or limits on immigration, but as long as the US is one of the best places to live in the world there will always be those who will do anything to get in.
"later to entrust those poor children to criminals to smuggle them illegally into the U.S.A.?"
Were your ancestors criminals when they illegally settled on Indian lands? Or where they fullfilling their 'manifest destiny?'
"With Illegal Immigration being a violation of the law and Deportation being a reaffirmation of the law why do you only choose to complain about “hurting the children"
Because as a Christian it is my duty to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves. Seperating children from their parents because of immigration quotas written in Washington is morally wrong and you know it.
"Crocodile tears seem more genuine than the tears shed by those who complain about how terrible it is to deport Illegal Immigrant Children."
Illegal would be the word I would use. People born on American soil are American citizens. Are you suggesting we deport American citizens?
I see we have an America-hater in Braden.
Braden, is it your Christian duty to facilitate an invasion of a sovereign country and condone the breaking of our laws?
I didn't think so.
Things only become "complicated" when we want to excuse something we know is wrong.
Go ahead and admit it, Braden: you aren't interested in protecting our borders or our laws. Just be up front about it.
"I see we have an America-hater in Braden."
If you only knew who you were saying that to...
I bet it is pretty easy to resort to McCarthyism and call everyone who disagrees with you an America-hater. I usually prefer to stay away from ad-hominem attacks and deal with the actual argument. It really shows that someone is more intelligent when they can disagree without resorting to namecalling. I would never, ever, question another's patriotism. Don't you dare question mine.
"Braden, is it your Christian duty to facilitate an invasion of a sovereign country and condone the breaking of our laws?"
Straw man argument. Refusing to seperate children who are American citizens from their parents who are undocumented does not constitue an invasion by any sense of the word.
"Things only become "complicated" when we want to excuse something we know is wrong."
It's not complicated at all. Do onto others as you would have them do unto you. If you fled poverty to live in the US, even illegally, would you want me to deport you and seperate you from your children? I wouldn't, so why should I do the same to others?
I'll question anyone's patriotism who opposes the defense of this country. And I don't need to know who I'm saying it to; it goes for anyone from the Commander-in-Chief to 4-star generals, down to the lowliest American. If you don't like having your patriotism questioned, then don't advocate unpatriotic positions.
"Straw man argument" - liberal euphemism for "Can't overcome the logic, so will ignore it."
I wouldn't enter a country illegally. If I did and was caught, I'd expect to be deported.
See? Simple...unless you're devoted to excusing something wrong.
Oh, and "If you only knew who you were saying that to..."
Why don't you have the guts to put your full name in front of your positions?
"I'll question anyone's patriotism who opposes the defense of this country."
Disagreeing is not unpatriotic, this is a democracy. It is possible to disagree on immigration policy without opposing the defense of this country. Once again, as an adult, I would expect you to be able to disagree without name-calling.
"liberal euphemism for "Can't overcome the logic, so will ignore it."
Alright, never been in debate or had a philosophy class. We'll skip this part.
"I wouldn't enter a country illegally. If I did and was caught, I'd expect to be deported."
You know that as an American, you could not possibly know what it is like to live in extreme poverty, or under a dictatorship, or under threat from drug cartels. Don't pretend that if you lived under these things, you wouldn't want to flee to the US, even if it meant sneaking in. I would. I guess I can't say I wouldn't expect to be deported, but I would hope I wouldn't be. Therefore, I can't possibly advocate that for other people.
"Why don't you have the guts to put your full name in front of your positions?"
I guess I didn't know it was necessary. My name is Braden Michael Hoefert. I am a senior at SDSU. I live at the corner of 4th and 14th in Brookings, SD. As you keep calling me names, I can sense that you are getting quite angry with me, so please don't come murder me.
I am sorry I have been posting on your blog. I can tell now that you only want to use it to rant, or you only want conservatives to post, and not for an honest discussion, so please forgive me for disagreeing. God bless.
Disagreeing is not unpatriotic. However, running down your own country and concentrating on its faults--especially when there is so much good about America--and refusing to adequately defend the country is.
I grew up poor by American standards. I have some idea what it is to want, to wonder how things are going to get paid for, etc. I've also been to other countries, including Mexico, and have seen some pretty extreme poverty up close.
I also know that we have procedures for legal immigration, and that millions follow them. Poverty and oppression are not excuses for lawbreaking, not in secular law and not in the Bible.
I'm not the murdering or hurting type, Braden, so don't worry. You said I didn't know who I was talking to, seeming to make it an issue, so I wanted to know. I put my name in front of everything I write; I think if a person is going to say something, they ought to have the forthrightness to let everyone know who they are and that they stand behind what they say.
