Amnesty Supporters? Why or why not?

Question

Very interesting article publised in a prestigious magazine: Dont be afraid- get informed:



http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1630168,00.html?promoid=AOL

Answer 1

Did Amnesty work when Reagan allowed it 1986?
Nope.

Answer 2

I'd like to respond to a few of the misguided responses above me.

This is most certainly an amnesty just the same as if I were to rob a bank and allowed to pay some of it back then they'd let me go. Most illegals have broken other laws - ID theft, fraud, etc. at least so I have no sympathy in that regard. It is amnesty simply because they get to keep what they broke the law to obtain.

As for deporting them as being impossible - Yes it is if you are stupid enough to think the only way is to round them up one by one. They WILL self deport if the rewards and incentives for them to come here and stay here are removed.

Simple and cheap.

Taxpayers would save billions of dollars.

Every supply/demand item would cost less - gas, natural gas, electricity, housing (would probably be a wash due to fewer slave laborers), etc.

Less congestion.

Lower taxes.

Lower medical bills.

Answer 3

Well my dear, all I can say is "been there, done that". In 1986 we granted all illegal aliens amnesty for the same reasons they are giving in that article. The government promised they would crack down on illegals after that but it was not practical to deport millions of illegal aliens.

Fast forward to 2007. We now have tens of millions more illegal aliens. So much for that idea.

Here is all that it takes if the government has the will to really fix this problem.

1) make it a real crime to employ illegal aliens with huge fines and actual jail time.

2) make it a real crime to rent housing to illegal aliens with huge fines and actual jail time.

3) notify all illegal aliens that they have one year to leave voluntarily. Any who wish to leave but don't have the means must report to ICE by a certain date. Transportation will be provided.

4) anyone found in America, illegally after that date will be deported and banned from ever entering again.

5) a real guest worker program will be set up with employers guaranteeing minimum wages, medical coverage and transportation home for those temporary workers they employ.

6) streamline the naturalization process for legals who have already waited much too long. Permit more legal residents (green cards) but strictly enforce them. Grant more visas but strictly enforce them.

7) really protect the borders.


It really is not that difficult to do and not that expensive. All we lack is the will. To those who are for permitting illegal aliens to come here to work, realize that you are sentencing them to a form of slavery. Working for substandard wages and no benefits.


.

Answer 4

Ah yes time magazine. My counter

Why has citizenship become so diluted? Citizenship in America is sacred, thousands have died to defend it and now some want to pass out citizenship cards to anyone who can sneak across the border? Have thousands died just so amnesty can be given to lawbreakers? or would they rather have justice.

I wonder how long the reporter had to search for a town like beardstown, one that actually benefits from illegals..........

Answer 5

It is interesting that the political position requiring idenfication, punitive fines, payment of backtaxes and years of jumping through hoops is characterized as AMNESTY...

while the political position of maintaining the status quo wherein millions are here without status, remain undetected, pay no fines, no backtaxes and wait in no line is NOT AMNESTY.

I think when we talk about "amnesty", we should have to identify which amnesty we're talking about...the $5000 amnesty or the amensty amnesty...how about the punitive amnesty versus the free amnesty.

Answer 6

I don't support either position, but I will answer you like this:

1) They are here and we CAN'T get rid of them. We don't have the man power to send 12 million people home.
2) If we don't make them legal they continue not paying taxes.
3) That means they get to use our schools, roads, etc. but not have to pay for them.
4) Lets be real...there are a lot of historical illegal immigrants. Why is it that Hispanic illegals are worse than the rest? They work hard despite what some would have you believe. They can live on practically nothing...they aren't leeches as some would have you believe.

If not amnesty to gain the tax base back...what is the solution? Figure 12 million immigrants divided by 60 per bus would equate to 200000 buses. Oh, and good like finding them. We couldn't stop them from crossing the border.

Answer 7

First anything that time publishes is slanted and absolutely biased. If we give amnesty to these people, should we give amnesty to Bin Laden? they both broke the laws of the land, they both took advantage of poor security measures, and they both want to change our nation to fit their needs. Most of the illegals are too lazy to even learn our language, no they should not be allowed to stay one more day. Kick them out, if they don't leave load them up and draft them to Iraq. any politician who supports amnesty should be held accountable for treason.

Answer 8

We are supposed to be a melting pot, made up of people from different cultures, colors and creeds.
There are 12 million "illegal immigrants" in this country now. Rounding them up and sending them back would be a monumental task, if not next to impossible.
Making them "legal" or giving them amnesty allows them to become productive, tax-paying citizens of this nation.
Many communities and hoards of "big business" conglomerates depend on the cheap labor they can exploit from this pool of "illegals" (which is why Bush is so supportive ot keeping them here).
While I agree in the theory of making these people all 'legal' citizens of the U.S., I find it hypocritical that we fail to recognize that almost ALL of us are descendants of those first "illegal immigrants" that started coming to this land 400 years ago last month. When those 'illegal immigrants' arrived, they took no interest in learning the natives' language, culture or religion. Instead, they stole their lands, massacred many of them, and put the rest of them on reservations. Those who say, "This is MY country......" are misinformed (unless they're direct descendants of native American Indians). This country was stolen by "illegal immigrants" who came landed at Jamestown and Plymouth Rock, who came here to avoid tyrannical and oppressive governments and/or religious persecution. Yet, once they arrived, they took over and claimed this land as their own. Then, they imported slaves from Africa and treated them as personal property that could be bought, sold and traded at will - while at the same time declaring this new nation to be a land of opportunity for all, and that "all men are created equal".
Maybe the Indians should have been the ones building walls tokeep European white men out. Maybe the Indians should have refused to give "amnesty" to all those white European settlers who slaughtered buffalo, plundered the great plains, and regarded the "redskin" as an inferior race. Maybe, then, most of us would still be living in Europe instead of enjoying our freedoms and rights we have in America. -RKO- 06/12/07

Answer 9

Serpico: What about all the immigrant soldiers who have died fighting in Iraq? A few of these were illegal and went into the military (the military obviously knows they're illegal) in order to fight for the country they love ......

Answer 10

what's the question. i did like that article.