5 facts about illegal immigration in the U.S.
The number of unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. has stabilized in recent years after decades of rapid growth. But the origin countries of unauthorized immigrants have shifted, with the number from Mexico declining since 2009 and the number from elsewhere rising, according to the latest Pew Research Center estimates.
Here are five facts about the unauthorized immigrant population in the U.S.
1There were 11.1 million unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. in 2014, a total unchanged from 2009 and accounting for 3.5% of the nation’s population. The number of unauthorized immigrants peaked in 2007 at 12.2 million, when this group was 4% of the U.S. population.
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The U.S. civilian workforce included 8 million unauthorized immigrants in 2014, accounting for 5% of those who were working or were unemployed and looking for work, according to new Pew Research Center estimates. The number was unchanged from 2009 and down slightly from 8.2 million in 2007. The share of unauthorized immigrants in the civilian labor force was down slightly from 2009 (5.2%) and 2007 (5.4%). Compared with their 5% share of the civilian workforce overall, unauthorized immigrants are overrepresented in farming occupations (26%) and construction occupations (15%). In all industries and occupations, though, they are outnumbered by U.S.-born workers.
3Mexicans made up 52% of all unauthorized immigrants in 2014, though their numbers had been declining in recent years. There were 5.8 million Mexican unauthorized immigrants living in the U.S. that year, down from 6.4 million in 2009, according to the latest Pew Research Center estimates. Meanwhile, the number of unauthorized immigrants from nations other than Mexico grew by 325,000 since 2009, to an estimated 5.3 million in 2014. Populations went up most for unauthorized immigrants from Asia and Central America, but the number also ticked up for those from sub-Saharan Africa. Increases in the number of unauthorized immigrants from other countries mostly offset the decline in the number from Mexico.
4Six states accounted for 59% of unauthorized immigrants in 2014: California, Texas, Florida, New York, New Jersey and Illinois. But some state populations had changed since 2009, despite the stable trend at the national level. From 2009 to 2014, the unauthorized immigrant population decreased in seven states: Alabama, California, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Nevada and South Carolina. In all of them, the decline was due to a decrease in unauthorized immigrants from Mexico. In six states, the unauthorized immigrant population rose over the same time period: Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington. In all of these but Louisiana, the increases were due to growth in unauthorized immigrant populations from nations other than Mexico. In Louisiana, it was an increase in Mexican unauthorized immigrants that drove the overall increase in the number of unauthorized immigrants.
5A rising share of unauthorized immigrants have lived in the U.S. for at least a decade. About two-thirds (66%) of adults in 2014 had been in the U.S. at least that long, compared with 41% in 2005. A declining share of unauthorized immigrants have lived in the U.S. for less than five years – 14% of adults in 2014, compared with 31% in 2005. In 2014, unauthorized immigrant adults had lived in the U.S. for a median of 13.6 years, meaning that half had been in the country at least that long. Only 7% of Mexican unauthorized immigrants had been in the U.S. for less than five years in 2014, compared with 22% of those from all other countries.
To learn more: Explore unauthorized immigrant population trends for states, birth countries and regions, and see an interactive map and detailed table showing our latest estimates of the unauthorized immigrant population by state.
Note: This post was originally published on Nov. 18, 2014, and has been updated.
Topics: Hispanic/Latino Demographics, Immigration, Immigration Trends, Migration, Unauthorized Immigration
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Jens Manuel Krogstad is a writer/editor focusing on Hispanics, immigration and demographics at Pew Research Center.
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Jeffrey S. Passel is Senior Demographer at Pew Research Center.
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D’Vera Cohn is a senior writer/editor focusing on immigration and demographics at Pew Research Center.
Anonymous • 4 weeks ago
good details it really help me understand
Anonymous • 4 weeks ago
I don’t see how 3.5% is a problem.
I also don’t see how 5% in the workforce or looking for work is a problem.
Comparing the opportunity cost – lost taxes, expenses of education and healthcare, of the 3.5% population or 5% of the workforce population to the Federal budgetary cost of fighting against illegal immigration and immigrants.
$7,838,700,000 is the estimated cost of law enforcement dealing with illegal immigration (from fairus.org a very anti-immigration, biased group).
Public education is not a huge problem, since
1. Income taxes paid by individuals: $1.48 trillion, or 47% of all tax revenues.
2. Payroll taxes paid jointly by workers and employers: $1.07 trillion, 34% of all tax revenues.
3. Corporate income taxes paid by businesses: $341.7 billion, or 11% of all tax revenues.
Working Americans: 157,833,000 (49% of the US pop.)
Divide $1,480,000,000,000 by 157,833,000 is $9,476.
That’s the average payment of an employee for Federal income taxes. 5% or 8,000,000 x $8,476 = $75,808,000,000. ($9,476 is a lot to pay for taxes, I would assume a non-English speaking new citizen would earn enough to pay that much in Federal taxes.)
However, we can assume illegal immigrants are paying payroll taxes, unless its under the table, and then we would have to take into account citizens who are paid under the table might be a similar number, since the payor under the table is most likely a citizen and would pay anyone under the table who took the same job.
Public education and emergency services are paid through property taxes, and an illegal immigrant is either renting or if an owner, property taxes will be paid.
Illegal immigrants pay sales tax, and gas tax, and cigarette tax, etc, on goods.
Healthcare is probably a large cost. However, it is not clear if the cost of healthcare to an illegal immigrant is a cost to citizens. Hospitals around the country report that they only collect 45 cents on every dollar owed – by everyone treated. (The Advisory Board.) Patients not paying their medical bills at a hospital is not an uncommon occurrence in America. 80% of $52M = $41,000,000 is an estimate for North Carolina of the cost charged to Emergency Medicare/Medicaid for pregnant women’s childbirth costs, it is not clear the percentage of those are illegal immigrants. (jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fu…) . However, most Medicare is paid by payroll deductions, which money is collected from illegal immigrants. Other losses to a hospital are uncollected bills, and almost impossible to calculate, since so many citizens do not pay their hospital bills.
$75,808 billion lost to income tax vs $7,838,700,000 cost in law enforcement.
If we make illegal immigrants legal, and not pay so much in law enforcement we could earn $82billion in Federal income a year. Put that towards the Federal debt.
So, making illegal immigrants legal, so that they pay Federal income tax would be great!
Anonymous • 4 weeks ago
hey everyone stop it it is ok if many people come from a different country
Anonymous • 4 weeks ago
Yes it is ok, but you must do it LEGALLY, LEGALLY. Trump is NOT anti immigration hes anti ILLEGAL immigration
Anonymous • 4 weeks ago
I agree with you. Illegal immigration is different from immigration.
Subtle Hyperbole • 4 weeks ago
Yes. Immigration should be done through legal channels. And yes, there are people who are doing so but not through those legal channels. That however is a gigantic non-issue when you actually look at the data–meaning building a huge wall on our southern border is an asinine solution to a problem that isn’t actually a problem.
I heard this conservative republican speaking recently and he was bemoaning this issue’s effect on his party. He said that while the liberals on the left have always been sure to be “politically correct”, theres a new phenomenon on the right where republican politicians must always be speaking “patriotically correct.” — In other words: Yes, in actuality, illegal immigration isn’t a real problem in this country (at its current levels it in fact aids the economy), but god forbid, you can’t say such a thing out loud. Any republican politician worth his salt wouldn’t dare utter such a crass thing in public, why its a straight up faux pas on par with farting in public. To go anywhere in this new republican party you must always maintain firm patriotic correctness–and that means pointing at immigrants (of all types, if we are really being honest with ourselves) and saying “Them! Those people are the problem!”
Pedro Miguel Carrascalao • 4 weeks ago
I am not a US Citizen, I go to the US any time I wish and never over stay. I understand their Immigration laws and its quite clear. Can any one tell me which country in this world that do not deport ANYONE overstaying their VISA.. almost any country that I know off charge over $20 per day over stay.. Let’s say even If I went to the US for a purpose to have my child born there, The law does consider my child as an American but I still have to go through the Immigration process if I want to be an American Citizen. IT’S NOT COMPLICATED PROCESS. You want to live and work or even acquire a green card in The US then go to your nearest US Embassy and apply for a visa.. Stop being a rebel violating someone’s country legal system and then crying for your rights which you dont have. Just follow the rules. In my life time I have been, Rich, Poor, Refugee, gone through at least 2 wars and I still dont break the law of any country. They have rules and you just follow them, as simple as that. People who dont earn a reasonable income any where in the world is because they are too lazy. The united states of America will not deport recognized legal US citizen that have migrated there, they are simply wanting to deport those that dont even care to follow the rules and overstay their visa and that is even if they enter with a VISA.. Universal law is anybody will be deported to their country of origin and this applies to all countries.. Can some tell me if I go to Mexico as an example and overstay my visa.. What would happen to me?.. Not Mexican citizenship for sure…
Anonymous • 4 weeks ago
Here is where you are wrong and the rest of your comments are void:
“IT’S NOT COMPLICATED PROCESS. You want to live and work or even acquire a green card in The US then go to your nearest US Embassy and apply for a visa..”
For the majority of those illegal honest workers, even the though of spending $150 us dollars back in their countries on an US consulate to apply for a visa means something extremely unreachable financially, plus they get laughed at their faces (previous cashing to secure the $150) for not being able to show ties like properties to their names, family, business and work with crazy salaries no one there has.
Green cards are not available via an application fee and pick up on window 7 either.
You need to either get married to a Us citizen or go through years of visas and burocracy via a previous very long, also burocratic process via an employer in the US requesting your brilliant precence in the country.
The people refered as illegals, are mostly working class, uneducated (not by will), without previous economic resources in their corrupt countries just trying to escape HUNGER and violence to provide for their families.
They do not enjoy the pleasure of just “going trhough the easy application process” like you say.
Not saying what they do is right or wrong.. Just explaining the reality going on.
Anonymous • 4 weeks ago
That does not make Pedro’s comments void. You cannot make an educated statement because you do not like or agree with someones statement. Your statement is filled with strong opinion, small facts and surface info. He is speaking as a prime example. Immigrants can come to the states but they must go by the rules. Countries with no borders fail.
Anonymous • 4 weeks ago
If Mexico doesn’t accept its citizens back, how can US deport the illegals across the border? There would be a standstill at the crossing.
Anonymous • 1 month ago
The problem with poorly-run countries all over the world is that, only the citizens who manage to do well apply for immigration. If they succeed it generally means that those who have acquired prosperity, education and therefore the potential to improve their country, bail out on their country. The poor and disenfranchised are left behind to suffer under the current despot, or corruption, or mismanagement, with not the wherewithal to affect change. In some ways immigration, especially from third world countries, is bad for the world.
