No Debates About The Illegal Immigrants Issue?

[momof2inPA]

What are the particulars of the impending bill with regards to employers? Will checking the employee's social # for validity against the already available government database be required? IMO, this should be a requirement, and any employer who hires an illegal immigrant felon or anyone who rents to or houses one should also be prosecuted as a felon (not just fined an insignificant amount). Let's punish all the guilty, not just the foreign ones.

 

[Mskanga]

The Government has MANY HUGE flaws when it comes to immigration, trust me on that one!
But they could start correcting this by enforcing the laws that they already have in place now ......if that means stiff fines and closing down businesses , so be it . Heck they close them down if they are unsanitary !
If they start by doing this , other employers will think twice about hiring illegals.

 

[ducklite]

The Government has MANY HUGE flaws when it comes to immigration, trust me on that one!
But they could start correcting this by enforcing the laws that they already have in place now ......if that means stiff fines and closing down businesses , so be it . Heck they close them down if they are unsanitary !
If they start by doing this , other employers will think twice about hiring illegals.

I couldn't agree more!

Anne

 

[studentmom]

I just wanted to jump in and say that I am all for this bill. I live in a state that is heavily populated with illegal immigrants.

I volunteer in an elementary school where many of the kids don't speak good English. What's sad is when it comes time for many of these kids to take state testing, many of them score low, and you know who gets most of the blame? The teachers. Now I know that there are some bad teachers out there (I'm not trying to go off topic), but in this case...

On the front page of our local newspaper, this morning, there was big article about a protest that took place gainst the immigration bill. There were over 500,000 protesting. There was a picture that showed many of them holding Mexican flags...and some with American flags. The writer interviewed a man who was here for 19 years (and who was in the process of trying to legalize his immigrant status), and he could only answer in Spanish. It angers me that people could live here that long and not speak English or at least attempt to!

I get so angry when I pass "Day Work Stations" (yeah here we provide a building for 'em ) It's like, they aren't supposed to be working here illegally, but yet we're going to fund a building so that they can be picked up? I think, Hello-- where is the INS? But then I wonder, hmmm are they allowed to be there since there is a building? ?

But then when the INS do arrest them, say at checkpoints or raids, they cry descrimination (there are articles like that all the time in the paper) It's with an attitude like, "How dare you arrest me and try to deport me".

I understand that they are just trying to work, but they are here illegally and are breaking the law. I have no problem with Legal immigration.

I would really like to find out if there is a rally in favor of this bill. I wish I knew how to find out. And I definitely plan to write to my senators.

 

[ducklite]

Please keep in mind that not everyone at a day work station is illegal. Not everyone marching in a parade waving a Mexican flag is here illegally.

I had to laugh last night when some idiot was on the news complaining about all the illegal people here from "Mexico, Haiti, and Puerto Rico." Duh.

Anne

 

[Mskanga]

The writer interviewed a man who was here for 19 years (and who was in the process of trying to legalize his immigrant status), and he could only answer in Spanish.

That ticks me off to no end , and when I hear them say why should I learn english if everything I need to do is also written in spanish?
And then if I tell them shame on them for not wanting to excel for themselves they call ME a converted gringa. They don't consider me spanish ( although I am more spanish than they are ) but heck , their problem not mine.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

I disagree. I don't think we have a majority who thinks the illegals should be thrown out. And just wait until the MSM starts doing non-stop sob stories on the individual people we're threatening to send back. Our collective guilt trip, irrational as it may be, would be too much to bear.

Bet, one of the greatest things about the American public is it's compassion. It's something that your President ran on, and won in 2000. The illegal immigration policy is something that many Americans are torn about. So many of these illegals have children who are American citizens. If we start throwing them out with their American children, we'll have to ask ourselves, is that where we stop? Is it fair to throw out first generation Americans, but allow 2nd generation Americans who's grandparents were came here illegally? No. What about 3rd generation American citizens whose great grandparents came here illegally? Who makes that call, and is it worth tearing families apart? Noone wants that kind of thing to happen, and quite frankly, we couldn't afford it now if we tried.

