Amnesty, the fence, illegal workers, Mexican Druglords--Who's the real culprit behind this disastrous mess?

Question

Everyone agrees there is a problem. The people want change. The issues are plain as day and yet there is no political will to get it done. Nov. 7th changed in the right direction, but I believe our government needs a second enema to further weed out those who have the power and decline to use it. Keep tabs on your reps and vote accordingly in 2008. This topic is so HOT that nothing may get done by either party for fear of retribution later down the line. The Dept. of Homeland Security is a joke. They are a bunch of republikend partisan hacks that will only mandate actions that tow the party line. Advocating amnesty and the fence are nothing more than appeasing ideals for the republican base and big business ($ for the fence), illegal workers/aliens are killing our social services from hospitals to prisons--they must be sorted out and a national registry must be created. The overall exploitation of the Country of Mexico and its people is biting us right back in the ***!!!

Answer 1

This is a good question and I think you got some very good and well thought out answers to it here. Thank you.

I think many of the things you listed are at fault as there is no ONE thing or person to blame. Illegal immigration is the result of many problems both in our country and other countries they immigrate to and in the countries the illegal immigrants come from, so it is a WORLD problem. We hear on here all the time and in the news that the European countries are going through the same thing that we in the USA are going through right now. Illegal immigration has always happened since the beginning of time, but it is now coming to the attention of everyone so much more of late because of the huge volume of illegal immigrants that are causing such noticeable decline in our social services and infrastructures due to the fact that undocumented/illegal immigrants are net "takers" of society and do not put back more than what they take out because of not being registered and therefore not paying taxes to help pay for what they use.

Illegal immigrants tend to be, by and large, the poorest and most uneducated people of the countries they emmigrate from, therefore they are the least likely or able to become net "contributors" to the societies they immigrate to. They are also more likely to have committed crimes in the countries they are leaving, therefore, not able to be accepted to immigrate by applying through the legal avenues. Obviously, legal immigrants tend to be educated and usually have more wealth and are far less likely to have committed crimes in their home countries, hence they are far more likely to apply to immigrate legally. Therefore, with illegal immigration, we get those who are more likely to continue committing crimes even after the initial one of coming into the country illegally - heck, what have they got to lose? I can understand the reasoning of some of the illegal immigrants who are truly desperate and feel there is no other way to survive or to support their families, but that does not make it right and does not mean that we should just sit back and do nothing to stop it.

We cannot, in this day and age, continue to just sit back with our heads in the sand and ignore the tidal wave of illegal immigrants in our country; otherwise, it won't be long before all of our economy and infrastructure will collapse and our country will be as bad or worse than the countries these people are leaving. Immigration needs to be done in an orderly fashion where people are documented and paying their share of taxes and so we can weed out those undesireables such as criminals and only select to keep those who are desireable, contributing members of society. Just being law-abiding isn't enough, as admirable as that is, because they also need to be contributing their fair share on the financial end, which illegal immigrants do NOT do. Once an immigrant comes into the country illegally, they continue to commit further crimes of fraud and I don't believe anyone who says an illegal immigrant comes here and does not commit any further crimes besides the first one of entering the country illegally. Over a period of time, they cannot continue to live and work in this country without committing further crimes of at least fraud. Other crimes they carry on to commit are such as driving illegally, either without valid drivers licenses and/or insurance, causing terrible devastation when they are involved in accidents. As well, many are drawn to the illegal drug trade - Yes, I know that many LEGAL citizens also operate in the illegal drug trade but, guess what? Those are LEGAL citizens and they are OUR problem - illegal immigrants who commit crimes in our country should not be here in the first place, let alone committing crimes in our country and so they should NOT be OUR problem. Why should we be complacent and allow them to ADD to our base of home-grown criminals? NO, absolutely not! They can stay in their own countries to do their crimes as they should be the problem of their own countries, not ours!

Yes, amnestys given in the past are a contributor to the current problem and that is why amnesty should NEVER be given again, regardless of how long an illegal immigrant has managed to be in the country evading immigration officials - they should NOT be rewarded for being more canny and sly than the average illegal immigrant. This would be nothing short of rewarding them for their criminal behaviour and would only serve to encourage MORE future illegal immigrants, all hoping for yet ANOTHER amnesty if they can just hang in there and evade the ICS as long as possible. No, deportation is the only fair reward for this. People say they can't possibly ALL be deported, but I believe a good number of them can be, over time. Especially if ALL the laws regarding illegal immigration were to suddenly and consistently be enforced, including severely penalizing employers of illegals and anyone who aides and abets illegals, right down to renting to them. Also, including not allowing them to access ANY public services, whatsoever, including schools and medical care (other than emergency services, only, and then immediate deportation). Enforcing ALL the immigration laws, along with building the border fence and placing enough border patrol along the borders and monitoring ALL visas for overstayers to be deported as soon as their visas lapse and they have not left the country. These things would, in combination, go a long way to stemming the flow of illegal immigration and would have the effect of forcing the countries illegals tend to immigrate from to start looking after their own social and financial problems.