Anonymous • 1 month ago
By the way alot of immigrants do pay taxes and a lot of them do not want a free ride. Instead most just want better oppurutnities and by the way lets not forget that America is made of out many and citizen or not citizen we all make this country, and lets not be hypocrites America was build and was colonized by foreigners. Just becuase immigrants come here illegally does not mean that all are criminals. We tend to blame other ethnicities for all the bad things happening in our country but let’s not forget that crimes are also commited by Americans.
Anonymous • 1 month ago
Thank you for a thoughtful and scholarly examination of this important issue. I have some questions: 1. Do we treat all illegal immigrants as though they all have the same goals and desires like paying taxes and staying permanently?
2. All people belong somewhere and belong to some country. Mexican illegal immigrants are citizens of Mexico, right? So shouldn’t we Americans work with Mexico to fix whatever makes their citizens break the laws of America, risk desert crossing and endure hardship?
3. One person in three living on planet earth carries a tuberculosis bacillus in their body. As a doctor, I think all immigrants need health screening for their sake and for the health of America. This is just common sense.
Thanks,
Dr. Ed Vivian
Anonymous • 4 weeks ago
to Dr. Ed Vivian
1) I dont have an opinion for this point, I dont have enough information on this area.
2) This point is complicated, actually both countries are benefited from the illegal immigration, illegal inmigrants send money back to their families on mexico, a big part of mexico total income comes from this money, on the other part, the US gets cheap workers, specially the food industry, some say that without these workers, the food on the US will at least double its price, it not even more, since food its a cornerstone in economy, a domino effect will happen in the rest of economic sectors. Since its politically incorrect to accept this truth, both countries prefer to be vague and never release complete information of the issue.
Conspiracy theories say that the poverty and bad education in mexico was orchestrated between Mexico and US goverment, poor and uneducated people in mexico grants really cheap workers for the US, and makes mexico citizens easier to be manipulated by mexico goverment.
Paul Schwartzmeyer • 2 months ago
The whole argument for immigration is absurd. The US spends a fortune monitoring checkpoints at airports and highway crossings. I was once held for 2 hours at a passport station on the US Canada border near Buffalo.
What is the point in maintaining border checkpoints if there’s no border? The fact that this issue doesn’t even come up shows that immigration isn’t an issue in America it’s just another idiotic voter drive masquerading as an issue. People just want to fight. maybe Clinton and Trump could just mud wrestle and save us the bother.
Anonymous • 3 months ago
I worked for 42 years and paid taxes but when I applied for food stamps for me and my grnd dtr I was denied. The US is so busy supporting illegal immigrants, the country denies many tax payers’ programs they should be allowed to participate in when they need them. I firmly believe in helping those who need HELP but I don’t think we should support them indefinitely.
Anonymous • 2 months ago
I think that is one of the greatest misunderstandings between the parties. Most Democrats don’t want to “encourage” immigration or give them a “free ride” as many people often claim. Democrats also want secure borders (though a giant wall is a pretty ridiculous “solution” since recently the number of illegal immigrants in the county has actually been decreasing… plus construction of a fence was already started after Clinton voted on and Bush signed the “Safe Fence Act of 2006”, but was eventually abandoned because it was too costly plus they found that immigrants were just finding “other ways” to get in the country). The reason Democrats often push to legalize law-abiding immigrants living in the country is not because they want to “fill the country with immigrants”, but rather because they figure if those people are going to be living here anyway (in secret)… they might as well have to pay taxes too.
Anonymous • 4 weeks ago
Illegal immigrants are not eligible for food stamps, only citizens. if you see an illegal immigrant with food stamps is because they have citizen American children who are eligible, those food stamps are for the children not the undocumented parent. many undocumented people make less than the minimum wage so it can be really hard to raise children and therefore the children need food stamps. Also food stamps are based on need, you worked 42 yrs, so they think you don’t need them, same happens with FAFSA, etc (yes, that sucks) . In addition most undocumented immigrants do pay taxes, yes income taxes too; despite them knowing that they won’t receive any help back. For more information I suggest reading: The taxation of undocumented immigrants by Lipman, Francine J. an scholarly Journal article. Have a good day 🙂
Anonymous • 3 months ago
Why haven’t you updated your Illegal immigrant numbers since 2014. I believe your numbers are understated for today’s immigration environment?
Anonymous • 3 months ago
i guess…. we are going to start considering building a wall all around the continental USA… half reason for the Mexicans and the other half for the rest of the world…. by the way Anonymous… the “liberties that were hard won” that you refer to… were not “won” were taken from the Native Americans… also… people that cannot show proper documentation… do not qualify for “free” medical care… wow!
Anonymous • 3 months ago
Switzerland has a first generation immigrant population of 20% of it’s total. The difference is that they are vetted thoughout the visa and landed, residential process. Another difference is that the whole system is Swiss- administered.
Anonymous • 6 months ago
If they robbed a bank or assaulted your neighbor wouldn’t you want them arrested? This is the same thing. They are breaking the law. If they are so bad off in Mexico why don’t they become part of the solution in their country? Our and liberties were hard won, they can fight for what’s right in Mexico. I believe most of them don’t want to be a citizen of the USA. They want to get here, get a job, send money back ho e, have free medical care and have babies cause we as taxpayers pick up the tab. A few years ago there were 11 school system employees as translates and 2 employees to help autistic children. We are falling over ourselves to accommodate every need for illegal immigrants, how about taking care of natural born citizens first and stop giving citizenship away so cheaply. Our ancestors didn’t make our country great for it to become a blue light special.
Anonymous • 3 months ago
Anonymous, your post illustrates just how uninformed you really are. The fact that you would compare robbing a back or assault with being an illegal alien is indicative of someone who knows so little about the legal system. Illegal immigration is a civil offense, not a criminal one. Illegal immigrants are not criminals, just as people who jaywalk are not criminals. This is not me telling you this… this is the law. Did you also know that almost half (about 45%) of these people who you are comparing to bank robbers and thugs (sounds like you might be running for president) actually entered the country legally and then let their visas expire? Many of these people are students in colleges or family members of U.S. citizens.
Finally, I must respond to your ignorant comment about how “our liberties were hard won…” Do you realize how ridiculous this sounds? Who fought for liberty? The answer is immigrants. You are either an immigrant or the ancestor of immigrants. You did not fight for liberty. You did not “earn” the right to live in the U.S. You are simply lucky. You were lucky enough to be born in U.S. and now you are acting like you did something to deserve it. Please, take some history classes and stay away from your favorite cable news show.
Anonymous • 3 months ago
Just because you are the ancestor of an immigrant does not make illegal immigration any better. We do have problems with criminal illegal aliens in this country and many do take jobs and healthcare and send money back home to their home countries. I know this from living in such a community. I see it all of the time. What happened or didn’t happen over 200 or so years ago has no bearing on today. We are going to fall as a nation if we don’t put a stop to this problem. It isn’t racism but common sense.
Anonymous • 3 months ago
I fully agree but there are ways to put a check on this problem. All people should be held to the same standards. I resent the fact that some people are pitching a fit because states are requiring a picture ID in order to vote. I don’t understand what all the hoopla in about. Many Mexicans say it is racists. I beg to differ. I’m 70 years old and live in Louisiana and have had to show a picture ID for as long as I can remember. BIG DEAL!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anonymous • 2 months ago
I’m a natural-born US citizen. Showing a picture ID isn’t a problem for me either, but it IS for a lot of other folks – and it’s wrong to deny all those people the right to vote by creating that extra difficulty and expense.
A photo ID is now required in WI – either a driver’s license or a state ID. Both are gotten from the state DMV and, the driver’s license is $30+ State ID is free IF you state that it’s for voting purposes, but our Governor’s DMV head originally instructed DMV staff NOT to inform people that it was free if gotten for voting. There was such a outcry that the paperwork now states that it’s free if gotten for voting purposes – and elderly residents can now get one that’s permanent – but it still causes problems for many people:
1. Elderly people in rural areas still have to find a way to get to a DMV office – and in some areas DMV staff are only present for a few hours a month.
2. College students usually have their home/parent’s address on their driver’s license, so they can’t vote if they go to school away from home unless they shell out $ for a new license with their school address – an address that often changes from one year to the next! Most students are going into debt already to be in school. 30+$ for a new driver’s license is essentially a poll tax. Weren’t poll taxes declared illegal by the Supreme Court decades ago?
3. Many poor renters are just one illness or layoff away from being evicted. If they’re struggling to feed their kids, having to pay $30+ for a new license whenever they move is difficult. Many low end jobs are also part time to eliminate the cost of benefits, so poorer people often get by on several part time jobs, making it difficult to find the time to wait for an hour or more in line at the DMV office during daylight hours.
It isn’t a problem for us – but it is for them, and it’s still wrong to take away others rights by causing them difficulty and expense they can ill afford.
Anonymous • 4 weeks ago
For those who think illegal immigrants use healthcare for free, the truth is that many illegal immigrants pay taxes in order for the IRS to not shed light on them and the immigration department wont pay attention to them,
Also for the same purpose, they do not use haltcare if possible (and other services), medical records show inmigration status and they risk to get exposed.
This means that a good amount of money destined for healtcare goes unused by the people who paid it. 2012 studies shows that it becomes a positive income of hundreds of millions of dollars, if you doubt it, research online, you will see that US economy is benefitted from the illegal immigrants in more than 1 way.
gbrick1512 Brickman • 3 months ago
Federal Immigration and Nationality Act
Section 8 USC 1324(a)(1)(A)(iv)(b)(iii)
Some reading when you take a breath.
Anonymous • 3 months ago
yup
Anonymous • 3 months ago
Immigrants are not the only ones who fought for liberty. My ancestors are american indians and they were here first. Although everyone makes mistakes but you also need to check facts.
Anonymous • 4 weeks ago
Actually, your wrong. If a Mexican citizen pays a “coyote” which is Mexican cartel, to illegally enter the USA via human smuggling that is considered against federal laws on several counts. Which is how, many, illegals enter the USA and how the cartels themselves employ more opportunities for drug smuggling, and human trafficking. There is a reason why the USA has immigration laws and thus far we legally allow 1 million immigrants to the USA yearly compared to Canada who legally allows 300,000 a year and has a much stringent system in place for path to citizenship. There needs to be a middle ground for our current issue regarding illegal immigrants who are in the country currently. A Path to citizenship for those who have Proof of paying income tax, no illegal activities or charges against them should be granted a 6 month deadline to file for citizenship. Those that don’t meet the criteria or do not file should be deported. I think that would be A fair solution for the USA ‘s current situation. Going forward the borders need to be tightened and American should mimic Canada’s immigration laws.
