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Illegal Immigration Costs Demonstrated Again
Heritage Foundation ^ | March 6, '08 | staff

Posted on 03/09/2008 9:42:31 AM PDT by T.L.Sink

Slowly but surely Washington is acknowledging the high cost illegal immigration inflicts on local governments. The New York Times reports on a study by the University of Arizona and San Diego State University showing counties along the Mexican border spent $1.23 billion processing illegal immigrants through the justice system. Heritage research shows the cost of low skilled immigrants does not end there. In FY 2004, at the local and state level, the average low skill immigrant household received $14,145 in benefits and services and paid only $5,309 in taxes. The average low skill immigrant households imposed a fiscal burden on local and state government of $8,836 per year. Current federal immigration policy permits a massive inflow of both legal and illegal low skill immigrants to enter and reside in the U.S. This imposes a massive unfunded mandate on local and state government which must bear the costs. States looking to alleviate the fiscal burden have tools at their disposal including: 1) implementing REAL ID standards; 2) denying public benefits; 3) imposing sanctions on employers who hire illegals; and 4) ensuring voters are citizens.

(Excerpt) Read more at blog.heritage.org ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: aliens; amnesty; cheaplettuce; entitlements; illegalaliens; illegalimmigration; illegals; mccainsbuddies; pricetag; quislings; vampirebill
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It's unfortunate, but the next president will not only fail to show any leadership in implementing those four criteria but he/she will attempt to undermine them in order to facilitate the huge illegal alien invasion.
1 posted on 03/09/2008 9:42:32 AM PDT by T.L.Sink
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To: T.L.Sink
Politicians ignore cost of illegal immigration, again.
2 posted on 03/09/2008 9:43:23 AM PDT by ARE SOLE (Agents Ramos and Campean are in prison at this very moment.. (A "Concerned Citizen".)
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To: T.L.Sink

USA racing to the bottom once again!


3 posted on 03/09/2008 9:44:50 AM PDT by ScratInTheHat (Don't like my immigration stance? I'm dyslexic. PC keeps sounding like BS to me!)
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To: T.L.Sink

illegal immigration is the “real” war on terror...and we lost.


4 posted on 03/09/2008 9:44:56 AM PDT by devane617 (I WILL VOTE AGAINST JOHN MCCAIN !!!!!)
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To: T.L.Sink

bump


5 posted on 03/09/2008 9:48:00 AM PDT by VOA
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To: T.L.Sink

“Oh, pshaw!! Those facts mean nothing!!! Everyone with any sense knows that undocumented migrant workers are the VICTIMS in these situations, and that Americans are disenchfranchising them out of their rightful inheritance when they sneak...er, migrate to the United States!!! Si se puede!!!!”
/La Raza, et al off

::eyeballs roll to back of head::


6 posted on 03/09/2008 9:49:44 AM PDT by pillut48 (CJ in TX --Soccer Mom and proud Rush Conservative with no dog in the presidential race now *sigh*)
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To: T.L.Sink
4) ensuring voters are citizens.

Oh oh, don't do that. The democrats will start losing elections

7 posted on 03/09/2008 9:53:49 AM PDT by Syncro
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To: T.L.Sink
Washington is acknowledging the high cost illegal immigration inflicts on local governments

And the answer to this tragedy by this Administration's Deep Thinkers and evidently future administrations is to Legalize Illegal Immigration

8 posted on 03/09/2008 9:54:40 AM PDT by WesternPacific (I am tired of voting for the lesser of two evils!)
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To: T.L.Sink
The Democrats love lawsuits, why not propose a law to allow local governments to sue the Federal Government for not enforcing current immigration laws and to recover their costs brought about by this lack of enforcement?

I think just the proposal of this law would have many good effects. Politically, it would split the Democrats. It would also concentrate the minds of the elected and appointed officials of the Federal Government, who would lose control of millions of dollars and have to defend their policies and actions in court.

The Feds for far too long have been able to push off the costs of their policies onto others for far too long. Oh, to be really nasty, allow private individuals and their estates to sue the Federal Government. Your wife and mother of your children is killed by an illegal alien drunk driver. Why shouldn't you be able to collect from the Federal Government for the death of your wife?

