No Debates About The Illegal Immigrants Issue?

[AllyandJack]

What happens if they need healthcare if they get sick ? what about schooling for the kids ? you cant get any of that if you are in the US illegally.

This isn't true. If they show up in an emergency room, they get healthcare. Unlike American citizens, they can't get billed, because they just disappear when they're finished. So, we all pay more for health insurance to make up for the expense.

Their kids can not only get an education, but in some states can go to college as a resident and get discounted tuition. MA tried to push this through. So, someone who is here against the law can go to a certain school cheaper than my kid. Yet, I pay taxes to MA, I just happen to live legally in another state. Yup, sounds fair.

 

[DawnCt1]

RitaZ, Your story brought tears to my eyes. I had a good friend who escaped Cuba as Batista was being thrown out and Castro was coming to power. He was 13. His father pulled him out from under their porch as he hid, not wanting to leave his country. They fled to Mexico with the clothes on their backs. He graduated from the Universidad de Mexico with his MD. He passed the FLEX and became a surgeon after studying in the USA in Miami. That was his dream; to work in Miami, raise pigeons and take care of the Cuban population. He sadly died of a brain aneurysm at the age of 35. Your story reminds me of him and those who truly struggle, play by the rules or flee serious political oppression to get here. When the left praises Fidel Castro for his "leadership", I cringe.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

. He sadly died of a brain aneurysm at the age of 35. Your story reminds me of him and those who truly struggle, play by the rules or flee serious political oppression to get here. When the left praises Fidel Castro for his "leadership", I cringe.

I was really hoping for a happy ending and that is just so sad.

 

[RitaZ.]

That's amazing Rita! What a nice reminder every birthday.

Lisa, it definitely is. It's coming up soon! My father's determination and perseverance is what brought us here. His greatest gift to us was to bring us to the US. Unfortunately, he didn't live long enough to see our accomplishments and achievements. I know he would be so proud!

 

[magicmouse2]

This isn't true. If they show up in an emergency room, they get healthcare. Unlike American citizens, they can't get billed, because they just disappear when they're finished. So, we all pay more for health insurance to make up for the expense.

Their kids can not only get an education, but in some states can go to college as a resident and get discounted tuition. MA tried to push this through. So, someone who is here against the law can go to a certain school cheaper than my kid. Yet, I pay taxes to MA, I just happen to live legally in another state. Yup, sounds fair.

Wow I didnt realise that. No wonder people are wound up. All I know is I would never take the risk of moving to the US illegally. I could not put my kids through any of that and I would feel downright guilty too. Personally, our reasons for moving to the US are that we love the climate and country, even though we have had a tragic family problem a few years ago here, which means we live in constant memory of this.

 

[bicker]

It discourages illegals from coming and bringing their children. It makes it clear that the United States is standing up for its taxpayers. It establishes a principle that action will be taken against illegal immigration.

Not true. They aren't coming here for schools and medical - they are coming here for the money.

Please read the messages you reply to more carefully. I said that it discourages them. I didn't say it prevents them. They are coming to this country for the whole package, not just money.

Cutting off the schools and medical will do nothing except populate our streets with sick, uneducated illegals.

No, cutting off the schools and medical will reduce the problem.

Sounds clinical and beautiful as a solution, but it doesn't get to the heart of the issue at all.

Perhaps not, but it is a start and results in a better situation than we have today.

 

[Teejay32]

Just a heads up - this is not all about Mexico. I never hear about Mexicans in this area. I know for sure I worked with people from the Dominican Republic, Guatamala and Brazil. I'd guess there are many here illegally from all over Latin America, plus China, Vietnam and Korea, and many from Russia and the former Soviet states (of whom many are Jewish.) I know a few Canadians living here illegally.

I also had a friend in school, Elisa, who came over by boat from Cuba at nine years old. Lost track of her a long time ago though...

 

[RitaZ.]

Dawn, I've met and know many great families like that. My best friend's husband came in Pedro Pan's movement, he and his brother were placed in an orphanage. It's very humbling to hear these stories of survival.