Anonymous • 3 months ago
Obviously you didn’t read the article, stop blaming Mexicans of all your problems. Mexicans are just the scape goat of America. Instead of blaming them for everything’s that is wrong, you should be thankful to Mexicans immigrants because they are the ones who feed this country population almost entirely. Besides the article is about the reduction of Illegal immigration from Mexico and the increment of immigration from Central America, India, and other Asian countries.
Anonymous • 1 month ago
All the person above was trying to say is that how can we enforce laws when we don’t act on them. We can’t reward bad behavior. Just because you came into this country illegally (instead of trying to come in legally), you can’t expect to live here for a year without knowing or caring to know how our country works and expect to get rewarded with some type of citizenship to live here. I am a daughter of Mexican immigrants, who have worked their behinds off. They have paid their taxes for 30 plus years, since they entered into this country. Not once has my parents cried out for deserving to have citizenship just because they lived in the United States for some years. They took the proper steps and accommodations to get on the right track to work up to get their citizenships. Recently they have received their citizenship. And not because of their child putting in an application on their behalf. It’s not fair to the illegal immigrants that actual contribute to this country, that other illegal immigrants that recently came into the states to start to cry out for some type of pass for being here. What about the folks like my parents who deserve a chance to be able to get citizenship? Yes this country is made up of immigrants but when do we stop and look at the bigger picture. We cannot reward bad behavior, and if we do we should only try to help out those who are contributing to the success of this country and not the downfall. What do you say to the women that come here that only wants to give birth in this country? They decide to put themselves at risk. No one forces them to come here. Many women travel here 8 or 9 months pregnant hoping that when they cross the border, by lying about their age or due to the open border policy that Obama had did not to long ago and is still going on now, that they give birth here and then plead to have some type of citizenship. Don’t you think that’s selfish of them. The only reason why I say that their selfish is because they are not thinking about their children but about themselves. They should be happy that their children are citizens and be happy that their kids can go and leave whenever they can. But no, they want more. They decide since my children are citizens, then I should be too just because my kids are. That doesn’t make sense. Not only that but what about the unborn babies and young kids safety? It’s not responsible for them to put them at risk. Their only children who have no say so or intelligence to comprehend whats going on. They should think about their safety. Who is to blame if somethings happens to them or their kids? God forbid something happens and they get hurt, killed, raped, kidnapped, and many more scenarios. Don’t you think they should consider those types of things before and not after. I think that people that has been in this country for 10+ years deserves to fight but for the people who have recently entered should not.
Anonymous • 4 weeks ago
Your story is a good one. Really, the money shows that illegal immigrants don’t cost citizens much money. Emergency health care is paid for by Medicaid which is paid for by payroll taxes, and even an illegal immigrant who does not file federal income taxes, will pay payroll taxes through his employer. And education doesn’t cost citizens anything because it is paid by county real estate property taxes, paid by the owner of the house or apartment. So, really the only cost for America from illegal immigrants is the opportunity cost of lost federal and state income tax revenue. That loss outweighs the cost of the $7billion spent on law enforcement. Your parent, by paying their federal and state income tax greatly contributed to their new country and are a welcome addition.
Anonymous • 4 weeks ago
just because every wants cheap produce does not mean the farm laborers feed america in america something is only worth what somebody will pay we import cheap tv’s why not cheap produce
Anonymous • 6 months ago
Unauthorized = entered country illegally
Anonymous • 6 months ago
For the sake of accuracy, that’s not necessarily true. Many “enter” legally, but over stay their visas.
Anonymous • 2 months ago
if you over stay your visa it is still considered illegal to stay. There is a reason and a purpose behind visa’s that being said like most heated topics illegal immigration is definitely a difficult topic with no easy solution and all people should be treated with basic human dignities and rights.
Anonymous • 3 months ago
The secret IRS policy is so damaging to American citizens whose Social Security numbers are surreptitiously used by illegal aliens – 1.2 million fraud victims last year alone – that two whistleblowers came forward to WTHR to reveal the problem. “I love my country,” said one. “That’s why I’m here. It’s a crime. I don’t care what you call it, it’s a crime,” said one, who chose to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation.
Everyone who earns money must file a tax return, even if in the country illegally. The IRS actually issues illegal aliens an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to facilitate tax filing, but one needs a Social Security number to get a job. Thus, tax returns from illegal aliens often have two numbers associated with them, the ITIN and the Social Security Number on the W-2 earnings statement. If they don’t match, that’s a pretty clear indication of identity theft.
But not only does the agency refuse to do anything about it, their policies encourage the practice. The IRS even knows where the perpetrators live and work, since they are filing forms with the information, but refuses to crack down.
WTHR found two victims of identity fraud, singled out by the IRS for under-reporting their income, since the agency received two W-2 forms with the same Social Security number. Legal taxpayers, who have no idea that their Social Security numbers are being used illegally, only report one income. One victim, Albert Allen, lost his family’s health insurance due to the snafu: “I had to go months hoping that my kids didn’t get hurt because they didn’t have the insurance,” he said.
The rub is that the IRS knew all along that Allen was the victim of the identity fraud. Yet the agency chooses to keep victims like him in the dark and protect the criminals. And, they made him file papers to prove that he had no knowledge of the situation, a matter that is still unresolved, since his Social Security number continues to be used by an illegal immigrant – and why not if there’s no penalty?
The IRS calls illegal immigrants who use another’s Social Security number a “borrower,” rather than a thief. The policy manual directive to workers is clear: “Do not disclose to the taxpayer that the Form W-2 containing their Social Security number was reported on an ITIN return.” Allen expressed shock, saying that this “would cause more people to do it.”
When asked if it would be acceptable for an American citizen taxpayer to borrow someone else’s Social Security number, one whistleblower replied: “Hell no. It’s stealing. You’re taking something without that person’s consent.” His colleague said that “every day you see this over and over and over and over again.”
Identity theft by illegal immigrants is rampant and the Obama administration is complicit. Despite constantly complaining about budget restrictions, the IRS holds up applications for tax-exempt status for organizations whose political views the administration opposes, and goes after the under-reported income of individual taxpayers – even for as little as a few dollars in back taxes.
It is unconscionable that the agency encourages illegal immigrants to continue working without authorization, refuses to punish identity thieves and allows citizen taxpayers to be victimized.
Recommended Reading:
White House Report Confirms President Obama’s Executive Actions Will Harm American Workers, Taxpayers
Amnesty: Breaking the Social Security Bank
Anonymous • 6 months ago
Yeah, because the original Yanks ethically and morally took land from the natives.. it was completely legal because they said so but that doesn’t change the reality: Americans complaining about illegal immigration are hypocrites to some degree or another.
Anonymous • 6 months ago
So it’s illegal for me to NOT PAY MY TAXES… But it’s not illegal for illegal immigrants to come into the country and live off of TAX PAID WELFARE…
Seems like a bit of indentured servitude to criminality…
Anonymous • 3 weeks ago
The “natives” as you call them originally came from Asia and genetic testing proves this. Plus, they fought each other for land and resources and there was slavery as well. Every piece of land on the planet has been conquered and re-conquered multiple times. So why are whites the only ones who have to pay for this? Especially since every nation in the Western Hemisphere (Latin America) also took the land from the “natives.” Furthermore, when people come to the U.S.A. seeking a better life, they are taking advantage of the fact that the land was taken away from the “natives” so they too become responsible for the past, if you want to hold the past against them. So your argument is weak.
Anonymous • 6 months ago
Such ignorance…
There is a reason the far right in Sweden (for an example final destination) is trying to close their borders; they don’t want immigrants especially refugees because they have no choice but to then house them. Not only that, once the kids are granted residency they have to grant the close family residency too – by law. Yet they still have a moral obligation to not send people back to the war torn areas. Yes, I know, I know.. Mexico isn’t a war torn country (at least not in that way) but the point remains the same. Perhaps the United States of America should pay attention to other places besides itself.
Incidentally, you might also want to consider the influx of AI since that will take far more jobs than immigrants. You do realise how many people were laid off from Foxconn not too long ago, I hope? 60k lost jobs to machines. One decision, 60k people lost their jobs.This will continue. Yet you whine over immigrants, immigrants that have jobs you most likely wouldn’t want in the first place.
Anonymous • 1 month ago
It’s not that simple and yea some people are just being xenophobic but there are legitimate reasons to reject immigration with “open borders”. I don’t even understand how this is a liberal obsession when the point is to bring in an exploitable workforce since white Americans don’t reproduce enough to restock military and labor needs. This is the Democratic Party’s equivalent of invading Iraq to “bring democracy and save them from tyeanny”. It’s a calculated economic policy to advance the interests of the elite on all political sides, and as the two parties often do, they mask it in rhetoric that sells to bleeding heart types who are just good people trying to do the right thing. Believe it or not, most Republicans are good people trying to do right as well, they just have a totally different reality from consuming different media. But the hearts of most Americans are in the right place I firmly believe.
Charles Cornett • 6 months ago
As the stat’s Show 3.5% of the population are immigrants illegals
William Viteri • 6 months ago
According to the US Bureau of the Census, of the 55 million of Hispanic origin, 35 million were born in the US and 20 million were foreign born of which 11.5 million are illegals and the other 8.5 million are legal residents. Of the 35 million that were born in the US, 4 million are children of illegals. The real percentage is 28% of all Hispanics in the US are here illegally (includes the children of illegals born in the US), 14.5% are legal residents and 57.5% are US born.
Anonymous • 6 months ago
link to it please?
Anonymous • 6 months ago
keep over loading the expressways and rationing water(see California, Utah, Arizona). We will soon be equal to China in having to limit how many children a family can produce
Anonymous • 3 months ago
It’s actually the opposite … large families cause poverty when there is a single parent, when there isn’t a job that supports them.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
How different would the comments be if all the Mexican illegals had blonde hair and blue eyes?
Anonymous • 7 months ago
ahhhhh the race card. Ever look at Mexico’s punishment for Illegal immigration?
Anonymous • 7 months ago
I am of Swedish decent. Are you making reference to me. I happen to like blue eyed people. Have them myself.
Anonymous • 6 months ago
That is the reason why you do not suffer from racism, so please calm down
Anonymous • 6 months ago
it wouldnt really change, i happen to be hispanic but hate illegal immagration. the race card is alive and well abused
Anonymous • 6 months ago
A white Anglo country has every right to favor white Anglo people.
Anonymous • 1 month ago
many hispanics have blond hair and blue yes… also the united states is not a white nation.. there are hispanic countries with more whites per capita than the u.s.
