The Costs of Amnesty

NRO ^ | 30 Mar 06 | Jim Boulet Jr.

[rellimpank]

Given that Democratic Leader Harry Reid has threatened to filibuster any immigration bill that does not include amnesty for illegal aliens, someone should ask him a basic question: What happens to state budgets when twelve million illegal aliens become eligible for Medicaid and food stamps?

Right now, illegal aliens are largely ineligible for a whole panoply of federal programs simply because of their immigration status.

As the Pew Hispanic Center reported last year: "[A]bout a quarter of all drywall and ceiling tile installers in the United States are unauthorized migrants, as are about a quarter of all meat and poultry workers and a quarter of all dishwashers." Whatever the nobility of honest labor, hanging drywall and washing dishes has not exactly been the road to riches.

[clawrence3]

You are neglecting the costs of enforcement.

[DTogo]

One thing it will cost is the Repubs power.

Yep, bye-bye GOP in '06 and maybe '08. Their own fault...

[Alberta's Child]

That's a valid point, but I'd say you can't be too choosy about your fate if you have to put your name on a list of that sort in order to survive. It's also worth noting that immigrants represent prospective organ donors as much as they represent prospective organ recipients.

[clawrence3]

That depends on whether it was a justified shooting in the ass, I guess.

[N. Theknow]

So maybe we should raise the minimum wage and provide more regulatory protections for workers. THAT will will certainly help the illegal immigration problem.

Wonder how much the raised minimum wage has done to hurt businesses that rely on cheap labor for their livelihood?

How does an orange, strawberry, tomato, lettuce or apple grower compete in the help wanted section with an air conditioned McDonald's paying over $7 an hour?

Interesting problem: Raise the minimum wage, increase illegal immigration.

[clawrence3]

Except for liver transplants - we all know that Mexicans are just a bunch of drunks!

[snowman1]

Take a look at Wilfred Hall at Lackland AFB they are turning away military retirees because they are catering to the indigent illegals that show up at the emergency room. I have friends that spent 30 yrs. protecting this country and they are being told to find a civilian Dr..

[texastoo]

CNN has been showing them coming across the borders nightly. These illegals haven't been counted yet. The numbers are larger now so I imagine in 5 years we will have 22 million new illegals since we are not closing the border first.

Last night, Lou Dobbs, showed a segment about the train tracks running from the bottom of Mexico to our border. It showed illegals from South America riding on top of cars, inside cars, and people jumping on sides of moving cars. Unreal!!!!!!!!!!

[P-40]

they represent new consumers, not just workers.

They would not command enough dollars for that to be the driving force overall...and overall they represent a net loss, corporate welfare if you will.

[SJSAMPLE]

Do these idiots really think that the illegals will still work for $2 an hour when they become "legal"? The reason employers can get away with this is because illegals must maintain a sub-culture that flies under the radar of state and federal LEO. Once they become "legal", they will demand raises, unionize and strike, and protest their own employers.

[texastoo]

The Texas Organ Bank coordinator told me that south Texas, with an almost 95% Hispanic population is the lowest area in the U.S. for organ donations. She is Hispanic herself.

[spectre]

That depends on whether it was a justified shooting in the ass, I guess.

In your way of thinking, it would depend on the reason the burglar had for breaking into his house.

If the poor guy was starving, or destitute, then he didn't deserve to be shot in the ass or anywhere else...right?

He's only stealing for a better life..right? Or maybe he's Robin Hood?

sw

[american spirit]

Hedge......as usual you're right on and what really bothers me with all this welfare for illegals is that I'm sure there's massive amounts of welfare fraud going on with them getting benefits under multiple names. In FR not long ago was a thread about a fake ID ring in Mexico that was caught sending over three million to the L.A. area alone. Mulitply that by the large concentrations of Mexicans throughout the SW and the numbers look to be pretty phenomenal........what's your thoughts on how we can shed more light on this problem?

[P-40]

Do these idiots really think that the illegals will still work for $2 an hour when they become "legal"?

They seem to be under the impression that the illegals will make more money, because that is what happened in 1986, but these former illegals will also be replaced by a new batch of illegals, because that is what happened in 1986.

[SJSAMPLE]

I'm surprised that the borders aren't a freeway right now. Every time this is announced, like Jorge did two years ago, border traffic goes through the roof. Everybody wants to get in before the next amnesty.

[azhenfud]

"...Democratic Leader Harry Reid has threatened to filibuster any immigration bill that does not include amnesty..."

Reid knows if any amnesty is passed under a Republican held majority, the Republicans will have sacrificed that majority on the alter of idiocracy. While the Democrats doesn't hold the majority, it's not like they've anything to lose making such divisive pronouncements. They KNOW Republicans will lose the majority over this amnesty issue.

[Dead Corpse]

When my wife went into labor with our first child, it was a little after midnight on a Friday. We show up at the hospital mid-contraction. I had to WAIT through two Spanish conversations before the admitting nurse would even look at us. Neither of which were the prospective patients bleeding, in mortal danger, or in active labor. Nor even visibly sick.

Yeah... I'd say this country has a problem...

[P-40]

Every time this is announced, like Jorge did two years ago, border traffic goes through the roof.

That is true. Right now there is an increase in illegals coming across with children because they know that "catch and release" won't apply to families with children; that is a different housing issue.

[Alberta's Child]

True, but they only represent a net loss because of the financial burden they impose on public institutions (public hospitals, public schools, etc.) that really have no place in a free society to begin with.

It's worth noting that "illegal immigration" was never an issue in this country until after such blatantly Marxist and totalitarian ideas as "public health care" and "public education" became part of the fabric of this country.

[RogueIsland]

I find his remark to be insulting, unsupportive, and anti-American.

Indeed. I and many folks I know have done many of those "jobs Americans won't do". We don't do them now because we worked hard and bettered ourselves, but we did do them once.