Think of Undocumented Immigrants as Parents, Not Problems

New York Times ^ | April 27, 2015 | By ROBERTO SURO and MARCELO M. SUÁREZ-OROZCO

[Oldeconomybuyer]

SOMETHING happened while the immigration system in the United States got broken, something that should change the way we talk about fixing it. Years went by, and nature took its course. More than 11 million unauthorized immigrants settled into our communities; many formed families and had children. Now at least one of every 15 children living in the United States has an unauthorized parent, and nearly all of those children are native-born United States citizens.

Think of that statistic, one in 15, the next time you drive by a school or a playground. Think of those children living with the knowledge that the federal government can take their parents away. Common sense tells you that the threat of a parent’s deportation will exact a terrible price.

In the universe of manufactured disadvantage, we cannot think of many instances in which sitting judges, with the stroke of a pen, can bring immediate and measurable relief to millions of children. Here, they can. The remedy begins by understanding that the adults can no longer be seen simply as people who slipped the border to find work. We must begin to see them as parents, as the people raising our nation’s children. Some will reject that view and fault the adults for being in this country without proper immigration status.

But the American sense of fairness and system of justice have long embraced the notion that the “sins of the father” should not be visited on the children. Reasonable minds can debate whether there is blame to attach to the parents. There is no reasonable case to be made for punishing their children, who are citizens of the United States. Yet they are punished every day.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

'Think of Bank Robbers as Parents, Not Problems'

[Enten]

Immigrants are birds.....these are illegal aliens.

[Lurkinanloomin]

I think of them as fraudulently documented foreigners who are terrible parnts subjecting their children to the uncertainty that comes with being an illegal alien.

If they cared about their children they would take them home to their own country.

[Svartalfiar]

But the American sense of fairness and system of justice have long embraced the notion that the “sins of the father” should not be visited on the children.

This is correct. But the American sense of fairness and system of justice have also long embraced that the illegal gains of the father aren't free bennies for the children. When my dad goes and robs a bank later this year, the $50k he gives each of the kids isn't ours to keep!

Reasonable minds can debate whether there is blame to attach to the parents.

True. And unreasonable minds will debate that there is no blame attached to the parents!

[Little Ray]

The only thing to be considered is the good of the Republic and its citizens.
Since illegal immigration offers little or no benefit to either, it needs to be stopped - hard.

[omega4412]

But should the children benefit from “the sins of the father”? Doesn’t allowing the children to benefit encourage the fathers to sin?

[altsehastiin]

Two useful counterarguments here:

First, disruption to ones family is the natural consequence of breaking the law. If I am engaged in criminal fraud against the IRS to avoid paying my taxes, or if I am engaged in criminal insider trading, there is some chance that I will get sent to prison, and that my family will suffer as a result. That risk should not entitle me to break the law, and it should not encourage society from enforcing it.

Second, while the U.S. born children of illegal aliens are blameless, they are not entitled to benefit from their parents’ crimes. If a father steals a bicycle and gives it to his son, the son doesn’t get to keep the bicycle just because he will suffer when it is taken away.

[Ron H.]

Think of Undocumented Immigrants ILLEGAL ALIENS as Parents leeching parsites, Not aka burdensome Problems for lawful tax paying citizens

Corrected version for the headline for this story.

[BenLurkin]

If the parent gets deported he or she will certainly take their child with them. Any parent would.

So, what is the tragedy?

[HiJinx]

Ping!

Click the keyword Aliens to see more illegal alien, border security, and other related threads.

Cue the violin section...

[SuzyQue]

I’m not even going to click on the link. The NYT doesn’t allow comments, and I refuse to give them another click.

(Not saying anything about your posting this; just a comment about the NYT stifling opinions other than their own).

[DiogenesLamp]

Now at least one of every 15 children living in the United States has an unauthorized parent, and nearly all of those children are native-born United States citizens.

And this is the consequence of a deliberate misinterpretation of the 14th amendment.

[DiogenesLamp]

Second, while the U.S. born children of illegal aliens are blameless, they are not entitled to benefit from their parents’ crimes. If a father steals a bicycle and gives it to his son, the son doesn’t get to keep the bicycle just because he will suffer when it is taken away.

And this is a valid point. What the parents are doing is in fact STEALING US Citizenship. Other immigrants have to wait in line and go through the process. The Nation gets to chose to let them immigrate or not.

[ArtDodger]

Libs think of illegals as Ted Kennedy thought of wind power.. great idea, just not in his back yard.

[Yosemitest]

It's there for anyone who wants to take the time to find it.

One other thing.
Obama is NOT black !
The ILLEGAL ALIEN IN CHIEF is ARAB-KENYAN.

"Genealogical evidence has revealed that the impostering "first black president" Barak Hussein Obama is 6.5% Negro and 48% Arabic, the remainder 45% Caucasian."

