(Flapsblog.com)

     Ah yes, further proof that all illegal immigrants desire to assimilate into our culture. Although many of them do, the truth is that not all undocumented workers want this. Signs like the one this young woman is holding show the blatant lack of respect for our laws and culture that many illegal immigrants have. In a letter to President Obama the NCLR claims, "Anti-immigrant rhetoric generates anti-Latino sentiment and thus carries civil rights implications for the entire Latino community." Let's be honest for a moment. It's signs like the one shown above that make a legal citizen's blood boil. It's signs like this that make the people of this nation want to slap a big ole' Return To Sender sticker on all illegal immigrants and ship them back home. This isn't about racism like the NCLR would have people believe. Organizations like the Latino Americans for Immigration Reform (LAIR) are proof of that. LAIR supports immigration reform while opposing illegal immigration. LAIR believes in legal migration and of upholding the law. They, like the vast majority of anti-illegal immigration supporters, are not anti-Latino. The NCLR can cry racism and scream about cultural diversity but aren't they being more than a little hippocritical when they flood the economy with only 1 culture?


     Regardless of their stance, everyone agrees that the time has come for reform on our illegal immigration policies. Citizens have been screaming for Congress to address this issue for years. Unfortunately for Congress they have neglected this issue for so long that now there is little chance of finding a solution that works for everyone. Those here illegally are demanding amnesty from the country whose laws they are violating. Those here legally are demanding punishment for those breaking the law.

     When you consider the situation honestly we created our own mess. We neglected to address the situation early on. We neglected to enforce our own laws. We offered free medical and social services to noncitizens. We offered home loans, credit limits, and bank accounts to noncitizens. We offered fake ID's to noncitizens. We fight to provide rights for noncitizens that the law does not allow. We offer immunity to illegal drug smugglers and put our own Border Patrol agents behind bars for protecting our borders, for doing their job. Who's country is this anymore? This is our country. This is our home. It's time we demand our rights be upheld, the rights we are entitled to.

     As I mentioned before this will be no easy feat. Sides have been picked and are passionately defended. Thanks to the lack of action of our federal government some states are now taking action. In return they are being sued by organizations supporting illegal immigration and our own federal government. Maybe this is enough to get the wheels turning on immigration reform on a national level.

     So how do we do this? It's simple. We protect the rights of lawful citizens. The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2010 in its current form is not the answer. Offering temporary citizenship to undocumented workers with a $500 fine followed by permanent citizenship a few years later with a $1000 fine is amnesty. History has proven that amnesty does not work. All it does is encourage more immigrants to flood the border. Enforcement is key. Enforce the laws we have in place and revise the ones that are outdated. Make illegal immigration a felony. Revise the process for legal citizenship. Simplify it while maintaining stict requirements. Rewrite the 14th Amendment to fit the needs of today. Stop allowing it to be grossly misused by illegal immigrants.

     The majority of illegal immigrants demanding fairness are Latino's and mostly from Mexico. If Congress truly wants to pass a law tha will appease everyone on both sides of this issue they only need to turn to Mexico's law on illegal immigration. Mexico's law, passed April 2000, happens to be stricter than the laws Arizona recently passed. The same laws Mexican President Felipe Calderon claimed to be an act of racial discrimination. If we enact the same law as Mexico there can be no cries of discrimination without fully exposing the hypocrasy in which they act on. How's that for fair?

Works Cited

National Council of La Raza. “Letter to the President.” June 23, 2009. Web. October 19, 2010. <http://www.nclr.org/images/uploads/pages/ObamaImmLatinoOrgs.pdf>

     The supporters of illegal immigrants make very valid points and I applaud them for fighting for a cause they believe in, misguided as they may be. There is just one problem. It’s all a bunch of B.S.! Let’s break this down.

