Illegal Immigration

[Meshavrischika]

Note the "illegal" part before responding.

What are your feelings on this issue? Is it an issue for countries other than the U.S.? (we're so overdone with it here that we cannot seem to see anyone else's ideas or problems with it)

Do you feel the way it is handled is more related to the race of the immigrant than the actual illegality of it? or do you think it is what it is regardless of race?

I feel as long as the laws are the way they are, these people should be deported for breaking the law, regardless of color, creed, etc. I'm not sure how I feel about changing the law itself.

 

[TexasSky]

There are so many ways and opportunities for legally entering the United States, and entering via breaking the law seems like a very bad start to me.

I feel like we are creating the equivalent of a slave-class when we approve of illegal immigration. The fact that these people are illegal robs them of so many rights, so many opportunities, and puts them in a position of being unable to complain. The people who hire illegals usually take advantage of them.

Like you, I don't know about the law, but I think illegal immigration itself is wrong.

 

[stan1980]

There are so many ways and opportunities for legally entering the United States, and entering via breaking the law seems like a very bad start to me.

I feel like we are creating the equivalent of a slave-class when we approve of illegal immigration. The fact that these people are illegal robs them of so many rights, so many opportunities, and puts them in a position of being unable to complain. The people who hire illegals usually take advantage of them.

Like you, I don't know about the law, but I think illegal immigration itself is wrong.

Actually it is notoriously very difficult to obtain permanent residence in the United States (as well as my own country) without some sort of specialised skill.

Immigration is an issue which comes up a lot in our country. I think most people want to see our borders and immigration laws tightened up, but i'd actually like to see it easier for people to legally work in our country. There is a reason why people want to enter our country, whether it is asylum seeking or for economic reasons, and to deny a person access and a better life in our country seems wrong to me.

 

[Meshavrischika]

Actually it is notoriously very difficult to obtain permanent residence in the United States (as well as my own country) without some sort of specialised skill.

Immigration is an issue which comes up a lot in our country. I think most people want to see our borders and immigration laws tightened up, but i'd actually like to see it easier for people to legally work in our country. There is a reason why people want to enter our country, whether it is asylum seeking or for economic reasons, and to deny a person access and a better life in our country seems wrong to me.

do you think someone coming in has the potential to diminish the life lived by citizens (serious question)

 

[The Nihilist]

The issue makes me uncomfortable. I don't think illegal immigration is good because it imports poverty, and because statistically, the children of illegal immigrants tend to do worse, as measured by a variety of different criteria.
That being said, I am not aligned with the current move to secure the borders. I feel like, at some level, this is motivated by feelings of nationalism, which irritates me, and perhaps also racism, which disgusts me.

 

[Meshavrischika]

The issue makes me uncomfortable. I don't think illegal immigration is good because it imports poverty, and because statistically, the children of illegal immigrants tend to do worse, as measured by a variety of different criteria.
That being said, I am not aligned with the current move to secure the borders. I feel like, at some level, this is motivated by feelings of nationalism, which irritates me, and perhaps also racism, which disgusts me.

but say... they were doing busts on the Canadian border.... (generally not considered to be part of the racist type activity)... would you support the idea then? or is it still rather distasteful?

 

[stan1980]

do you think someone coming in has the potential to diminish the life lived by citizens (serious question)

Yes, but i also believe someone coming in can improve the life of current citizens. If every immigrant in the UK was thrown out overnight the country would grind to a stand still.

The truth is, we have a lot of immigrants who come in (both legally and illegally) who do manual labour and what we consider poorly paid jobs that the unemployed bums of our nation aren't prepared to do. It's normally these very same people on benefits who are the first to complain about immigrants "taking their jobs", when the truth is anyone who wants a job in the UK can quite easily get one in my opinion.

 

[Meshavrischika]

Yes, but i also believe someone coming in can improve the life of current citizens. If every immigrant in the UK was thrown out overnight the country would grind to a stand still.

The truth is, we have a lot of immigrants who come in (both legally and illegally) who do manual labour and what we consider poorly paid jobs that the unemployed bums of our nation aren't prepared to do. It's normally these very same people on benefits who are the first to complain about immigrants "taking their jobs", when the truth is anyone who wants a job in the UK can quite easily get one in my opinion.

that's the argument here as well but personally I know first hand this "taking their jobs" can be quite true. day laborers take working class jobs and pretty much make the equivalent of the guys working construction here legally. it's really a hardship on some. I still don't know if that is enough to keep the law from being unfair...