 

[Charade]

Haven't read all this but

1. I'm all for a wall and real boarder security for our national security. It's stupid of us to think that we have done anything of consequence about the "war on terror" if we continue to have huge gapeing holes on our boarders.

I agree.

3. Creating laws that prevent the illegals from getting any health care or education while they are in the US is just cruel and morally wrong.

I disagree. Health care, ok, I'll go with that but education?? No way. Give 'em a band-aide and a bus ticket.

4. Illegal immigration is already "against the law" and so is hiring illegals. What do we have an INS for if they aren't going to do their job? We don't need more grandstanding and phony laws proposed by politicians in an election year - we need enforcement of laws already on the books.

You really hate big business, don't you? But I digress...

You know the INS isn't doing their job, how? We don't have enough INS people to get the job done because it's gotten so out of control because NO one (this administration or previous ones) did little or nothing about it. Now we are infested with illegal immigrants. Infested is a harsh word but I don't care. That's how I feel.

Maybe the old laws are not written in such a way to be effective even if enforced. New ones may be required.

People keep saying that they take jobs that no American would do but show no proof. If I had to dig ditches or pick fruit or some other job to feed myself that are mainly done by illegal aliens, I sure do it. Wouldn't you? What's the alternative? Welfare?

 

[Simba's Mom]

This isn't true. If they show up in an emergency room, they get healthcare. Unlike American citizens, they can't get billed, because they just disappear when they're finished. So, we all pay more for health insurance to make up for the expense.

Their kids can not only get an education, but in some states can go to college as a resident and get discounted tuition. MA tried to push this through. So, someone who is here against the law can go to a certain school cheaper than my kid. Yet, I pay taxes to MA, I just happen to live legally in another state. Yup, sounds fair.

Yup, I live in a state where Mexicans (at least those that live in towns bordering the US) get to pay in state tuition at University of Texas at Brownsville. Also in Brownsville, there are places where women about to have babies walk across from Mexico to have their babies here and voila! Instant American. I'm not talking health clinics doing this (although they may). I'm talking places set up in back of the local McDonald's or Burger King. And yes, there are children of illegals (thus illegal themselves) being educated in our public school system, sitting in my children's classes.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

Just a heads up - this is not all about Mexico. I never hear about Mexicans in this area. I know for sure I worked with people from the Dominican Republic, Guatamala and Brazil. I'd guess there are many here illegally from all over Latin America, plus China, Vietnam and Korea, and many from Russia and the former Soviet states (of whom many are Jewish.) I know a few Canadians living here illegally.

Absolutely! It isn't all about border jumpers from Mexico, although somehow, all of the complaints we hear day in and day out are about Mexicans who "don't speak the language". There are illegal immigrants from all over the globe who just stayed when their tourist/work visas expired. I would imagine that the vast majority of illegal immigrants enter the country by completely legal means...they just don't leave when their visa runs out.

 

[ducklite]

Unfortunately, they make about the same amount as someone on welfare when you take into account free medical, food stamps, housing and energy assistance, etc. that lower income "welfare" recipients get. So there's no incentive to come off welfare and labor at very physically demanding jobs.

Anne

 

[LauraR]

This isn't true. If they show up in an emergency room, they get healthcare. Unlike American citizens, they can't get billed, because they just disappear when they're finished. So, we all pay more for health insurance to make up for the expense.

Their kids can not only get an education, but in some states can go to college as a resident and get discounted tuition. MA tried to push this through. So, someone who is here against the law can go to a certain school cheaper than my kid. Yet, I pay taxes to MA, I just happen to live legally in another state. Yup, sounds fair.

That really irks me, too. Why should the children of illegal immigrants get benefits that citizens of other states don't? I don't like to punish children for their parents' actions but I think we need to remove incentives to illegal immigration. I'd even go so far as a constitutional amendment removing automatic U.S. citizenship for babies born in this country.

 

[Planogirl]

There are no easy answers are there?

