The first installments of this ongoing discussion are here: Mrs. Don-o disputes with Catholic Diocesan official on immigration (Link)
Dear Paul,
I have done some research on issues that have come up in our Immigration correspondence, and before the weekend is upon us, I’d like to get this info sent off to you for your perusal when you find it convenient.. It deals with three debatable notions: that legal permanent residency in the U.S. is unduly restricted; that “comprehensive immigration reform” (as usually defined) is in accord with the desires and interests of those most affected, our immigrants and minorities; and that family unification ought to be advanced by a greater availability of immigration.
Ready?
First, I by am puzzled by the notion that permission for legal immigration is allowed only in extremely small numbers, and almost impossible to obtain.
In 2009, the latest year for which statistics are available, Mexico ranked #1 of all the legal permanent resident immigrants allowed into the U.S., and in very substantial numbers, accounting for about 15% of the total.
The following data is from The Yearbook of Immigration Statistics, published by the (Link) Official Legal Immigration
So there’s over 500,000 people from Mexico being admitted to the US as legal permanent residents, in just the 3 most recent years. The claim that legal immigration is largely unavailable, or allowed only in tiny numbers, is not well substantiated.
Another puzzling claim is that “comprehensive immigration reform” is sensitive to the wants and needs of immigrants and of minority people, when evidence reveals that most immigrants, like most U.S. minorities, believe both that immigration is already too high, and that more law enforcement is needed to encourage the illegals to go home.
The following figures* are from a survey of Hispanic-American, Asian-American, and African-American likely voters (i.e. citizens who hase voted in the past) conducted by Zogby International; sponsored by the Center for Immigration Studies. Link: http://cis.org/Minority-Views-Immigration
*(Percents don’t add up to 100% because I omitted “don’t know” and “other” responses)
1. Most members of minority groups think immigration is too high.
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2. Most members of minority groups think that illegal immigration is not caused by limits on legal immigration, but by a lack of enforcement.
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3. Most minorities feel that there are plenty of Americans available to fill unskilled jobs.
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4. As a solution to the problem of illegal immigration, most members of minority groups choose enforcement to encourage illegals to go home, rather than approving a plan for conditional legalization.
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These views are in sharp contrast to the leaders of most ethnic advocacy organizations, who argue for increased immigration and legalization of illegal immigrants.
Third, on “family unification”: consider the likelihood that unification could be served in a more humane and just manner by re-uniting families in Mexico.
The following article can be read in its entirety in The Washington Times:
http://tinyurl.com/mexican-wives
The women of Tecalpulco, Mexico, want the U.S. government to enforce its immigration laws because they want to force their husbands to come back home from working illegally in the U.S.
They have created an English-language Web page where they identify themselves as the "wetback wives" and broadcast their pleas, both to their men and to the U.S. government.
"To the U.S. government -- close the border, send our men home to us, even if you must deport them (only treat them in a humane manner -- please do not hurt them)," it reads.
In poignant public messages to their husbands, the women talk about their children who feel abandoned, and worry that the men have forsaken their families for other women and for the American lifestyle.
"You said you were only going to Arizona to get money for our house, but now you have been away and did not come back when your sister got married," one woman writes to a man named Pedro. "Oh how I worry that you have another woman! Don't you love me?"
It's a stark reminder of an often forgotten voice in the U.S. immigration debate -- the wives, children, parents and villages left behind as millions of workers come to the U.S., many of them illegally. The plea also underscores the dual effects of migration on Mexico: Its economy needs American jobs as an outlet for workers, but determined, able-bodied workers get siphoned out of Mexico.
More than 10 million Mexican-born people, or nearly one out of every 10, was living in the United States in 2005. And as a percentage of the work force it's even higher: One in seven, or 14 percent, were here, according to the Migration Policy Institute. The institute said 77 percent of Mexican workers in the U.S. were younger than 45, and 70 percent were men.
Villages devoid of men between 20 and 50 are common in many parts of the country. The stories of single mothers struggling to raise their children are just as frequent.
The women of Tecalpulco have come up with one way to cope. They run an artists' cooperative to sell traditional-style jewelry, including through the Internet. The page where they make their personal pleas, www.artcamp.com.mx/venga/, is a part of their Web site.
Paul, these are the fruits of my research so far. What do you think?
Have a good weekend. God bless you.
Faithfully,
[signed]
You should have also pointed out that, apparently, a MAJORITY of Mexicans want to go to the US.
Dunno where the article is, but I bet you can find it on FR.
