The immigration dilemma: how do we discourage illegal immigrants without punishing their children?

Question

Illegal immigration is a major problem. The US should not serve as the welfare system of an entirely separate country.

However, how do we discourage and stop illegal immigration without making things hard for the children of these illegals who are brought into the country not by their choice? (Should they be denied education simply because their parents are illegalls? How do we make I.I. have no benefits to the illegal immigrants?

Answer 1

Our government is spending BILLIONS (yes Billions not millions) per MONTH in Iraq - whose money is this? Well guess what people, it's money that supposed to be used for our benefits: education, retirement, health care etc. And what are we doing in Iraq? Securing the "FREEDOM" of Iraqi people, according to our president. Hhhhmm, well many if not most Americans support this whole Iraqi freedom thing but many if not most Americans complain about illegal immigrants. Why are we spending so much tax-payer money on "humanitarian causes" (believable?) in Iraq if people are going to complain about giving humanitarian assistance to the poor and unfortunate who work in this country? Something is not right here...


The immigration problem has indeed gotten out of control but its our government's fault. Let's accept the fact that our government does not have priorities in order and let's not complain about our tax-payer money going to some minimal assistance of illegals while illegal workers and their wages are the ones that keep the cost of lettuce and (everyday essentials) low. Illegal workers do indeed contribute to the economy, why do people keep on thinking that they only benefit and don't contribute? Who are the farm workers who get the minimal of wages for such hard work? Please, let's be realistic. The children of illegal immigrants do have a right to education and denying it would only create a life of difficulties for society, not just for one group. Let's not forget, our government touts itself as a big humanitarian, so denying basic educational rights to an underprivileged group goes against these basic principals.

But also, let's keep the numbers of immigrants in proportion. Mexico (in this case) is amongst the wealthiest countries in Latin America - its people are not starving. People have been storming out of Mexico by false expectations and illusions of better life across the border.

Diplomacy, fair trade cooperations and enforcement of laws are the only way to work the problems of illegal immigration between the US and Mexico.

Answer 2

I think that the children should be allowed to go to school and so forth even if they are illegal immigrants. I came to the USA when I was 4 years old. I was illegal for a long time, up until 7 years ago. I was able to go to college because of the AB540 law that stated that if you went to a high school for 3 years and/or graduated from a high school that you could go to a college and not have to pay non resident dues. This law is great and not a lot of immigrant parents/students know about this and let it get in the way of going to college.

Children should not be punished for anything, neither should the parents. Immigrants provide a great resource to this economy. Without us, the economy might not be as thriving as it is now.

Answer 3

The problem is that those children do not belong here and they are the ones causing the biggest expense and problems in the public schools.

I actually would be in favor of legalizing screened illegals here if we had true border security, employer enforcement and NO going forward guest worker program, and so long as they were not also able to bring in family not here. The children are the biggest reason.

However, even going forward enforcement is going to mean children are deported with their families. I do not see that as our fault but as the fault of the parents who made the parenting choice to put those children in a life where they had to lie.

If I illegally put my children in a school my address doesn't entitle me to, even if in my district, I would know that at any time we could be 'found out' and the child would be uprooted from the school and their friends and would be sent away. And I am a citizen who pays taxes that subsidize others, much less support my own children in that district. Why should the children of illegal aliens have a better deal when they are taking subsidized benefits?

Whatever happens, the children would have had more benefits than they were entitled to up to the point they were deported.

I don't think this argument holds water, logically.

My only feeling is that since our government did not enforce our laws, our anger should be directed at them. I think we need to get border security and employer enforcement nailed down, first, because last amnesty those things were promised but weren't followed through on. I am very skeptical of promises now.

On the other hand, we didn't enforce our laws and we did let people get to the point where this is the only home they know. That wasn't the fault of most of us, who really wanted enforcement. Still, because of that I would be willing to go with legalization of the screened illegals under the circumstances outlined above.

However this 'what about the children' argument is so manipulative that every time I hear it I forget that voice of reason. Their parents are responsible for the children. They need to own up to that responsibility. We have already been taking care of their children for a long, long time.

To Randa T. We have bright children here who have very limited opportunity to go to college because they are not sufficiently 'disadvantaged' to qualify for any breaks, but are not wealthy enough to pay for a good college. Once that legallization you mention were to go into effect, those illegals would suddenly be targets of affirmative action in front of our own children. We have limited education resources and funds, and we already have killer competition without giving further breaks to illegals. Also, employment is not the only magnet that draws more illegals across the border. The kind of amnesty and benefits of education you mention are another. We need to get rid of those magnets, not create more of them.