9 posted on 03/09/2008 10:01:03 AM PDT by Jabba the Nutt (Just laugh at them!)
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To: T.L.Sink

bookmark


10 posted on 03/09/2008 10:01:54 AM PDT by GOP Poet
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To: WesternPacific
The sad fact is that these politicians could care less how this tax burden crushes the middle class. They simply want to be popular and give away our money.

Angry American voters will be coming together, but to late to make a difference.

It looks like an effective check mate on freedom is coming soon. The takers will soon outnumber the givers.

11 posted on 03/09/2008 10:04:33 AM PDT by PA-RIVER
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To: T.L.Sink
Heritage research shows the costs of low-skilled immigrants to local governments does not end there. In FY 2004, at the state and local level, the average low skill immigrant household received $14,145 in benefits and services and paid only $5,309 in taxes. The average low skill immigrant households imposed a net fiscal burden on state and local government of $8,836 per year.

The regular Joe and the regular Jane don't care because it doesn't affect their pocketbooks. It's "government money".

Now, if that Joe or Jane were to be shown exactly how much is costs him directly, then he or she might change his/her mind about who is paying.

But, instead of just showing Joe or Jane how much it's costing him or her directly, why not turn the whole system upside down completely and send the bill directly to Joe and Jane. Let's see how much they would approve of allowing foreigners to drive up the costs of government and services. So, if Joe or Jane don't mind absorbing the costs of foreigners on our services, let's see if they are just as caring when they have to send their share of the cost directly to the government. It the cost becomes a direct tax to each and every citizen, due once each year, and becomes mandatory, I'm pretty sure that most citizens would be up in arms and demanding the heads of those that would waste their hard-earned money.

Another suggestion would be to let the average citizen to see how much less they would pay on average in taxes if the government wasn't paying for the illegals from taxes collected from hard-working American citizens. And the breakdowns should be shown for both local and federal expenses.

As long as the costs of illegals continue to be "hidden" through government, and people continue to think that they're not affected directly, then people won't care about changing things.
12 posted on 03/09/2008 10:10:17 AM PDT by adorno
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To: T.L.Sink

Members of La Raza claim that the south west belongs to them, and the Americans stole it. The interesting part is, when Mexico controlled it, it was worthless. AMERICANS built the infrastructure, the roads, schools, shopping malls, law enforcement and fire protection. The dams for water, power and irrigation, sewer treatment. Everything that is making it attractive for the massive influx of illegals. I believe in a scorched earth policy, if they really want it back, let them have it in the same condition it was in when they occupied it before. All the cool stuff WE PAID FOR comes down.


13 posted on 03/09/2008 10:14:44 AM PDT by Boiling point (If God had wanted us to vote, he would have given us candidates.)
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To: T.L.Sink
The average low skill immigrant households imposed a net fiscal burden on state and local government of $8,836 per year.

So roughly, at a minimum, if we have 10 million illegal aliens, its costing us 88,000,000,000 a year.

14 posted on 03/09/2008 10:17:37 AM PDT by KC_Conspirator
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To: ARE SOLE

It doesn’t matter what the costs are of illegal immigrants.
What matters is the cheap/slave labor businesses get that contribute to the campaigns of the same politicians.

Selling out your country is not an issue.


15 posted on 03/09/2008 10:23:22 AM PDT by romanesq
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To: ARE SOLE
Immigration and energy are two of our biggest clubs against the rats. We have to use them. I hope we don't have to drag McCRazy along kicking and screaming.
16 posted on 03/09/2008 10:25:10 AM PDT by rodguy911 (Support The New media, Ticket the Drive-bys, --America-The land of the Free because of the Brave-)
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To: T.L.Sink

HOT, COLD, HOT,COLD, HOT.

Heritage Conservative mission statement = H0T

Heritage/ Romney Coercive Care = FRIGID

Heritage sometimes inattention while illegal aliens defied law=COLD

Heritage statistics on illegal aliens= Accutely HOT, (the best there is.)

This former Heritage member is getting the flashes.

(Kinda like what Hillary experiences especially when she stands next to Al Gore.)


17 posted on 03/09/2008 10:28:29 AM PDT by So Circumstanced
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To: adorno

‘the cost becomes a direct tax to each and every citizen, due once each year,”

We all should have to write checks to pay all of our taxes. There’d be a revolution. I asked one of my friends how much he made. He said,”I take home this much.” I said I didn’t ask how much he took home, I asked how much he actually made. I got him to carry a little notebook with him and write down all the taxes he paid. I looked up the state tax on gas so he could add that in. At the end of the week, he was pretty po’d! He now votes Republican!


