75% of Americans oppose bank accounts for illegals

TIME-OUT PROJECT ^ | May 15, 2003 | Project USA

[CIBvet]

A new Roper poll shows that 3 out of 4 Americans oppose allowing financial corporations to open bank accounts in the United States for foreign nationals illegally in the country. Nevertheless, Bush Administration officials, like U.S. Treasurer Rosario Marin, are coordinating efforts between the Mexican government and the U.S. banking industry to step up the practice.

Ms. Marin, who "entered" the United States from Mexico when she was a teenager, recently returned from a trip to Mexico City where she met with Mexican officials to negotiate policies favorable to Mexicans. As reported in the San Francisco Chronicle, Marin was attempting to "drum up support for a Partnership for Prosperity program meant to tear down logistical and financial barriers that make it difficult for Mexicans working in the United States to send money home."

Critics say this is just another example of the Bush Administration's support for illegal immigration, but note that the Treasury Department, under Ms. Marin, has been particularly aggressive in encouraging illegal aliens to remain in the United States.

Recently, for example, the Treasury granted $1.3 million to an ethnically focused financial institution in North Carolina to help it open more branches. According to the Wall Street Journal, the business openly caters to illegal aliens and provides them banking services.

Treasury officials have begun trying to sell the effort to help illegal aliens send money out of the country as "pro-security," arguing that the law enforcement community can better track illegal alien money if it's in a bank.

However, the effort is not backed by Homeland Security; it is backed by banks, which have a clear profit motive, and by the Mexican government, which seeks an incremental amnesty for illegal aliens in the United States.

The Bush Administration should rebuff the big corporations and Mexico. The American government has a duty to enforce American laws, rather than encourage foreign nationals to break them.

____________________________
Americans Favor Tough Approach to Illegal Immigration (Roper Poll)
http://projectusa.org/Ezine/03-01-03-06.html#030515

North Carolina credit union banks on immigrants (Wall Street Journal)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2003/05/09/financial1021EDT0047.DTL

U.S. treasurer says free flow of remittances can stimulate economies in Mexico's poor areas
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2003/05/09/international1801EDT6288.DTL

+== TAKE POSITIVE ACTION ==+

The first border death of the approaching summer season has now been reported, and, if this year is like previous ones, we can expect hundreds more of these tragedies before autumn.

Those who provide the magnets in the United States that lure illegal aliens across our dangerous borders carry some responsibility for the deaths. The Bush Administration, for example, rather than implement a firm and humane interior enforcement policy, which would largely end the border deaths, continues to put ethnic politics and corporate profiteering above the law and the will of the American people.

While the White House might get some political mileage out of allowing Rosario Marin, who, the White House often notes, is the "highest serving Latina" in the administration, to serve as U.S. Treasurer, selfish political advantages cannot take precedent over the public good. With three-quarters of all Americans opposing bank accounts for illegal aliens, the White House must reign in the Treasury Department no matter how ethnically dedicated Ms. Marin is to "her people," and no matter how much money banking corporations are making off illegal alien bank accounts.

Please call the White House comment line and say, "I am very disappointed by the Bush Administration's continued support for illegal immigration. Please tell George Bush I want the Treasury Department to stop pushing for bank accounts for illegal aliens."

White House comment line (9-5 EST, M-F) 202-456-1111
(This is important. If you can, please call several times this week.)

+== QUOTE OF THE WEEK ==+

"Form follows profit" is the aesthetic principle of our times.

Richard Rogers

+== EMAIL OF THE WEEK ==+

I wanted to let you know that I have taken your suggestion to call the White House comment line twice this week. Both operators told me that they are familiar with the issue (and agreed with our stance!) and seemed encouraged about my call.

Thank you,

Matt ____________________________ Permanent archive link:

[janetgreen]

I believe that Canada has a national consumption tax or something similar to it, and they also have income tax. I'm not in favor of both. I don't see how a national consumption tax would relieve American taxpayers of paying for illegal alien medical care, etc. We would still be paying for it through the tax because Americans are the biggest consumers.

