Our grave immigration problems
Charles King of Boulder writes:
Unless the Republicans in both houses of Congress, and especially in the Senate, get off their duffs soon, and vote to secure our borders and seriously pursue and punish all, repeat, all who knowingly employ illegal immigrants, the Party will at the national level suffer a greater defeat in 2008 than it did in 2006.
How dumb can Bush and Republican Congressmen get! Abe Lincoln, the first Republican president, must be turning over in his grave!
This letter has not been edited.
Bush has is own agenda, Lord only knows what that insane, stupid reason is. I guess it is okay with the government to see illegal aliens flying thier Mexican flag over ours and making sure our flag is turned upside down or even burning our countries flag in protest. After all of that, the illegal aliens have the nerve to call us RACIST. I guess its okay for thousands of illegal aliens demanding rights they have not earned. I guess its okay for illegal aliens to get better health care than our own veterns. Maybe the veterns would get better health care if they came up through Mexico. I resent them sneaking into our country through the back-door and demanding everything for nothing. The cost these people are putting on this country and the US Citizens are tremendous. My tax dollars should not be going to pay for them to have anchor babies, pay for their education, pay for the housing they get and destroy and abandon. I want secure borders, but apparently until the US Citizens start standing up in mass like the illegal aliens do, no one will hear us. Until big business owners start realizing that they and the government are destroying our country nothing will be done. Until big business realize that US Citizens are tired of being told that bi-lingual is a requirement for job employment. I wish all big corporate paychecks could come down to the middle class and face what the average US Citizen is facing, maybe they would change thier mind and realize what a big mistake this is. That they (big business and government) are causing the US to become a 3rd world country with 3rd world problems, 3rd world diseases, well I say NO Surrender, Stand up Americans and start fighting back. Secure our borders. I am sick and tired of hearing they just want to do the jobs that Americans don't want to do, I got news for you, just like my husband and I , we are doing the jobs supposedly that American don't want to do and they are making it extremely difficult to do an honest days job. For all those of you who want the illegals here, look up in a dictionary the difference between immigrants and aliens. Legal Immigrants I do not have a problem with, the ILLEGAL ALIENS I do. There is a difference, even the US Constitution states the difference between immigrant and alien. One more thought, for those who are for amensty, try moving to Mexico illegally and see how much you are welcome and coddled by the Mexican Police and the Mexican Jails when you demand your rights from them.
Posted by Sick of Illegal Aliens on March 30, 2007 08:58 AMBush can be as dumb about immigration as all the administrations before him going back to Reagan, who was the last president to seriously address this problem.
Posted by on March 30, 2007 08:59 AMAll these problems can be traced back to the "Rhodes plan" for a 1 world government. Bush, Kennedy, Clintons, all of them want to see that plan come to fruitition. That is why immigration is not being fixed. Don't think so. Just go and google SPP and NAU, and see what you find.
Posted by Jay on March 30, 2007 09:19 AMyo sick of all illegal aliens,you should say you hate mexicans.cause the asians,russians,middle easterners,never seem to come up in these hate rants.well hommie were mexican and were here what you going to do about it? build your fence,well even help and make border city,hate all you want,whine to the papers all you want,it still does not matter,you are on a place that was once owned by mexico,why dont you go back to where your ancestors came from,cause my ancestors where form right here amigo,better yet give the land back to the indians,let them decide who the immigrints are.sounds fair and un white to me,its ok for whites to run every aspect of every bodies lives,what you didnt get the job at taco bell youve been wanting?
Posted by e- racsist on March 30, 2007 09:21 AMHey e-racist,
Why don't you go back to where your ancestors came from - Spain! Or doesn't your history book go that far back?
yo e rascist
Try a new argument, will you. Calling someone a racist who is against ILLEGAL immigration is getting old. It's only used because you have no intelligent response to someone who is against illegal aliens and their lawless ways.
e-racist,
Your stupid arrogance will make YOU lose this war, homie. Just you wait and see. In the meantime, mow my lawn correctly.