If there is such a huge need for foreign workers in the so-called "jobs Americans won't do," then streamline the procedure for guest workers to make the procedure more quick and efficient, but not at the cost of allowing them to remain indefinitely in the country and not paying their share of taxes from the wages they earn and severely penalize any who do not return when their guest worker status ends and do not allow those who do this to ever qualify for guest worker status or any other kind of immigrant status again, as they have already proven their dishonesty. Also, do NOT allow guest workers to bring family members into the country along with them.

After all is said and done and we've managed to stem the flow of illegal immigration, then look at the immigration policies and update and streamline them, as necessary so that future legal immigrants can come in a timely manner and with less beaurocratic red tape, but not to the extent that will put our country and legal citizens at the risk of terrorists and other criminals.

NO AMNESTY EVER AGAIN! DEPORT ALL ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS! DROP THE OUTDATED "ANCHOR BABY" LAW! BUILD THE FENCE IMMEDIATELY AND MAN IT PROPERLY!

Thank you for the opportunity to express myself fully on this issue!

Answer 2

The border fence will help stop people and goods from moving illegally from one country to the other. People say it's inhumane, I say it's a great idea. If you're so smart, maybe YOU should apply to run the homeland security dept or whatever. I agree that amnesty is appeasement, I think there's lots of reasons for problems with healthscare, money's a big one, national registries sounds like precursor to amnesty, just send people home and fix the border....and support good immigration policy.

Answer 3

The culprit is the Congress..not reps or Dem's just a bunch of self serving politicians who will not enforce laws (fund them) or make ANY decision that might risk loss of "supporters" and voters..Their ONLY focus is on getting to retain their perk filled prestigious jobs...their oath to protect and serve is simply a traditional formality that really means nothing to them
they should all be prosecuted for will full negligence,graft and treasonous deceit

so what's with your need to blame the Rep's?? the illegal onslaught has been going in for years regardless of what party controlled congress.
U R right about politicians but blaming Rep's is sad to say a worthless exercise...
Blame-->produces nothing except the self satisfaction that comes when one believes that ranting is the only way to vent ..
Action--> is what is required to "fix" anything..so yes ,the voters need to demand a national registry that ID's US citizens...
trying to register the illegals is a farce..sort've like asking all the foxes to come sign-up at the hen house ID desk...
illegals are shadows that have no reason to id themselves....especially when the IRS might get their name...

Answer 4

Washington needs to stop kissing the behind of big business. Next start to enforce all of our immigration laws. If we just, 1. control our borders. 2. Fine, jail, or if need close all businesses that hire illegal workers. 3. Fine and or jail those renting to illegal immigrants. 4. deport all illegal immigrants here in our country now. Then after all of this, we can take a look at our immigration laws, and see if anything needs to be changed. If we do 1,2, and 3, some may deport on there own, no job, no place to live, they might just go home on their own.

Answer 5

while you are all arguing which political party is at fault or stating that there is no problem, I live on the border and along with my neighbors, we are being ignored. Our deserts, our backyards are being polluted with garbage left behind by illegal's and drug cartels. Six people were killed when a smuggler tried to evade police, he lost control of the truck and flipped into a line of traffic. Bodies are being found all over the place, either dead from dehydration or a well placed bullet hole to the head. Cars have been stolen or destroyed, homes have been broken in to, and people have been murdered by illegal aliens. Dont any of you tell me that there is no problem.

Answer 6

there is really no one to blame. amnesty should be provide to those who would like to come and work in the US. The fence is not going to stop them from coming in they will find ways around it. illegal workers, they are the ones that take the jobs that no one wants. They are the ones who come here and work for in the jobs that dont pay enough. most americans won't take the jobs that this illegal workers will take. mexicans are not the only drug lorrds. the US is a big consumer of drugs from colombia. There are other areas where drugs are coming from. The one to blame is the government. since they are the ones that have the power to put into place job permits that would allow illegal workers to come work here. the fence will not last very long so the US should put that money else where like feeding the homeless that we have in california.

Answer 7

The INS definitely needs an overhaul. Immigrants must learn English, and American citizens need to help them. A wall around the US isn't going to accomplish anything. There needs to be a better system to assess the flow of immigrants, legal or illegal, identify and register them, weed out criminals and other undesirables, and streamline how someone can become a citizen. I'm hoping Barack Obama has some good ideas to get things done in government.

Answer 8

You got it. The fence is just a ploy to satisfy the critics. It will do no good. The Mexican Government owes our country reparations if you ask me. For every crime or bill we have had to foot so their people could flee from their countries problems. The U.S. needs to DEMAND Mexico fix their country as these people should not be our problem.

Answer 9

There is a big difference between illegal immigrant ( without documentation ) and immigration into this country with legal papers and a right to be here .. Most won't identify the difference .

Answer 10

"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag... We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people.

-Theodore Roosevelt 1907 .

Answer 11

The problem is with the Constitution and the general way this country is run. It's difficult to say "come on in" for 200 years then suddenly say "get out!". This country is founded on the principle that everyone can come here and work hard and enjoy the fruits of their efforts. The problem needs, in my opinion, to be addressed by the groups getting abused. Uninsured patients should be turned away from health care unless they can pay for it. Schools should not be bi-lingual. Sure, come on over, but be prepared to do your part and not be a part of the problem.