Immigrants: They Are America

By Jeralyn, Section Civil Liberties
Posted on Sat Feb 17, 2007 at 10:02:54 PM EST
Tags: immigrants (all tags)

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Almost a year ago, our nation's immigrants marched in cities across America, rightly proclaiming, "We are America."

The New York Times takes a look at what's happened in the year since the marches.

border enforcement
federal raids
local crackdowns
gutted due process
a web of suspicion
the bureaucratic trap
the rise of hate

The Times opines:

Hopelessly fixated on toughness, the immigration debate has lost its balance, overlooking the humanity of the immigrant. There is a starkly diminished understanding that hospitality for the stranger is part of the American ethos, and that as much as we claim to be a nation of immigrants, we have thwarted them at every turn. We must do better.

More...

The Times' recommendation:

Enforcement of laws cannot be ignored. Punish immigrants who enter illegally, make them pay back taxes and fines, restrict their ability to get work through deceit and false identities. But open a path to their full inclusion in the life of this country.

The alternative — the path of immigrant exploitation, of harassment without hope — will only repeat the ways the country has shamed itself at countless points in its history.

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Immigrants: They Are America | 15 comments (15 topical)

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Still Confused (none / 0) (#1)
by jarober on Sun Feb 18, 2007 at 12:28:06 AM EST

Legal immigrants, good

Illegal immigrants, bad

This isn't complicated, except for TL and much of the rest of the left.

: Wow, it's just so simple (none / 0) (#6)
by Dadler on Sun Feb 18, 2007 at 11:31:22 AM EST

To think this problem -- which encompasses the inequities of global capitalism, political chicanery, and plain human striving and survival -- is going to be solved by engaging in labeling and obviousness is simply laughable and ignorant and head-in-the-sand useless.
You're talking about a mass of humanity, not a bunch of chairs you can just return because you don't like they way they look in your house.
Next.

Cindaurellia (none / 0) (#2)
by honeytrap on Sun Feb 18, 2007 at 01:48:13 AM EST

I agree that immigration laws should be enforced, more for the protection of the migrants than anything else. Illegal immigrants are taken advantage of--I worked as a nanny for a high-powered, high-donation-giving-Republican with connections in D.C. who employed me as his nanny under the table (I later reported my wages and paid my share) and with illegal immigrants for the rest of his household help. I knew the housekeeper well. She had no protection, was exploited and threatened with deportation if she didn't do what they wanted. When she became pregnant (she and her husband had been trying for over 7 years), they fired her for that reason alone. Even I, as an American, was out of my league with these people...I was 18 years old and completely naive--my first "plane ride" was to their estate; they changed everything we had agreed on in our contract once I arrived and I was working without overtime compensation and told it was my fault. The man, a CEO and owner of a large corporation, was shrewd and knew how to manipulate--or brainwash. He could turn anything around. At any rate, I left after 3 months and found out from their friends' nanny that the family had gone through 7 nannies in less than one year before I arrived. At any rate, I saw how they treated their illegal help, and it wasn't the help that benefited from their illegal access to this country--they were exploited into slave laborers.

yeah, those marches worked out real well (none / 0) (#3)
by cpinva on Sun Feb 18, 2007 at 04:49:08 AM EST

sympathetic as i am to their plight, it's easily fixed: go back home, and then come back legally.

if home sucks, change it. of course, why should anything change in mexico, or any other country, when the U.S. is everyone's economic escape valve?

It's seems obvious to me..... (none / 0) (#4)
by kdog on Sun Feb 18, 2007 at 08:28:22 AM EST

the problem is that we don't let enough people in legally or make it too difficult, first and foremost.

Yes, illegal immigrants are exploited to some extent and that is reason enough to reduce illegal immigration. Let's streamline the immigration process, and crack down on the profiteers of illegal immigration (employers and coyotes).

I can't support jailing illegal immigrants, I just think it's wrong. You wanna fine them, I can live with that. But walking the earth should not be a jailable offense.

They are not America; they are ILLEGALS. (none / 0) (#5)
by fafnir on Sun Feb 18, 2007 at 09:18:34 AM EST

Vote-thirsty, open-border advocates on the Left who dishonestly blur the distinction between legal and ILLEGAL entrants further poison attempts to have open discussions about America's ILLEGAL immigration problem.

The Left's avoidance benefits the cheap labor interests of big business and deters needed changes to trade polices, while discouraging viable, moral solutions that protect the economic interests of America's LEGAL working poor and individuals from identity fraud.

The US needs to increase interior enforcement activities by punishing businesses and employers who hire and/or harbor illegals. Strict enforcement, through turning off the jobs magnet, is the best deterrent to discourage people from entering the US illegally and compel illegals who are here to self-deport back home over time.

I'm ah going to NewYork City!! (none / 0) (#7)
by jimakaPPJ on Sun Feb 18, 2007 at 12:19:18 PM EST

There is a starkly diminished understanding that hospitality for the stranger is part of the American ethos,

I wish I knew the reporter(s) who wrote that.

As many of you know, I play poker. My local game, housed in a casino, has become flat. The good players have all figured out each other's game and the result is a greatly diminished pay back.

