Why is illegal immigration bad?

[it.]

I'm 16 and I heard my dad getting all mad the other day because he was so mad because he thinks anyone should be able to come to the US. What's the difference between legal and illegal immigration? Why is illegal immigration considered bad? Is legal immigration good?

 

[copestag]

short answer thats not so short:

there has to be limits on who can and cannot enter this country......... you cant just let anyone walk across your border without even knowing who they are........

there is a legal legitimate way to enter the US..... and thousands of people use that method every year........ they use the methods prescribed by law to become citizens and we gladly take them in.......

illegal immigrants on the other hand are criminals...... they think they can just do whatever they please without any regard to law whatsoever...... if they really want a better life for themselves and want to become US citizens....... then they can do like every other immigrant
did when they came to this country.....

ask yourself this....... do you have locks on the doors of your house? do you want just anyone entering your house anytime they feel like without permission? or do you enjoy the fact that you can decide who can and cannot enter your home?

 

[ballisticn8]

Illegal immigration is a federal crime, they aren't aliens, they aren't victims, people that cross into this country purposely violating our immigration laws are criminals violating existing federal laws.

Also, it isn't thousands of people that are admitted and obtain legal permanent residence, in 2009 there were 1,130,818 people admitted legally for permanent stay.

http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/statistics/yearbook/2009/table10d.xls

There are existing immigration laws for a reason and people that knowingly violate them should be sent back to the country they came from and barred entry into the US.

 

[avacomputers]

I agree the illegal immigration is a bad thing. But we need some sort of reform. There are just way to many illegals here to deport them all. Something must be done.

 

[copestag]

I agree..... reform is needed.......... lets solve the problem the same way their home country does........ illegals goto a shithole prison........ wont take long for them to get the message and leave on their own

 

[Rota]

Some things I've seen in Arizona:

Illegals come in, steal or forge a social security card (identity theft), work for less than minimum wage effectively killing job markets great for high school students and low-skilled people, or anyone willing to take a job right now, drive without insurance, have zero liability if they kill you or a family member while driving without insurance, bring drugs both ways across the border, and overall just make the place a total shithole with zero regard for the law or anyone else.

Yet, with the current administration, no one is going to do anything about it and would rather continue to let them stay here destroying our country from the inside.

If I went down to Mexico, which I have many times, I would be thrown right into prison if I attempted any of this. Yes, you can pay off cops relatively easily down there, it usually takes less than $50, but if you do end up in their prison, you're going to rot. And honestly, why shouldn't you? No other country in the world would treat you any differently for coming there illegally and being a total asshat with no regard for them or their laws.

 

[WAdude]

Some things I've seen in Arizona:

Illegals come in, steal or forge a social security card (identity theft), work for less than minimum wage effectively killing job markets great for high school students and low-skilled people, or anyone willing to take a job right now, drive without insurance, have zero liability if they kill you or a family member while driving without insurance, bring drugs both ways across the border, and overall just make the place a total shithole with zero regard for the law or anyone else.

Yet, with the current administration, no one is going to do anything about it and would rather continue to let them stay here destroying our country from the inside.

If I went down to Mexico, which I have many times, I would be thrown right into prison if I attempted any of this. Yes, you can pay off cops relatively easily down there, it usually takes less than $50, but if you do end up in their prison, you're going to rot. And honestly, why shouldn't you? No other country in the world would treat you any differently for coming there illegally and being a total asshat with no regard for them or their laws.

The only reason the current administration isn't doing anything is so they can get votes. Remember, its not whats right and good for Americans anymore, its about whats gonna get you re-elected, right or wrong.

 

[quademire87]

to simplify it, it all comes down to tax revenue. illegals don't pay taxes, yet reap the benefits that each of us pay for. secondly, in my experience working with a few illegal, they send most of their money back to Mexico to help family members enter our country illegally, so that's more money being sent across the border instead of being saved and eventually spent in local economies, which in turn would be taxed and spent by your local governments.

 

[jayjay1122]

Illegal immigration is a federal crime, they aren't aliens, they aren't victims, people that cross into this country purposely violating our immigration laws are criminals violating existing federal laws.

Also, it isn't thousands of people that are admitted and obtain legal permanent residence, in 2009 there were 1,130,818 people admitted legally for permanent stay.

http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/statistics/yearbook/2009/table10d.xls

There are existing immigration laws for a reason and people that knowingly violate them should be sent back to the country they came from and barred entry into the US.