The smart answer is the idea that President Bush (yes, that President Bush) floated some time ago that gives a amnesty to those illegal immigrants who have been living in the US for 5 years or more, havea clean criminal record, and a job. All workers coming in after are provided with guest worker privledges. Then, we start paying for real border security by actually funding it with federal dollars so the burden is not so great to our border states and controlling the visa process so we keep a better track on foreign tourists/students. This is going to take a lot of cash, but I figure, if we roll back the tax break for the top 1% that Bush put into place a few years back, we could easily fund the process, and have alot left over for other issues.

 

[disneyaggie]

It will if the citizens who vote send a loud and clear message to Washington.

Anne

Yep! And you can do this by writing a letter to your Senators and Congressmen. That's why I wrote one letter (as I shared earlier) and cut-and-pasted it into their respective e-mail boxes.

It's time we stood up against illegal activity. In all truth, letting someone in illegally is no different that a drug pusher on the street, a criminal robbing a store or people running red lights. They are all illegal activities. Not one should be allowed without the others. And no, I certainly hope NONE of these are permitted! We would be in an even bigger mess than where we are today!

I hope our congressmen vote to keep the illegals out, especially for them to hear those of us who voted some of them in office -- those of us legally allowed to vote, that is!

 

[bicker]

No, citizens won't do this, because the politicians that favor helping business reduce its costs by hiring illegals also play into Americans' fears about religious diversity by projecting that the only way to safeguard one's own values is to impose them on everyone else.

 

[CheshireVal]

The smart answer is the idea that President Bush (yes, that President Bush) floated some time ago that gives a amnesty to those illegal immigrants who have been living in the US for 5 years or more, havea clean criminal record, and a job. All workers coming in after are provided with guest worker privledges. Then, we start paying for real border security by actually funding it with federal dollars so the burden is not so great to our border states and controlling the visa process so we keep a better track on foreign tourists/students. This is going to take a lot of cash, but I figure, if we roll back the tax break for the top 1% that Bush put into place a few years back, we could easily fund the process, and have alot left over for other issues.

Giving amnesty is a slap in the face to those who came here through legal channels, though. I don't like it. Besides, how will someone here illegally provide proof that they have been here 5 years or more?

And how is it fair that DH and I have paid about $1,000 so far to file immigration paperwork and have jumped through a billion hoops to get his permanent residency, when these people who are here illegally are just going to get a free pass?

 

[ducklite]

So many of these illegals have children who are American citizens.

And that right there is the crux of the problem. We need to stop giving automatic citizenship to children born here to illegals. Period. If the parents (or at least one parent) can't prove US citizenship, then no citizenship for the children. That in itself would immediately reduce some of the strain on the border hospitals as women wouldn't be as inclined to come to the US to give birth.

Anne

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

Giving amnesty is a slap in the face to those who came here through legal channels, though. I don't like it. Besides, how will someone here illegally provide proof that they have been here 5 years or more?

And how is it fair that DH and I have paid about $1,000 so far to file immigration paperwork and have jumped through a billion hoops to get his permanent residency, when these people who are here illegally are just going to get a free pass?

It's a sticky situation, I give you that, but if we throw out illegals now, is it fair to allow 3rd and 4th generation Americans, whose great grandparents came to this country illegally, to benefit from their family's illegal actions to stay either?
If parties on all sides of the issue give a little a little and stop worrying about how they have been wronged, we can find a compassionate way of handling the problem for everyone.

 

[bicker]

is it fair to allow 3rd and 4th generation Americans, whose great grandparents came to this country illegally, to benefit from their family's illegal actions to stay either?

Yes..

 

[Puffy2]

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.

I know they aren't doing their job because I live in an area that was on one of those "NightLine/60 minutes" type of shows where the citizens would call the INS to report illegals and ZERO happpened. I live in an area where a poultry plant pretty much openly employees these people (at slave wages, with no benefits, and they rob them of their 401Ks) and the INS does, you guessed it, NADA.

Not all "big business" is bad...big business that breaks the law and gets away with it with the help of politicans is evil.

