Guest Worker Plan in Doubt

LA Times ^ | 01/18/05 | Mary Curtius

[gubamyster]

Bush vows to overhaul immigration laws, but others say most of his political capital will go to efforts to revise Social Security and tax system.

By Mary Curtius, Times Staff Writer

WASHINGTON — Even as President Bush stresses his commitment to reworking the nation's immigration laws, some key supporters on the issue say it is so politically divisive that they doubt he can achieve his goal, given the administration's ambitious agenda.

In interviews last week, Bush insisted he would pursue legislation that would legalize some of the estimated 8 million undocumented immigrants in the United States by granting them temporary worker status. Under his plan, illegal immigrants could apply for legal status and, if they qualified, could stay in the country for as long as six years.

Some conservative Republicans have denounced the plan as a form of amnesty, and say it would encourage illegal immigration. But Bush has said he would deal with the problem of illegal immigrants in a humane way. And he has linked the plan to national security.

"It's a big, important issue because there are millions of people here" illegally, Bush told the Wall Street Journal. "I happen to believe that a reform of the legal system, a guest worker program, for better lack of a word … will help border security."

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), an outspoken advocate of immigration reform, has said that Bush convinced him during a recent meeting that the president was serious about pursuing legislation this session. McCain is working with Sen. Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, the Senate's key Democratic player on the issue, to try to develop bipartisan legislation.

But several immigrant advocacy groups, labor unions and lawmakers who would be involved in such an initiative say the White House has not reached out to them to produce

[gubamyster]

ping

[FBD]

granting amnesty to illegal aliens will triple govt. deficit spending in benefits provided to them:


http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html


"This study is one of the first to estimate the total impact of illegal immigration on the federal budget. Most previous studies have focused on the state and local level and have examined only costs or tax payments, but not both.

Based on Census Bureau data, this study finds that, when all taxes paid (direct and indirect) and all costs are considered, illegal households created a net fiscal deficit at the federal level of more than $10 billion in 2002.

We also estimate that, if there was an amnesty for illegal aliens, the net fiscal deficit would grow to nearly $29 billion.

Among the findings:

• Households headed by illegal aliens imposed more than $26.3 billion in costs on the federal government in 2002 and paid only $16 billion in taxes, creating a net fiscal deficit of almost $10.4 billion, or $2,700 per illegal household.

• Among the largest costs are Medicaid ($2.5 billion); treatment for the uninsured ($2.2 billion); food assistance programs such as food stamps, WIC, and free school lunches ($1.9 billion); the federal prison and court systems ($1.6 billion); and federal aid to schools ($1.4 billion).

• With nearly two-thirds of illegal aliens lacking a high school degree, the primary reason they create a fiscal deficit is their low education levels and resulting low incomes and tax payments, not their legal status or heavy use of most social services.

• On average, the costs that illegal households impose on federal coffers are less than half that of other households, but their tax payments are only one-fourth that of other households.

• Many of the costs associated with illegals are due to their American-born children, who are awarded U.S. citizenship at birth. Thus, greater efforts at barring illegals from federal programs will not reduce costs because their citizen children can continue to access them.

• If illegal aliens were given amnesty and began to pay taxes and use services like households headed by legal immigrants with the same education levels, the estimated annual net fiscal deficit would increase from $2,700 per household to nearly $7,700, for a total net cost of $29 billion."

[lainde]

bttt

[junta]

Its a global job auction in which every corrupt government will dump its poor people on us and then tax the remittances in a win win situation. Fronts will be setup that will bypass our government's feeble immigration enforcement agencies, and then we will be flooded with immigrants taking the wages and then our country down the tubes faster than you can say, "Osama."

[mtbopfuyn]

It's a big, important issue because there are millions of people here" illegally, Bush told the Wall Street Journal.

He's got that right. Now, send them back across the river and don't let them back across. Problem eliminated.

[junta]

Never mentioned is the Earned Income Tax Credit, I suggest CIS go and investigate that if they want some real dirt on illegal immigration.

[skeeter]

One man's fiscal deficit is another's cheap labor bonanza

They're good for the economy. They built America, doncha know? America has always welcomed illegals.

I think that about covers it. /s

[FBD]

Here's another wrinkle I had never considered bfore.
The Catholic church does encourage immigration. I'm not sure if it encourages illegal immigration, officially...but:

Faith a factor in [Illegal] migrants' treks
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1322897/posts


http://www.nccbuscc.org/mrs/stranger.htm

" Persons have the right to migrate to support themselves and their families."

35. The Church recognizes that all the goods of the earth belong to all people. When persons cannot find employment in their country of origin to support themselves and their families, they have a right to find work elsewhere in order to survive. Sovereign nations should provide ways to accommodate this right."

[FBD]

Thanks for that info about the earned income tax credit.
Do you have any links to stories about that?

[texastoo]

There is no doubt in my mind that Bush will push this even if it means passage in the middle of the night.

Yesterday, I read an article about the El Paso police department taking Spanish lessons from the Mexican consulate. It also mentioned that the Equal Employment Opportunity web site would now be in Spanish as it is important for all the illegals to know their "rights". The head knocker of the Equal Employment department also has a Spanish name. Bush is putting all of these hispanics in hlgh positions to force this on us.



For whatever reason, Bush is following Mexico's orders. All of these little changes behind our backs.

[txdoda]

Thanks for that info about the earned income tax credit. Do you have any links to stories about that?

Yup..... I too, have brought up the expense of 10-15 million "new taxpayers" now qualifying for a nice fat EIC check..... Every Year.

I read last year the 'average' EIC check was about $1700, however, *if* you have above average dependents you can receive up to $4300 BONUS on your refund check.......Every Year

[Reaganwuzthebest]

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), an outspoken advocate of immigration reform...

So immigration "reform" means the rewarding of lawbreakers breaking into the country. I wonder when Congress will get around to tax "reform" and bank robbery "reform" and embezzlement "reform".

[FBD]

google search (below), comes up with quite a few articles on the subject of the cost of illegal immigration.


http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=Illegal+Immigrants%27+Cost++Government+Study&btnG=Search

[FBD]

[exhaustedmomma]

ROFLOL!! That is a great graphic!! A picture is worth a thousand words!

[Czar]

Good post, good data.

Lets see if the open borders/amnesty enthusiasts show up to attempt to deny or explain away its authenticity or impact on America.

[junta]

No I don't but I have a nose for corruption and this plan stinks to high heaven.

[MegaSilver]

estimated 8 million undocumented immigrants in the United States

There are many more than that.

[MegaSilver]

The Church recognizes that all the goods of the earth belong to all people. When persons cannot find employment in their country of origin to support themselves and their families, they have a right to find work elsewhere in order to survive. Sovereign nations should provide ways to accommodate this right."

To tell you the truth, this Catholic convert has a hard time taking seriously most pronouncements by most Catholic bishops given after Vatican II.