 

[Deadbolt]

Well, I think the nation of Mexico is a very bad neighbor in that they don't seem to be doing their part to stem this problem. (And Mexico really is the heart of this matter, We don't anywhere near such a problem with Canada) I think it's by and large the fault of companies who hire the illegals for cheaper wages than they pay citizens. Furthermore, these people seem to have no problem obtaining state benefits while they're here (As if we didn't have enough of our own system sucking derelicts) Or driver's licenses and cars (But no insurance, like, you know is the law.)
And if that were not enough, they are extremely rude. Don't believe me? Example: If I were to go to a foreign country in which English is not the dominant spoken language, to live and work, I would at least make some effort to learn the language of that country to at least a basic proficiency. At my work I've met people from Europe who've done just this, even if they don't speak English very well you can tell they've made an effort to learn it (Sometimes it seems they've done this for the very purpose of their trip to the states)...But then, Europeans are very polite in general. I've yet to meet one who was rude...hell, I can't even think of one I've met who even came off as unpleasant.
By stark contrast, many Mexicans I've met at work act as if they expect me to be fluent in THEIR language in MY country. If this is not the hight of rudeness, then i am sorely pressed to find what is.
And go calling me out as a racist either, I am specifically speaking about Mexicans in particular. The few El Salvadorians I've met have been legal immigrants who speak at passable English and employed at higher than minimum wage.

 

[Meshavrischika]

Well, I think the nation of Mexico is a very bad neighbor in that they don't seem to be doing their part to stem this problem. (And Mexico really is the heart of this matter, We don't anywhere near such a problem with Canada) I think it's by and large the fault of companies who hire the illegals for cheaper wages than they pay citizens. Furthermore, these people seem to have no problem obtaining state benefits while they're here (As if we didn't have enough of our own system sucking derelicts) Or driver's licenses and cars (But no insurance, like, you know is the law.)
And if that were not enough, they are extremely rude. Don't believe me? Example: If I were to go to a foreign country in which English is not the dominant spoken language, to live and work, I would at least make some effort to learn the language of that country to at least a basic proficiency. At my work I've met people from Europe who've done just this, even if they don't speak English very well you can tell they've made an effort to learn it (Sometimes it seems they've done this for the very purpose of their trip to the states)...But then, Europeans are very polite in general. I've yet to meet one who was rude...hell, I can't even think of one I've met who even came off as unpleasant.
By stark contrast, many Mexicans I've met at work act as if they expect me to be fluent in THEIR language in MY country. If this is not the hight of rudeness, then i am sorely pressed to find what is.
And go calling me out as a racist either, I am specifically speaking about Mexicans in particular. The few El Salvadorians I've met have been legal immigrants who speak at passable English and employed at higher than minimum wage.

i know. it was just an example to remove the "race aspect" from the idea...

 

[TexasSky]

Actually it is notoriously very difficult to obtain permanent residence in the United States (as well as my own country) without some sort of specialised skill.

Immigration is an issue which comes up a lot in our country. I think most people want to see our borders and immigration laws tightened up, but i'd actually like to see it easier for people to legally work in our country. There is a reason why people want to enter our country, whether it is asylum seeking or for economic reasons, and to deny a person access and a better life in our country seems wrong to me.

I'm not sure I agree with you about Green Cards. It can be confusing, but I don't know if it is that difficult.

I know that getting a student Visa, an H-1B or H-2B work visia is not difficult. The problem is the ceiling cap on them. I think it is about 65,000 per year, with a maximum stay of 6 years. However, if you've been here 6 years, and your company is willing to sponsor you, you can go for a green card.

I don't necessarily consider Wikipedia a great source of data, but they say that the United States accepts more legal immigrants as permanent residents than any other country in the world, with 37.5 Million immigrants in 2006. That's a LOT of people.

 

[TexasSky]

The issue makes me uncomfortable. I don't think illegal immigration is good because it imports poverty, and because statistically, the children of illegal immigrants tend to do worse, as measured by a variety of different criteria.
That being said, I am not aligned with the current move to secure the borders. I feel like, at some level, this is motivated by feelings of nationalism, which irritates me, and perhaps also racism, which disgusts me.

I can agree with your feelings on this.

 

[keith99]

Actually it is notoriously very difficult to obtain permanent residence in the United States (as well as my own country) without some sort of specialised skill.

Immigration is an issue which comes up a lot in our country. I think most people want to see our borders and immigration laws tightened up, but i'd actually like to see it easier for people to legally work in our country. There is a reason why people want to enter our country, whether it is asylum seeking or for economic reasons, and to deny a person access and a better life in our country seems wrong to me.

Don't know abotu England, but my only disagreement is what is implied in "without some sort of specialised skill". Even with special, needed skills it is notoriously difficult in the States.

 

[stan1980]

Don't know abotu England, but my only disagreement is what is implied in "without some sort of specialised skill". Even with special, needed skills it is notoriously difficult in the States.