Mrs. Don-o you are amazing. I’d say you are my idol, but this being the Religion forum, some might take it the wrong way. :)
BTTT
Keep the pings a-coming! Thanks!
Very interesting information. It’s a lot to digest. I thank you very much and will incorporate them into my debates!
Rock on, sister!
remove me from your list
I never considered the immigration problem from the Mexican point of view. Very interesting post.
I think you should have a syndicated column, that’s what I think.
Wonderful, seriously.
I’ll use some of that if you do not mind, thank you for your effort
Nice set of statistics.
Thanks for the ping....very interesting!
Stunning - thanks Mrs. Don-o
1. Most members of minority groups think immigration is too high.
Is immigration……… too high... too low.... just right
Hispanic-Americans 56 7 14
Asian-Americans: 57 5 18
African-Americans: 68 4 14
2. Most members of minority groups think that illegal immigration is not caused by limits on legal immigration, but by a lack of enforcement.
Illegal immigration caused by… legal option too limited … lack of enforcement…
Hispanic-Americans 20 61
Asian-Americans: 19 69
African-Americans: 16 70
3. Most minorities feel that there are plenty of Americans available to fill unskilled jobs.
Unskilled jobs:… More immigrants needed… Americans can do it
Hispanic-Americans 15 65
Asian-Americans: 19 65
African-Americans: 6 81
Ofcourse you know my thoughts on this issue.
I find it interesting that the WIVES of the men here illegally want them home.
The men should be home helping raise their children.
“Wetback wives” — Sounds like a theme for a whole nother kind of (international) country song. I hope the mods consider the whole context of your post (these are MEXICAN women who are being quoted talking this way) and don’t just zot it because of the often racially incendiary term.
Is it true that a number of these men start "second families" here in the U.S., of which the Mexican wife knows nothing?
Re: post 27, EXCELLENT.
As an aside, Hispanics usually vote for the Party of Death. Also, sometimes ILLEGAL immigrants vote.
Look. They are avoiding their vocation as fathers. Some may say they’re coming to support their families, I say justice is to make sure your country does what is right for families through jobs, a decent place to live, stopping corruption, killing the drug trade. The bishops should concentrate on that.
When they go to confession after being here twenty years, with no purpose of amendment of doing the right thing (my parish has an immigration center and all kinds of help, they don’t do it), does the priest say ‘everybody does it’, ‘it’s okay to take from those who work hard and are legal/citizens’, ‘to take housing, medical, schooling, social services, jobs from those here who need them and those who pay taxes for them’?
Bottom line, it’s not right, it’s not ‘just’.
I would think the lesson would be learned from the socialist, left leaning groups who pushed for Somalis into this country... only for some of them to go to training camps to attack this country.
I suggest they remind our next door neighbors of certain wars and treaties signed. I also suggest they’re told neighbors who see their next door attacked by terrorists would understand why (instead, they put out a comic book showing how to cross). Look at their laws re: immigration, look at the jihadis and OTMs brought by coyotes into this country (hey, if you can get 25G to smuggle two guys instead of three truckloads, of course they do it). How about the beheadings 30 miles from McHenry county in Texas and the highest kidnapping rate in this country? How about the ID theft, gangs, murders, rapes and releases?
I suggest, as I did before, the next million march take place in Mexico.
When you pass amnesty and grandfather relatives in, you’re also letting in jihadi families... but they don’t care.
Don’t they get there will be no America to run to if ICE is busy looking for next door illegals and extra law enforcement for gangs/crime instead of concentrating on terror-linked individuals, some who get school visas, attend one day, drop out, go on to plan or are taking off no-fly lists, etc. They can’t focus on the number one issue with this crap going on.
We have high unemployment, citizens need the jobs.
It’s been a nice few decades, we can’t do anymore for you.
Be thankful for what you have accomplished, we’ll thank you for the part you’ve played in this country. It has to stop.
If that has to be explained by a country that has given this opportunity, you never gave a damn about this country anyway... except as a teat to suck off of.
First Catholic area of business, get rid of the socialists that infiltrated the church decades ago. Stop them from spinning our Lord’s words into Marx.
Two of my kids are married to people who did it the right way, paid lots of money, waited, jumped through hoops. It’s not fair to them either.
Meanwhile kids are getting indoctrinated in schools, they teach we do nothing for no one, are greedy and exploitive.
They’ll never know how much we’ve done for people all around the world. They don’t teach history, the constitution, the law, just feelings. No concept of right and wrong, it’s all ‘relative’, no god, no critical thinking.
There’s a lot of praying to do... and a lot of calling and writing.
Wow! Great work!
Thanks for the ping!