This is a point that is not made enough!! I am the first generation of my family born in this country. All four of my grandparents immigrated to the US (Brooklyn NY) from Italy with my parents in tow back in the 40's!

They came here legally and at a time when being Italian was not a good thing (to put it mildly)! My parents were too young (babies actually) to care, but it was very insulting to families like my grandparents who came here with almost nothing to see all the illegals who were living shoulder to shoulder with them while they struggled to make it honestly!

Not to mention the fact that right or wrong, when someone who looks like you and sounds like you is illegal and commits a crime or is a bad person, YOU by association are also bad! Illegal immigration at its core is bad for everyone!

 

[itk231]

to simplify it, it all comes down to tax revenue. illegals don't pay taxes, yet reap the benefits that each of us pay for. secondly, in my experience working with a few illegal, they send most of their money back to Mexico to help family members enter our country illegally, so that's more money being sent across the border instead of being saved and eventually spent in local economies, which in turn would be taxed and spent by your local governments.

That is ridiculous. They rent homes, therefore contribute, albeit indirectly to paying property taxes. They buy products from stores, therefore pay sales tax. Furthermore, here in Texas there is no income tax, thus they pay just as much taxes as anyone else. All of this without the right to vote, social security or any other privileges. You people make it look like these people are living the high life. Try picking fruit in the hot hours of the day, not seeing your family, etc.

 

[Jacktheringster]

You can't stick'em in jail because we would still end up paying for it. The they would be living, eating and getting clothed for free, unless they had to fend for themselves in there. But that would inhuman. So....................................................................... how much is a bullet again.....

 

[Vihzel]

That is ridiculous. They rent homes, therefore contribute, albeit indirectly to paying property taxes. They buy products from stores, therefore pay sales tax. Furthermore, here in Texas there is no income tax, thus they pay just as much taxes as anyone else. All of this without the right to vote, social security or any other privileges. You people make it look like these people are living the high life. Try picking fruit in the hot hours of the day, not seeing your family, etc.

I agree with this.

I know many... most of your have never even communicated with an illegal immigrant. I, on the other hand, have been talking to them this whole entire summer. They don't live such easy lives as you guys are assuming that they do. They do pay some taxes, but obviously not the big major ones like income (depending on where you live). They don't get paid a lot at all... minimum wage at the business I've worked out for 2 summers and also at the business next door.

So many people who despise illegal immigrants have these preconceived notions about what they're like, what they do, and why they do it. Of course not all of them are good people... just like there are so many American citizens who aren't good people. I've met so many (over 25) that do truly want to become American citizens and be in America, but they can't go back to Mexico and wait like a year+ just to be able to come back.

You also have to consider what jobs they are taking up. Their jobs, where I work, are not easy. It's physically really strenuous and you have to work in the desert summer heat (it can go as high as 110F) and also the really cold winters for 8 hours per day. All this and you're paid $8/hr. My boss has hired several legal immigrants (whites, blacks, latinos) and they've quit because the job was too hard for the pay. Why do that job when you can be a cashier at McDonald's and get the same pay? The ones I've met are some of the hardest working people that I've ever met. They have built a solid reputation for the business for the work that they do and at the rate that they do it.

 

[OrderFromChaos]

That is ridiculous. They rent homes, therefore contribute, albeit indirectly to paying property taxes. They buy products from stores, therefore pay sales tax. Furthermore, here in Texas there is no income tax, thus they pay just as much taxes as anyone else. All of this without the right to vote, social security or any other privileges. You people make it look like these people are living the high life. Try picking fruit in the hot hours of the day, not seeing your family, etc.

That is not the case in every state. Here in California there is a repeated push by Gil Cedillo to issue driver's licenses to illegals. Our state income tax's top rate (~10%) kicks in at one of the lowest levels, which they do not pay. They also get in-state tuition to the UC and CSU systems, whereas citizens outside of CA have to pay out-of-state tuition.

BTW, indirectly paying property taxes (i.e. renting) doesn't help when you cram 2 - 3 families into one house.

 

[Hangdog42]

You also have to consider what jobs they are taking up. Their jobs, where I work, are not easy. It's physically really strenuous and you have to work in the desert summer heat (it can go as high as 110F) and also the really cold winters for 8 hours per day. All this and you're paid $8/hr. My boss has hired several legal immigrants (whites, blacks, latinos) and they've quit because the job was too hard for the pay. Why do that job when you can be a cashier at McDonald's and get the same pay? The ones I've met are some of the hardest working people that I've ever met. They have built a solid reputation for the business for the work that they do and at the rate that they do it.

