Are we Americans really ready for this "new amnesty?"?

Question

Here is what happened with the "old amnesties" (notice that I said amnesties):

*The 1986 Immigration and Reform Control Act blanket amnesty for an estimated 2.7 million illegal aliens

*1994: The "Section 245(i)" temporary rolling amnesty for 578,000 illegal aliens

*1997: Extension of the Section 245(i) amnesty

*1997: The Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act for nearly one million illegal aliens from Central America

*1998: The Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act amnesty for 125,000 illegal aliens from Haiti

*2000: Extension of amnesty for some 400,000 illegal aliens who claimed eligibility under the 1986 act

*2000: The Legal Immigration Family Equity Act, which included a restoration of the rolling Section 245(i) amnesty for 900,000 illegal aliens]

Are we really ready for this to happen again?

With these amnesties, the number of illegal aliens in the U.S. has tripled since President Reagan signed the first amnesty in 1986. The total effect of the amnesties was even larger because relatives later joined amnesty recipients, and this number was multiplied by an unknown number of children born to amnesty recipients who then acquired automatic US citizenship.

Answer 1

Ready or not, here it comes!

I don't think most Americans, even though they may well be opposed to this latest Amnesty really realize what it's going to do.

The last Amnesty didn't just offer Amnesty to 3 million illegals and ultimately give it to 5 million. It attracted another 12 million in the intervening 20 years.

If those numbers were to hold, the current Amnesty might ultimately be given to 20 million - and attract another 60 million! That'd be a 27% increase in the population in a single generation.

Answer 2

The only amnesty was the 1986. The others were laws passed giving certain people the right to apply for legal status, with criteria for eligibility that had to be documented.

1997 NACARA was the result of a class action lawsuit against the US for wrongfully denying asylum applications for people from Central America fleeing civil wars. And the Central Americans were not illegal, they have had asylum applications since the late 80s, with work permits and legal SS#s, some of them are still waiting for a decision after up to twenty years.

the 245i merely alows people to remain in the US while they apply for permanent residence sponsored by an employer or citizen or resident family member.

There was no extension of amnesty, the 2000 act was to give people who had been unfairly denied the opportunity to apply again.

The Haitian fairness act was to give Hatians some of the benefits that are given to Cubans.

Most of these except the 1986 amnesty are changes to make immigration laws fair where there has been a bias against one country by the US government. The 245i only gives benefits to people who have a sponsor and who have applied, paid and waited in line. The latest group of 245i people have been waiting since 2001, and they had to pay a couple thousand on top of attorney fees for the privilege. That would put them outside the definition of amnesty.

Answer 3

Great question. It's always the same old same old with the Dems... they are out of touch, have no message, and no agenda, and they are just drunk on polls -polls are all that matter to them. Then when election day rolls around, and people are faced with having to pull the lever for them, they can't - because this whole country is discovering what a sham, a fake, what an empty boatload of promises they offer, and all they want is the power. Of course, then after election day, we have to listen to the Dems and the media puke out all their conspiracy and voter fraud stories (when and if the WHOLE truth ever comes out about voter fraud, Dems won't be able to elect a dog catcher...) - as they think that they have been robbed of their rightful destiny. The Democrats have stolen more votes in their history than they have rightfully earned... that's why they don't want the voter ID bills to pass, as dead people don't carry ID's with them... Democrats just are against everything - they hate the President, and anything that is not a handout or that doesn't soak more taxes out of everyone. They sound more desperate and shrill all the time, and their catch phrases sound as if they are being pulled off Al Queda websites... They are empty and pathetic and delusional.

Answer 4

No we are not ready and hopefully it will not pass as it is. If it does we will be having this same discussion 20 years from now but the number of illegals will then be 20 times the estimated 12 - 20 million currently up for amnesty.