That's probably true here as well.

 

[The Nihilist]

but say... they were doing busts on the Canadian border.... (generally not considered to be part of the racist type activity)... would you support the idea then? or is it still rather distasteful?

Now, that wouldn't bother me at all. Isn't it interesting, though, that no one is talking about building a wall along the Canadian border? Sounds to me like it's about letting the right color people in, rather than only letting people in legally.

 

[allhart]

Now, that wouldn't bother me at all. Isn't it interesting, though, that no one is talking about building a wall along the Canadian border? Sounds to me like it's about letting the right color people in, rather than only letting people in legally.

No, its is just more apparent.

 

[Bombila]

Very few countries make it easy to immigrate. To enter Canada as a landed immigrant, or even on a work visa, you either have to have a skill set that Canada has a shortage of, or a great deal of money and/or a plan to start a business. Advanced education helps.

We have a much smaller number of illegal immigrants, because it's fairly difficult to get here - you either come through the US or cross an ocean. Illegal immigration exists here as a problem, but on a much smaller scale than in the US or Britain.

Though we seem to be attracting a lot more Americans lately - last time that happened was during the Viet Nam war.

 

[xXThePrimeDirectiveXx]

Something needs to be done, but it should be done in a spirit of genuine concern and not racism. There seems to be a big undertone with that among some.

Let us also remember that we are the inheritors of people who took the land from Native Americans not too long ago, and we should bear that in mind when striking a hardline against those who enter this country illegally. To not do so would be a tad bit hypocritical.

And the whole breaking the law thing, most us break the law in some form or fashion everyday, be it speeding, downloading illegal mp3s and movies, and whatever else our private infractions may be.

 

[AmericanChristian91]

Note the "illegal" part before responding.

What are your feelings on this issue? Is it an issue for countries other than the U.S.? (we're so overdone with it here that we cannot seem to see anyone else's ideas or problems with it)

Do you feel the way it is handled is more related to the race of the immigrant than the actual illegality of it? or do you think it is what it is regardless of race?

I feel as long as the laws are the way they are, these people should be deported for breaking the law, regardless of color, creed, etc. I'm not sure how I feel about changing the law itself.

Im against Illegal Immigration to.

What i hate is when the Pro-Illegal Immigration forces always pull the race card on a Anti-Illegal Immigration person. I have heard many times Anti-Illegal Immigration person being called Racist.

IT DOES NOT HAVE TO DO WITH RACE.

I dont care if the Illegal Alien is Black,White,Asian, Hispanic, or Indian. It does not matter. I will treat them the same.

The Illegal Aliens are a drain to the economy. They cause the Tax payers (which im not one since im not old enough) to pay more taxes. I heard by 2050 there will be a 60 MILLION INCREASE IN POPULATION in California. And i heard one of the reason is Illegal Immigration.

"Next thing im going to say has to do with Race and may sound Racist but its not"

Its a given fact that Hispanics have more babies then other Races. So when an Illegal Alien comes to America many of the times they have kids. The sites i was reading which was talking about this said that the main race that is going to populate the fastest in California are Hispanics. And each site i read about this said something about Caucasians being the minority race in California and Hispanics being the majority Race in California by 2050.

So Illegal Immigration is a drain to the economy because since they cause the Population to increase at a faster rate then usual. This will cause us to have to build bigger cities which has to be paid by the money of the Tax Payers US Citizens. Now in the later part of the 19th Century we had a lot of Immigrants coming over here. Most were LEGAL IMMIGRANTS. Because of this a lot of them were living in slums so America had to expand there cities. Now Legal Immigration has dwindled but now we also have to deal with Illegal Immigration. Illegal Immigration is unfair. Im for Legal Immigration and what Illegals are doing are cutting in line of the Legal Immigrants who are obeying the laws. Illegal Aliens bring Poverty to America.

Now an argument of Pro-Illegal Immigration is that the Illegal Aliens have families and are just trying to support them. That may be true but that is not excuse to break the law. They are leeching off of our Health Care to

Example: By saying its ok for a person to break the law because they have families to support is NOT rational thinking. By saying this we should not lock up Drug dealers who are selling Illegal Drugs to get money for there family. Or maybe we should not punish a poor man stealing from a store because he had a family to feed. A Law is a law. Laws are meant to be Enforced. Illegals also try to avoid government Authorities (like cops and Border Patrol agents). Another sign that they know they are breaking the law and that they are criminals. A criminal who has a family should be treated the same as other criminals who don't have a family. The Illegals and there supporters are using Emotion as a tool for there side.

 

[The Nihilist]

Oh, to be 16 and know everything again.