Anonymous • 6 months ago
No different at all
Anonymous • 6 months ago
dont matter if they are pink with purple polka dots. Illegal is Illegal
Anonymous • 7 months ago
Ya nice try.. More like 40,000,000
Anonymous • 7 months ago
this is very interesting
Anonymous • 7 months ago
I think you need to recheck your figures. I live in West Tennessee and the number of illegal aliens has increased, not decreased. I don’t understand why they are not all considered criminals since they are breaking the law by being here illegally. Yet we are supposed to be understanding as they commit additional crimes once they are here as well as take jobs illegally. I do not believe any other country would tolerate this from people entering their countries illegally.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
By using someone else’s SSN, aren’t they by definition committing a pretty big additional crime?
Anonymous • 7 months ago
Why be anonymous.
Anonymous • 6 months ago
Stealing Jobs? they do the job US citizens do not want to do. Why are you so rude? their people just like you who want to give themselves and their family a better opportunity. Just because you live in “West Tennessee” does not mean you are a factual book about how illegal immigration has decreased or increased. If they are not harming you or your family in any way, and too they are helping the USA economy, why call them criminals?
Anonymous • 6 months ago
THANKYOU WELLSAID # Illegals not “unauthorized”!!!
Anonymous • 7 months ago
i am mexican and it is not right what they are doing that is so mess up and they should let the cross over
Anonymous • 7 months ago
I agree, all illegal immigrants should be able to stay the cheap labor is too good to give up.
Anonymous • 6 months ago
I am ok with them taking jobs that require labor, I mean nobody wants those jobs but if they take the jobs Americans want that’s a different story.
Anonymous • 3 months ago
yeah we mexicans will take aztlan. we deport people from central america in mexico though.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
I will ask again, why would the enforcement of our federal immagration laws be an outrage? Is there any other country in the wolrd that would allow foreigners illegally entering their country at anywhere near this scale?
Anonymous • 7 months ago
Yes – the UK. Seems nearly impossible to expel illegal immigrants due to Human Rights legislation. It’s even very difficult to expel convicted criminals as well due to their right ‘to a family life’. Of course we have the ‘legal’ immigration from the European Union as well to contend with.
There are an estimated 8 million foreigners living in the UK – both legally as well as legally out of a population of about 58 million. So the US in comparison has nothing to worry about!
Anonymous • 7 months ago
So,no illegal immigrants have not comitted a crime!
Anonymous • 7 months ago
Illegality is the crime !!!
Anonymous • 7 months ago
America has had an invasion of illegal Mexicans I was 10 years old never had any thing to do with what was going on but I learned that violence and dislike where aimed to our school from a heavily populated Mexican school the school canceled the plans of two schools and I tell you I have many stories to tell this is my country and they are bad so their I said it my great grandparents are not the same never will be and as for the know it all feelings people you split your life with this illegal silent war on our land once again well go back to school and learn how and why we have what the us offers legal citizens because you sound stupid the laws are for reasons I do not hate anybody but I will not let America be taken we have 87percent of jail filled with Mexicans that’s truth I hope your paying your share or are you on aid where most the rest are that’s my thought am I am 58 so seeing is believing good day and godbbless
M Edward Lovett • 7 months ago
Your statements are filled with rage and emotion, yet you say you don’t hate anyone. I grew up in Texas, and I can tell you, if it were not for both the legal and illegal Mexican workers, a tomato would cost more than $4–not per lb, but for ONE TOMATO. Why? Because, without the benefit of illegals working in agriculture, legal workers have to get paid at least the minimum wage. if the % of agricultural workers throughout the SW (Texas, Arizona, California) was more than 2/3 of the work force, everyone would definitely be paying $4 for a tomato and other soft fruits and vegetables.
In Salinas, California, thousands of undocumented immigrants work 10-hour days, six days a week, for little pay picking fruits and vegetables by hand because machinese would damage the delicate crops.
The average undocumented worker makes around $500/mnth for all that labor. It’s been this way for decades, and to disrupt it, to attempt to send all the illegals home, whould not only disrupt the agriculture of several states, but the grocery bill for Joe Middleclass would double.
You here people saying “they are taking our jobs”, yet the fact is, nobody who is legal wants it. There are always jobs available picking fruit and vegetables everywhere you go–it’s not like a citizen wouldn’t get hired; it’s no citizen wants to do the hard labor.
As for Mexicans filling jails, I’ll venture there are more black males in prisons across the country, rather than illegals or Mexicans for that matter. In fact, a 2014 survey sited that 6% of all black males ages 30 to 39 were in prison, compared to 2% of Hispanics.
If you’re going to rant, do so with facts and figures, not just stuff you pulled out of your rear end.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
So I guess slavery was okay? Using your logic, that’s what it would amount to. Slavery was the exploitation of cheap labor for the economic benefit of America and Americans. Let me get this straight. Using your logic it is okay to exploit illegals for cheaper food. Am I wrong? If we sent the illegals back to Mexico, would it be an injustice or would it be ending the exploitation of these poor people getting paid below minimum wage? You can’t have it both ways. Either sending them home is an injustice, or letting them stay to be exploited is an injustice. Which is it? Or perhaps following the law would be a viable option. That way they would not be exploited and I’d be delighted to pay a bit more for food picked in a legal and ethical fashion.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
People who come here wants a better life, they want the “American Dream.” some do it for their family some do it for themselves and it’s not a easy thing to have the american dream every year it gets harder to progress…. that is right a human being haves to fight for some piece of happiness but other people don’t what them to progress… they love to see them suffering and this people keep fight this injustice and they will not stop until they achieve it…. that is the american dream… and please don’t be disrespectful to people who want to progress… remember they are humans too not a “it”.
Anonymous • 3 months ago
Just make it easier for them to come work legally each season, when the season is over they will go back home because who wants to leave family, friends and a way of life behind? By the way I have yet to find a US citizen or an immigrant legal or illegal who’s dream job is to be a dishwasher.
Anonymous • 3 months ago
It’s not the legal immigrants that I have a problem with, it’s the illegal immigrants that I have a problem with. The US supports legal and illegal immigrants yet the people who worked many years cannot use the programs our tax dollars pay for. Unfortunately immigrants have more right that US citizens. Our country prints the citizenship test in over 100 languages. I’m sorry but if you choose to go to another country you need to learn the language of that country or go back to where you came from. I’m not saying to forget about your culture but I believe people are capable of learning 2 languages.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
Inmate Ethnicity
Statistics based on prior month’s data — — Last Updated: Saturday, 23 April 2016
Ethnicity # of Inmates % of Inmates
Hispanic 66,045 33.8%
Non-Hispanic 129,448 66.2%
Copy from federal bureau of prisoners website way to check the facts.
Oscar Moguel O.G. • 7 months ago
You realize Hispanic includes Mexico, Puerto Rico, Guatamala and all the lower parts of central and south America. Not just Mexicans.
Anonymous • 1 month ago
Brazil is not considered hispanic 😉
Anonymous • 7 months ago
I think they should stay in the U.S because they are hard workers and most of them have families in the U.S.A
Anonymous • 7 months ago
Maybe you should try spending some time on “their” soil then. Decide if that’s what you would like “your” comfy home here to be like.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
Everyone works hard. thats not the issue. First off they are felons. Their very first act upon entry into this sovereign nation was to break the law. They did so of their own choosing. No one forced them. Now you wish to forgive them, encouraging even more lawlessness. And its not just the lawlessness we’re discussing here. The surge in new infectious diseases have arrived with many of the new lawbreakers. The list continues of the consequences of the open border policy.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
Anonymous,
I’m a Hispanic myself, but i am legal here in the United States. Also not “all illegal immigrants” are as you say “Felons”. They don’t come here to seek trouble or mishap to the U.S. Although some may, the majority come for a better life than Mexico. Some have families like as said in the first comment, and others come for the “American Dream”. They don’t want crime, yet just a better life here. As Mexico is filled with drugs, guns, violence, and gangs, most people don’t want their families there, yet here. I don’t know of you, but i wouldn’t want my kids to be raised to survive the second they walk off they’re doorstep. They should be free of worries. Sometimes you have to see the other mans struggles to see why they have specific actions in their life. You need to see it from another perspective besides your own.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
The previous poster is saying the moment the immigrant steps foot on US soil illegally they have broken federal law and are FELONS. The previous poster is correct.
Bill Mitchell • 7 months ago
The previous poster is incorrect, unless the illegal alien had been previously deported, entering the US illegally is a misdemeanor not a felony.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
This is true but also if the laws and fees with legalization wasn’t so high then people could afford it. I doubt most of you have ever been to Mexico but there isn’t much in the way of making money over there. Even less so of the American dollar. Their best bet is to run with a drug cartel and endanger everyone they know just to get the money to get our. And some people just don’t have the constitution for that.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
the minute they came into the US illegally they broke the law and yes they are then guilty of a felony
Anonymous • 7 months ago
I don’t mind … since you are willing to pay for all the services they use which I am no longer able to afford!
Anonymous • 7 months ago
Neither of which excuses their being here illegally.
Besides, I heard on NPR the other day that people who have been here illegally for DECADES are “rushing to become citizens so they can vote”…;.
Question is..if the process is SO broken… HOW are they all of a sudden going to be able to navigate it to become citizens within a few months???
Anonymous • 4 weeks ago
You can live in the US legally, without being a US citizen. But, you can’t vote unless you are a citizen. So those who were able to get Citizenship ‘quickly’ may well have been long term legal residents who hadn’t previously taken US citizenship. (My spouse is a ‘resident alien’ non-US citizen. )
Anonymous • 7 months ago
I seriously doubt that the numbers are shrinking. Are illegals leaving by the millions? Not really believable. Its also dishonest of the author to use the soft term “unauthorized immigrants” They are Illegal Immigrants. Period.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
I think people in this nation should consider what their beloved country’s constitution states. Racial, economic, and sexual negative biases don’t count. That is only phenomena. If people believe the U.S. is not about being in reality, then they are stupid.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
That was meant to be for groups of 4 to 5 million.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
The reason people do not know what’s really going on is they do not want to read from other perspectives. You cannot get a clear understanding of what’s really happened or happening unless you read more. Europeans are NOT the answer!!! U.S. economic policies are…and the Germans, etc. aren’t here because they love this nation…It’s just the opposite. I would seriously think about how grateful you are to this country with flattering us with your foolish lip service.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
Unauthorized and Illegal are the same thing. If you trespass in an area your UNAUTHORIZED to be in, your being illegal
Jim Coen • 7 months ago
Illegal, yes. but not a felon.