The Arab-Kenyan Barack Hussein Obama II, (a.k.a. Barry Soetoro), ( the one guilty of TREASON ! ) has NO legitimate Social Security Number.
His father was NOT an immigrant to the United States.
Barack Obama Sr. was a "Transient Alien" because he did NOT intend on residing in the United States permanently.
Barack Obama Sr. was a dual citizen of Great Britain and Kenya, and NEVER a United States Citizen.

Read British National Archives Show Son Born To Obama Sr. In 1961 In Kenya!

His mother could NOT impart U.S. citizen to her son, Barack Obama II, because she did NOT meet the legal requirements to do so, at the time her son was born IN the Coast Provincial General Hospital, MOMBASA, KENYA at 7:21 pm on August 4, 1961.
Democrats knew this and tried to eliminate the "Natural Born Citizen" requirement at least 8 times BEFORE Obama won his election in 2008.

Obama is NOT a United States Citizen, and is NOT a LEGAL IMMIGRANT.
He has no VISA allowing him into this country.
Barack Hussein Obama II IS ILLEGAL !
He should be IMPEACHED IMMEDIATELY, tried for TREASON, SENTENCED to death, and then have his body deported back to Kenya.

[NorthMountain]

I’ll think of them as criminal invaders.

Deport them.

With extreme prejudice, if necessary.

[Vendome]

I don’t blame the parents for coming to America and seeking a better, fuller life than they could have in their native countries.

However, if citizenship is to have meaning and real value it must be understood and acknowledged they broke so many laws coming here and staying.

But, it seems our vaunted leaders are reading actuary tables and have determined we to grow through immigration, so I’m not sure there is much we can do other than continue the struggle to elect leaders aligned with our goals.

If our immigration is broken then what of the countries they emanate from?

Isn’t the truth more telling that their countries are broken? Because a country that has a matter of policy to encourage it’s citizens is creating the greater travesty of uprooting families from their Mom’s, Dad’s, siblings, cousins, Aunts and Uncles, Grandparents, friends, neighborhoods, cities and the country of their birth.

What does that say about your country when they place so little value on your citizenship and person hood, your contribution and that of your families to the country that you can be merely dismissed and divorced from your land?

Aren’t they being objectified by their countrymen?

Aren’t they being used by dishonest people in our country to bolster their phony egos of moral superiority? Because, they are and do so willingly, blindly and insultingly at the expense of not only Native Born Americans but, maybe more importantly, so many immigrants who come to America and wait years to become an American and join in the dreams in and ideals of being America.

To the lawful immigrants seeking desperately sometimes to become an American this has to be a slap in the face and an insult to all their hard work of demonstrating they will be good citizens and contribute to this unique society.

I think one of the greater travesties is the enmity created toward these people who broke so many laws, never intending to become an American and they wonder why people who are here unlawfully are being not a free pass but, a are actually getting pushed to the front of the line, without so much of the investment of monies, time and work that others put in to become an American.

I wish I could count how many times I’ve heard people who are legally express their hurt and disappointment that they are not being given the priority and they openly wonder if American citizenship has any real value....

Does this seem fair and congruent with our laws and ideals that say all men are treated equally under the law?

Or is it morally superior to say that there are general rights and then there are supra rights?

[Vendome]

So, now I’m reading the article:

“This growing body of work shows that fear and uncertainty breed difficulties that manifest themselves in delayed cognitive development, lower educational performance and clinical levels of anxiety.”

Well, maybe that explains why 74% of all illegal immigrants and really doesn’t matter what country they are from are illiterate not only in their native tongue but, only 8% will become literate after programs help them.

I don’t think illegal immigrants are stupid but, they come from very different backgrounds and a way different society that places a greater value on manual labor which doesn’t require much reading, writing or arithmetic to perform tasks.

They certainly speak their native language but, for them, it ends there and they get their news the same way mankind has been getting the news for millenia: They here it spoken by a neighbor they trust and they trust the neighbor has told them a truth.

Still, without literacy in the written word, how can they ever challenge what they heard or get the fullness of it? They can’t.

Further, without being literate you are consigned to pushing a broom, cleaning bed pans or landscaping.

All good jobs but, the prospect for ever moving beyond that are pretty much zero without being literate.

[Vendome]

“Though now blocked by a legal challenge, the executive actions issued by President Obama in November offered an immediate if short-term fix. “

Well, isn’t the president assuming he can blithely do things he isn’t authorized to do by The Constitution?

He hasn’t the right to create law. Only the Congress has that imperative.

Here he is demonstrating to all citizens and indeed the world that lawlessness, I guess, ought to beget more lawlessness.

And he presumes to be the leader of a bandit class?

One would think he was the leader of America and her good citizens.....

[CSM]

“But the American sense of fairness and system of justice have long embraced the notion that the “sins of the father” should not be visited on the children.”

Well, except when discussing the ability to murder that child while still in the womb....then in the case of rape we get to kill at will!