say too little and Hispanics will feel alienated.
I recent poll showed that hispanic Americans rate immigration well behind other issues like the economy, war in Iraq, education, all the regular stuff. This "alienated" (no pun intended) canard by beltway types like this author are as counterproductive as they are stupid.
Because border busting isn't all that popular with most voters
I would absolutely love to see what poll this idiocy was pulled out of. You ask somebody "Do you favor arresting people who have crossed the border illegally and deporting them?" and you tell me how high the score is, 70, 80, 90%?
I believe a politician with a decidedly anti-immigration platform, both legal and illegal, would get broad support. We have more immigrants in the country now than at any time in history, and the floodgates need to close for a while. Laws need to be enforced. Illegals need to be gone. Employers that hire illegals need to be punished.
Focus on this issue would put to rest the notion that the world hates America. If we are so hated, why are there more immigrants coming to America than to all other countries in the rest of the world combined?
Focus on the borders would help with national security issues. Not knowing who, what, and how many are coming across the borders is a recipe for disaster. Terrorism, public health concerns, document forgery, identity theft, fraud, costs to taxpayers, etc., are all related issues to not being able to control the borders.
Where's the barf warning? This is totally bul-oney.
Ping
We report, you decide, huh?
Since when does amnesty include the "gift" of American citizenship?
Reform is definitely called for. At FNC.
"say too much and white voters will get angry, say too little and Hispanics will feel alienated."
Baloney.
Hispanic-Americans who are legally in the U.S., and who are the only ones who SHOULD be voting, are more concerned with the same issues that concern all Americans than about allowing illegal invaders from WHEREVER, steal THEIR jobs and THEIR country.
The bulk of Hispanic-Americans who are citizens, got here the legal way. They are hardly likely to sympathize with line-jumpers. Furthermore, EVERY TIME we create another "amnesty" program for illegal invaders, we reward bad behavior by encouraging more of the same, and increase the percentage of voting citizens who arrived here illegally, and hence, have no real interest in stopping other illegal invaders.
Along with international terrorism and working hand in hand with it, illegal invaders are the greatest threat to America and its future. The inability and/or unwillingness of the government, in this or opposing political administrations to deal with it is nothing short of criminal dereliciton of duty and abandonment of one of the most important reasons for the existance of the federal government - to protect our borders.
I'm sick and tired of it. And until MORE Americans get sick and tired of it and demand that their elected officials stop this problem, they will continue to vacillate, double-speak and ignore it.
ping
The whole amnesty thing pisses me off royally. I've been living in the USA LEGALLY for over 4 years now, and finally my paperwork is being processes from non-permanent to permanent status, which will take up to 2 years...I've been contributing and obeying the law, never asked for a hand out and this is what I get in return...not very inviting for educated people who want to come to the USA...
[/RANT
neither politcal party is going to do anything about this....
until whites, blacks, and native hispanics start yelling that immigrants are taking jobs away from them.
"EMPLOYMENT UP, WAGES FLAT, FOR HISPANIC WORKERS"
"Immigrant Latinos, especially the most recent arrivals, have captured the most jobs. Non-citizens, Hispanics and others, who will not be able to vote in the November election are accounting for more than a quarter (28.5 percent) of the total increase in employment. . .In the 12 months ending March 31, the economy added a net total of 1.3 million new jobs. Non-citizens captured 378,496 or 28.5 percent of those jobs. Employment growth for non-citizens was twice as fast as their population growth nationwide. The proportion of new jobs captured by non-citizens was also much larger than their share of overall employment (8.6 percent). Thus the political impact of job gains may be dampened by the fact that non-citizens, who do not vote, are benefiting disproportionately from the turn around in the labor market. . . ." [End excerpt]
Northeastern University Center for Labor Market Studies researchers Andrew Sum, Paul Harrington and Ishwar Khatiwada reported on employment. Here is an excerpt
"FOREIGN BORN EMPLOYMENT RISING AMIDST NATIVE-BORN DECLINES: The number of new immigrants who were employed between early 2000 and 2003 ranged from 1.757 million to 1.985 million and accounted for all of the net growth in civilian employment during that period while the native-born and established immigrants’ employment levels combined declined by more than 1.1 million. . .THE JOBS THEY HOLD: Nearly 95 of every 100 new immigrant workers held wage and salary jobs in 2003. A high percentage, however, are employed as contract workers or work in the informal labor market, frequently paid in cash on a daily basis, which accounts for a substantial share of the gap between employment growth in the nation’s two employment surveys [BLS household and payroll]. Though found in every industrial sector, new foreign immigrants are highly concentrated in three sectors: construction and manufacturing, leisure/hospitality and other service industries, and health/education/professional business services. More than 320,000 new immigrants obtained employment in the nation’s manufacturing industries at a time when total wage and salary employment in these industries declined by more than 2.7 million positions.