18 posted on 03/09/2008 10:41:31 AM PDT by Dr. Bogus Pachysandra ("Don't touch that thing")
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To: T.L.Sink

the politicos of the US are determined to have the USA become a true turd world nation....they will tax until there is no money left to support all these parasitic illegal invaders destroying the country!!!


19 posted on 03/09/2008 10:46:39 AM PDT by nyyankeefan
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To: T.L.Sink
It's unfortunate, but the next president will not only fail to show any leadership in implementing those four criteria but he/she will attempt to undermine them in order to facilitate the huge illegal alien invasion.

I guess "all enemies foreign and domestic" is out the window?

Good bye America. We hardly knew ye

20 posted on 03/09/2008 11:12:11 AM PDT by Puppage (You may disagree with what I have to say, but I shall defend to your death my right to say it)
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To: Jabba the Nutt

Sounds like a good idea. I’ve seen on the news that some businesses are now suing some competitors because their hiring of low wage illegals gives them an unfair advantage in the marketplace by enabling them to keep their operating costs artificially low. Quite an advantage when you can get workers for low wages and no benefits (better yet, ‘off the books’)!


21 posted on 03/09/2008 11:13:18 AM PDT by T.L.Sink
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To: romanesq
What matters is the cheap/slave labor businesses get that contribute to the campaigns of the same politicians.

You are so ever right. I saw it up close and personal for the last year. When I finally realized I could do nothing to change it at my place of employment, I had to get out.

22 posted on 03/09/2008 11:20:25 AM PDT by muggs
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To: adorno

I think that’s a good idea. Clearly show people graphically how they’re not only paying higher taxes to make up for the drones who are taking more from the public dole than they pay but also how the wages of ALL Americans are being indirectly suppressed.


23 posted on 03/09/2008 11:21:05 AM PDT by T.L.Sink
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To: nyyankeefan

Did they calculate the cost in terms of the amount of crimes commited by illegals?


24 posted on 03/09/2008 11:22:16 AM PDT by Rodney Dangerfield
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To: Puppage

Right - and Article IV., Section 4. of the U.S. Constitution is also out the window:

The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion.

Even the amnestyites know it’s an invasion!


25 posted on 03/09/2008 11:36:44 AM PDT by T.L.Sink
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To: ScratInTheHat; devane617

I think you guys are right. Tancredo and Hunter (and Lou Dobbs) have tried to alert the nation to the catastrophe. It is NOT a single issue. It’s a cultural rot that gives us higher taxes for prison incarceration, insolvent hospitals, bankrupt public school districts, social welfare services, and the horrendous human and economic costs of the drug cartel. The real tragedy is that business lobbies (U.S. Chamber of Commerce, etc.) who love those low wages with no benefits, ethnocentric pressure groups, and pandering politicians have sold the nation out for their own special interests - and the general welfare be damned!


26 posted on 03/09/2008 11:52:16 AM PDT by T.L.Sink
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To: nyyankeefan
the politicos of the US are determined to have the USA become a true turd world nation....they will tax until there is no money left to support all these parasitic illegal invaders destroying the country!!!

Our country's leaders are the equivalent of Rome's when it was going downhill fast. No one would ever confuse Jorge Bush with Octavian or even Claudius. He could pass, however, for Elagabalus.

27 posted on 03/09/2008 11:56:59 AM PDT by E. Cartman (Huckaboob will never be Vice President.)
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To: T.L.Sink

you just described slavery, yet no one seems to care. all businesses want is cheap labor. lets hope we don’t see another civil war over the issue.


28 posted on 03/09/2008 11:59:09 AM PDT by devane617 (I WILL VOTE AGAINST JOHN MCCAIN !!!!!)
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To: T.L.Sink

So, do any FReepers have contact with Duncan Hunter, Tom Tancredo or Sen. Jeff Sessions? Pass on this idea and let’s see, if something can be moved.


29 posted on 03/09/2008 12:03:49 PM PDT by Jabba the Nutt (Just laugh at them!)
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To: ScratInTheHat

In california we are leading the race california just laid off 7500 teachers because the state has no money however no cuts were made to the illegals here,libs at it as always they need to be used for medical testing.