 

[CheshireVal]

It's a sticky situation, I give you that, but if we throw out illegals now, is it fair to allow 3rd and 4th generation Americans, whose great grandparents came to this country illegally, to benefit from their family's illegal actions to stay either?
If parties on all sides of the issue give a little a little and stop worrying about how they have been wronged, we can find a compassionate way of handling the problem for everyone.

I don't think you can really compare immigration issues of a hundred years ago to what's happening now with the Mexicans.

 

[Mskanga]

Geez, when I came to this country they used to ask for everything under the sun to just walk into the INS office, I couldn't get a SS# without a green card first, couldn't get a DL , couldn't get a job , nothing!
I did it the right way and waited as long as I had to , and then when I applied for my first credit card ever I was told my SS# was a "black market number" , when I contacted SS and gave them a copy of the letter , they had fun with Citibank for making wrongful accusations.
Now , you can get a tax id number and DL before you get a SS# , I wish I had it that easy!

 

[ducklite]

Now , you can get a tax id number and DL before you get a SS# , I wish I had it that easy!

Not in NJ.

They now make EVERYONE jump through hoops, offer DNA samples and retina scans, and require the ability to recite War and Peace to get a license. And you must possess a SS# and documentation proving you are legally here.

And they are nasty about it.

They worst part is that they seem to have DMV people arrested every other month for selling fake documents. So they persecute the law abiding public because the DMV employees are crooks. Nice.

Anne

 

[CheshireVal]

Geez, when I came to this country they used to ask for everything under the sun to just walk into the INS office, I couldn't get a SS# without a green card first, couldn't get a DL , couldn't get a job , nothing!
I did it the right way and waited as long as I had to , and then when I applied for my first credit card ever I was told my SS# was a "black market number" , when I contacted SS and gave them a copy of the letter , they had fun with Citibank for making wrongful accusations.
Now , you can get a tax id number and DL before you get a SS# , I wish I had it that easy!

DH had to get a SS# just to set up a bank account in America (thanks, Patriot Act!) I can't remember what he had to go through to get the number, but I know he went back to that SS office about three times before it came through.

He was able to get a drivers license after that.

What burns me up is that right now he's still officially on a student visa, while we wait for his permanent residency app to go through (we have our interview next week!) He is only allowed to work 20 hours a week on that visa, which has been kind of a financial hardship for us, but we're making it. If he's caught working more than his 20 hours, he would get sent home to Australia-- not worth the risk.

However, all the illegals can work as much as they want and never risk being deported because the INS only has enough resources to deal with the people who are already trying to be here legally. It's the people who are *in* the system who are the ones being caught and sent away, while the ones who slipped in here with no documentation are just allowed to do whatever. For some reason that just seems so backwards to me.

 

[LauraR]

[QUOTE
The smart answer is the idea that President Bush (yes, that President Bush) floated some time ago that gives a amnesty to those illegal immigrants who have been living in the US for 5 years or more, havea clean criminal record, and a job. All workers coming in after are provided with guest worker privledges. Then, we start paying for real border security by actually funding it with federal dollars so the burden is not so great to our border states and controlling the visa process so we keep a better track on foreign tourists/students. This is going to take a lot of cash, but I figure, if we roll back the tax break for the top 1% that Bush put into place a few years back, we could easily fund the process, and have alot left over for other issues.[/QUOTE]

If we grant another amnesty it just encourages more people to come here and stay here, waiting for the next amnesty to come along. We may say this is the last time, but I'm sure there will be plenty of illegal immigrants willing to bet it's not going to be.

 

[CapeCodTenor]

And that right there is the crux of the problem. We need to stop giving automatic citizenship to children born here to illegals. Period. If the parents (or at least one parent) can't prove US citizenship, then no citizenship for the children. That in itself would immediately reduce some of the strain on the border hospitals as women wouldn't be as inclined to come to the US to give birth.

Anne

I think this is a great idea. I'm from New Mexico and the strain on the public schools and hospitals close to the boarder is at a breaking point.