Answer 5

lol it doesnt matter what americans think or want politicians r one uping eachother for the mexican vote, period ! any politition on eitherside of the political line would sell us all down the river for a few votes thats what all this is about! fix the imigration problem is easy but unpopular for mexicans so any politition who does it looses millions of mexican votes! I saw put up the walls and fences and make it 1000% easyer and faster to come in legaly! sounds lodgical enough but when has any government put lodgic ahead of buying votes?

Answer 6

Illegal aliens is a racist term, Yeah doesn't that just piss you off? I'm legal, and totally against the scum that sneaks across our boarders and then have the balls to demand that they deserve the same rights. But that isn't what makes me the maddest, it's that those in power are playing to their tune. The damn pen pushers suck and need to be thrown out of office, yeah I'm talking about both dems and reps. Talk about stupid!!!!!

Answer 7

OUR GOVERNMENT DOES NOT LISTEN TO ITS PEOPLE ANYMORE!
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO "WE THE PEOPLE"
Today, May 17,2007 after secret closed door meetings our government both Democrat and Republican sold the American people out!
We as a nation have spoken more than once on the subject of Illegal Aliens and their presence in our country, as a majority in all major polls the American people expressed their opinions-disgust and outrage over our governments lack of concern.
Estimates set the total of illegals here somewhere between 12-15 million undocumented illegals that occupy our country this is a silent invasion and our government refuses to acknowledge this crisis
Our government has now passed a bill that will award amnesty to these unwanted-breakers of our laws, these people have desecrated our flag,demanded rights that they do not have, taxed and overburdened our hospitals,schools,our American infrastructure. Illegal Aliens have no rights--they are here illegally have no say NOT ONE WORD on how our government or how as Americans we should conduct ourselves on this issue.
Democrats, know all too well that once these illegals are awarded citizenship they will automatically march lock step with the Democrat party the party of handouts-cradle to grave programs that will energize a even bigger population of welfare recipients--all for the almighty VOTE--this legislation will secure the Democrats as the majority for decades to come...
Our so called Republican party in which I have invested many year's, a president who I believed in who I backed 100 percent has now turned their backs on us. As of this date I no longer support President Bush-the Republican Party I am now a Conservative with no allegiance to any party--just to those in our government that walk the walk and talk the talk--of a true American Conservative,no more will I believe in the Republican Party as the Party for conservative Americans--they with their Socialist counterparts in Congress have sold us all down the drain.....both Democrat and Republican --all true legal Americans will be paying the price for this legislation for decades to come..
Once this bill has passed and the American people are busy pulling congressional knives out of their back --The Democrats will have pulled off the biggest roll of the Republican party ever--they will have legalized a whole new class of DEMOCRAT VOTERS--from cradle to grave SOCIALIST they will vote Socialist Democrats in office for the gold of the WELFARE programs--
For all those future Americans massed at our southern border and from all those in our country who by the stroke of a presidential pen will soon be DEMOCRAT AMERICANS you will soon hear in one NOT ENGLISH VOICE.
IF YOU STILL WANT AMERICA TO BE AMERICA NOT SOME 3RD WORLD SOCIALIST COUNTRY --THEN YOU MUST TOMORROW AND FROM THAT DAY FORWARD PICK UP THE PHONE-WRITE A LETTER TO YOUR CONGRESSMEN-SENATORS-THE PRESIDENT AND TELL THEM
NO AMNESTY-NO FREE RIDE-NO ILLEGALS -NO REWARD FOR BREAKING THE LAW-GET THEM OUT NOT ONE BUT ALL OF THEM AND SEND THEM BACK TO THE COUNTRIES THEY CAME FROM--I DON'T CARE HOW MUCH MONEY IT COST--SEND THEM PACKING.
(thanks to conservative army for his blog, great piece!)

Answer 8

That's why they are demanding, and probably getting, this latest one... we've done it so many times in the past, how can we stop it now?

Darn precedents...

Answer 9

No this is bullshit. We are on the path to becoming Meximerica.

Answer 10

I think a more pertinent question is:

Can we do a damn thing about it?


Doesn't matter if we're ready or not because it's comin regardless.