Illegal immigration - linked to terrorist plot

[sheaf_stout]

And while an overwhelming majority of left wing idiot dems continue to support illegal immigration and unchecked borders, we come to find out not surprisingly that the illegal immigrants are here to wage war.

 

The brothers entered the United States near Brownsville, Texas

 

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,270892,00.html

 

They're baaack.

 

 

Amnesty is not the answer. Bush is also an idiot for giving in and supporting the agenda to support a path to citizenship. Auslanders are not citizens and have to right the make their own country better.

 

 

[olyclimber]

WELL THEY HATE AMERICA AND HER FREEDOMS TOO. IDIOTS!!!!! I BET ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR HIGH GAS PRICES TOO!!!! AND THE LIBS TOO OF COURSE ARE IN BED WITH THEM SUCKLING FROM THE NANNY STATE.

[catbirdseat]

And while an overwhelming majority of left wing idiot dems continue to support illegal immigration and unchecked borders...

 

Where do you get that statistic? I don't believe it's true. I'm a liberal democrat who happens to be against illegal immigration.

[ashw_justin]

Immigration is not a "terrorist" problem. Terrorism doesn't scare us remember? Isn't that what Bush told us to think?

 

But I'm interested in the broader topic nonetheless. I think it's interesting to consider who the losers will be in the event of a crackdown. Obviously, those kicked/kept out will stand to lose something. But who else? The general (citizen) public? No, not really...

 

Who else stands to lose?

 

Large sectors of business/corporate america. Big time. Specifically, those currently invested in the very cheap, no-strings-attached source of labor offered by our illegitimate brethren (agriculture, construction, etc.). I'd be curious to see an investigation of just how much time and money is being spent by such businesses to coerce lawmakers, and/or to help rile up public opposition to immigration reform. Just follow the money...? Citizens cost more. Those in the business of exploiting cheap labor will see both citizenship and banishment as equally profit-deflating villains.

 

So, why fight immigration reform? Isn't it time to do something before our entire lower working class consists of illegal (and illegally exploited*) illegitimate residents? Give the ones already here now a chance to become legitimate citizens (so they can stop being exploited*); go medieval on companies that employ illegal immigrants because they are cheaper than legitimate workers. This does seem to be the problem, right--Mexican laborers know that there are jobs waiting for them here, even if they come in illegally.

 

*you may argue that the subject may not consider themself 'exploited' (and then argue that if it's so bad, then why are they here?), but by legal standards of employment and workers' rights, these are by far the worst treated workers in our country.

[JayB]

Actually, actors in the sectors of the economy that are the most dependent on immigrant labor have been amongst the most vocal advocates of immigration reform. It seems like most of their proposals have involved making it easier for Mexicans and others to come to the US to work legally, without making it easier for them to acquire permanent citizenship.

 

Of all the ideas put forward to reform immigration, I think that this is one of the worst, in that embracing a system of rules that encourages large numbers of desperately poor people to come to the US to work, but denies them the opportunity to become citizens has the potential to create a class of people who come to feel both exploited by and alienated from the country that they are residing in on a more or less permanent basis. This is the system by which large numbers of Muslim immigrants came to Europe, and you can see how well that's worked out for Euroland. Whatever the defects of the current system, the prospect of eventually gaining citizenship - or the citizenship granted their American born children - seems to encourage a level of personal investment in and identification with the US that's ultimately fostered a much more peaceful and harmonious outcome than mass-migration has elsewhere in the world.

 

I'm not sure what the best solution to illegal immigration is, but I'm pretty sure that it doesn't involve giving official sanction to a bifurcated society of citizens and permanent non-citizens.

 

The funny thing about this debate is that no one ever seems to focus on the ultimate cause. In this case, it's the fact that the entrenched corruption, inefficiency, and incompetence that permeates the conduct of both business and politics in Mexico that has rendered a substantial portion of that country's citizens destitute and desperate for the country's entire history.

[catbirdseat]

I think that things will gradually improve in Mexico. It was subject to one party rule for a long time. There is multiparty rule now, and one hopes that the competition for votes and the watchdog effect will finally cut down on corruption and inefficiency.