Faylinn Byrne • 7 months ago
When people talk about illegal immigration, people and politicians are usually talking about people who are coming from Mexico. Therefore, I am surprised that the number is only 49% as I would expect it to be higher. What other countries do the other 51% come from? immigrateus.com/immigration-lawyer
Anonymous • 7 months ago
Same here. I keep hearing about 11 million illegal Mexicans, so “the wall” doesn’t affect so many. I’m still waiting to hear actual numbers about how much crime would be reduced without illegal Mexicans here – it must not be much else it’d have been in the news.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
I’m surprised this country even runs at all with European economics in place.
If U.S. economic policies are not your favorite, please leave.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
a lot come from China surprisingly
Anonymous • 7 months ago
In the so-called USA, it’s perfectly fine for illegal immigrants sneak into our beloved country and destroy our values. Thanks to our lovely government for allowing this illegal activity in, what a joke this fabricated country has become. It is not fair that citizens of the USA has had to follow all rules and pay all dues and taxes. Shame on our government for losing control and for punishing the citizens of the USA.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
without immigrants who will be picking the tomatoes,potatoes,clean sewage,etc the nasty and lazy jobs that americans don’t want to do.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
The ones that get hungry… that’s kinda how it works..
Anonymous • 7 months ago
There are plenty of Americans that do those dirty jobs already. Quit trying to use the Americans are too lazy to do those types of jobs excuse. It’s getting old.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
It is interesting why people with out high paying skills want to come here. With no special skills they are looking at entry level pay, and that will not cover the rising cost of living in the us. Would they not be better off just staying where they are? Their standard of living does not really improve coming here as incomes for entry level or low skilled people here or in their country will only pay for a predefined standard of living, so why bother to come here?
Additionally, it does not make any economic sense to have too many people receiving tax funded assistance that exceeds the taxes they them selves pay in. Eventually the country could have 1/2 of the people taxed quite a bit to support the other half.
Sure, they could get educated to be doctors here, but then why not be doctors there?
Anonymous • 6 months ago
Would you like to be a doctor in a place where drug cartel men could bust into your surgery room at any moment and execute your patient?
Anonymous • 7 months ago
I truly get altho trying to post comments, this site is so Liberal they will all be declined.
Gee, I was under the assumption you mite be fair. As, with much, what’s Dividing and destroying Ametica, you are also a contributing.factor. I would love to know who is actually funding your Web site. However, you have made that abundantly obviius.so very very sad.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
The impression here seems to be that people are entering the country illegally in droves, and I’m pretty sure that isn’t exactly true. Entering the country illegally is dangerous and expensive for the people who do it. The bigger problem is people who enter the country legally with valid temporary visas (student, temporary work, vacation…) then overstay those visas. Those visa’s might be good for a number of years, and during that time, the people who have come here build relationships, get jobs, start families, and otherwise start an entirely new life for themselves. Then when the visa expires, they are asked to leave all of that behind (sometimes for a short period of time before they are allowed to come back, and sometimes an extended period of time before they can come back for short visits). So in a lot of cases, those people choose to stay and take their chances. Imagine someone comes over here to go to college, falls in love and gets their new girlfriend pregnant. The student visa might be good for 5 or more years. So when the visa expires, they have a son or daughter who could be 4 or 5 years old that they are being asked to leave behind as well.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
There are already laws that protect those people which is where the term anchor babies comes from… And why many women try to marry citizens it grants them citizenship… Do your research
Anonymous • 7 months ago
I know illegal immigrants want a better future. The fact that upsets me most, is current politicians, are allowing : them to obtain U.S. I.d. cards, :drivers licenses. : ability to collect Welfare benefits including food stamps.. Of which, because they are here illegally pay no income tax that ultimately pays for all of the above mentioned. My son, a recent college graduate, had some difficulty in CA obtaining an entry level job, it’s cheaper to pay an illegals salary..than a U.S. citizen..altho he was more qualufied. If they should have oppurtunities afforded by Ameticans, they must try for legal status or be deported back to their rightful country of origin.
I didn’t mention; also, that a new survey stated 30% of all felonies handed down the first 3 mo of 2016 were illegal immigrants.
It’s a growing problem that MUST be addressed. With the U.S. economy, only sustaining a mere 2% growth, we have to stop the bleeding of illegals. I don’t mean to sound cruel, at all. If someone had a better solution, why hasn’t it been brought forth.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
Epsilon the way to re enforce the border is fire guns flame throwers burn every thing in the divide make it a free fire zone.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
But it’s nearly impossible to immigrate to US also legally. And I’m European here, not Mexican.
I would love to have a chance to live and work in certain parts of US, but Visa Lottery didn’t help me this year, I’m not a Russian oligarch, who can invest $1M usd to a local business. You also don’t want me to work for your companies, unless I’m Einstein, or willing to make the CEO rich, which getting $7usd/h with 60h work per week.
I don’t have any relatives from US, or actually anybody alive today any more anyway. So I’m totally on my own.
Come and study in US? Get myself a couple of hundred thousand dollars of dept and after finishing studies, bye-bye, you cannot stay in the country. (Also, remember how I said that I don’t have any relatives. So there is NO financial support).
Anybody would like to marry a 29y guy for a green card? Feels like only viable solution left.
What pisses me and a lot of other people off, is that ALL of you are immigrants in US. Since 1492. Did you filled your immigration papers in the Native American immigration office? Or you just killed off those people and settled down?
Anybody born in the country after that is just really lucky. Why don’t we ask the immigration documents from your great grandparents?
Kristov Kris Kristov • 7 months ago
You Brits are the hypocrites. You make it hard for Americans or Australians to immigrate to the UK. Also, stop trying to live the American dream. Just be happy in your own country — the UK.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
We are not hypocrites. Do you homework Kristov; as long as you satisfy certain basic conditions (ie. can support yourself, have no criminal record, know something about the UK) you can come and live here. On the other hand, I can support myself very well, have no criminal record, I speak good English and have driven around most of America and after 6 months I get the bum’s rush for a year. Where is this ‘special relationship’ between our countries I hear bandied about by American presidents over the years. British and American service men have been fighting together at the forefront of every war for the last century, but when it comes down to being able to live in each other’s country, it’s a one way street.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
Sir I would like to say u are immorally wrong and we dont need any more immigrants in our country like Dora
Anonymous • 7 months ago
Native? What natives live in Europe? The problem is and always will be that America is and always will be the greatest country with the best opportunity for success. Maybe we should try making other countries like America? God forbid! That’s the irony of this entire immigration thing, most immigrants want what America has to offer but assimilating has become a problem because of the global anti American movement the progressive/socialist groups drive relentlessly. Why should we continue to let people immigrate when they won’t assimilate?
Anonymous • 4 weeks ago
Good comment. However, the problem with assimilation is not the global anti-America movement, but the American anti-immigrant movement. That is a real occurrence. That is why this comment section is so long, that is why Trump won. The misunderstanding of the illegal immigration effect on America’s jobs and resources is huge. Americans are mad at the situation because the middle class is disappearing. And the real reason the middle class is gone is so complicated to understand, it’s easier to believe when a rich person points to a tangible Mexican and says – he stole your job, and he’s getting free medical treatment. Neither of which are true, but hey, let’s believe the rich person, because we really want to buy what he’s selling. Trump is a good salesperson – he just tells you what you want to hear – just like a snakeoil salesman, or a cult leader – and you give him a vote, that’s easy and doesn’t even cost you anything. I wish I had thought of it years ago. Oh yes, but I value my integrity more than I value popularity.
Follow the money – healthcare is not free to illegal immigrants, emergency medicaid is paid by payroll taxes, and 5 million illegal immigrants are paying payroll taxes. Education is not free for an illegal immigrant, it is paid for by county real property taxes, which are paid by the owner of the house or apartment, and paid by the renter.
GoodGuy TR • 7 months ago
Since 1492, the country has developed tremendously through the blood, sweat, and extraordinary hard work over the generations. People who would like to come to US aren’t interested in taking part in a nation on par with 1492 standards. They want to come participate in the country that has been built. They want the wealth and the opportunity. Just like every other country in the world, immigration needs to be done legally. The immigration history of a country is only minimally relevant, and it’s absurd to claim there is some sort of hypocrisy going on.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
what bout genocide?
Anonymous • 1 month ago
1492 was the spanish colonization of the caribbean.. the british colonization of virginia and new england didn’t happen until a century later lmao……
Anonymous • 7 months ago
We offered the natives something better. Many of them took it. The ones who didn’t were in an armed conflict with us and we won. They were already murdering each other before my ancestors ever came over. I feel no shame whatsoever.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
You are utterly ignorant concerning the history of native Americans
Anonymous • 7 months ago
I diagree.illegal.immigrants come from Mexico daily..If they do obtain I.d., drivers licenses, welfare benefits and food stamps quite easily, all pd for by Ametican Citizens, and our economy has only a 2% growth, they are bleeding money from legal citizens and immigrants. At a rapid rate. My son a college grad, with student loans found companies would rather employ illegal immigrants than a qualified citzen, just to save money for themselves. Are illegal immigrants taking Ametican jobs ABDOLUTLEY..assuming they work, or just bleed America. Either they become legal immigrants, or they should be deported back to country of origin. Not to mention 30% of convicted felons the first 3 mo. In 2016…were illegal immigrants. If anyone had a better solution for a growing problen, why hasn’t it been brought forth to our government. Same government that collects income tax from me????? Infact, I’ll buy metal toed boits, overalls, and help Build The Wall!!!!!
Anonymous • 7 months ago
1492? That’s random. Columbus landed in Central America that year.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
It’s ok that they came over because they essentially modernized the U.S. Although those who are trying to get into the U.S. are probably either fleeing from poverty or something of the sort to try and make a better life for themselves. I should know my father was an illegal immigrant so was one of my uncles and another one still is. Since my father and uncle came here though and supported his family back in Costa Rica both my father and his family have been very happy ever since. So should they do it no. What if they did something to help out the community. I heard it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird. So don’t get mad or pissed off because they are trying to make a better life for themselves. Just think what would you do if you were in their shoes and they were in yours. I think you would be begging to come over and they would just say no or they would feel extremely merciful and say yes common amigo mi casa es tu casa. While we are over here like nahhhh you stay your tan a$$ over there and we go wherever the f**k we want. That is not right they collectively paid 10.6 billion dollars in taxes and received no benefits whatsoever. That isn’t right in any possible way.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
Yeah right, there doing the jobs that we don’t want to do, and they are sending the money that we don’t really need or want in our economy back to Mexico. Come on isn’t that rediculous idealology getting alittle old? there is a lot of jobs that “nobody” wants to do, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t going to, when I was 18 going to collage I was down at the tuna canneries alot of mornings hoping to make a few dollars unloading boats or whatever, the only times any of us got to work was after immigrations made one of their rare sweeps through the docks. And its not just the illegals that are putting the added burden on our social services there is alot of young americans that don’t have experience for a better job that are being denied the jobs at their skill level because of illegal foreigners, and as far as the price of bread being $10 a loaf if it wasn’t for the illegal immagrants is another crook, the only benefit that comes from the use of cheap labor is in the profit margines of the companies that hire the illegals it sure as hell isn’t lower prices to the consumers
Anonymous • 7 months ago
If we were to build a wall it would cost around 30 billion out of taxpayers wallets each year and that price would go up to maintain the wall.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
$5 tax on every money wire transfer that goes to Mexico would pay for the wall and continue to maintain it!!!!!!!!!
