What is your opinion about building a Fence to prevent Illegal Immigration?

Question

In order to dispel misunderstandings, untruths and down right lies, those of us who want progressive immigration reform run the risk of being labeled "Pro-Illegals" by certain folks who are misinformed. TO BE SURE I AM AGAINST ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION but WHAT ABOUT REFORM? How can they become legal? Some folks in the U.S. lack the curiosity to find, intelligence to understand and open-mindedness to accept the truth about this complex issue therefore become a roadblock to productive reform. Perhaps it is just easier to have a "black and white" answer in this world of gray, namely a Fence. Meanwhile the "illegals" are floating our Social Security system to the tune of half a trillion dollars and directly contributing over $12 billion a year to SS, federal, and state taxes. And yet because some illegals make money "under-the-table" by collecting aluminum cans and taking odd jobs the myth thrives that illegals do not pay taxes when the truth is that most of them do. Give me you opinions.

Thank you all so far for your responses; I have read them all. Thanks for keeping it civil (for the most part) and also for thoughtful and intelligent answers. Truth is I ran out of room when I posted the original question so info as to my sources, links and logic were not included. My apologies for this. I have heard many points on many sides of this issue. In all fairness I understand the negative effects of illegals as many of you were quick to point out; id fraud, crime, drug smuggling, health care, point of entry security issues, etc. What I do not want to see happen in "triage" is to see the application of a "Band-Aid" to treat a "Sucking Chest Wound". I am not fully informed, that is why I asked the question, to get all of your help on this issue. Some of the links I have looked at are below, some are biased.

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2006/02/ss_secret_stash.html

http://www.ncpa.org/pub/ba/ba400/

http://www.reason.org/commentaries/dalmia_20060501.shtml

Both the Berlin Wall and the Great Wall of China failed. I actually have pictures of myself helping tear down the Berlin Wall in 1990 at Check Point Charlie. "You are leaving the American Sector."

Bharris44 - The Earnings Suspense File: Social Security's "Secret Stash"
"Money from Nowhere" Fattens Government Accounts, By Martin H. Bosworth, ConsumerAffairs.Com, February 22, 2006

Answer 1

First, I want to thank you for your intelligence, and how you posted this sensitive question.
I think, this fence is just a psychological parade from your government, like the way they manipulate you with the words "Here they come the terrists!, quick, give me your freedom"
This fence is not even going to stop illegal immigration, and you are being ridiculed by everybody in the rest of the world.
The only thing that could stop immigration would be fair commercial trades with Latin-American.
Make this hard workers pay taxes; give them the condition of human beings for heaven sake.

This people have NOTHING to lose, can you understand this? Hunger I am talking. Food for their families.
Can you remotely picture this?
Were were is your heart USA

Why do you always have to solve things with violence? Who educates you? Guns, and bombs? This speach you have its really turning more and more fascist everyday, why do you hate so much?

Answer 2

US citizens who care about people, don't want illegals here contributing to some things, benefiting from some things, doing only some jobs, involved in some parts of the system, not involved in some other parts of the system...
Listen, US immigration law was passed to ensure yearly immigration, gradually grow the population and the economy. With illegals coming by the millions, the economy cannot keep up and create millions of new jobs every year. The schools are over crowded, new schools cannot be built fast enough. Crimes committed by illegals continues to increase. What would happen if the illegal population outnumbered the legal?
You are mistaken about the illegals floating our SS, baby boomers have been contributing/creating a surplus. More people are currently putting in, than the number taking out. The surplus is being taken, every year, by the government to fund "other" stuff.

We do need immigration reform, but we should not reward all illegals just because some illegals are contributing. People wanting to come here, should want to follow the legal process, so they can participate in everything here. Coming "just to work", but also "live, have kids, etc" is not fair.

The USA is not a buffet, you can't take what you like and leave what you don't, it's all or nothing. We don't want people to come illegally, then resent US because we won't give them amnesty.

How many illegals, first try to legally immigrate?

Answer 3

Any thing that is illegal one way or the other hurt our way of life and our economy. The illegal aliens that come here and stay in our country are the poorest of their country and the majority of them come sick with sicknesses like tuberculosis, malaria, malnutrition, etc. and guess who have to run with their medical bills, the American people. Another thing when they get hired by a company the company pay them very little money and because of their illegal condition do not pay income taxes, they get more out of the system that what they put in. Also the money that they earned are send back to their country and that drain our economy and help their country, not the USA. Imagine if all those 12 million of illegal aliens become legal resident, then they could send for all of their family and our problem will be worse. The only people that benefits from illegals here in the USA is tha illegal aliens, the country they come from and the corporation that hire them. The American middle class and our economy are the one that have to pay for them. That's not fair!