Posted by on March 30, 2007 10:08 AMTwo Indians watching the first Europeans land on American soil: One says to the other, "There goes the neighborhood." At any rate: The 14th Amendment grants citizenship to the Black people who were in America and not the baby born to illegal immigrants. Help me on this one. r22037yahoo
Posted by Richard Grimes on March 30, 2007 10:12 AMThen why isn't e-racsist arguing that they give Mexico back to the natives who lived there before the conquistadores? Or Europe back to Rome? Or Russia back to the Mongels? Or it all back to cavemen? Or maybe it all back to the animals? Or to protozoa?
Maybe he/she/it should just admit that there should be no property rights in this world and we should just be communists.
Communists are those who covet what others have, but are unwilling to do the work to attain them.
Our little Aztlan friends fit that description to a tee. They talk about all the work they do, but if WE were not here to GIVE them the jobs, they would not even WANT to be here.
They love the good roads we built, the protection of our military, the clean water, etc.
But they HATE the mostly European decended people who REALLY built all of that. The bastards are WRONG period.
Anyone else find it kind of ironic that most Chicanos, with their devotion to the idea of being proud Aztec descendents, would more likely be able to trace their roots to a people enslaved by the Aztecs and not the aristocratic Aztecs themselves?
Posted by on March 30, 2007 10:33 AMIf the illegals from south of the border must go then they ALL must go. This goes for all of the millons of illegals who came here for asylum and have had hangups in the legalization process and now possibly face deportation. These illegals go into hiding in the Russian, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Aremenian, Ukrainian, Latvian, Polish, Hungarian, Georgian, etc. neighborhoods back east and are therefore here illegally! Do they not ever seek emergancy medical attention? If they are not gainfully employed and do not have health insurance who foots the bill? Do they not have children at the expense of taxpayers as well? In turn recieving public housing, food stamps and welfare.
What about the millions of Chinese who are smuggled here in the hulls of cargo ships, many sick and dying from the long voyage?
We again are asked to pay for these illegals extensive medical care, food stamps, assisted housing, welfare and high dollar goverment grants(NOT loans) to open businesses. Illegal is illegal whether they are brown, white, black or whatever color. It does appear that race is a bigger issue than anyone wants to admit or why not deport them all?
J-Mac, you are a race-baiter.
Posted by Bob on March 30, 2007 11:37 AMBOYCOTT The Businesses that hire the ILLEGALS.
We need to boycott all Businesses that hire Illegals and those that can not communicate in the language of thier Customers....
I am starting with BURGER KING.
Had problems with my order in the drive up window. To handle those problems, the "manager" proceeded to handle my issues in Spanish. When I stated that English should be used, I got more Spanish and some nice little jeers. Long story short, I placed a call to Burger King and they are "working on it". Well I am working on it too. NO more Burger King for me. Ever. Let upper management know you do not accept this as a CUSTOMER.
The invasion that scares me the worst are the pine beetles coming over the divide and eating our front range slopes alive.
If I could stop only one invasion at a time, I would work to protect our forests. I suspect that just like the debate over border security we are going to neglect our way to a substanially degraded environment.
Hating poor people is easy. What are you going to do about this imminent and very real devastating invasion? Probably nothing because radical wingnut extremists aren't conservationists even though their ideology contains a reference to conserve.
Posted by Wes on March 30, 2007 12:21 PMWes
That is full of crap dude. It was OK if the beetles were not near the FrontRange? Look at the lawsuits by the Left to keep from "Managing" our Forests. Take a look at the $$$ spent on "Analyzing" what to do when there are answers already. Now that is affecting you, it is a problem? We have been trying to get the Forest Service to help with the Beetles, post-Hayman fire, and the subsequent flooding from both. They refuse to help. Oh by the way I am one of the Hated Right you refer to. We have been trying to do something for years now.
Posted by bwr on March 30, 2007 12:32 PMThe other day, a saw a group of pine beetles riding in a low rider on south federal. They were waving their pine beetle flag and screaming "This is our tree! We lived here before, and we will live here again!”
Lately, they seem to be under every piece of bark in town. And boy do they multiply! Now what kind of spray do you use on those again?