Answer 4

It's too late to stop the U.S. from being the welfare system of an entirely separate country - it is going to take internal change now on the part of Mexico. Besides which, we already have Puerto Rico as a territory, and although they pay Social Security and a few other taxes, they still don't pay income tax. Here's an idea. Why not make Puerto Rico a full-fledged state and give the responsibility for running their island's own economy back to the Puerto Ricans. Encourage American companies to raise their employees' wages to something equal or comparable to what is earned in Florida and expect federal taxes to be paid. Give Mexico an example to follow. Or better yet, set up a system between Puerto Rico and Mexico, and let legal Mexican immigrants help Puerto Rico set up a full-fledged state, then transfer the same organization to Mexico, still keeping Mexico as a separate country.

Answer 5

I like that answer: We are not responsible for their children. We're not. There are pleanty of African children staying in their own country and starving to death or just being out right killed for being the wrong shade of Black and they aren't making us not eat our Cheerios.

Is it really that they're ILLEGIAL that bother's us? If a new population comes into an established population all at once it threatens the existing populace and if they were coming over leagally people will still be angry but there's nothing they can do rationally to argue it. It just comes down to fear. But if they're illegal you can argue that they are using our resources (i.e. ER and schools) and not paying for it and you can justify closing off the border.

We could assist these people in coming here legally. They all would if they could but there's corruption on the Mexican side that forces these people to pay enormous bribes to get across. These people don't have any money. That's why they want to come here.

Make Mexico not suck. Mexico should work out a deal with America or some American buisnesses to bring American buisness to Mexico. Give Centex and Pulte huge tracts of land free to build new communities andgive Ford and GE and Microsoft huge Industrial Parks to build new factories and give them all great deals on building supplies, and let the American companies send their management to run things and live in the bigger Centex and Pulte houses and all the locals can work in the factories and work their way up and take over. The Americans will move there to have a bigger house cheaper, have a nice management job and their kids can grow up learning two languages and having and educational edge.

There aren't millions of Brittish, Irish, and Itallians flooding our borders are there? No. When Europe stopped sucking the people stopped leaving.

Answer 6

The first thing we need to do is secure the border. We also need to make a revision to the law that says a child born in the united states is automatically a us citizen. We should require that one of the parents be a citizen and that parent be present at the time of birth. All others are to be deported. For all the children that are us citizens here with illegals as parents we should put those up for adoption. There are lots of childless couples that would adopt them. Send the parents back to Mexico. I know that it is hard and strict but you do that and the parents of these kids would probably go back on their own.

Answer 7

Sadly, the sins of the parents seem to punish the children. The illegal movement is shamefully using the children. If they really cared, they would create a better Mexico for the children.

By the way, what happens to the billions of dollars we give Mexico every year for education? May be we need to keep our dollars here since we're educating so many of their nationals.

Answer 8

The illegals should have thought about that before they broke our laws and came in. Their kids shouldn't be our problem. They have certainly taken advantage of the anchor baby law, haven't they?

If cowardly Congress had any spine at all, they would send them back by the busloads. The children should be sent back as well.

In this town, (Mt. Airy) if they would send back even the ones who were caught drinking and driving, that would be a significant difference to our overcrowded population. For some reason, they just cannot understand that they are not allowed to drink and drive.

Answer 9

It may not be the fault of the children that the parents do and illegal act and put their own children in harms way, so to speak. It is however, a great "learning lesson" for both the chidren as well as the parents of illegal aliens, to be deported to their mother countries. Break the law and get caught; off to jail or deportation you go. Was there any doubt of that in any of you Americans minds? I think not.
The children certainly are blameless and innocent but that serves as no sheild for them. If a father kills another person and goes to jail and his kids have to visit him in jail and grow up without a father present, do we make concessions for those children even as Americans? We do not. Yes it is cruel to the children but it is crueler to society to allow crime and not to punish those repsonsible regardless of the colateral damage to children and extended family. Sneaking into this country and doing the damage these folks do to our culture is wrong and must be stopped and punished.

Answer 10

I agree and feel the same compassion for their children as you do.
But, I would like to know where is the compassion for my American children to whom I had to find alternative means to educate.
However, because of over crowding, and gang activity by the Illegal students American children are dropping out, or finding other means to educate themselves, and their future children.
Do not the children whose parents have already paid their dues deserve their education, before someone whose parents chose to break the law, purchase stolen Identifications to place their children in school, which is another law broken.
My heart goes out to every parent that has concerns for the future of their children, but I have little compassion for people who believe they have a right to leave their homeland, go to another country, and take what they have not earned from those who have earned it..
These are the values that are taught to Illegal Immigrant children.
These are the values Americans see them display every time they dishonor their country, and ours by crossing the border illegally.
There is no honor or respect to be given to Illegal Immigrants, because they must first earn it.
This is done through proper immigration which shows honor and respect is being paid for what your asking to be given.

Secondly, if you are Mexican, stop acting like America owes you something.
My American ancestors owe you, as much as they do me considering that I am of American Indian decent. But, that is history, and I live in the here and now.
I don't care what country you immigrate from, "Welcome", but if you did not legally migrate I say you do not belong here.