Answer 4

I've known Mexicans that have come across the border legally, left their families for a little while so they could make enough LEGAL money over here to bring their family in the US, and they've worked hard to make a life here, did it the right way, and are now good citizens. I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THIS! I've been to Mexico, and to be honest, I wouldn't blame one soul for wanting to come to America. However, my problem is illegal immigration, which I think most of you would agree with. A fence is a good idea in my opinion. About reform, I'm not too sure. I'm not an expert in government, but I don't believe illegal immigrants should be allowed to go without car insurance, legal drivers license, etc. I know the government doesn't directly, openly support that idea, but they must do something about it if they are to be directly and openly AGAINST it. And as a P.S., I think (especially illegal) immigrants should have to learn OUR language for OUR country if they're gonna take advantage of OUR land and culture. It should be noted that I'm not against Hispanics or any other race. I'm only against illegal immigration. It's not fair that me, a 17 year old, should pay taxes out of my paycheck to support, directly or indirectly, illegal immigrants.

Answer 5

Hi Overcaste! I feel you had first-rate features, so I will percentage a few of my ideas in this: a million. There isn't any wall top sufficient that allows you to deter unlawful immigration. Illegal immigration does now not occur simplest by way of the land borders, it occurs by way of the airports and seaports. If you desire to discourage men and women from coming right here illegally or overstaying their visas, you have got to punish the ones employers who rent the unlawful immigrants. If jobs don't seem to be to be had to unlawful immigrants, finally unlawful immigration will curb, notably. two. There are too many unlawful immigrants within the U.S., more often than not a lot more than the 12 million the U.S. executive advertises. Thus, deportation more often than not isn't viable. The U.S. tolerated for decades this predicament and that´s how we're in which we're. I could once more set rough punishment for employers hiring unlawful immigrants and approve a few style of amnesty to permit the unlawful immigrants already within the U.S. to stick and pay their taxes, get car coverage, get wellness coverage, and so forth. three. Once the amnesty is in situation, punish the immigrants who don't get a driving force´s license, car coverage, or wellness coverage. We have too many men and women using with out driving force´s license or coverage in view that they're right here illegally. And if you happen to consult with the Emergency rooms in essential hospitals at the moment, they'll be full of unlawful immigrants who don't have wellness coverage and, accordingly, use the Emergency as a "loose cross" to look a health care professional.

Answer 6

I don't believe all your "numbers' I live in Arizona and most if not all the illegals working here DO NOT PAY into Social Security.they are paid CASH and on a daily basis's..If a wall/fence is any kind of deterrent then I'm glad its going to built.Bush will sign that bill into law today..


Heres the report you are talking about,read it all not what parts you liked.

The cost of illegal aliens to the federal, state and local governments was about $33 billion. This impact was partially offset by an estimated $12.6 billion in taxes paid to the federal, state and local governments, resulting in a net cost to the American taxpayer of about $20 billion every year. This estimate did not include indirect costs that result from unemployment payments to Americans who lost their jobs to illegal aliens willing to work for lower wages. Nor did it include lost tax collections from those American workers who became unemployed. The study estimated those indirect costs from illegal immigration at an additional $4.3 billion annually.

During the years since that estimate, the illegal alien population is estimated to have roughly doubled, so the estimated fiscal costs also will have at least doubled. Furthermore, the passage of time is accompanied by inflation in the costs of services, e.g., school budgets continue to climb. Therefore, what was estimated to be a cost to the American taxpayer of $33 billion in 1996 today would be at least $70 billion. Similarly, tax collections would have increased — sales taxes at least — so that the net expense to the taxpayer from illegal immigration would currently be at least $45 billion. The indirect fiscal costs would have also increased, especially during a period of already high unemployment, to perhaps and additional $10 billion annually.

Answer 7

My only problem with the wall is that it does not stretch from sea to shining sea.

The illegals take far more from this country than they contribute. Where do you get your facts? The illegals are responsible for 1/2 trillion into our Social Security? PLEASE state your source. I really need a good laugh today.

Check out my first source below. It says that illegals cost just the state of Florida $3.3 BILLION per year.

Really, look for some facts, not just wild ideas that pop into your head.

Answer 8

The only fence that would work would be the BIG RED ONE on the border with their guns facing south.
The 7 Fleet in the Gulf, guns facing west.
They have invaded us with their Governments approval.
We ether stop them now or roll over as they will soon take over our Government. And that is their plan, ether by votes or in the near future by force.

Answer 9

A good fence might, in combination with more sweeping immigration reform, be a deterrent.

On the other hand, if it were me needing to cross the border to make a better life for myself and/or my family, and I were too poor to go the legal route, I'd find a way, fence or not.

Answer 10

Buddy is right. You would need a fence at either end of your country. A tad expensive and Mythbusters have just about proven that we could catapult Canadians over the fence. Of course, the dangerous Canadians are much worse than your homegrown terrorists. Well, in Canada, we are also not as well off as you are. So, I might have to go by catapult to visit your country and I am pretty harmless.

What ARE you going to do with the world's longest undefended border and our co-opting of the "give me your huddled masses" (probably an incorrect quote) philosophy or our multi-cultural, refugee and immigrant-friendly country?

Answer 11

Ideally the Mexican government would be more intent in building a country the citizens are proud of and don't want to leave. In reality, the Mexican government seems more intent in exporting citizens and having them send money home to Mexico. The Mexican government doesn't seem near as concerned about the welfare of their citizens as the most anti-immigration American is. That is sad.