Posted by Pest Control on March 30, 2007 12:39 PMOn the contrary Bob, I am just putting it out there that not all illegals come from south of the border. ALL illegals are a strain on the system and they come in all shapes, sizes, colors and different countries of origin. The fact is that the only group that is singled out are the illegals from south of the border. When MILLIONS of illegals from other said countries are populating and causing the same "problems" in every major city form LA to New York.
Posted by J-Mac on March 30, 2007 01:32 PMe-racist
YO, yourself, I don't see any other immigrants like the russians, vietnamese, chinese, burning the American Flag. Go back to Mexico and take your stupid ass mentality back with you.
Ok J-Mac. I agree to an even-handed application of the law. Most bloggers do. I think most derogatory comments about Mexicans here illegally are out of frustration because almost every string has some a-hole play the race card on this issue.
Posted by Bob on March 30, 2007 02:30 PMBob,
I can agree 100%. There is really no need to play the race card. We as a country need elected officials who are willing to go after the companies who hire and coddle to all illegals.
Posted by J-Mac on March 30, 2007 02:35 PMThanks Bob
All Illegal Aliens(from all foreign countries) should be treated equally. Illegal is Illegal. And the Businesses also. They need to be held accountable the most
Posted by bwr on March 30, 2007 02:36 PMI wholeheartedly agree Charles.
I am about to go out on the New Mexican border tonight and tomorrow night with the Colorado Minutemen for the "Stand Your Ground" April border watch. We will be helping the New Mexico Minutemen, doing the job our President and Congress won't do.
Thank You Thank You Thank You Co Minuteman. Can you please provide a website or # so that other Citizens can help?
Thanks again
Posted by bwr on March 30, 2007 02:56 PMTo E-racist. My Russian neighbors have learned the language, after immigrating from Russia legally. They are friendly to everyone. They don't advocate taking over this nation. They don't go around trying to get everything for free. They are polite and happy to learn new things, like the English language. They don't pull all the crap all the Mexican ILLEGALS pull. They don't support the drug trade either. They are glad to be here in America and are happy to become Americans. If you want to live in a place like Mexico, get your kind, tolerant self back there and change your government there. With all the natural resources Mexico has, there shouldn't be any poverty and no need for all the people to come up here.
Posted by Jay on March 30, 2007 03:03 PMI agree with the original editorial that the immigration system is broken.
However, insults, scapegoating, violence and race-baiting are not going to solve the problem.
WE need Comprehensive Immigration Reform. A reform that would protect the rights of all workers, reunify families and strengthen our communities and economy.
The reality is that our native labor force is decreasing due to baby boomer retirement and we need workers to replace them and keep our economy growing. The current VISA system doesn't provide enough VISAS for all needed workers.
Immigrants from Spanish speaking countries learn English as fast as their European counterparts. The chance of running into a recent immigrant from a Spanish speaking country is higher because more come from these countries. The same things were said about the German and Italian immigrants, who also had media in their own languages and lived in areas largely populated b other immigrants. The people who criticized those immigrants were short-sighted.
If we apply the same VISA requirements today to those who came in the early 1900s, most all those same Germans and Italians would be denied entry. Conversely, if we applied the same standards as then, pass a health and criminal check and you are allowed in, most undocumented immigrants would be allowed a VISA.
Just because a law exists does not mean it is a just or reasonable law. Our current immigration system undermines our economy by denying employers a stable labor force, it hurts low-income workers by creating a group of workers who cannot get their labor rights enforced, it divides our communities by creating suspicion.
Go to Yahoo and look up the Numbers video.
We do not have the same situation as the early 1900's Our infrastructure(size, growth ability) is way different.
Piper so who gets to decide which law is useful and others are not? That is a scapegoat. Betting it does not hold up in any court.
Posted by bwr on March 30, 2007 03:30 PMWhat confuses me is how we can be so hateful towards those who come to
the US as their very last possibility for survival, who come here
because our economy has exploited theirs, creating disaster in local
communities to our South and gaining significant profits for corporate
giants, money that will never trickle down to the people in poor
countries, nor the poor in ours..