    Cheap labor and Taxes. Yes, it’s true that most undocumented workers assume positions in industries providing unskilled jobs with low wages. This leaves the better paying positions with benefits and better working conditions to legal citizens. However there is no such thing as cheap labor. Everything comes with a price. In this case the price is and added financial burden on the healthcare field, taxpayers, and state and local governments. Studies completed in 2004 show that households headed by illegal immigrants cost the federal government $658 million annually for Medicaid and uncompensated emergency medical care. That same year another study conducted showed uncompensated emergency medical care for illegal immigrants cost the state of California $1.4 billion. Similarly, studies conducted at the same time on education expenses for illegal immigrants cost the federal government $371 million annually and the state of California $3.2 billion annually. Finally, another study conducted in 2004 on the cost of incarceration of illegal immigrants cost the state of California $1.3 billion in 2003. Even though the majority of undocumented workers pay income, Social Security, and Medicaid taxes their contributions do not begin to cover the financial burden placed on our government and taxpayer. (Nadadur pp 1037-1052). Note that I say the majority of undocumented workers and not all. This is because contrary to the fact sheet the NCLR has put it out, not all illegal immigrants pay taxes. More recent numbers show in January 2010, Los Angeles County alone spent over $50 million in welfare benefits to anchor babies of illegal immigrants. They are tracking to spen over $600 million for the year. This doesn't even include other services like education, medical care, or incarceration. Los Angeles County spends about $1 billion annually on these services. (Judicial Watch) This is 1 county in California. This is seperate from the state and federal numbers. This is ridiculous and these numbers are only the tip of the iceberg. Businesses welcome illegal immigrants with open arms and organizations shove phony hype down our throats claiming cheap labor doesn’t really impact the economy. It may not directly affect wages but it has a huge negative impact on our economy. Cheap labor forces these immigrants to live on welfare they receive through their anchor babies. Cheap labor costs this country trillions of dollars each year. When you look at the big picture cheap labor isn’t so cheap.

          Adopting a new way of life. Another claim made by illegal immigrant supporters is that these immigrants choose to come to the U.S. due to horrid conditions in their country of origin and sincerely want to adopt the American way of life and blend into our culture. Really? Are you sure about that? Let’s take a look at the image below.

                            (Common Sense Political Thought)


     Here we see illegal immigrants gathered together in 2006 protesting their legal status and lack of rights under it. Notice they are waving the flag of Mexico and their signs are in Spanish. This photo does not portray the image of a group of people eager to adopt the American culture and language. Images like this popped up all across the country in newscasts and in print when the protests began. Initially I was shocked that illegal immigrants had the audacity to protest in the streets demanding legal citizenship and rights and privilages provided with it. I was furious when I tuned into CNN and saw they protested with Mexico flags and spanish signs. It wasn't until organizations supporting their efforts pointed out they were contradicting their statement that they switched to a U.S. flag. Well that was a little too late. You made your point loud and clear.


     Humanitarian. It breaks my heart to hear the stories of families of illegal immigrants being torn apart due to deportation of one or both of the parents. As a mother I understand the worry and sadness that comes from being away from your children for any amount of time. I can't relate to their situation since I have never been in it but I do understand the emotional stress it can have on the whole family. I understand why groups advocate to bring the family back together. Family is the most important thing in the world and they should always stick together. One thing to remember though is that mom and dad made a conscious decision to break the law and start a life here. They knew their actions were illegal, they knew the consequences of their actions, and they decided to break the law anyways. As sad as the situation is it still doesn't change the fact that they knowingly and willingly broke the law. We have turned a blind eye for far too long. It's time to enforce our laws.

Works Cited



“County Spends $600 Mil On Welfare For Illegal Immigrants.” Corruption Chronicles: A Judicial Watch Blog. March 11, 2010. Web. October 14, 2010. <http://www.judicialwatch.org/blog/2010/mar/county-spends-600-mil-welfare-illegals>

Nadadur, Ramanujan. “Illegal Immigration: A Positive Economic Contribution to the United States.” Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies.  July 2009. EBSCOhost. Tarrant County Coll. Lib., Fort Worth, TX. Web. October 14, 2010. <http://www.ebscohost.com>

National Council of La Raza. “Five Facts About Undocumented Workers In The United States.” February 15, 2008. Web. October 14, 2010. <http://www.nclr.org/index.php/publications/five_facts_about_undocumented_workers_in_the_united_states/>

     There are many organizations and individuals that support and even advocate for illegal immigrants. They sincerely believe that undocumented workers have a positive impact on the economy and advocate for all immigrants, including illegal immigrants, on the grounds of basic human and civil rights. Organizations such as the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), National Council of La Raza (NCLR), and even Catholic Charities fight for comprehensive immigration reform but without the stricter laws and enforcement. In their fact sheet “Five Facts About Undocumented Workers in the United States” published in 2008, the NCLR points out that immigration’s effect on our labor market is largely neutral and that all immigrants pay taxes in various forms regardless of their legal status.  

     In 2005 the New York Times published an article written by Eduardo Porter detailing how government agencies, specifically Social Security, benefit from illegal workers.  According to Porter the S.S.A. collects almost $7 billion a year in taxes paid by illegal immigrants. Although these workers contribute to Social Security they are not eligible for the benefits upon retirement. (Porter).  In his paper Illegal Immigration: A Positive Economic Contribution to the United States, Ramanujan Nadadur further supports this, adding that about 90% of the wages earned in the U.S. by undocumented workers are spent in the U.S.  (Nadadur pp 1037 – 1052).