But that is a problem. If there were fewer illegals, the wage for this backbreaking labor would have to rise to get people to do it. By hiring illegals, your boss is competing illegally against companies that play by the rules. In short, your boss belongs in jail, not the illegals. No jobs, no illegals.

The only reason the current administration isn't doing anything is so they can get votes. Remember, its not whats right and good for Americans anymore, its about whats gonna get you re-elected, right or wrong.

So please explain why the previous administration got squat done on illegal immigration.

 

[it.]

I'm starting to understand the issue but parts of it I don't get. I agree that we shouldn't allow the illegal criminals in but aren't there a lot of poor hard working people who want a better life for their family? I'm pretty sure legally becoming an immigrant can take years and is a Mexican dad just going to wait and watch his family starve when he knows he could give them a better life? What do you guys think?

 

[Rota]

I'm starting to understand the issue but parts of it I don't get. I agree that we shouldn't allow the illegal criminals in but aren't there a lot of poor hard working people who want a better life for their family? I'm pretty sure legally becoming an immigrant can take years and is a Mexican dad just going to wait and watch his family starve when he knows he could give them a better life? What do you guys think?

I think that Mexico needs to clean up the corruption and build itself to be a better country, then we don't have to deal with their problems.

 

[Hangdog42]

I'm starting to understand the issue but parts of it I don't get. I agree that we shouldn't allow the illegal criminals in but aren't there a lot of poor hard working people who want a better life for their family? I'm pretty sure legally becoming an immigrant can take years and is a Mexican dad just going to wait and watch his family starve when he knows he could give them a better life? What do you guys think?

The problem is that our economy isn't big enough to absorb every poor person in Mexico. Besides, Mexico could be a much better place to live, but the elites prefer to establish a kleptocracy and make themselves richer. If Mexico isn't willing to deal with its poor, why should we? And why should someone here illegally be given the same opportunity as those who followed the rules? If you talk to legal immigrants, most of them are none too happy about the illegals for that exact reason.

 

[J03]

I've met so many (over 25) that do truly want to become American citizens and be in America, but they can't go back to Mexico and wait like a year+ just to be able to come back.

Oh yea? Why not? What makes Mexicans so special that they can't wait to become citizens like every other legal immigrant in this country? Can you answer that?

I'm starting to understand the issue but parts of it I don't get. I agree that we shouldn't allow the illegal criminals in but aren't there a lot of poor hard working people who want a better life for their family? I'm pretty sure legally becoming an immigrant can take years and is a Mexican dad just going to wait and watch his family starve when he knows he could give them a better life? What do you guys think?

Unfortunately yes. If every poor starving family from every country in the world just up and slipped into the US for a "better life" then we would all be poor and starving because the country simply couldn't handle that many individuals at one time. Many a family have struggled for 5 years or more while waiting for citizenship, only to get it, come over here, and live side by side with illegal mexican families that refused to wait because the border is easy to cross.

 

[OrderFromChaos]

I'm starting to understand the issue but parts of it I don't get. I agree that we shouldn't allow the illegal criminals in but aren't there a lot of poor hard working people who want a better life for their family? I'm pretty sure legally becoming an immigrant can take years and is a Mexican dad just going to wait and watch his family starve when he knows he could give them a better life? What do you guys think?

This is not an issue only dealing with Mexico. Most of the world is poor hard working people, where do you draw the line? Let the people come legally, but we should not condone illegal immigration.

With respect to Mexico, they need to get their act together. One of the richest countries in raw materials, and next door neighbors to the largest market in the world. What more could you ask for? IMO, Mexico will always be an issue with immigration of any kind since it is a border state to us. George Strafor summed it up rather well in his book The Next 100 Years

 

[hakr100]

Frankly, I welcome hard-working Mexicans who want jobs here and their families. I see these folks almost every day, working their butts off for little pay and typically miserable working conditions.

To make room for them, I suggest we deport all the fat-assed, lazy Americans and their families who show up at rallies to express their hatred for Mexicans and other latinos. These whiners seem to do nothing more than show up at Sarah Palin/Teabag rallies with their misspelled signs and whine, whine, whine. Most of them don't look like they could pick up a broom, much less push it. Oh, and let's get rid of the wall street fraudmeisters, too.


