Are we too lenient and tolerant of ILLEGAL immigrants?

[Crazedclerkthe2nd]

To start I want to make clear that this post is about illegal immigration in general and not meant to target immigrants of particular country or nationality.

It's difficult for me to understand why illegal immigrants aren't treated more harshly and seriously by our government and law enforcement authorities. Many get access to government programs like welfare, food stamps, WIC etc despite the fact they have no legal status at all in the U.S. Sheriffs and other law enforcement in border states are DISCOURAGED from actively tracking down and prosecuting illegals, the Federal government seems determined to find ways to grant them citizenship and get them health care.

I ready a story recently about a sheriff in Texas who tried to arrest some illegal immigrants. I don't know rule (or rules) he violated, but the immigrants (who once again were NOT legal) sued him and won. He had to pay $100 000 as a result of losing the suit.

Heck we can't even call them illegal immigrants anymore, suddenly that's a bad term. The politically correct version is "undocumented aliens".

I have spent the better part of the past three years going through the process of immigrating to the U.S. LEGALLY. I've had to spend $1000s of dollars and travel hundreds of miles. I've had to fill out mountains of forms and sign numerous documents. I've had to deal with doctors, lawyers and Homeland Security personnel at many different offices. It's been a long, involving and at times frustrating process but I am determined to see it through.

It angers me that people can effectively just sneak into the country, circumventing all the procedure and process I outlined above and easily gain many of the same rights and privileges and the government and enforcement authorities turn a blind eye.

WHY aren't we tougher on illegal immigration? Why would cracking down on illegals be a bad thing? Why can't we make our borders a little more secure?

It seems to me that someone in a position of power has a vested interest in NOT stemming the flow of illegal immigrants, but why that is I don't know. Most information I am familiar with suggests that illegal immigration is harmful to this country.

I have no problem with immigration in general. In fact I have a new respect now for those who immigrate LEGALLY. This country was built on a foundation of legal immigration and I certainly do not support the complete closure of the borders to any immigrants whatsoever.

But I do think we need to be more serious about this problem and less forgiving of folks, who while they may have come here with good intentions, are in blatant violation of federal law.

[Greenday]

Short Answer: YES

Long Answer: YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Seriously, if you don't pay taxes, you don't deserve government benefits. If you come here illegal, you should be thrown in jail or kicked out. If you commit a crime like MURDER, you should be thrown in jail, NOT just released back to your country only to sneak back in again to murder more people (which happens more often than you think).

[DesignFox]

YES! A thousand times yes. My local radio station was talking about this issue the other day, and I agree with what the host was saying the whole time. You are here illegally? You don't have rights, because you are not a citizen. You get immediately deported. Don't want to tell us where you are from? Fine. We'll dump you on the next random flight out of here. Goodbye, don't let the door hit you in the fannie.

It isn't fair that people, like our OP, are essentially being penalized for following the letter of the law and being productive, upstanding citizens. It isn't fair to the citizens who were born and raised here who pay their taxes, etc, either.

The sinking ship is going down, all in the name of compassion...call me cold-hearted, but my compassion only extends so far...and it doesn't include people who are breaking the laws of the land and reaping all the beneifts without contributing back. (especially considering I'd get SHOT if I pulled the same shit in someone else's borders.)

[Rapscallion]

This country was built on a foundation of legal immigration

There's a version that would say the US was founded on foreigners coming over, killing the indigineous population, and then squabbling over who got what. Whoever won got to decide what legal was.

Still, it's late and I don't want to do window dressing

Rapscallion

[ThePhoneGoddess]

It's difficult for me to understand why illegal immigrants aren't treated more harshly and seriously by our government and law enforcement authorities.

One word: Money.

Illegals who come here themselves are tolerated by millions of business owners because they can be paid less for the same work and don't have to be given benefits like health care. If they get injured on the job they will not go to the authorities nor will they file for workman's comp. You can pay them under the table and then you don't have to file for taxes on it. You can hire them without any sort of background check and also fire them without giving any sort of reason. It happens in early every industry, because it saves so much money. These millions of business owners who employ them pay a lot of the taxes that fund local law enforcement, and they make it clear they do not want purging illegals to be a priority.

Illegals who are smuggled here (mostly women and children trafficked for the sex and domestic servant industries) are in many cases treated as slaves and told they'll be beaten or shot by authorities if found, which keeps them hidden and illegal.

[powerboy]

Oh Fuck Yeah. It is not right for the ones who are doing everything by the law and it is not fair for the citizens. As what was said earlier, It is all about the money.

[Lace Neil Singer]

In the case of a country struggling thru a recession, would it be too much to ask if the government could declare "country full"? The UK is a small place and we just don't have enough room for all these people; most of whom are not asylum seekers at all, just gravy train followers. Asylum seekers have to stop off at the first country to offer asylum; these people cross over several to reach the UK. All they want is benefits and to leach off the taxpayer. We should just send them right back where they came from if they're not going to contribute to the economy.

[Boozy]

Many get access to government programs like welfare, food stamps, WIC etc despite the fact they have no legal status at all in the U.S.

