Why has illegal immigration become a big issue this decade?

Question

Hasn't illegal immigration existed for ages? Then why has it become a hot button issue only very recently?

Is it because only now the media have chosen to target it - or has it really increased in the last few years? If so, why has it increased?

Answer 1

One big reason is 9/11/07. People are more security conscious and part of that is border security.

If it's easy for someone to slip across the border to work, it's for them to come across to plant a bomb.

Answer 2

Well, it is because the government has tried to sneak by an offer of full amnesty to those that are here illegally in exchange for enforcing the laws that they should have been enforcing in the first place. This is the same exact promise that was handed to us under Reagan in the 1980's when amnesty was given to all of the illegal immigrants that were in this country at that time, and they were then supposed to enforce the laws of this nation when it came to immigration. This was supposed to reduce the number of illegal immigrants flowing into this nation. It didn't work.

As soon as I heard the proposal, I became enraged, and I immediately recalled the "promise" made to the citizens of this nation about 20 years before. They aren't going to put me off again with the same old song and dance - "Let's forgive these people. From here on out, we promise to be tough on illegal immigrants, hire more Border Agents, and deport anyone here illegally. We will also punish any employers that hire illegal immigrants and pay them illegally." Been there, done that, have the t-shirt. It is nothing but empty promises, and a promise they never plan on honoring. They are going to do the same thing, and in another 20 years, the same thing will come around.

It has increased because the individuals coming into this nation know that if they stick it out long enough, the US will eventually give them full amnesty, and they will have what they want without going through the procedures. It happened once, and they think it will happen again.

Answer 3

People have raised many good points. But basically it has reached critical mass and yes it takes americans time to realize what is going on.

But a couple of things that people don't think about. During the 70s and 80s there was great political strife in latin america. Once america spent trillions freeing up latin america (while fighting the cold war) people there found themselves free to move to the US.

Another aside is integration as there would have been less anger about illegals if they had done so. Even Joe Bob who has never met a hispanic or thinks about politics goes "what?"........ when he has to press 1 for English. has 5 channels in Spanish and Spanish is on the front of every product at the grocery store.

And yes 9/11. Americans felt protected with 3000 miles of ocean on either side. But after that many people started to come aware of the world in general.

I simplified but it is not an all of a sudden or to be blamed on elections.

Answer 4

Perhaps because we have seen our jobs disappear & those that are left for us don't pay a living wage. The cost of our insurance, medicine, hospitals, Doctors etc. have all gone up & we are having a hard time making ends meet. They have put an extra burden on some areas of this country. We resent it. I took my Mom to the hospital, it was full of Mexicans & we had to wait for 4 hours before she was seen! This was a charity hospital, it didn't start out as a charity hospital, they were just a regular hospital. They will see you whether you can pay or not, why else were they there? We use that hospital because it is near our home & it was the one always used by our family. Mom is on Medicare & we did pay her co-pay. The strain on the hospital must be enormous.
It used to be that when the Mexicans came into this country as farm labor, they worked the planting & harvest, made enough money working those few months & went home. Now they come to stay. We cannot afford them any longer.

Answer 5

I agree illegal immigration has been a common "hot topic" in this country for ages. Some people forget that to a free citizen in the 1700's meant that you were a white male who owned land.

Then people forget that the Germans and Italians were seen as scum and were hear to change the American way of living. Not to mention in Eilis Island many Germans, Pols, Irish, Italians and Jews had their names changed by immigration officials because their names was not American enough.

Don't forget the Chinese, many people thought they came here to steal jobs and rape white women...silly I know but several Chinese men were actually attacked by mobs (yellow peril).

I started noticing the whole thing after 9/11, maybe it's fear of the unknown. Not to mention election and well like in the 1700's thru the early 1900's people are well skeptical of people and cultures they are not familiar with.

Instead of actually dealing with issue people and politicians like to use people as scape goats for problems that have been around for quite sometime.

Answer 6

unfortunately after 9/11 everyone in this beautiful country , turn their eyes to everyone who we think does not belong here because it was some foreigners who caused all the harm , but the truth is , some Americans also have had cause catastrophic disasters , (Timothy McVeigh , Ted Casinski, the unibomer,just to name a few ) so why are we all focusing on blaming all for that 9/11 tragedy.like if America was so perfect .

Answer 7

cause it takes americans like us a while to stop staring blankly at the television and realize that some **** is goin down right under our noses and we dont seem to notice... make people notice and miraculously they start to care. instead of just watching blindly. Plus it has gotten to the point where the common man, not just southern californians, is being affected with tax, medical, and job stresses because of the border hoppers. not to mention they cut in line of the hard working legal immigrants, and have no intention of contributing to society, learning english or becoming a part of society, they jsut want to get money and send it out of the counrty, our economy is in shambles and theres not enough money to go around for the common legal law abiding AMERICAN, and the border hoppers send it all away, even though its value is steadily decreasing because of many of the above factors...WAKE UP AND SMELL THE BEANS AMERICA, its time to secure our country.... mexico will not give me a licence or pay for my kid to go to school or the doctor, and they outright say it... No, NOT YOURS.... but in america we say, "se habla espanol!!" and it is god damn retarded

Answer 8

Yes it has been an issue for decades, but no there are cloes to 40 million in this country and it is getting out of hand.

Hospitals, clinics and school districts are going bankrupt because of illegals.

Billions of AMERICAN TAX DOLLARS are being spent to support ILLEGAL INVADERS. In some cases ILLEGAL INVADERS are entitled to more benefits form the Governemnt thatn AMERICAN CITIZENS!!

They have NO REPSECT for our laws, our language, our people or our flag.

They are all criminals.

Answer 9

The threat of Terrorists coming across the border. Security risk since 9-11

Answer 10

The big issue was brought to light by the Mexican protesters. Flag burning, flag trampling, middle finger salutes to the country that supports them. They bit the hand that fed them.
Add to the mix the fact that illegals have tripled since 1990 and you now have the answer.