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The problem with illegal immigration is with the laws, not the immigrants. We have an immigration system that still has its head stuck in the 1950's, when the cumulative effects of the Great Depression and World War II had reduced international mobility to record low levels. Reagan made a half-hearted attempt to approach the problem, but nothing else was done until Bush in one of his rare lucid moments tried to tackle the problem in 2007. The system proposed then was too punitive, but it did at least offer the hope of creating a system to fit the times. What happened? A bunch of bigots and xenophobes went berserk, and the Republicans promptly caved and chickened out. Government by who can yell the loudest. These morons are still at it today, by the way. Meanwhile, the immigration that has occurred in spite of the system over the past 40 years or so -- Koreans, Vietnamese, other Asians, Hispanics -- is just now beginning to bring the percentage of foreign-born in this country back to the levels that had been the norm since the Civil War. And there isn't anyone who looks at the numbers today who doesn't end up recognizing that our future is one of increasing immigration regardless of what our laws are. The retirement of the baby boomers and the advanced education levels of the smaller generations behind them guaranty it. The only question is whether we want to prepare for that by coming up with an honest approach to comprehensive immigration reform, or if we want to close our eyes and try to struggle along with something like what we've got right now -- a system that doesn't work well for anyone. After fixing as best we can this Bush-battered economy, the big three things we need to tackle are health care, energy, and the normalization of immigration. This isn't news. It's exactly what you've been told now for years. We seem about to take a big step toward crossing that first one off the list. People need to get to work on those next two. Like it or not, if you are in your 20's or even 30's today, your grandkids will very likely be bilingual. That is their world. You can help prepare that world for them, or you can grab your security blanket and go off and suck your thumb in a corner somewhere. Those are pretty much the choices at this point. Choose wisely...
I guess one has to differentiate which aspects of 'illegal immigration' are problematic and which aren't:
- the name: 'illegal immigration' is just one way of putting it, 'economic fugitive' might be another (note that I personally don't care what they're called, but some people do, as 'illegal' automatically gives a negative slant)
- the immigrants themselves: the guys who make it to the country they are immigrating to are the most dedicated and smartest of the bunch. These are people willing to go through incredible hardships to reach their goal. Surely there can't be anything wrong with this approach? (self-reliance, will to better one's position in life and the guts to follow it through)
- effect on job market: illegal immigrants are willing to work for less money, outside of labour rights. This is in competition to native workers, who expect better treatment/wages. In the end, this is the capitalistic system at work (minimize spending, optimize profit), thus rendering this argument moot if you don't want to question our whole economic system.
- effect on criminality: I don't know the statistics, so for this argument I'll assume that in areas with heightened percentage of illegal immigrants there is a heightened percentage of criminality (and yes, a smart poster could ignore the rest of my post and destroy me on this assumption alone...):
a) when you're off the radar as illegals are, you can't rely on the protection of the police as the rest of us do. You need to insure your safety by alternative means, which leads to vigilantism and/or organized crime. Note that this stems from the illegal status, as legal immigrants can rely on the police.
b) as various studies have shown (to lazy to look for specific links here, but will if asked), people who perceive themselves to be in a sanction-free environment are more likely to commit a criminal act. Note that this too stems from the illegal status, as legal immigrants have to acknowledge the police.
summing-up: while there might be an increase in criminality, it could be linked to the illegal status of the participants.
- effects on health care: I suppose that they are disastrous, as illegal immigrants don't pay taxes/have insurances/enough cash to cover the medical treatments, and can't just be left mending for themselves and/or dying from an otherwise preventable condition. Result: a huge medical deficit. I honestly don't know how to solve this situation, and I suppose that this is what most people have a problem with. -> this is what should be discussed (detached from other immigration issues).
-effects on culture/language: a difficult point, as we all would generally like to preserve the world we have been growing up in. I think the solution lies in a balance between enforcing traditional values and accepting new influx from other cultures (I know that this sounds cheesy). If history has shown something, then it's that you can't create/preserve a culture artificially (see: China's early Ming Dynasty, Aryanisation of Germany, Cambodia and practically the whole communist experiments).
To summarize my argument:
most of the perceived problems with illegal immigration stems from the 'illegal' status of the immigrants, forcing them to stay outside of social control. By legalizing their status, the host country gains individuals who have proven to possess distinct perseverance and a will to better themselves and their families/communities.
The culture of the host country can't be conserved artificially, nor should it be left for the wolves under a flag of multi-culturalism/melting pot-mantras etc. The goal should be that the host country can incorporate beneficial new aspects, while the immigrants embrace the distinct values of said host country.
The requirement for this is the legalization of immigrants, as no host country will accept values of people outside its social contract, and no immigrants will accept values of a society they don't belong to.
btw, I'm sorry for the rambling nature of my post, but it's still early here in switzerland, and I haven't yet had my coffee...
I think it's good as it makes food and services like lawn care cheaper. The best way to deal with it is to get a good education and a job they're not qualified to do, then hire them to do all your menial tasks.
I think it's good as it makes food and services like lawn care cheaper. The best way to deal with it is to get a good education and a job they're not qualified to do, then hire them to do all your menial tasks.
Nope.
First amnesty, next unionization and then the price of labor skyrockets.
most of the perceived problems with illegal immigration stems from the 'illegal' status of the immigrants,
Gee, you think?
forcing them to stay outside of social control.
Nobody is forcing them to do anything. They chose to come here, illegally. Actions have consequences, both good and bad. That is the order of things.
By legalizing their status, the host country gains individuals who have proven to possess distinct perseverance and a will to better themselves and their families/communities.
How about we reward the folks who bettered themselves by filling out the papers and coming here with the full blessing of the USA and her laws?
A national "American ID" would solve the problem,
in other countries if you don't have your "national ID" on you, they automatically put you in the military or kick you out of the country.
But Republicans are pro-illegal = against a national ID
Lets be clear --- pro illegal crosses the party line. Both dems and reps have sold out the American citizen and legal immigrant for hopes of future votes and of course helping out their corporate buddies who have become dependent on cheap labor. Neither party has our best interest at heart when it comes to solving the illegal immigration problem our country has. After all -- if they did wouldn't it have been taken care of by now? Wouldn't there be more and better laws regarding immigration and instead of a half azzed fence?
No. This is a problem legal voters need to force their representatives to confront and solve. Another amnesty will not solve the problem as it will merely encourage more illegal immigration. The problem lies with the employers of illegals. E-Verify is a great start to solving the problem as is high fines and yes, jail time for employers who continually hire illegals. I would also suggest automatic deportation for any and every illegal in our jails and prisons. And yes - our immigration laws need overhaul -- the BCIS has so much redundancy and insane amounts of paperwork that it is no longer (if it ever was) a streamlined process.
Yes, immigration needs work ---- but throwing up our collective hands at the inevitability of illegals doesn't help the situation.
I would be pro illegal immigration if I had a task that was too expensive to automate by could be done by a gang of underpaid people to frightened to complain to the authorities. Something like picking grapes, mowing lawns or selling dope.
I propose to revise and simplify the immigration system and arrange anyone already here to be put under the protection of our Law. I would also work very hard, as in hunt down the coyotes and drug smugglers, to limit illegal border violations.
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