Hidden Costs of Illegals

[fintstone]

I found this to be an interesting article regarding more of the hidden costs of amnesty programs.

Bordering on fraud, part III

By Thomas Sowell

May 25, 2006

Some people are worried that amnesty will give illegal aliens the same rights that American citizens have. In reality, it will give the illegals more rights than the average American citizen.

Since most of the illegals are Mexican, that makes them a minority. Under affirmative action, combined with amnesty, they would have preferences in jobs and other benefits.

Those who set up their own businesses would be entitled to preferences in getting government contracts. Their children would be able to get into college ahead of the children of American citizens with better academic qualifications.

Illegals who graduate from a high school in California can already attend the
University of California, paying lower tuition that an American citizen from neighboring Oregon.

Under the supposedly "tough" immigration bill in the U.S. Senate, illegals don't have to pay all the back taxes they owe. An American citizen gets no such break from the government and can end up in federal prison, like Al Capone.

If an American citizen gets stopped by the police for a traffic violation and the cops discover that he is wanted for some other violation of the law, they can arrest him for whatever else he has done.

But if an illegal alien gets stopped for going through a red light and the police discovers that he is in the country illegally, in many communities the cop is forbidden to arrest him for that -- or even to report him to the feds.

If an American citizen forges a Social Security card in order to get a job, he can be arrested. Under a provision recently passed by the Senate, illegal aliens who forged Social Security cards not only get a pass, they get to collect Social Security benefits.

The great majority of Senators who voted for that provision were Democrats, and they prevailed because they were joined by a small minority of Republicans, led by -- surprise! -- Senator John McCain. After similar defections on judges and free speech, Senator McCain may give opportunism a bad name.

What the immigration bill in the Senate has become is just another attempt to pander to another special interest, in disregard of how that affects the country as a whole.
Much is made of the fact that there are supposedly 12 million illegals in the country already. The last time illegal aliens were given amnesty, back in 1986, that led to even more illegal aliens coming in afterwards.

Do we want 20 million or 30 million more illegal aliens in the future? Do we want to change the very composition of the American population, and with it the values of the country?

There was a time when immigrants came here to become Americans. But there are powerful pressure groups in this country, extending far beyond the immigrant community, doing their best to keep foreigners foreign and force Americans to accommodate their foreign language and culture in the name of "multiculturalism."

We have seen what havoc such notions and practices have created after mass immigration under "guest worker" programs in Europe, especially after the Muslim riots in France. Do we want that in the United States?

[Moneyguy1]

A gutless gang in Washington. Weasel words in the Senate immigration version. I do not understand the mindset of either the administration or the congress..

Perhaps more Dems than Reps voted for it, but both parties are guilty of pandering, but to whom are they pandering? Unless the immigrant has become a naturalized citizen the immigrant cannot vote. It makes no sense.

Sometimes I think the entoire gang of rascals should be replaced, the role of special interests (read lobbyists) be abolished..talk about a group that should become illegal..and caps be put on the amount of money that can be spent by any individual running for public office, and that amount take into account ALL possible sources....individual donations, corporate donations, "grants" PACs, and any I didn't think of.

Ah nuts....It's all going to hell in the proverbal handbasket....

[tabs]

Welcome to the Fourth World....aka a country that had First World status and then has slipped into mediocrity....

Sorry to be so pessimistic but I believe in the inenvitabilty of History....

[RoninLB]

Charge Mexico $1M/per.

[Victor]

WWAHD?

[gaijindabe]

If you go bankrupt - how long will that bad credit history follow you?

Might as well reinvent yourself as a border jumper...and start over....

[fastpat]

This subject has been written upon extensively by Edwin S. Rubenstein and many others.

Illegal immigration, or legalized unrestricted immigration, is a negative any way you look at it.

Rubenstein's Archive.

One of the best Immigration Reform web sites is Peter Brimelow's Vdare.com.

[Moneyguy1]

Wayne, I feel as you do. We have neighbors of Mexican ancestry, another from India, and assorted folks of all stripes. What they all have in common is they are here legally. Most are citizens and feel quite strongly about the message that "illegals" send (most unwittingly) to the general public. Everyone gets painted with the same broad brush.

Southern Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas are a true melting pot. Most get along quite well, thank you. Most of us have a smattering of the other's language, and cultural festivals are quite common and well attended.