"'The continued high levels of new immigrant employment at a time when job prospects for native-born workers have dwindled represent an issue that should be part of the national dialogue among all candidates for president, Democrat and Republican,' Sum said. 'All candidates must take a stand on this crucial labor market issue. The nation needs a comprehensive, carefully thought through national immigration policy that takes labor market impacts into consideration.'" [End excerpt]
What a deal for the two Parties!! The Republicans can talk about jobs aplenty and the Rats can complain about unemployment!
BS alert. Immigration is not a tricky issue. Immigration is easy, you come here legally. So, that leaves illegal "immigration". Well, why is following the laws "tricky" I don't know.
Effin' chicken $hit polititians with no sense of right and wrong MAKE it harder than it has to be.
It is not tricky for me.....
(#12 is new, #3/4 are revised)
(COPY AND DISTRIBUTE WIDELY. Revise and extend as you see fit. Start a movement, print a petition, start a political party, confront your legislators, write letters, post posters, drop leaflets. Demand, demand, demand…)
19 POINT ACTION PLAN: Border Violators
1) Close all US borders to illegal entry forthwith by any and all means possible, including military presence.
2) Maintain legitimate immigration levels at modest annual level with requirements that immigrants be employable or sufficiently wealthy for self-support if they do not intend to work, proficient in basic English and willing to be assimilated into American culture and language. All applicants shall provide prints, photos and DNA samples.
3) Legal immigration shall be awarded only to those of Christian and Jewish faith, wherein all countries are given equal status in the immigration lottery, without regards to color or economic plight of originating nation. Christians and Jews from muslim countries fleeing religious persecution shall receive preferential and accelerated immigration status.
4) Individuals of Islamic faith (muslims) from any country shall be denied immigration privileges or entry into the US.
5) Detain all border violators, taking photos, prints and DNA samples of said violator while at the same time, checking for out standing warrants. If no warrants are outstanding, return border violators to home country within 20 days via commercial airline and submit cost of such action, including processing and housing costs for said violator, to country of origin. If costs are not paid within 30 days, reduce any and all aid to said country by a like amount.
6) Should any country from which a border violator originates not currently receive any aid from the US, the Justice Department shall be authorized to seize or secure liens on assets owned, managed or registered to that country to the full extent of the obligation.
7) Establish new Guest Worker Visa (GWV) category, renewable every six (6) months, for unskilled labor positions wherein all applicants shall provide prints, photos and DNA samples. Work permitted of such applicants shall be limited to one of several categories, including childcare, lawn/gardening, restaurant staff, cleaning, and the like. Families of GWV workers are not permitted to enter US, nor will the birth of a child in the U.S. to one of GWV status confer citizenship to either parent or child.
8) Any violation of civil or criminal laws shall result in the forfeiture of the GWV and immediate return to originating country.
9) GWV holders shall be prohibited from claiming unemployment benefits, welfare support or free medical service.
10) The originating country of all GWV holders shall be responsible for any loss caused by their citizens, including emergency medical claims and claims resulting from illegal acts committed while in the US.
11) Companies that hire GWV holders shall submit to the Immigration Dept the name and GWV number of that individual, along with a description of employment tasks. Companies that fail to report employment of GWV workers, or hire border violators, shall be subject to fines and penalties.
12) GWV workers shall not receive unemployment compensation but shall be subject to an alternate tax equivalent to the current unemployment tax rate, which shall be withheld and be applied to border patrol activities. GWV workers shall be paid with check, having income tax withheld.
13) Border violators, or any non-citizen not possessing a valid visa, detained by local police for any reason shall be turned over to border control officials for immediate deportation action, except if they face criminal charges in other jurisdictions.
14) Border violators and GWV workers shall be prohibited from voting in local, state and federal elections.
15) Border Violators shall NOT be afforded the rights enjoyed by American citizens, as guaranteed under the constitution.
16) Public education (at institutions supported by taxpayer dollars) at any level (pre-school, kindergarten through the university level,) shall NOT be available to Border Violators (or children of Border Violators) and schools that enroll such individuals shall be subject to penalties.
17) Foreign Students (F/S) (individuals admitted to the U.S. for the purpose of attending any educational facility,) private institution or public (i.e. supported by taxpayer dollars,) must have valid student visas, such visas being in force only if the F/S attends school full-time. F/S shall be required to pay tuition, housing and related costs such that all their educational costs are fully reimbursed to the institution attended. The originating country shall pay for any and all loss caused by students while on U.S. soil.
18) Border Violators seeking emergency medical treatment shall provide pictures, fingerprints and DNA samples along with country of origin, and shall be treated then incarcerated until information provided can be verified. Originating country shall bear the costs of medical treatment and confinement.
19) Children born in the U.S. to border violators, illegal aliens or of foreign nationals in the U.S. for any reason (including temporary visitor, school or work visas,) shall not be eligible for citizenship as circumstances of birth, nor shall the parents or parent’s family members (relatives) be conferred U.S. citizenship as a result of such births.
20) (developing)
bump
ILLEGAL immigration is not a tricky issue.
For example ANY reporter who says "undocumented alien" is supporting open border illegal immigration.
I think we need to cut the balony environmentalism and build a proper fence to the south. There are HUGE lengths with NO FENCE and any proposed fence is attacked for "environmental" concerns.