Now, I'm not saying we shouldn't deport any illegals who commit violent crimes or engage in criminal conspiracies, but that's not a large percentage of immigrants.

 

[hood420]

Frankly, I welcome hard-working Mexicans who want jobs here and their families. I see these folks almost every day, working their butts off for little pay and typically miserable working conditions.

To make room for them, I suggest we deport all the fat-assed, lazy Americans and their families who show up at rallies to express their hatred for Mexicans and other latinos. These whiners seem to do nothing more than show up at Sarah Palin/Teabag rallies with their misspelled signs and whine, whine, whine. Most of them don't look like they could pick up a broom, much less push it. Oh, and let's get rid of the wall street fraudmeisters, too.


Now, I'm not saying we shouldn't deport any illegals who commit violent crimes or engage in criminal conspiracies, but that's not a large percentage of immigrants.

Your logic is flawed, along with many other bleeding hearts on here.

Illegals drain our economy plain and simple. They pay no taxes yet reap the same benefits as taxpayers, they work for well below minimum wage therefore taking away jobs from all of us. Illegals need to be deported and the people who employ them need to be fined AND jailed. There are legal routes to come in this country, if your not willing to go those routes then you do not deserve to live here. Perhaps the immigration process should be streamlined, but we should absolutely not just rollover for the illegals that are here now or that come here in the future.

Also, we should not deport any illegals who are criminals, they need to be jailed just as any other criminal then deported upon completion of their sentence.

 

[swagner53]

That is ridiculous. They rent homes, therefore contribute, albeit indirectly to paying property taxes. They buy products from stores, therefore pay sales tax. Furthermore, here in Texas there is no income tax, thus they pay just as much taxes as anyone else. All of this without the right to vote, social security or any other privileges. You people make it look like these people are living the high life. Try picking fruit in the hot hours of the day, not seeing your family, etc.

Any other privileges? You have to be kidding. They can receive health care, can go to school for free, in many cases illegal immigrants can even get welfare. They don't pay just as much taxes as a legal worker because they pay no income taxes (even if their are no state income taxes, there are Federal taxes) and no social security (you don't just "get" social security-you are expected to pay into it as well). They are afforded the same protection by police and fire departments, they travel the roads your tax dollars build, and go to schools your taxes pay for.

Not seeing your family is a choice-lots of hard working citizens choose to work away from their families for their careers. No- they are not living the high life. However they are living a better life than they would in their native country or they wouldn't be here. I don't blame a single one of them- they are taking advantage of a system that has laws against what they are doing, but does not enforce them.

 

[jayjay1122]

Frankly, I welcome hard-working Mexicans who want jobs here and their families. I see these folks almost every day, working their butts off for little pay and typically miserable working conditions.

To make room for them, I suggest we deport all the fat-assed, lazy Americans and their families who show up at rallies to express their hatred for Mexicans and other latinos. These whiners seem to do nothing more than show up at Sarah Palin/Teabag rallies with their misspelled signs and whine, whine, whine. Most of them don't look like they could pick up a broom, much less push it. Oh, and let's get rid of the wall street fraudmeisters, too.


Now, I'm not saying we shouldn't deport any illegals who commit violent crimes or engage in criminal conspiracies, but that's not a large percentage of immigrants.

I am hoping that this was said at least partially tongue in cheek.

We should make room for immigrants (illegal?, legal?) by deporting American citizens who happen to have political views and opinions you disagree with?

I expected better from you!!

 

[hakr100]

Naw, we should just get rid of the whiners and haters. I'm tired of them and their never-ending efforts to drag this country down into the gutters where they live, and, of course, I'm weary of their semi-literate signs.

Oh, and I have no problem with multi-lingualism. I speak and read English, Spanish, and Latin, and my wife speaks and reads English, Spanish, and Gaelic. There are tens of millions of "white" native-born Americans who can't speak or read English properly and are the children of ancestors who have been here for generations. Most of the Mexicans I know speak English and work hard at improving their language skills, sometimes by practicing with me. In return, I get to practice my Spanish on them.

I think the public schools should teach English as the primary language, and every schoolkid should be required to learn another language. Any other language.

 

[jayjay1122]

I think the public schools should teach English as the primary language, and every schoolkid should be required to learn another language. Any other language.

THIS I agree with!!