Generalizations about how many children undocumented immigrants have. Why?

Question

I have read over and over on here people saying that undocumented immigrants have "too many" kids. I want to know, how many is too many, and, isnt that the choice of living in a free country- the right to reproduce?

If you are objecting because they may get public assistance is SOME states, would you support legislation that would not increase cash benefits based on the number of children one has?

Such a model has been used in Wisconsin for several years, along with a contraceptive program allowing women on public assistance to get any birth control they need (10 year IUD, sterilization, etc). We have noticed that here, our "poorer" families have 1-2 kids. There are exceptions, but, few.

WHat do you think?

Would you support legislation to cap benefits regardless of number of children?

I agree with you entirely that people (ANYONE) should not have kids that they can't not only afford to raise (food & shelter) but also afford to give a decent life to. I am not disagreeing about that- at all.

If someone ISN'T on public assistance, they can have all the kids they want, provided they are competent parents.

Answer 1

I see your point, but the problem is that the ideal number of children a couple should have varies from couple to couple, regardless of race or legal status. Some CAN handle more then 2 or 3, but most cannot. IMO the problem with people who have too many children is that they don't plan anything out and it becomes a matter of luck weather or not they can support the next child to come along.

To complicate matters the majority of illegals are catholic and are raised to think that family planning is a sin (or at the very least unimportant) In the US we have a large media base that counters the pope's propaganda and promotes quality of life over quantity.

Answer 2

I've lived in a few states and from what I have seen it's usually 4 and 1 in the oven.

"Too many children" is more than you can afford or care for on your own without requiring public assistance. It was ment to help women who's husbands had died or got thrown in jail or disabled later or just walked out. Many of these people obviously have the father present and he's working and living with them as well as other working adults and don't report the income and have the attitude that our welfare system is something we all just take advantage of as part of the American Dream.

Yes....it is a free country but it is not the taxpayers duty to fund it. Just because you have the right to reproduce doesn't mean you should with the expectation of someone else paying the bills.

When I was younger the father wasn't allowed to live with you and your children. Object is he deserted you and you are alone. Their first job was to find the father and start collecting child support payments. When we had massive layoffs and many families became homeless...there were many people forced to divorce in order to get help so the children could eat. You couldn't own a car...later you could, but it couldn't be newer than 10 years old. Now they're buzzing around in 45,000 pick-ups. Lord....women in the past would have lost custody of their children if the found them living 35 to a 2 bedroom apartment or saw they had no bed or the kids were sleeping with Uncle Ralph.

I knew people on welfare a number of years back and they hardley got anything to eat with their food stamps. Now they are loading cartloads with steaks and roasts and such and not even looking at prices and paying with their food card. As well as just pulling up to church pantries and loading up.

I thought they changed the rules to only being allowed 2 years of welfare and then you must work even to qualify for just medical or the free lunch program. They just change the rules and nothing is consistant anymore. They could trace a citizen and whether they had any accounts or got an income tax refund etc. Now it seems it doesn't matter because there's no means to track them. You don't have people supposidly working for poverty wages....having a ton of kids and using the welfare system to the point of closing hospitals etc and still send BILLIONS to another country where it's the top income for a COUNTRY, if they were honest about their income and paying what the rest of us have to here.

Welfare was for need. Real need. Not something extra on top of what you feel like reporting and after the new truck payment and the stipend back to your home country etc.

I have alot of mixed feelings about this issue because there are so many working people and families and elderly who need this help. But can't get it because of inconsistant rules and loopholes........yet others seem to have the red carpet rolled out for them and no reliable means to track them.

I would definately put limits. Not to mention there is a real need for attention to those who are working and the pay is so low that 2 full time working parents are still below poverty level. It's a system gone wrong that's for sure. The pockets of Americans has a bottom to it and so does the governments. Welfare shouldn't be a suppliment to be able to survive here when people are working. And it shouldn't be so easy for those here illegally who can lie and not be traced while our citizens go without.

Answer 3

I think a cap on welfare benefits would be a great idea for all states to follow. No increase in benefits after your first one. Free birth control is also a good idea,although any low income woman can get that at Planned Parenthood.
I am disabled and receive SS. I have one child. When he was a minor I got dependent benefits for him. Dependent benefits do not go by how many children you have,it is a set amount depending on the parents check. I would have gotten the same amount of dependent benefits whether I just had him or 10 kids. The same should be done for welfare.

Answer 4

I agree with no increase of benefits for having more than two children. I also agree with providing birth control free of charge to people on assistance. But children of illegals should not be considered citizens or receiving benefits of any type in this country. I am aware that some people don't feel the same way, though, and a two child limit on benefits for them would definitely save us money. But can you hear the cries of racism over such a policy? They (yes, hispanic illegals, our largest and most vocal group) would fight it tooth and nail because they wouldn't want to give up their massive benefits.

Answer 5

I think that when most people here say that illegals have too many children they are thinking of children as a cost that they are paying for by taxes. They are often talking about "anchor babies". Maybe they are also afraid of the changes in US demographics. I think they probably don't understand birth rates and fertility rates.

Some of it is of course just being nasty and cowardly and prejudiced by some people would not dare to say anything to you with 4 kids but say a Latina should keep her legs crossed.

I don't think anything yet. I need to study before I can think about benefits and number of children.

Edit vladblutsauger: Amanda is not sugarcoating anything. Undocumented is an accurate term and I know what she is saying and so do you.

Answer 6

I live in one of those states that allows the use of public assistance to non citizens. In fact most states allow at least one or two categories of public assistance for illegal immigrants.

There are states that have corrected this problem but they are few, I had read that Wisconsin is one of those states so good for Wisconsin, hopefully the rest of our states will catch up eventually.

People are already tired of the growing dependency on welfare and other taxpayer funded forms of public assistance for citizens and most especially for non citizens. Taxpayers are not a bottomless well in which you can continue to draw from for the rest of eternity, our own Social Security is in jeopardy yet we still continue to allow both citizens and non citizens who should be working to draw upon public assistance - we can do nothing about the citizens but non citizens are not and should not be our responsibility.

Answer 7

People who cannot afford a child without being on public assistance obviously do not have the financial means to raise the child. That being the case, those people need to use birth control or keep their legs closed! It is stupid, careless, reckless, negligent behavior to bring an innocent child into a situation where one cannot afford to provide him or her the life he or she deserves. This holds true for all people -- immigrants and legal citizens of all kinds.

Answer 8

Deporting him is the best option. He is a criminal on many levels. Illegal immigrant, drug user, and a deadbeat dad. A leopard doesnt change its spots. She will never get any significant level of support from him. Nor are the courts able to enforce anything against him. he doesnt have a job that they can garnish the wages at. All the courts can do is waste time and money or deport him. She made her bed now she gets to lie in it.

Answer 9

Haha I live in Wisconsin and yes we have caps.A very good idea for any state.Our ex governor did an excellent job with virtually ending welfare.Our present Gov. also has strict guidelines concerning proof of citizenship for any public funds.Thumbs up for Wisconsin.

Answer 10

It is not as much as the polygamist that abuse the children and leech off the welfare system!
http://www.rickross.com/reference/polygamy/polygamy5.html

I would not approve a cap, unless you are on welfare. If I can afford to have as many kids as I want AND support them myself then the gov't shouldn't be allowed to tell me what to do.