Don't answer this question with a reply on how you feel about immigration!?

Question

I just want to know the feelings behind both the ANTI and PRO immigration movements.

I want to know what motivates people to choose either side.
And in my opinion, I think both legal and illegal immigration are both topics for discussion within Washington...I know this because of where I work.
I feel very neutral and dont care...
but some of you PRO folks are quick to say the others are racist. I would be interested in knowing the response to the argument on paying taxes and protecting schools, medical care.

and some of you ANTI folks say racist stuff and use illegal as a synonymous word for Mexican. Don't you think that some of your comments are mean-sprited, racist and ugly?

ONLY RESPOND IF YOU
1) Understand the question
2) Plan on answering the question stated.

I am not interested in any advertisement of your belief system. Like I said B4 i really don't care, and no I am not Mexican, born here, bred here and trying to understand where folks are coming from.

Mauricio-didn't i spell it out in the initial post? If not, here we go: PLEASE DONT RESPOND IF YOU ARE IGNORANT.
Got it? Good.
And for those of you who may DESIRE to know...I am neutral but because I LIVE in this country and must listen to the radio/watch TV, and went to college, I have a passing interest in what goes on around me. I am neutral because it is a part of my belief system-I ALWAYS STAY NEUTRAL IN POLITICAL STUFF, but I do want to know where all this hate is coming from..on BOTH SIDES!

Answer 1

Those for an open border are so because of their individual goals. For example the left is counting on a new lower class group of people they can count on for votes; and the right (there are right wingers that are for an open border) believe in it so the businesses they support can get cheap labor.

Those opposed to the open border and opposed to amnesty for those here illegally believe in the rule of law. I am in this group and argue regularly if we allow 12 million to ignore our laws and get away with it then I want to be one of the first 12 million to avoid the income tax law and get away with it? This group is also concerned about a pourous border with al queda still out there and wanting to cause us harm.

Answer 2

You can look at every answer and question on this board and you will not find an answer to the issue of draining needed education funds and overcrowding already crowded schools. You will not find an answer addressing strained health care or what would happen to our systems if either the essentially unlimited screened immigrants or those amnestied under the Senate Bill were allowed to bring in family.

There is no answer in part because all benefit goes to the employers who hire cheap labor, and the middle class taxpayer is the one who pays for the 'benefit package' drawing those here from countries without universal education. However, it is our children who now have degraded education in our border states who pay the biggest price - with their futures. Our sick, our own poor, and our elderly also pay the price of degraded services, and we all pay for increased health care and insurance costs due to the requirement that hospitals give 'emergency' medical care to whoever comes in, regardless of ability to pay.

We are a big country, but the localities where they concentrate have too many to carry. Our schools are failing.

The only argument I have EVER seen is the idea that if they were legalized they would pay taxes and all would be well. However, the reason we and all developed countries have limits on poor immigrants is that we subsidize for poor people the vast majority of the cost of social services like eduction, even if they pay all taxes appropriate for their class. With 12 to 20 million illegal immigrants here, it has become far too big a burden for our services to handle.

Also, if legalized they will use many more services they are now barred from (with haphazard success.) If you look at the percentage of use of these services by legal immigrants, you will see this is true. The economic hole will get deeper.

I am not saying that after we fix our system to enforce limits on immigration we should send back screened illegals established here for a long time. However, we NEED to stop illegal immigration if we do let them stay, because we are already dealing with failing services. We also need to limit immigration going forward, not expand it.

If in a couple of years we need to have temporary SEASONAL immigration on top of current limits, we could address it. However, it needs to be enforcable that they leave at the end of the season and don't bring family. Alternatively, agribusiness can pay for the health care and education of their workers. Other industries could hire American workers if they went back to pre-illegal flood wage levels and benefits.

By the way, I asked the question of where the money should come from, yesterday, if you are interested: There was no answer.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AriyyCnmtIvO8sgRc0ptu1jsy6IX?qid=20060708182219AAMXg7j

Answer 3

My feeling on immigration is this: It's a process that needs to be regulated, controlled, and enforced for violations. I think it's being pursued avidly in the name of 'growth', but that noble idea has fallen victim to the law of unintended consequences.
I am against illegal immigration. I would like to see our country
take a strong stand against illegal immigration, that means 'enforce the law'. I think legal immigration has its' points, but it's no panacea either for corporations that can't manage their costs. I think Mexico specifically has many advocates and supporters that are actively promoting the welfare and well-being of their people without regard for american law, and the whole thing has resulted in an almost unenforceable mess. I think communities should do like the House is doing, and sit down and really assess the impact of illegal immigration, and start working together with the ICE to get a handle on the problem. I think it's been swept under the rug for years, and has now grown in proportion to the point where to try and ignore the problem is to lay a foundation for americans to end up paying taxes to support half of Mexico. How much tax do YOU want to pay? Why can't Mexico support itself, after all these years, and what must be hundreds of billions of dollars from america? These are hard questions, they deserve well-thought-out answers, and the sooner people dry their eyes and take a step back from the situation, the sooner we'll have those good answers. Do you want drugs and gangs in your community? Did you know that a good portion of both come from Mexico? How do you feel about law enforcement? Questions, questions, and more questions...
country's changing, and what we're left with is up to the voters, and our politicians, whether or not they see fit to concern themselves with the impact of some of their policies on the communities that are supposed to adapt and absorb all the newcomers and so forth.

