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/>