30 posted on 03/09/2008 12:04:44 PM PDT by Vaduz (and just think how clean the cities would become again.)
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To: pillut48; All

You mentioned La Raza. I’m now reading Jonah Goldberg’s fantastic book “Liberal Fascism.” He says that La Raza (”The Race”) and the radical Hispanic group MEChA has as its motto “Por La Raza todo, Fuera de La Raza nada” which means “Everything for the race, nothing outside the race.” He notes that such a group is in the fascist tradition and compares that with Mussolini’s famous motto: “Everything in the State, nothing outside the State, nothing against the State.” Jonah then poses the question, “Why is it that when a white man spouts such sentiments it’s ‘objectively’ fascist, but when a person of color says the same thing it’s merely an expression of fashionable multiculturalism?”


31 posted on 03/09/2008 12:12:17 PM PDT by T.L.Sink
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To: WesternPacific

It’s amazing how much the homicide rate would drop once it’s legalized. By the way, I just saw on a liberal TV station a report that some police are detaing illegals “even if they havn’t done anything illegal.” They omit one unpleasant reality: The very fact that they’re here is an ILLEGAL act!


32 posted on 03/09/2008 12:26:52 PM PDT by T.L.Sink
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To: Boiling point

Exactly - following the absurd reasoning of returning territory to it’s previous occupiers let’s divide Mexico between Spain and the Aztecs!


33 posted on 03/09/2008 12:33:36 PM PDT by T.L.Sink
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To: T.L.Sink

I wonder if the Ford Foundation would give me millions of dollars if I founded a civil rights organization to advocate for German Americans?

I’ll call it “das Folk”. Our motto could be “ein Folk, ein Vaterland!”


34 posted on 03/09/2008 12:52:09 PM PDT by InABunkerUnderSF ("Gun Control" is not about the guns. "Illegal Immigration" is not about the immigration)
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To: WesternPacific

And if you think illegals are expensive now just wait til they are legalized and qualify for every single program we have.


35 posted on 03/09/2008 12:54:21 PM PDT by sheana
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To: nyyankeefan

I think so too. We’re well on the way to becoming a Third World bilingual balkanized society. Every time we use the phone, read or hear a public address message, or even many advertisements we are confronted with Spanish. The great American tradition has been that immigrants wanted to assimilate, learn English, and adapt as quickly as possible to American culture in order to become successful and productive. Those days are gone. Now we have bilingual education, affirmative action, and PC catering to groups who are encouraged to maintain a seperate culture and identity.


36 posted on 03/09/2008 12:56:52 PM PDT by T.L.Sink
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To: Jabba the Nutt

I supported Tancredo, financially and in any other way possible here in FL, and I think he’s still relevant in American politics even though he’s dropped out of the primary. He’s been very prophetic in the sense that he’s put the issue of illegal immigration on the national agenda of both parties permanently. Before it became a national issue, he spent years as a voice crying in the wilderness. Now his efforts have been vindicated.


37 posted on 03/09/2008 1:40:49 PM PDT by T.L.Sink
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To: T.L.Sink
In addition to the costs of illegal immigration, there is also the costs of legal immigration, which are in some ways even worse.

Importing Poverty: Immigration and Poverty in the United States: A Book of Charts by Robert E. Rector

Of adult immigrants, 31 percent have not completed high school, compared to 8 percent of natives. Since 2000, immigration increased the number of workers without a high school diploma by 14 percent, and all other workers by 3 percent.

The proportion of immigrant-headed households using at least one major welfare program is 33 percent, compared to 19 percent for native households. The poverty rate for immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18) is 17 percent, nearly 50 percent higher than the rate for natives and their children.

34 percent of immigrants lack health insurance, compared to 13 percent of natives. Immigrants and their U.S.-born children account for 71 percent of the increase in the uninsured since 1989. Immigrants make significant progress over time. But even those who have been here for 20 years are more likely to be in poverty, lack insurance, or use welfare than are natives.

38 posted on 03/09/2008 1:47:27 PM PDT by kabar
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To: InABunkerUnderSF

The late Henry Ford II was disgusted with what had become of the Foundation - a Leftist propaganda institution but out of Ford’s control. I think you’d have a much better chance of getting millions if you founded an organization called “Reconquista.”


39 posted on 03/09/2008 1:55:26 PM PDT by T.L.Sink
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To: Boiling point
La Raza claim that the south west belongs to them

News flash!