Legal immigration is good. Illegal immigration is NOT good. Legal immigration must be regulated, though. And, more citizens need to look at the law enforcement aspects of bringing in a bunch of people whose major agenda seems to be financing another country.

Answer 4

I think if you take a step back, and try to look at the facts of illegal immigration from the most unbiased point of view as possible, you notice that there is no good data on the economic effect that immigrants have. There of lots of reports from biased organizations that are able to skew data to show results that prove their point of the argument, but they usually fail to show the economic effect in total, just the parts that prove their argument. I would expect the Minutemen to have "data" proving how awful immigrants are, just as I would expect the League of Hispanic Voters to have "data" proving how great it is. Immigrants are a financial strain on schools and healthcare, but they also pay into programs like social security, Medicare, and workman's compensation; all of which they can't take advantage of as immigrants. Furthermore, I have yet to see a study from any credible institution (government agency or university) about the effects of illegal immigration, which leads me to believe that there is no good answer. I imagine that data would show that the negative and positive effects of illegal immigration more or less cancel each other out, or they are at the very least not nearly as one-sided as some would like to believe.

So, if there is no conclusive proof that illegal immigation either hurts or helps the US when all factors are considered, it all comes down to one's own subjective reasoning. Therefore, those who feel threatened by a changing cultural make-up of the US will clearly fall to the anti-immigrant side, while those who don't will likely be pro-immigrant. The argument seems to get even more complicated when politics come into play, since hispanics are the largest minority group in the US, so politicians seem to choose their side based with their political aspirations more than their hearts. Also, we as a society have become so politically correct that many people are afraid to admit their racist or xenophobic beliefs, and instead couch them in their "proven scientific data".

Answer 5

i am not even American but since when did that matter in this world fo instant response to anything and everything?

illegal immigration can cause a huge drain on an already overloaded social system by means of use of infrastructure without payment of taxes.
illegal immigrants can be misused by unscupulous empoyers who wantonly exploit thier hard working nature and need for employment at the expense of legal workers and for their own profit.

differing views but an answer nonetheless.

I am a believer in the legal and judicial system and feel it would be better if persons wishing to emigrate from their own country of birth did so within the law. Many have and many more no doubt will, what do we tell the ones who waited patiently for their turn, sorry but we are full of illegals now? i think not.

This one will run forever as long as there is injustice in the world and people to exploit it. ;)

H

Answer 6

I am against Illegal immigration because I am and have been directly affected by it.I'm in Houston and don't earn much as a direct result of all of the Illegals here. Ive also been discriminated because I am white and don't speak Spanish and have heard numerous times of it happening to friends.needless to say I am beyond fed up.I would go into all the details about my job and work but it would be a book and I don't have the patience but to sum it up I guess the biggest thing is ATTITUDE. It wouldn't bother me hardly at all If the majority of the illegals and supporters had a good attitude. BUT instead they cuss you in Spanish and have a in your face mentality

Answer 7

I have no problems with immigration if it is legal.

I see people that I know are here illegally, using the services we provide but not contributing into the system. Do they pay taxes? Do they support the community they live in or do they take advantage of the system? (Keep in mind, I dislike anyone who takes advantage of the system, legal or not)

When I invite people to my daughter's birthday party and they don't come for fear it is an immigration round-up, there are greater problems that need to be addressed.

They KNOW what they are doing is wrong, but continue to live a lie. Illegal is illegal, regardless of where you come from.

Answer 8

I think most people are against the immigration reform because the immigrants came here illegally, with the disregard for all of American rules. They came with no knowledge of any English, and expect us to assimilate to their culture. Other people who are for the immigrants, believe they support the economy and are the backbone of America. I think the immigrants should have a path to becoming a legal citizen, with free English lessons available. There should be more opportunities for better jobs and lower costs of living. This way everybody is happy.

Answer 9

My 2 cents is that fear and ignorance play a large role.

How similar is the treatment of latin immigrants from the Irish some time ago?

These self proclaimed 'red-blooded Americans' see their 'American' lifestyle at threat, but this country was built on the backs of immigrants. These fears have been played up by politicians who realize that it is easy to stir up people's emotions to gain votes, than to have a rational and intelligent debate. The GOP are masters at this.

Further, immigration is necessary to the future development of the country - witness the aging population and low birth rate in this country, similar to what Japan is already dealing with (another quite xenophobic country which is beginning to recognize the need for opening immigration). This will apply to educated, skilled and unskilled labor.

I don't believe that the inscription on Ellis Island reads 'Bring me your wealthy, hired, highly educated, white western Europeans, yearning to breath free.'

It's time to realize that immigration is not the single biggest 'problem' the country faces, but has just been hyped into the biggest 'issue.'

Answer 10

We are all immigrants. Or at least our ancestors were. Unless we are Native American. The problem most have with illegal immigration is the type of people that arrive that way. Most immigrants already here want law abiding productive people to enter legally. The negative feelings come from the law breaking people who want to eventually live off of our social services and bringing us down.