It's fine to actually enforce the laws and to do more to prevent illegal immigration. But what about those illegals who live here now and have for a while? It could cause great hardship to round them up and toss them out at this point.

I would say that amnesty for those already here is a good idea but this has been tried before and more just continue to stream in. Calling for amnesty over and over again accomplishes nothing.

The most troubling aspect of this is how do we know that terrorists and other criminals aren't streaming in with them? If we truly believe that the U.S. could be a target once again how can we justify being so lax when it comes to our borders? How can we continue to tighten security at our airports and make it harder for innocent citizens to travel while we continue to wave the welcome flag along the Mexican border?

Again, no easy solutions but lots of problems.

 

[LauraR]

My dad was in prison a total of 7 years, 2 different times. The first time was from 1959 to 1964 and the second time from 1969 to 1971. He was extremely fortunate because many of his friends were sentenced to life in prison or were executed. My mom has some gruesome stories to tell about that. These executions were carried out in a small plaza near the prison, Cuban authorities wanted to terrify and intimidate the people that lived there. That's how communists operate and control the masses, through fear and intimidation. My mom said that the wives were given permission to visit their husbands in prison, the prison was located in Oriente. These women were forced to walk through this plaza where these political prisoners had been executed, their blood was all over the ground. Once they arrived at the prison, they were turned away and that's when some of them learned that their husbands had been executed.

My father was released from prison for good in 1971 and he continued working to get us out of that hell. Cuban Immigration was in control, the laws didn't apply, they made their own laws. It was one pathetic delay after another: C.I. would shut down their building indefinitely, they would move to another location, Fidel would decide that no one was to leave the country, etc. The whole process was designed to wear one down and to eventually just give up trying. I remember my dad telling us about one time that he really thought about jumping in front of a car after leaving Cuban Immigration. Through his visits to C.I., he befriended a man that worked for them. That man kept pushing our case/papers along. My parents did get an appointment at the American Embassy in late 1979, where they presented their case to an ambassador. My mom has told me that the ambassador was very taken with their story and told them that he was going to help them. Finally, in early 1980, we received a call that our visas had been granted. All of us had to go to the American Embassy to get fingerprinted, by then our family had been throughoughly checked out by the American government. I'll never forget waiting to be fingerprinted...

Rita- That is so very sad what your father and so many others had to endure. I'm so glad your family made it to this country!

 

[Jennifer48]

My $.02.....

I have no problem with people from other countries living amongst me here in the United States. My grandfather's parents came over from the Ukraine right through Ellis Island. They did not know one ounce of the English language. First thing they did was learn it once they became US citizens. Their children knew both languages. They set up their own business. My point being, if you want to live and dream the "American Dream" then do it the right way.

I have no idea how some people live in the oppression that they do in other countries. They see the US as a place to strive and live a better life. So why can't they just do it the correct way? Apply for citizenship? Learn the English language?

As someone put earlier on this thread, how can we win the war on terror when people are flooding this country illegally? How do we know that these people are not terrorists themselves? Does anyone know if those that flew the planes into the Trade Towers were legal citizens? Because they did get flight lessons here in the US. Would that have happened if the US had stricter rules on illegal immigrants??

 

[disneyaggie]

Well, and here's another thing to consider . . . those who are here illegally drive illegally. So many accidents are caused by these clueless drivers. Many don't understand the signs because they have no idea how to speak or read English.

So one hits you and guess what ? ? ? They have no insurance. Surprise!

So yes, the insurance rates reflect these drivers as well, which of course, we pay for. They don't.

 

[wvrevy]

"Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free..." ... but only if they speak English and are willing to work at menial jobs for less than minimum wage.

This country has become a farce. A sad parody of itself, conquering other nations in the name of forcing them to "freedom". This is just another symptom of the sickness.

 

[Teejay32]

Absolutely! It isn't all about border jumpers from Mexico, although somehow, all of the complaints we hear day in and day out are about Mexicans who "don't speak the language".

I don't get it, especially when they come from places like Los Angeles or El Paso or Boca Raton.

 

[azgal81]

They need to go back to mexico. We don't want them here.