     Supporters of these undocumented workers insist they all desperately want to blend into the American culture, learn the language, and adopt this new way of life. They insist our country should welcome everyone with open arms and are fighting for an easier system of legalized citizenship. Support for this is rallied by the idea of a more diverse society. Then there is the humanitarian argument that everyone is entitled to the opportunity to provide a better life for themselves and their families. Supporting organizations argue that corruption, lack of jobs, low wages, poor education and a subpar standard of living are what drive illegal immigrants to the U.S. While some organizations, like Catholic Charities, seek comprehensive immigration reform without amnesty, others, like the NCLR, argue for a reform policy that includes amnesty for all illegal residents currently in the U.S. They feel everyone should be entitled to the same rights and opportunities regardless of legal status.

 Works Cited

Nadadur, Ramanujan. “Illegal Immigration: A Positive Economic Contribution to the United States.” Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies.  July 2009. EBSCOhost. Tarrant County Coll. Lib., Fort Worth, TX. Web. October 14, 2010. <http://www.ebscohost.com>

National Council of La Raza. “Five Facts About Undocumented Workers In The United States.” February 15, 2008. Web. October 14, 2010. <http://www.nclr.org/index.php/publications/five_facts_about_undocumented_workers_in_the_united_states/>

Porter, Eduardo. “Illegal Immigrants Are Bolstering Social Security With Billions” New York Times. April 5, 2005. Web. October 14, 2010. <http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/05/business/05immigration.html?pagewanted=1&_r=3>

                                          (Retrieved from theblogprof)     

     There aren’t many topics that can excite emotions, create controversy, and divide a nation as well as the topic of illegal immigration.   Everyone has an opinion they vehemently defend.  I take a strong stand against it. The influx of illegal immigrants is out of control and needs to come to a screeching halt. Now.  Since our federal government has neglected to take action the burden has fallen upon the states and their people to devise a solution.  However, before we can do that we need to have a clear understanding of what illegal immigration is.

     Legal Dictionary defines an illegal immigrant as “An alien (non-citizen) who has entered the United States without government permission or has stayed beyond the termination date of a visa” (Legal Dictionary).  The debate over illegal immigration dates back to the late 1920’s but we need to look back further into history to find where, and how, it began.  Between 1881 and 1920 over 23 million immigrants entered the U.S. Although they migrated from all over the world most came from eastern Europe. In 1920 Congress passed the Quota Law, restricting the number of immigrants allowed from any one country. In 1924 Congress passed further limitations.  Since most immigrants were eastern Europeans the law didn’t account for northern Europeans or Mexicans. This unrestricted flow of immigration eventually led to illegal immigration. This continued until 1929 with the start of the Great Depression.  Thanks to the lack of welfare, jobs, and stronger visa rules, many illegal immigrants left. Most of these were Mexican. It wasn’t until the early 1940’s when the government began to import foreign workers that illegal immigration again became a problem. In the 1950’s President Eisenhower became concerned about the impact illegal workers had on American wages as well as the corruption that came from companies employing cheap labor.  By the end of the decade 95% of illegal immigrants had been removed from the U.S. This is not the end though. Once again illegal immigration soured in 1965 when Congress passed the Immigration Act. While this was intended to promote legal immigration, illegal immigration rose just as sharply. (Americans for Legal Immigration). This is still the case today.  

     It’s important to remember that the topic of discussion is illegal immigration and does not pertain to those who migrate here legally.  Also, it’s important to understand that illegal immigration refers to people of all nationalities and not just Mexicans. Due to the shared border between the U.S. and Mexico there are significantly more Mexicans here illegally. This has led to the misconception of racism.  According to Immigrationcounters.com, out of the estimated 23+ million illegal immigrants in this country today only a little over 588, 000 are not Mexican (Immigrationcounters.com). Because of the outrageously high number of Mexican illegal immigrants the information available is primarily based around them. Regardless, this topic is not about race. It’s about illegal immigration. It’s about right and wrong.

Works Cited

“End Illegal Immigration”. History of Illegal Immigration in U.S. Americans for Legal Immigration. 2008. Web. October 5, 2010. <http://www.endillegalimmigration.com/History_of_Illegal_Immigration_in_US/index.shtml>

Immigrationcounters.com. 2010 Web. October 5, 2010. <http://immigrationcounters.com/>

Legal Dictionary. Illegal Immigration. 2010. Web. October 5, 2010. <http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Illegal+immigration>