I just can't imagine how we can turn such disgust towards someone who
has spent four days with a single gallon of water in the Arizona
desert leaving behind all of his or her loved ones so that they might
have the chance to eat. I don't understand how we hate this individual
in lieu of the free trade agreement that made him or her along with 2
million other farmers in Mexico bankrupt because we started importing
unfairly subsidized corn. I don't understand how we turn to this
individual and call him or her a criminal but don't look at
corporations and U.S. policies that perpetuate such injustice.
In many ways the situation is similar to the 1900s.. You have workers all over the world experiencing wage levels that don't pay. You have people coming here to look for economic opportunity. You have many citizens being directed to put their energy into blaming immigrants.
When we get into an us/them frame of mind it means we aren't thinking about how things could be better, how we can work together, and who the current situation really benefits: Multi-national corporations who enjoy the protection of our government all over the world. These corporations pay people to kill those who organize in unions.
Unions here recognize that if one worker's rights are not protected then all others suffer.Many US unions support reform, because it would benefit all workers.
I'll have to think a little more about how to express my thinking on how to measure whether a law is just or not.... I'll get back with you.
Posted by Piper on March 30, 2007 03:47 PMOMG Chandra! Please, someone call medicaid to stop the bleeding heart!
Posted by Bob on March 30, 2007 03:50 PMYou mean if we just Cared a little bitttt more? If we had a heart?
I dont hate illegals. I do hate what they, the corporations and those that support both are doing to this country.
I dont think that these letters of Love Kindness are going to those countries that you speak of Chandra?
Seriously go to Numbers video on Yahoo regarding Immigration. Heck only believe a portion of it. What do you suggest then? Who is going to love and care for us when we cant support ourselves? Canada?
Yes Care helps but must have some common sense and Solutions that work within our realm of politics.
Posted by bwr on March 30, 2007 03:53 PMFine Piper but you did not answer the 1900's question on sustainability and what we can handle. How many is enough? I am also talking LEGAL immigrants here too.
Posted by bwr on March 30, 2007 03:57 PMThere is no answer to that question if you only look at this from the point of view that the situation is unique to the United States. No amount of laws or enforcement will keep a person who needs to feed their family in their home country.
We need a comprehensive trade policy. This will mean making some sacrifices of protectionist tariffs that we have and also requiring that US based multi-nationals protect basic worker rights in the countries where they operate. If the corporations refuse, then they shouldn't be the beneficiaries of our embassies and military anymore. We need to work with other countries who have the same multi-national corporations and who are experiencing influxes of immigration to get them to do the same. We need to create unions that are truly international and help our brothers and sisters in other countries defend their union rights and their right to work.
Immigrants generally don't want to leave their home and families. When we protect their human rights we also protect our own. This is not a bleeding heart perspective. This is the reality of the global world we live in. Our trade, our products, our wages and standards of living are interconnected with those of other nations.
When wages get high enough here there is always another place for employers to run to. As long as we continue to be distracted by the results of corporate trade instead of addressing the trade itself nothing will change.
Piper, you are absolutely correct about what happens when wages get high. And the Chinese know it!
Posted by Bob on March 30, 2007 04:20 PMPiper, dead right.
The answer is to buy local in preference to just buying on price.
If the consumer only buys on price, then corporations are not going to stay local and will seek out the cheapest labor pool, even if that means luring in illegals and buying influence with politicians to create the kind of mess we have now.
Buy Walmart, bye America
Posted by Bango Skank on March 30, 2007 04:45 PMJust to be clear my position is that we need:
Comprehensive Immigration Reform legalizing those who are here now, eliminating a backlog, and creating a streamlined VISA process as well as protecting workers rights and allowing for family reunification. Border security could entail following the border patrol's recommendation for a high tech fence instead of building a costly, inhumane and ineffective wall.
PLUS a trade policy which protects worker rights in ALL countries and truly international unions.