You're welcome to comment here. But if you say something that is demonstrably false, I'm going to call you out on it.
Our nation has a right and responsibility to protect our borders and enforce our laws.
Braden - as a Senior in College and someone who has not spent much time in the real world you can be easily forgiven for having swallowed the Illegal Immigrant Propaganda hook, line, and sinker. Here are some facts:
You talk about the poor in other countries but did you know that 56% of our Illegal Immigrants come from Mexico? And did you know that the average wage in Mexico is $5.00 per hour? And did you know that the official unemployment in Mexico is was recently listed as only about 1.3%? And did you know that Mexico has a larger economy than does Canada? So many Illegal Immigrants do not really fall into that desperately poor category that you have been told that they do.
The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie -- deliberate, contrived and dishonest, but the myth, persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic. Belief in myths allows the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.
- John F. Kennedy
Here are some other myths:
Myth - Illegal Immigrants do jobs Americans won’t do.
Actual - A Pew study "estimated that illegal immigrants fill a quarter of all agricultural jobs, 17 percent of office and house cleaning positions, 14 percent of construction jobs and 12 percent in food preparation." That means 75 percent of all agricultural jobs, 83 percent of office and house cleaning positions, 86 percent of construction jobs and 88 percent of the food preparation jobs are done by U.S. Citizens and Legal Residents.
Myth - Illegal Immigrants will save Social Security because there are too many Baby Boomers retiring.
Actual - Every year for the next 10 years there is an average of 2.5 million workers retiring. And every year 3.0 million young people enter the workforce.
Myth - we would run out of workers without Illegal Immigrants.
Actual - For the past 20 years we have added an average of about 1.6 million jobs each year to our economy. Each year we add about 1.0 million Legal Immigrant Adults to our economy and have a net population gain of 0.5 million native born workers added to the workforce in excess of retirees. Meanwhile we currently have 13.4 million unemployed (per the U.S. B.L.S.) who want to work and 7.2 million working Illegal Immigrants (per Social Security Admin). So how are we running out of workers?
Myth - Without Illegal Immigrants food would cost a fortune.
Actual - Farm Labor represents only 7% of the cost of food. You could double farm wages and you would be hard-pressed to tell the difference between that and current levels of inflation.
Learning is a wonderful thing so long as it does not also include propaganda.
Braden - You romantically cite the poem from the Statue of Liberty as a reason not to deport Illegal Immigrants. But are you also aware that currently the USA lets in more Legal Immigrants than all the rest of the nations of the world COMBINED? And yet Illegal Immigrants insist on exceeding even these unsustainable numbers even though our law has set reasonable limits?
Where do these reasonable limits come from? In the last 20 years, after our economy stabilized at 67% of our population seeking employment, we have only been able to create an average of 1.66 million new jobs per year. This limit was not reached because of limits on Immigration. It exists because of the limited ability for our economy to grow the Capital that creates jobs.
During the last 20 years the number Americans unemployed never fell below 9 million if you include “discouraged workers” (Government term for people who want to work but are not included in the regular unemployment figures so the figures do not look quite so bad) and today stands at 13.4 million. If jobs were actually going unfilled this would not be so.
If one assumes that the current U.S. Fertility Rate of 2.1 children per woman were to continue and one realizes that with the average number of workers hitting retirement each year at 2.5 million versus an average of 3.0 million new young Americans entering the workforce each year we need to have one half million new jobs each year just for our native born young folks. So at best we could sustain about 1.16 million new Legal Immigrants per year, which is what we already accept.
It has been proven again and again historically that Capital cannot expand jobs as fast as immigrants can come to the U.S. Back in 1910 towards the end of the last great migration to the U.S., unemployment for unskilled workers reached 32% nationwide, which is why we control the number of immigrants today. Immigration above the rate Capital creates jobs just adds to the unemployment lines. So ignoring those people that come into the U.S. without permission above our current caps (Illegal Immigrants) just throws Citizens out of work. Why Citizens? Because it has also been proven that Illegal Immigrants freely accept wages below that which a fairly treated Citizen needs to survive. And current statistics support that with 13.4 million out of work Citizens and Legal Residents (U.S.B.L.S. data) versus 7.2 million working Illegal Immigrants (Social Security Admin. data) and a 20% unemployment rate for those between the ages of 18 and 20. It is sad to see hard working Citizens forced into unemployment because Illegal Immigrants accept wages below that unemployment and welfare pays. But it is a sadness that Illegal Immigrant supporters never seem to see.
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