I'm going to need to see some kind of citation to back up this statement. Illegal immigrants are not qualified to receive welfare benefits of any kind in the United States.

I ready a story recently about a sheriff in Texas who tried to arrest some illegal immigrants. I don't know rule (or rules) he violated, but the immigrants (who once again were NOT legal) sued him and won. He had to pay $100 000 as a result of losing the suit.

Again, I'd like a link. I don't doubt that something of the sort happened, but I have a feeling that it wasn't as clear cut as you're making it.

Most information I am familiar with suggests that illegal immigration is harmful to this country.

Then you should present some of it.

Every economic paper I've ever read suggests that immigration, even illegal immigration of low-skilled labour, has a positive effect on the economy. It creates upwards pressure on wages for citizens with high-school diplomas, promotes trade with immigrants's home countries, and yes, provides tax revenue.

Illegal immigrants DO pay taxes in the form of payroll and sales tax. They don't file income tax, but so few of them earn enough to pay anyway. And remember, they pay into SSI but will never be able to collect it.

I have no problem with immigration in general. In fact I have a new respect now for those who immigrate LEGALLY. This country was built on a foundation of legal immigration and I certainly do not support the complete closure of the borders to any immigrants whatsoever.

Ideally, everyone would be able to come legally. But there are two problems with that.

First, the poverty and corruption in their mother countries is often so intense that only the very wealthiest can afford to bribe their way out. Legal immigration has been difficult for you; it is an impossibility for many.

Second, the US has strict immigration policies. If these policies were actually followed, the US economy would grind to a halt. Americans should be thanking their deities that many immigrants come anyways.

[elsporko]

If it weren't for illegal immigrants then the economy would be doing better because actual citizens would be able to get jobs and would have money to spend locally instead of sending it to their homeland.

I'm all for letting workers come in temporarily to do jobs like farm work if Americans are unwilling to do them, but their should be strict rules and high penalties to prevent them from trying to illegally immigrate.

Or maybe an even better solution would be to jail illegal immigrants and make them do the farm work without compensation for punishment. That would keep food prices low and teach them a lesson. Juan might think twice about his actions if the consequence is five years in prison and doing hard work without being paid, and then being booted back to his home country to start again right where he was.

[AdminAssistant]

There are a LOT of migrants in Arkansas, and if you are against illegal immigration, you need to stop buying any Tyson products immediately. Who do you think kills and cleans their chickens? Also, I want to know in what jail you're going to put all these illegal immigrants. Last time I heard, ours were pretty full of kids who got caught with dope.

I personally find it hilarious that a country founded on illegal immigration (do you think the American Indians sent us an invitation?) and then built on letting in anyone and everyone is now trying to shut down the borders. How many first-generation Italian or Russian immigrants could speak perfect English? Our country would have suffered greatly if we had turned our backs to them. "Give me your tired, your poor...some restrictions apply, see rules for details."

[Greenday]

I personally find it hilarious that a country founded on illegal immigration (do you think the American Indians sent us an invitation?)

Illegal immigration my ass. It was conquest, not illegal immigration.

[elsporko]

There are a LOT of migrants in Arkansas, and if you are against illegal immigration, you need to stop buying any Tyson products immediately. Who do you think kills and cleans their chickens? Also, I want to know in what jail you're going to put all these illegal immigrants. Last time I heard, ours were pretty full of kids who got caught with dope.

I personally find it hilarious that a country founded on illegal immigration (do you think the American Indians sent us an invitation?) and then built on letting in anyone and everyone is now trying to shut down the borders. How many first-generation Italian or Russian immigrants could speak perfect English? Our country would have suffered greatly if we had turned our backs to them. "Give me your tired, your poor...some restrictions apply, see rules for details."

The last time I checked Indians were not one group but rather thousands of different tribes who fought with each other for land just as much as white people fought with them over land.

Also the last time I checked it was also not in a nation's best interest to model their immigration policy after a poem.

[Fryk]

The problem here, really is that no matter what we think of it, Admin, it's the law. And like so many people have said in so many theads (and I can't remember if you're one of them, and I am just too tired to look it up :: P) if you don't like the law, then CHANGE IT, don't circumvent it.

It doesn't matter what the state of affairs is in one's country of origin. You're moving to the US. The only country's state of affairs that matters in that case is the United State's. I agree that it sucks how people are treated in some countries, but that doesn't mean that I want them here.

And just as someone asked the OP to cite sources, I would like to see sources that state that the US economy would grind to a halt and leave us in the state of apocalypse if we did not allow illegal immigration.

You know what else is funny? The whole "policy" of turning a blind eye to illegal immigration seems to only apply to immigrants of certain countries.

[Wingates_Hellsing]

I hear that Germany has very nice asylum policies...

I have all the sympathy in the world for legal immigrants who are mistreated, and those willing to work hard and contribute to society who can't come here. But breaking the law is breaking the law, no two ways about it. Either change it, or find another way (pick a different country to go to, apply for a work visa and work, then leave and apply again maybe, etc.)

[Nyoibo]

Illegal immigration my ass. It was conquest, not illegal immigration.

So that's ok then?