And FINALLY, a forgein aid policy that goes to micro-enterprises and to community-run projects as well as provides loans with reasonable interest rates.
we need to close the borders and export the millions that have infiltrated this country. You can't boycott businesses that hire them, or you would never eat at a fast food joint, build a house or do anything, because there are so many of them and they will work for half the wages. Americans are finally waking up and seeing the damage being done to this once-great country. Try to get a job - if you don't speak Spanish, you might be SOL. I just pray to God it is not too late to stop the United States from turning into a third world country. Maybe then the illegals will go home...
Posted by MI on March 30, 2007 05:59 PMI think it is pretty interesting that we live in a country that preaches multiculturism, but in a monolingual way
we can not hide from the realities our world faces by building a wall and keeping people who were not born into such privilege out
undocumented people are not ruining our country, our economy depends on their labor (can we all agree on this?)
let us please start treating our neighbors as real people
Posted by on March 31, 2007 01:25 AM"undocumented people are not ruining our country, our economy depends on their labor (can we all agree on this?)"
Let me guess. You are:
a. Hispanic
b. A University Student
c. A female
d. A cat person
Hummmmm...now let me think...
Posted by on March 31, 2007 07:26 AMPiper...... Comprehensive immigration reform is AMNESTY! Wise up!
Posted by A on March 31, 2007 07:26 AM07:26: 'Let me guess. You are:
a. Hispanic
b. A University Student
c. A female
d. A cat person
Hummmmm...now let me think..."
Lets see. You are:
A. Ignorant
B. Stupid
C. A moron
D. All of the above.
Let me guess.....You should have signed with your real name.
Let me guess...would that be Pancho, Jose, Alejandro, Pedro Gonzales-Gonzales???
Posted by ME on March 31, 2007 09:18 AM7:38,
Can you at least try to be original? You are not even clever enough to peak my interest. Please, you can do better than that.
Love Ya!
I don't think that turning our lens to who/ what is really profitting off of our broken immigration system means that one is a bleeding heart. I found it painful to read so much hate in the initial blogs, but I think that a comprehensive immigration reform is certainly within our political domain. Comprehensive immigration reform does mean that we need to address the root causes of migration, including trade agreements and corporate policies that profit off the working poor locally and globally. And, as Piper has so eloquently reiterated, it means a workable visa program that allows those who want to come here, work hard, and either return home or become part of our country's fabric to do so. Enforcement-only policies have never worked. The price to cross the border will continue to go up, both in lives lost and actual monetary value. But the more expensive we make crossing the border with a militarization and enforcement-only immigration system, the more we will see organized crime and smugglers blossom uncontrollably, taking advantage both of US policies and of those vmigrants who aren't criminals but those seeking a living wage. Why? Because the more one-sided and enforcement heavy the system, the fiercer, more violent and out of control the black market in human and drug trafficking will become.
Posted by chandra on March 31, 2007 12:38 PMPiper, I have to disagree with you. You said,
"However, insults, scapegoating, violence and race-baiting are not going to solve the problem. "
Now, seriously, how will we know unless we try it?
Posted by things that make you say, on April 1, 2007 09:56 PMChandra said,"But the more expensive we make crossing the border with a militarization and enforcement-only immigration system, the more we will see organized crime and smugglers blossom uncontrollably, taking advantage both of US policies and of those vmigrants who aren't criminals but those seeking a living wage. Why? Because the more one-sided and enforcement heavy the system, the fiercer, more violent and out of control the black market in human and drug trafficking will become."
It's already there at this point. Or haven't you noticed? So, we should ease off? That's how we got into this problem. We can no longer ignore it - it won't go away. It will only get worse.
Amnesty by any name only encourages more of the same mass exodus. Reagan tried it and look where we are now - times 20.
As for e-racist: The reason for the focus on the Mexicans is that , in case you hadn't noticed, we share a border with them. We don't share a border with "the asians, russians, middle easterners" and they are not here illegally in such huge numbers.
Our system is broken, we know that. There are illegals of many different nationalities who have entered with legal visas and overstayed. Our government has no idea where they are. Many problems and few decent solutions, so far. Stopping the bleeding at our southern border is the immediate solution that most Americans support, as well as enforcing our current laws - especially those that apply to employers of illegals.
Posted by Skeezix on April 2, 2007 01:35 PM