As I said before, I don't think Americans are responsible for paying for the invasion of our country. It's not our financial responsibility. Send the bills to Vicente Fox.

According to estimates, about 1,500 illegal aliens enter the U.S. on a daily basis. Allowing this invasion cheapens the legal citizenship process, and makes a mockery of our laws. I am against illegal immigration, period. Let them apply legally.

[liberalnot]

well, a national consumption tax that included national health care would tax all people, including illegals, for their purchases.

i think a consumption tax should replace the income tax.

certainly a guy that bought a bmw or mercedes would pay more than an illegal.

and, i'm introducing another element here, national health care. i'm convinced that american health care is going to implode within 5 years. the system is already dysfunctional, and in addition, the increased weight of americans will definitely result in more heart problems, diabetes, and strokes--all costly. adult-onset diabetes used to be found only in retirement-age people, but now it has gravitated downwards to even teens and children. formerly the only children with diabetes were those with type 1. no longer, adult-onset or type 2 is now a kid's problem. barring a "fat pill" which the pharmaceutical co's are researching, our health system will not work.

[janetgreen]

I do not believe that Americans are responsible for the medical care of border hoppers. To allow illegal aliens to enjoy the benefits of American citizenship is an insult to those who bothered to apply legally. Our sovereignty is threatened when anyone from anywhere is allowed to sneak in and then benefit from it at the expense of Americans. Many hospitals in the border states are so overburdened by illegal aliens that many of them have been forced to close. The more benefits we offer to illegal aliens, the more will come. The tit has to stop somewhere.

[liberalnot]

do you think that the americans who hire them are responsible for their employees' medical care?

[janetgreen]

If the employers want slave labor, they should be responsible for their support, not us. A much better solution is for our government to enforce the laws that prohibit companies from hiring illegal aliens, and to enforce the border laws by deporting illegal aliens. Illegals are sucking our social service system dry at our expense. This is unfair.

All immigration should be legal, and even legal immigrants shouldn't have instant access to our welfare offices, and should have jobs waiting for them. That's my opinion. We can't support the world, and I don't believe we should be importing poverty and ignorance. I am also against sending our tax dollars to terrorist countries, just to end up in the pockets of dictators.

I guess you could say that I believe in a conservative government, but in this day and age, true conservatives in the government are rare, and we are rapidly becoming a socialist country. Socialist countries always fail in the end, and I don't want America to fail.

[liberalnot]

"If the employers want slave labor, they should be responsible for their support, not us."

correct. now, that would be a good goal to work towards.

i doubt the government's going to do anything.

[Consort]

We have a problem that has to be solved and I'm trying to summarize it here:

• Amnesties will not stop illegal immigration.
• But amnesties and illegal immigration with both continue into the foreseeable future.
• Also, illegal immigrants will not be deported — won't happen.
• And a two language nation (like Canada) may very well evolve here.
• Meanwhile, the growing illegal population grows the underground economy.
• And the underground economy is a drain on the national economy.
• A massive subculture that hates us is the last thing we need.
• Presently, most illegals live in poverty.
• And people living in poverty are a big Democrat constituancy.
• Illegals, by definition, are fugitives.
• And more and more fugitives will cause more and more problems.
• Therefore, they will porbably be legalized (via some form of amnesty) and they will eventually become voters.
• They will also become tax payers and many will feel the same way about taxes as you and I do.
• The longer it takes, the better the Democrats like it and the more they benefit.
• Which is unfortunate because many Hispanics are not averse to Conservative ideals.
• How many potential voters are we talking about?
• No party can afford to concede that many votes.
• How are we going to deal with this new reality to the benefit of America?

Any additions, deletions, changes?

[liberalnot]

http://www.fairus.org/

federation of american immigration reform

[janetgreen]

Thanks. I am a member of FAIR.