They will wind up with the hole... enchilada

Sometime before the end of THIS century they will control all of America.

40 posted on 03/09/2008 1:57:40 PM PDT by ScratInTheHat (Don't like my immigration stance? I'm dyslexic. PC keeps sounding like BS to me!)
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To: T.L.Sink
The USG is an enabler as well.

Social Security Information in Other Languages--Ensuring that individuals have access to public information materials regardless of their ability to communicate in English.

USA.gov/jobs--Oportunidades de empleo con el Gobierno federal e información sobre el salario mínimo, derecho laboral y seguridad en el trabajo.

41 posted on 03/09/2008 1:59:49 PM PDT by kabar
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To: ScratInTheHat
USA racing to the bottom once again!

Our governing elites won't be satisfied until this country is nothing but a vague memory.

42 posted on 03/09/2008 2:04:53 PM PDT by puroresu (Enjoy ASIAN CINEMA? See my Freeper page for recommendations (updated!).)
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To: kabar

Thanks. Rector is one of my heroes. He probably had more to do with the defeat of the comprehensive ‘amnesty’ immigration bill than any other single person. He was quoted by Jeff Sessions in the Senate, appeared on Lou Dobbs, C-Span and numerous other programs. More important, he did the definitive research on the long-term consequences of illegal immigration, demonstrating that within 20 years this illegal alien invasion, if not curtailed, would bring down the whole financial infrastructure of the United States.


43 posted on 03/09/2008 2:43:52 PM PDT by T.L.Sink
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To: adorno
Exactly Adorno!
It would have the same effect if we had to write a check to the various agencies for our payroll taxes every week instead of having we employers withhold the dough.<p.

If people actually had a first hand experience of losing that kind of money week after week they would be outraged.

44 posted on 03/09/2008 2:45:32 PM PDT by rodguy911 (Support The New media, Ticket the Drive-bys, --America-The land of the Free because of the Brave-)
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To: T.L.Sink
Agreed. The problem is that the pro-amnesty folks like McCain, Obama, and Clinton place politics and pleasing the corporate elites above the future of this country. Facts don't matter. As an immigration activist, I have been involved in efforts to get state and local governments to get data on immigration so we can make good public policy. Groups like the ACLU, La Raza, and others have been throwing roadblocks in the way to stop such efforts.

Pro-population growth, kinship based legal immigration policies will destroy this country even if we stopped illegal immigration tomorrow.

45 posted on 03/09/2008 2:52:27 PM PDT by kabar
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To: kabar

Thanks for that depressing information! I totally agree that the governmnent is an enabler to our own destruction.
“Civilizations do not die from war, but by suicide.” - Arnold Toynbee


46 posted on 03/09/2008 2:55:21 PM PDT by T.L.Sink
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To: kabar

I completely agree. Speaking of La Raza, see my post #31. It’s tragic that McCain, Obama, and Hillary don’t give a damn about anything but personal power and the next election. Sadly, this is a fact of human nature that has brought down more than one nation. History doesn’t repeat itself but there are recurring patterns. I see in the present state of affairs too many similarities to nations in their final stages of decline. I realize that many pundits have wrongly been prophets of doom and gloom but I truly believe that America has lost touch with its founding principles and unique vision of its destiny among nations as a democratic republic.


47 posted on 03/09/2008 3:26:18 PM PDT by T.L.Sink
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To: T.L.Sink

bump


48 posted on 03/09/2008 3:50:16 PM PDT by Reddy (VOTE CONSERVATIVE in '08!)
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To: Syncro

And that’s why they pander to them and bribe them with social welfare benefits, affirmative action, bilingual education, in-state tuition rates for out of state residents, and amnesty for violating U.S. immigration law.


49 posted on 03/09/2008 4:02:26 PM PDT by T.L.Sink
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To: sheana
We are already there in S.Fla.,here many legals and illegals work under several names and collect every single benefit there is in multiple ways.
For example Haitians who are gainfully employed opt out of health insurance even when they can get Blue Cross for a family for $200 per month.
Instead... they use the emergency room, its always free.
And guess who pays the bills.
50 posted on 03/09/2008 4:44:53 PM PDT by rodguy911 (Support The New media, Ticket the Drive-bys, --America-The land of the Free because of the Brave-)
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