Anonymous • 7 months ago
Why spend money on a wall when you could spend money on deportation microchips? Second chance, put them down. Maybe then they’d try things legally. Lol
richard mcphee • 7 months ago
I have made a comment here previously but feel the need to add and quantify some of my own comments.
To start with I have sufficient money to come to the USA and live without any need for any Financial or Medical help from the state.
I used to want to come to the USA to live due to many of my family over there wanting me to come. (They are All White)
Attitudes have changed dramaticly in the USA, mostly due to incorrect spreading of totally untrue statistics.
I’m British… Born 1945.
My father was a US Army Captain.!
I have been trying to get US Citizenship for 53 years “Legally”
and have Failed.
Even though my father has stated that I am his son and Providing
DNA Proof.
US Immigration have an embargo “Against British” people applying
for Citizenship.
What Chance would any of these Poor People have of getting into
the USA Legally.?????
You Truly – Do Not Know what you’re talking about.
I would invite “Any” White Middle Class American to come to Britain
Pose as British and “Try” to get US Citizenship – Legally…..
Anonymous • 7 months ago
You are all Immigrants. Sense 1492 you have all been coming here without green cards
Anonymous • 7 months ago
Interesting article; unfortunately, facts do not trump prejudice.
Ron Polland • 7 months ago
Gimme a freaking break! The 11+ million illegal immigrants has been the same stat quoted for the past 40 years! The true number of illegals – just counting the relatives that the original 11+millon brought in through “Family Reunification Programs” is 34 MILLION!
Deportees come right back into the US after touching Mexican soil. This “touchback amnesty” boosts the recidivism rate to three and four times the number who snuck in the first time.
Trying to figure out how many illegals work here (and “Hell,no!” I am not going to call criminals, “Undocumented immigrants,” because they have gobs of falsified SSN’s & birth certificates just like that fraud in the White House) is an exercise in futility because the companies who hire them off-the-books and pay them under-the-table half of what legal US citizens earn are not going to report them.
“Five facts” my lily white a**!
Anonymous • 7 months ago
More like 30MILLION AND GOING UP……
Anonymous • 8 months ago
Birthright citizenship needs to change. These Mexicans and South Americans are migrants. Migrants are different from immigrants. We need to change our policy to reflect more what Canada and Australia are doing and only take educated immigrants. Build the wall. This country does not need more poor people. We actually have a choice here. Educated immigrants only. Not more low wagers. This is a choice. It’s our country
Anonymous • 8 months ago
A wall isnt going to fix anything. you spend 100 -200 milion dollars building a section, they spend a few nights digging a tunnel. you make it 8 ft high, they find a crane and lift people over (doing this already at the walls in Texas). You build it til it stretches to the ocean, they find a boat or a raft and paddle around it.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
Regardless, A physical barrier between countries works. The miscreants would still be slowed down a few hours to set up a crane, to paddle a boat, to dig a tunnel. These delays will increase the likelihood of getting caught. Ever been to San Diego?(Not just the airport, Gaslamp, SeaWorld or the golf course.) We Need a Physical Barrier at The Southern Border! No Border, No USA. Period! Now is the Time! Build it! Tax ALL Remittances! Make E-Verify Mandatory! Hungary built a border 109 miles long for 106million, They went from 150k+ migrants to 15!
Anonymous • 7 months ago
there is a difference in the US and Hungary though. The refugees just went around the border and into the neighbouring countries and very few wanted to even be in Hungary. In the US, there is no neighbouring country and it is the final destination.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
The us needs to drastically change immigration from uneducated illegals to college educated.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
They are not unauthorized immigrants. They are illegal aliens.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
They aren’t aliens because they are from this planet and they are human to you know. Now just imagine that there was crime and poverty everywhere in the US ( I know this is already happening but imagine it 100x worse). You would want to move somewhere safer and more profitable for you and your family. Now your just beginning to step in there shoes.
Jason Pyktel • 8 months ago
coming here isn’t a solution illegally. coming here legally fixing the applying process and setting appropriate reasonable population limits so not over bloated. also are state isn’t a escape fixing there own is needed. running from problems gets nobody no where in life proven fact
Anonymous • 8 months ago
They’re not called aliens like E.T it’s just the word for any foreign outsider.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
THEN THE ILLEGAL’S SHOULD DO IT THE RIGHT WAY & FILE THE CORRECT PAPER’S & BECOME A U.S. CITIZEN!
Anonymous • 7 months ago
IF they were to do that, they would get deported as soon as they try to get papers. Its not as simple as that.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
It’s the same thing lmao
GoodGuy TR • 7 months ago
Ultimately, if someone is an illegal alien -or if you’d prefer- an undocumented immigrant, they are a foreign citizen. They remain foreign citizens until they become naturalized.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
What about the number of children born to undocumented immigrants who become naturalized citizens? I think that number is more significant these days.
Liu Si Chao • 8 months ago
kids born here are US citizens even if their parents are illegal.
So no, that does not add to the illegal immigrants.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
If you really read the U.S. Constitution then it states if you are born here in order to be a natural born Citizen you must be born to (PARENT’S OF CITIZEN’S) THAT IS PLURAL BOTH PARENT’S! You can be born abroad & not on U.S. soil only if it is under jurisdiction of the U.S. & only of (AGAIN BOTH PARENT’S ARE U.S. CITIZEN’S)! OTHERWISE, WHY WOULD THEY EVEN NEED A NATURAL BORN CLAUSE IN THE U.S. CITIZEN IF EVERYBODY BORN HERE WAS AUTOMATICALLY A U.S. CITIZEN??????????????? WE WOULDN’T!
Anonymous • 7 months ago
So by the logic, George Washington is not an US citizen, GENIUS!. His father died British, before the American revolution. How does it feel to have a Mexican teach you some of your country’s history? You are embarrassing yourself – just admit, it’s nice to kick the little guys and use them as scapegoat. It would simplify this debate and while you would be a bigot, perhaps you won’t sound so stupid.
Anonymous • 1 month ago
Which article and section of the Constitution?
Anonymous • 8 months ago
I would like to know the view of Sanders for illegal immigrants whom are married to US Citizens. My husband is illegal, we have a 9 year old child together and my son (not my husband’s by birth)13 whom is not his. My older sons father does not pay child support, and owes $20,000. Plus in back support. His biological father has a drug addiction problem. The government supports him and his addiction. With no help to me or my older son. My husband and i, whom is illegal have married 8 years. My husband has no criminal background, nor do I. I vote every time Democratic. Please let me, Bernie stance on this issue. Thank you!
Anonymous • 8 months ago
I believe that Bernie Sanders supports the immigration of them and supports an easier path to citizenship. If he becomes president, he plans on addressing the illegal immigrant status by helping the illegals in getting legal status. I was at a rally for him a few days ago in CT. I recommend you voting for him, I’m too young to be able to but we need him to win this presidency.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
Where would he get the money to support these illegal aliens? He already is promising free college. He sure is promising alot…
Anonymous • 7 months ago
And to get all his proposals set..they must first go before congress. I would be very upset, if my tax increase, an over 80% increase as Sanders purposes. .actually passed. .many Americans would be left with one alternative. BANKRUPTCY.
WHICH WOULD THEN bankrupt an already struggling econony..and in return would also affect the world’s economy. In only listening, it sounds great…Please study the actual purposals & then ask yourself, how would it work. Unless we become a socialist state..which would actually cost us so very nuch. Study already existing socialist governments and decide is that where u want to live. Thank you, .
Anonymous • 7 months ago
Sanders is not proposing an 80% tax increase for the average person. I haven’t actually seen that number however. But when he talks about tax increases he’s talking about a monetary tax increase. What that means is you’re only taxed on a certain amount of your money. And it would only apply to those that are making $450,000 a year or more. That’s almost a half a million. We used to have a monetary tax rate of around 90% many moons ago. But even with a monetary rate of 90% on $450,000 that person or couple would only be paying $45,000 in taxes. Now $45,000 is a lot of money for most people. But in relative terms $45,000 for someone who’s making almost a half a million a year is really not that much. The wealthy benefit in many ways because of their buying power. Think about it they don’t pay for checks or money orders at Banks and the list goes on and on and on. And I’m okay with that they’re good customers there and they have a lot of money fine they should get something for their money. But a tax rate of $45,000 when you’re making $450,000 to me sounds very reasonable. I would more than willingly pay that and even more. Whether we like it or not we are all connected
Anonymous • 8 months ago
You’re website is a butt to navigate. You need to condense your comment section.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
You’re means “you are”. The word “your” means “the website that belongs to you”.
Did you miss contraction week in the third grade? And starting a sentence with “you” is an aggressive way to write. Alternately, “I find your website cumbersome or difficult” is a better choice.
Jessica Gizzi • 8 months ago
I went to public school in los angeles and they did not teach us it is aggressive to start a sentence with ‘You’. But I do know the difference between you’re and your. It drives me crazy when people write your when they mean you’re.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
Is the operative word in the graph noted as unauthorized?
If immigration amnesty legislation was furthered the graph line would have a greater negative deflection.
While the information might be accurate, it might also be misleadng
Anonymous • 8 months ago
Thanks this is helpful for my seminar i have tomorrow
Anonymous • 8 months ago
thank you for this article in am writing a essay on this
Anonymous • 8 months ago
I am taking debate this year in my school and I needed the information that your article contains. Thank You very much for this article.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
can pew do some research on the monetary cost it would take to deport all the trump supporters?
Rachael Chaim Otto • 8 months ago
^^^hahahaha^^^
Ry K • 8 months ago
don’t laugh, its a legit question.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
don’t laugh, its a legit question.
