Undocumented Aliens - Further Exploitation

by bluesapphire 65 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  XJW4EVR

  To quote Mahatma Ghandi:

  First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.
• 

  Big Tex

  No I didn't mean could you do this as in read the post. Of course I know you can read it. What I meant was, could you comply with these demands?

  I misunderstood. My apologies.

  Well that's a pretty broad question. I mean what are my circumstances? Do I have a family or just me? And why do I want to emigrate to the U.S.? Are there no opportunities where I come from?

  I don't mean to be difficult about answering but with 12 million illegal immigrants there are many, many situations and people (and not all from Latin America). I will say that my wife's grandparents emigrated from Greece. They landed on Ellis Island in 1911 and had a tough road to hoe in a foreign country, speaking a foreign language with no skills, before they finally found their footing and were able to survive. I would like to point out that not every immigrant from back then made it. Many didn't. Many lived in poverty, in abominable conditions, little education for their children, little medical care and so on. But the point I'd like to make is they emigrated legally. I keep emphasizing this because frankly without the rule of law we have anarchy.

  I have a reputation for being something of bleeding heart liberal, but having said that my empathy is dampened somewhat when people pick and choose which laws are convenient to obey and which are not. I would have more interest in general amnesty, which is what I hear you advocating (and please correct me if I am reading you incorrectly), if it had not already been tried 20 years ago and failed.

  Opening the borders is not the solution. America is not a wide open and empty country that it was 100 years ago. There are also dangers to the safety of the citizens (both legal and illegal) currently living here if we threw open the borders. What would stop a certain terrorist organization from coming in to create some more 9/11-type havoc?

  The benefits of the undocumented aliens far outweigh any costs. But it would be political suicide to say this.

  I'd be interested to hear your thoughts as to what benefits (besides cheap labor) undocumented aliens provide the U.S. that would outweigh any cost. That's a pretty broad and emphatic statement. Do you have anything to back it up with?

  It costs $1000 to become a citizen. I am not a citizen but I am a legal resident. Every year the price goes up. All you have to do is fill out the paperwork, pay the fee, take the test and be sworn in. It's the money that gets you in!

  By your own words "all you have to do is ..." Forgive a somewhat naive question then: if that is all an immigrant must do, then what is the excuse for 12 million undocumented people? My wife's grandparents saved up money while they were still in Greece so that they could emigrate to America legally. They were very poor (he was a Greek Orthodox priest and she was a sheperdess) and yet they found a way to do it within the legal system. If all you have to do is fill out some forms, stand in line and pay $1,000 then all the more reason I do not understand your position about the current illegal aliens in this country.

  I understand that conditions where these folks are from is harsh, and there are no jobs. But the same was true in other countries in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and yet people found a way to legally emigrate to America. If they could do it then, why can't 12 million people do it now? Why is it okay for these people to break the law now?

  Our country should be welcoming to immigrants the way it always has been. It was built on the backs of immigrants.

  I don't think any reasonable person in this country has any problem whatsoever with immigrants. But I cannot say this enough, and I cannot say it enough, but the key phrase in this quote above, and in my several posts on this thread is LEGAL. You yourself say above that this country should be welcoming to immigrants. Well we are! You say this country was built on the backs of immigrants. Yes! You're right.

  But I truly believe the problem the vast majority of reasonable people in this country have is the politically incorrect word: illegal. That means they broke the law. In our exchange on this thread, I do not see you addressing this very, very important point. I also do not see you addressing how to handle future illegal aliens. Surely your answer is not to "open the borders". You do realize that is not realistic. If so, please name me one country that allows literally anyone to come and go across its borders without so much as a by-your-leave.

  But that's probably why people don't want to live in Mexico. Regardless, I wouldn't want to say, "Well we can exploit people the way we do because Mexico is worse." Would you?

  Of course not. My point in mentioning that fact is to highlight Mexico's stunning hypocrisy when they wag their finger at the U.S. while turning around and treating illegal immigrants from Central America worse! Mexico loses the moral high ground and comes off as more selfish and uncaring than the U.S.

  Chris
• 

  bluesapphire

  Hey Big Tex. I skipped going to the gym because I started this thread and feel obligated to it. I will answer your questions as soon as possible. I have dinner to get ready and a 4 year old who needs me right now. But I will get back to this okay?

  But for the record, I did not say it only costs $1000 to EMIGRATE HERE LEGALLY. I said it costs that to become a citizen. Only legal residents are elligible to even apply.
• 

  sammielee24

  If all you have to do is fill out some forms, stand in line and pay $1,000 then all the more reason I do not understand your position about the current illegal aliens in this country.

  Hmmmm ....at last count the cost was something like $3,000 by the time you count in paying for blood tests, physicals, shots, filing paperwork, travelling to and fro and more if you get a lawyer. There are people that still have to wait for a year or more to get approved for residency. Of course lets put that figure into perspective - if an illegal immigrant is paying a coyote $3,000 to sneak into the country (get smuggled into the country), then why would they not just do it the legal way and not have to worry about it? Could it be that many know that they don't qualify for residency?

  I do not believe that this country needs illegal aliens to do the work - its just more profitable for the employers - more money in their pocket. Any job that needs a guest worker visa could still get one but that usually comes with a strictly enforced set of rules ie: length of stay, rate of pay, taxes paid and the worker is tracked. A background check would also be done so that those with a criminal past cannot get into the system for the most part.
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  Big Tex

  Hey Big Tex. I skipped going to the gym because I started this thread and feel obligated to it. I will answer your questions as soon as possible. I have dinner to get ready and a 4 year old who needs me right now. But I will get back to this okay?

  Believe me I understand. I had to kick my son off the computer (who was in the middle of a very important Star Trek battle and very worried about when he could continue ).

  No worries, but it might be a while before I can respond too.
• 

  mkr32208

  Britain, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany

  Yeah and all five of those countries could get beat down by the Rhode Island national guard! Please...

  For the record I LOVE canada! I think thats why we should take it...