Quote:
Originally posted by techweenie
Lots of people would like to imagine that being here illegally is a felony. It's an 'administrative violation' like speeding.
Yes, enforcement is good, but what the noisiest anti-immigrant people really need to do first is make it a significant crime to be here without documentation. Then, and only then, will enforcement be meaningful.
'Illegals' cannot get social security payments. Further, many are using other peoples' social security numbers when they work, so the social security system is getting net money in.
As for the cost of illegals, there's not much actual cost there, according to studies that are not politically based. For instance, they are 1/20th as likely to use emergency rooms as US citizens are.
The anti-immigrant hysteria is just a big distraction from far more significant problems.
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When you have been caught and turned loose - and don't show up for your hearing - what is that? That catagory alone has got to be in the hundred's of thousands. You would get in more trouble for not showing up for jury duty.
The net money going into social security is not much. Most illegals work off the books and dont pay a dime in taxes or FICA. If they are given blanket amnesty they will be getting full SS benifits in the future. That is the worry.
To say there is not much cost with 12 million illegals is not being realistic. With amnesty comes a green card - with a green card comes citizenship - with citizenship comes the ability to sponsor your parents, children and siblings. What about future costs? Social security and medicare?
The President's own study regarding illegal labor gives a net benifit $150 per year per US citizen. That is now with a young and hard working illegal population. But this undereducated group in low productivity jobs is not adding enough to the economy now to pay for their own future bills..
One of the strongest arguments made is that we need to prop up the boomers as they retire. Who is going to prop up those who prop up the boomers? We have got to get of this addiction to cheap low skilled labor, corporate special interests and a two class society.