Jessica Gizzi • 8 months ago
Sorry for you, but you cannot deport citizens.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
Did you know that the American Government has deported tens of thousands of legal citizens for looking Hispanic during the great depression. Right after asking Mexico to send them to agriculture farms during WWII.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
We are going to build a wall to keep them in. If they can find a job in Mexico they will stay there.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
the problem with that is that building a wall and making Mexico pay for it is not logical. How are we going to do that. How are we going to maintain the wall? There’s already a border fence, but it takes forever to properly care for it. And what about the sections that are on floating sand dunes? These could easily be ruined by building a wall. And finally what about wildlife? There are tons of endangered species of animals around those parts.
Sounds to me like building a wall is wishful thinking but not logical. There are more questions than answers here
Anonymous • 8 months ago
1. Mexico Can pay for the wall. Ever heard the expression nothing is free? Well everything an be charged. We raise tariffs and the price on visas for people coming from Mexico into the country and viola, over time we have a nice cash stack to use to start building. We effectively hold our goods and trade for ransom.
2. There is a current border fence, it was the first installment of the Secure Fence act of 2006. It requires so much maintenance because the idea was for it to be a half measure until the second more secure wall was built beside it. The stronger wall was intended to require less maintenance.
3. Simple engineering fix, deeper and heavier base. It would maintain both the dune AND the wall.
4. The wall already there has already divided the land, any other changes to the current wall or a second wall paralleling would leave a very minimal impact so long as they are only a few feet apart (This is coming from my experience studying Civil/Environmental Engineering at Florida International University. I don’t claim to be an expert but this one is within my scope). Also the fence already built must have met all endangered wildlife laws otherwise it would not have been built due to lack of compliance.
Sources:
Ellyatt, Holly and Hadley Gamble. “Mexico won’t pay a cent for Trump’s ‘stupid wall’.” Consumer News and Business Channel (CNBC). CNBC LLC. 8 Feb. 2016. Web. 25 Mar. 2016.
Jones, Reece. “Why Build a Border Wall?” NACLA. The North American Congress on Latin America. No Publish Date Listed. Web. 24 Mar. 2016
Melvin, Don. “Nations Have Built Walls on Borders for Thousands of Years.” CNN. Cable News Network, 27 Aug. 2015. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
Metzler, Rebekah. “Trump: Mexico will pay for wall because I say so.” Cable News Network (CNN). Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., 5 Aug. 2015. Web. 24 Mar. 2016.
Williams, Raphael. “5 Ways Donald Trump can make Mexico pay for ‘The Wall’ if he’s elected” FOX 11 News. Sinclair Broadcasting Group, INC. 10 Mar. 2016. Web. 25 Mar. 2016
“Secure Fence Act of 2006.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
Anonymous • 8 months ago
Nice!
Anonymous • 8 months ago
We should also apply taxes on the money they make here and attempt to send back to their families in Mexico.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
You do realize we probably import more food and stuff from Mexico then we export to them so withholding goods to them would do nothing. We don’t have anything they need to sell in their country.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
One thing that this article left out, is that not all illegal immigrants are from Mexico. That is one misconception that people make but according to studies, “Mexicans make up about half of all unauthorized immigrants (49%), though their numbers have been declining in recent years.” In conclusion, not all illegal immigrants are Mexican.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
Well they put that as #2 so it looks to me like the included that fact.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
I think this website is perfect for the paper I am writing so thank you!
Anonymous • 8 months ago
Same
Ken Williams • 8 months ago
If the government now changes the way illegals are counted then it changes your research figures. Just like the unemployment number the figures have been manipulated to present the “party” line.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
Yeah, manipulated by the CBO…a non partisan congressional office having nothing to do with the Executive Branch.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
Almost everything governmental is/has been manipulated…..and the public eats it up…
Ember Juno • 8 months ago
No matter what happens, what’s important is that I’m a people’s person and that I’m “tan” enough to reason well with any of them. Trump’s wall shall fall…
Anonymous • 8 months ago
No matter what happens, what’s really important is that I’m a people’s person and that I’m “tan” enough to reason well with them. Trump’s wall shall fall…
Tony Rendoney • 8 months ago
What Pew Research fails to mention is that every year a million (or more) illegal aliens find ways to become US citizens, e.g., marrying a US citizen.
So when they say the number hasn’t changed, its actually going up 10% a year.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
you can get a green card by marrying an American if you’re here on a visa, but if you’re undocumented, it’s extremely unlikely that it’ll work that way. there is NO way for an undocumented immigrant to become a citizen here unless they have American children. the child can petition for their citizenship when they reach 21 years of age, and even that process takes years. otherwise, no.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
There is so many problems in this world, but why are they blaming all these problems on Illegal immigrants? Its not there fault they live in a bad place, and want a better life. Its not fair that they have to sneak into the country just to have a better life and they always have to live in fear of the police. Everyone that hates illegal immigrants, I’m pretty sure if YOU were them you would do the same thing they are doing.
E.D. Bridges • 8 months ago
So you think enforcing our laws and having only legal immigrants or people on work visas is in some way a bad thing? Is there some advantage you see to open borders? I personally see several serious security, economic and medical problems with not knowing who is in our country. In 1954 the U.S. government at the request of the Mexican government sent up to 6 million illegals back to Mexico, the Mexican economy greatly improved after that. Now we have illegals sending over $20 billion/year from our country back to Mexico. Criminals like drug dealers have a huge incentive to do their crimes in the U.S. rather than Mexico for several reasons like our extremely nice prisons, better chances of charges being dropped when caught. We are not only allowing the illegal immigrants to drain our economy but we are large amounts of our wealth directly to Mexico. Unemployment has skyrocketed in the black communities in the U.S. over the past 8 years mostly due to illegals taking the low income jobs that are historically filled by blacks. If you look at the big picture closing the borders and allowing only legal immigration will be a huge boost to both the U.S. and Mexico.
Robin Bolt • 8 months ago
Sadly you can’t reason with people who believe they are above the law… I agree with you, but again… if you object to their illegal activity you know exactly what you’ll be called, lol… You know what % is from Europe or other law abiding Countries? Exactly, so guess who the real racist-bigots are? The people who support these crooks taking money from seniors, veterans and children.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
To add to all of this I would love to see the research showing how many other problems would be fixed by removing the illegals here.
I also would love to see the research showing the totality of the impact removing the problem of illegals would have on our economy.
I think it would correct so many things illegals create a drain on by being here. It would essentially throw our economy into a state were it thrived again.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
its all about the cheap labor all countries do it
Anonymous • 7 months ago
Yeah, let’s remove them all. Then we’ll have 8.1 billion jobs open, and absolutely ZERO “Americans” willing to do all of the terrible but necessary crap jobs that pay less than $4,000 annually. Why would you waste money to find and deport them all, which has been estimated will cost the US half a trillion dollars, when you need them?
Hate to tell you, but massive conglomerate corporations are not going to pay any legal worker minimum wage to take over those jobs. Anyone working legally to oversee illegal workers will all lose their jobs as well, when the corporations outsource their labor forces from cheaper countries. That’s at least 1 million legal “American” jobs that will be lost. Ultimately, that is not likely to cause the economy to “thrive again”…
Anonymous • 7 months ago
How in the world would 8.1 billion jobs become available if there are supposedly only 11 million illegal aliens in the US?
Anonymous • 8 months ago
Hey I have a GREAT idea!!! Why don’t they come into the country LEGALLY like every other race that has migrated here? Then maybe they won’t drive down the wages of people that make their livings doing a skilled trade! Wouldn’t that be great? Maybe you don’t feel the frustration because your career isn’t directly effected by the immigrants flood of illegal immigrants coming here! Quit being so obtuse. Why are you so worried about illegal immigrants and not the livelihood of American citizens? It makes no sense!
Anonymous • 8 months ago
Race? 49% are from Mexico that leaves 51% from other places. So it would seem that there are illegal immigrants of many races.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
When you’re facing extreme poverty, and risking your life everyday, you don’t have time to wait the 10+ years for legal paperwork that costs thousands of dollars.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
So you think it’s ok for anyone who is facing poverty to come on in? Who do you think pays for these people? Citizens like she jobs to them and have their wages depressed, you think that’s ok? We just can’t take care of every poor person in this world, it will destroy our country.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
preach!
Bruce Curtis • 8 months ago
“Nearly 1/2 of the world’s population — more than 3 billion people — live on less than $2.50 a day. More than 1.3 billion live in extreme poverty — less than $1.25 a day.”
Shall we send them all to you town?
Anonymous • 7 months ago
same argument could apply to robbing a store. waiting to get an education, find a decent job, earn a paycheck and actually buy what you want takes too long.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
Amen
Anonymous • 8 months ago
Your kidding right . It’s not my fault I need so thing so I should go about getting it illegally? Wrong why should we follow the law and pay for auto ins when hey don’t
Anonymous • 8 months ago
And the 1st and 2nd generation Americans seem to be the ones complaining the loudest.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
What part of illegal do u not understand
Anonymous • 7 months ago
Probably the same part of ‘hypocrite’ that (many) Americans (e.g. you) do not understand i.e. you call it illegal but you don’t care that yanks took land away from others for their own (as if they had the right to do that). That you don’t see the difference says a great deal about you and your true colours.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
We just want them to come in legally
Liu Si Chao • 8 months ago
that’s what the Indians said when Columbus arrived. haha
Anonymous • 8 months ago
some has to pay for all this
Anonymous • 8 months ago
You are exactly right. BUT…a lifeboat can ONLY hold “X” number BEFORE IT TOO
BEGINS TO SINK !!!
Anonymous • 8 months ago
Amen!!
jonathan gianguzzo • 9 months ago
It’s a moot point. The concept of country’s with borders and flags and anthems is coming to an end, and it’s a good thing. It’s a natural progression—caves, tribes, villages, towns, cities, country’s—and now Unions, 4 of them—American, European, African, and Aisian. Each one will become solidified with one law for all, eventually one spirituality, and one language. Each Union will have one government with a central “world government” based in London. This next war will be the last one on Earth. Don’t bother asking me for “citations”. Just remember I Said it…… Also electronic transfer will begin, at the same time, for everything we earn, buy, and sell…
George Peters • 9 months ago
Those will be the end of days.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
Don’t bother me for “citations” or “evidence” just BELIEVE ME!! BECAUSE REASONS!! Thanks creepy false prophet for the one world government.
Jessica Gizzi • 8 months ago
Oh you are so wrong. mexico has very tight control over their border and who they allow to work in their country.
Ralph Spyer • 10 months ago
Illegals work with out a social security card or the use someone else number this is against the law , so the break the the law by entering the United States , they break the law because because they work with out a social card , Trump is not perfect but who else will solve this broken problem
Miguel Castillo • 10 months ago
What problem!?