Now I have heard that NYC has quite a few illegal poker clubs. (Perhaps Kdog can give ne some pointers.) I would dearly like to increase my finances, and know I could do well in the games. I will be, outside of my playing in these illegal clubs, very honest and obey the law. Well, I may get a false Social Security Number, but I do promise to pay that tax, medicare taxes, any and all NYC/NY taxes as well as FIT.

Honestly!

I have enough money to get there, but not enough for much else. So I would like to just move in with these reporter folks. I promise to be nice, and I'm sure they won't mind me bringing my spouse up as soon as possible.

Seeing as how they are big on "American Ethos" I'm sure they won't mind.

I'll try and stay off welfare, but let's face it. A bad run of cards could take all my money so I may need some help from time to time. I do hope it isn't too hard to get to the local welfare office, hospital emergency rooms, and, of course, I demand that all government functions are written/spoken in "Southern."

Now some of you may complain about the costs, but hey! I have a God given right to try and increase my financial position don't I??

The more I think of it, the better I like it. I do hope these folks live close to the clubs be and have a big screen TV. I promise I will even teach them how to eat grits (NO SUGAR) and to fry green tomatoes.

Come on up.... (none / 0) (#10)
by kdog on Sun Feb 18, 2007 at 08:17:39 PM EST

Jim, love to have you. You've got as much a right to roam the sphere you came to exist on as the next guy.

As long as you just play your cards and don't start no trouble, you're more than welcome.

Though I must say...the "poker fad" is starting to fade and the games are getting rock-ish and the cops are still busting balls and stealing rolls. My action is in AC and home games mostly.


kdog (none / 0) (#12)
by jimakaPPJ on Sun Feb 18, 2007 at 10:58:31 PM EST

Well, I do want to celebrate a bit.. You know, have all my homey's over for some white lightning and a dose of chitlins.. Fly the US flag upside down and the Stars and Bars on top.... No problem with that, I hope..

On the serious side, come on down to Tunica sometime. We love damnyankees with money and have a great 40-80 Holdem game. Poker room rate is $25 at the Shoe, so you won't have to bunk with anyone...


I got the "damnyankee"..... (none / 0) (#17)
by kdog on Mon Feb 19, 2007 at 10:01:22 AM EST

part down pat...but 40-80 is still over my roll:) I would like to check Tunica out, I regret never taking a trip over when I lived in the FLA panhandle for a spell.

White Lightnin' and chitlins sounds like fun, always room for more culture in the NY. The stars and bars could be a problem though:)


: kdog (none / 0) (#18)
by jimakaPPJ on Mon Feb 19, 2007 at 08:07:36 PM EST

The Stars and Bars shouldn't be...
Many New York Democrats opposed the war. Heck. Lincoln locked them up... many called them "Copperheads."
They also spread a 10-20 and 4-8, plus a 2-5 no limit... sometimes a 5-10 NL. Tournments everyday.
They comp food and booze...

Dark Avenger (none / 0) (#9)
by jimakaPPJ on Sun Feb 18, 2007 at 01:20:29 PM EST

Can you say...

sarcasm????

God..... how obtuse....

You could stop "illegal immigration" (none / 0) (#11)
by richmx2 on Sun Feb 18, 2007 at 08:32:17 PM EST

tomorrow ...

-- you ended agricultural subsidies. The bulk of "illegal immigrants" are displaced rural people, who can't compete against subsidzied (and corporate) agribusiness that among other things enjoy export tax subsidies.

-- you increased the number of "unskilled laborer visas" from the ridiculously low 5000 per year now issued (only 2 were issued for all Mexican workers in 2005, the latest year for which I have statistics).

-- you lowered the cost of temporary residence in the United States. It costs $100 US to enter from Mexico, which makes even shopping impossible unless you can obtain a ficha for regular border crossers (and that ain't easy). That 100 bucks is on top of what it costs to apply, to take a bus to the U.S. Embassy for a pre-screening interview (not counting the time lost from work, and the costs of housing and transport in the few cities with U.S. consulates in Mexico), and years of waiting. It's cheaper to go illegally.

: richmx2 (none / 0) (#16)
by jimakaPPJ on Mon Feb 19, 2007 at 09:16:13 AM EST

The question is, how many "unskilled labor visas" would you give? A million? Ten million?
That's just another way of saying "open borders," because we all know that once here, they won't go back.
On the otherhand, if you close the borders, deport the illegals as you find'em (no massive sweeps) and pass some very strict laws against employing illegals, the wage level will rise to the point that Americans will start doin the work.
Will your veggies go up? Will your lawn service go up? Will your new roof go up? Will your new home go up?
Yes, to a degree. But technology will absorb some of the cost. i.e. Higher wages for construction people will spur advances in prefab technology and off site construction.
It all comes together. Cheap wages are a bottleneck on technical progress, and the associated costs of the social services of the illegals are paid anyway. This is a double whammy.

What were you thinking? (none / 0) (#14)
by jimakaPPJ on Mon Feb 19, 2007 at 09:04:52 AM EST

Obviously you weren't.

Now. Do you have anything to say about today's "immigration," or are you ready to make another long winded off subject attack on my spot on comment about illegal aliens and how they just "move in."

I am glad to know that your Grandmother received citizenship. I assume it was via so-called "private laws" which often undo injustice.

However, what that has to do with today's 15 million illegal aliens in the US, mostly Mexican and with more pouring across, I do not know.