Ralph Spyer • 10 months ago
Miguel do you think illegles in the U.S should vote? If Mexico is such a great country why do they come here? Mexico is run by gangs, the police are on the take, the standard of living is that of a third world. Country Please don’t make your problems my problems
Luis Salas • 9 months ago
Stop using illegal immigrants as a scape goat for this countries problems.
Luis Salas • 9 months ago
Slowly but surely we will continue to integrate ourselves into this country. We’re not here to destroy your country or to try to take it. We’re here to make it better.
Justin Simbeck • 9 months ago
I want Mexican migration but without the ability to vote. Which is a policy of many Countries including Mexico.
Matthew Jesuele • 9 months ago
There are a great many of us who don’t think that you are trying to destroy or take our country, but still want you to come to our country *legally*.
I, and many other Americans, welcome immigrants with open arms…when they come through the front door instead of sneaking through the back.
I would NEVER overstay my visa in a country and then demand to be treated like a legal citizen. Why should you get to do that?
Anonymous • 8 months ago
Agreed
Anonymous • 8 months ago
We don’t need your help.If all illegalls were gone Americans will be just fine. So go home . I promise we will be just fine
Anonymous • 8 months ago
“We’re here to make it better.”
No one asked you to. If you didn’t come here legally, you are by definition a criminal and need to go. If you can’t even follow that one, simple rule, I don’t trust you to follow any other rules.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
So how many generations do we need to go back – to kick the little guys?
Raul Ibarra • 9 months ago
I will answer your questions. Not Rhetoric. #1 No I don’t think illegals should vote.#2They come here to earn more money.#3 Mexico today has gang problems .Much like the USA in prohibition. Police in this country are also on the take. The standard of living is between a 3rd world and 1st world economy. Agreed immigrants should not bring problems to this country.
The corporations with the backing of the democrats and republican establishment are the major benefactor for illegal immigration.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
Nice!
Anonymous • 9 months ago
There is no problem with letting people into the U.S. They may not be from here but they are people just like us and they deserve to live in the U.S. as much as we do. They shouldn’t have to do so much just to get a stupid little card to be able to come into the U.S and be able to work.
Akmal Mirsidikov • 8 months ago
right as americans’ granddaddies did
Aquarianbrass • 9 months ago
Illegal immigration has gone down under Obama. Sounds he’s solving the problem.
Alex Yeung • 9 months ago
there’s 11 mil illegals in a country of 340 mil. That’s less than 3%, yet you’re convinced that it’s a big issue. The biggest issure should be that most of you guys can’t figure out simple math
JoAnn V • 9 months ago
Exactly!!
Sam Sara • 9 months ago
Illegal immigration costs the federal government 110 billion a year, and costs the states over 80 billion a year. When 3% of the population is creating a tax burden that’s over 1/4 the amount of our military budget, you’ve got a huge problem. Not to mention the effects of wage depreciation and the displacement of native workers. Or the logistical problems of moving to a socialized healthcare system while having unchecked immigration, when we already don’t have enough GPs and family medicine doctors to treat the current population. It’s a lot more complicated than you’d think, Alex.
Anonymous • 9 months ago
Tax burden? The tax burden is when the wealthy skip out of paying their fair share of taxes, which is one of the responsibilities of a United Stated citizen to honestly pay federal, state, and any local tax. They are hurting the economy and nation that has allowed them to be successful. So please understand that no one is innocent; whether people are collecting welfare when they shouldn’t, not paying taxes when they should, and taking advantage of the system in any form. Corruption in the United States needs to stop.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
TAX BURDEN IS ALSO WHEN OUR OWN GOVERNMENT IS GIVING AWAY OUR HARD EARNED TAXES TO NON U.S. CITIZEN’S & ALLOWING NON U.S. CITIZEN’S TO VOTE IN ORDER TO HAVE MORE VOTE’S! THAT IS CORRUPTION & THAT IS BRIBERY EVEN IF THEY DON’T SAY THAT OUT LOUD! IT IS BRIBERY PEOPLE & ILLEGAL!
George Peters • 9 months ago
It’s actually around 4% every year. Over 50 Million immigrants in the last 5 years.
George Peters • 9 months ago
I realize this is not a perfect argument but I’m just putting this into perspective. 3% is the equivalent of 20 minutes of a 12 hour day which is like being bullied so to say for over 20 minutes everyday. It would suck.
Mike D. • 9 months ago
• No European country grants automatic citizenship to children of illegal aliens.
Mexico has a unique citizenship policy in that the country’s constitution grants automatic nationality to anyone born in Mexico, but not automatic citizenship. This is true even of children born to Mexican citizens. When a Mexican reaches the age of 18, they then acquire citizenship. Mexican government officials with whom I spoke were uncertain how often their country grants nationality or citizenship to children born to illegal immigrants. The effort Mexico makes to discourage immigration indicates that this may be a rare occurrence. For example, the Mexican Constitution, among other things, allows the government to expel any immigrant for any reason without due process.82 When combined with the protected constitutional right of making a citizen’s arrest, which allows “any person” to detain a suspected criminal and his accomplices who are caught violating a law, it is clear living in Mexico illegally is not easy.83 The constitution also severely limits the property rights of immigrants and requires immigrants to get permission from the government to own land; even if permission is granted, the immigrant can never own land within 100 kilometers of land borders nor land within 50 kilometers of the coasts.84 An immigrant wishing to change these rules will have difficulty as the Mexican Constitution states that only citizens are entitled to participate in Mexico’s political affairs.85 Even with Mexico’s form of birthright citizenship, any child born to illegal immigrants or even legal immigrants in Mexico is barred from becoming president of Mexico; not only must the Mexican president be born in Mexico, but so must at least one of his parents.86 While Mexico may grant citizenship to children born to aliens, the nation’s constitution clearly imputes a second-class status on children of immigrants.
miriam martinez • 9 months ago
How is someone trying to provide food and shelter for their children and families a crime, or as you say a “problem”?
Matthew Jesuele • 9 months ago
You are creating a straw man argument. Nobody thinks that trying to provide food and shelter for one’s family is a crime.
Entering and remaining in a country in violation of its immigration laws is. Working without authorization is. Not paying taxes is.
Would you also argue that shoplifting is not a crime if you do it in an effort to provide food and shelter for your family?
Anonymous • 9 months ago
It is a crime but they have no other choice but to risk their lives of being sent to jail or killed so that they can provide for their family, Im pretty sure if you were them you would do the same thing.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
They come here to work because our dollar is stronger and buys much more when they send it back to relatives who build houses for them with that money. They would not starve if they had stayed in Mexico.
James Denham • 9 months ago
So would it be a problem for them to get same items in their own country?
Anonymous • 9 months ago
No one. Everyone acts as if trump is the only person to address this issue. It’s been an issue for at least last 4 ekections
Anonymous • 8 months ago
Legal is no synonym of fair.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
this country if full of immigrants the only real americans here in this country are the natives.but also we take the jobs lazy american society doesn’t want to do,also it’s sad that a hispanic person takes a job from an american without knowing much english
Rich Sei • 10 months ago
moderation = censorship
J Dallas • 10 months ago
This is based on census data. The estimate is that over 90% of illegals fill out the census forms (according to Center for Immigration Studies), therefore the census data may underestimate the number of illegals by up to 10%.
Wow. 90%? An NPR report in Arizona found many hispanic immigrants stating they won’t even talk to census people, completely ignore them, and avoid any official data and therefore are vastly undercounted.
The number of illegals actually filling out the forms cannot be known, and might be 5X higher than assumed by Pew and CIS. Which means there could be anywhere between 10 and 30+ million illegals, depending on what assumption is made on that.
There should be a study done on the southern border to find out a better estimate of how many actually fill out and return their census form. I would guess much less than 50%.
Jessica Gizzi • 8 months ago
Mexican government knows perfectly well how many of its citizens have left Mexico and are in USA illegally. They recently made a public statement that the number of illegal mexicans in USA is 30 million. That’s why our citizens can’t find jobs or afford housing.
Erica Smith • 10 months ago
To who it may concern, Go to Mexico or a Muslims country, China Vientnam North or South Korea there are many to choose from. I dare anyone to be an illegal immigrantI or gwt caught someplace you have no business being. Even better be an illegal immigrant say your rights are being violated and demand justice make a protest in their streets. See how fast you disappear. To be fair I want to point out something related because fair is fair. Someone needs to address these rich foreign people who come to this country and pay hundreds of thousands dollars just to push out a kid on U.S. soil so that kid is an American citizen. Then fly back to their countries. I’m not making it up do research. Why is this allowed to happen? People are making lots of money from this why ?
Baba Booey • 10 months ago
Did you not read the report, (the numbers are on the decline)? Why are you people so concerned about illegals coming into the US? We don’t need a wall, we need money to be used on new roads and bridges. Trump is a circus barker whose followers are constantly frightened of “foreigners”.
Juan Núñez • 10 months ago
So what you are telling me is tha we should be like any other country, right? If thats so, lets get rid of the first amendment, hell lets get rid of the second one. That one has been a hot topic lately.
Ralph Spyer • 10 months ago
Why does the United States have so many illegles ? They are changing our culture from Hot Dogs to tacos ,how can they work without social security number ? They kill or Murder hundred of US citizens every yr, there are thousands of them in our jails they used our school system , our hospital , they drive down wages, is it any wonder why U S citizens are voting for TRUMP
Amanda McDonald • 10 months ago
1. Hot dogs suck anyway, ese.
2. They use phony social security numbers.
3. “They kill or murder hundred of us citizens every yr…”
A. Who is they?
B. Isn’t kill and murder the same thing?
C. Why hasn’t one of them gotten to Trump yet?
Justin Simbeck • 9 months ago
3,000 Texans have been murdered by illegal Mexican immigrants in the last 7yrs. Some of the biggest gangs in the world are the Mexican gangs who are flooding American borders. 95% of the criminal activity in a lot of these border towns are illegal Mexican gang members. These people are not evenly spread though the country. They’re mostly in about 6 states. It’s a huge problem that is effect a lot of people. But I guess it doesn’t affect you or you haven’t been watching news for the past ten years.
Anonymous • 9 months ago
Where do you get your facts from? Yet why is it that the majority of people in prison are white males? If you want to call people criminals and all based on race.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
Why are you bringing up “white males” in prison versus illegal immigrants a.k.a. non-citizens…? This is not about race. This is about legal presence. Citizens in America can be any race from any part of the world. Illegal immigrants should not be here to commit crimes in the first place.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
Race/Ethnicity % of US population % of U.S. incarcerated population
White (non-Hispanic) 64% 39%
Hispanic 16% 19%
Black 13% 40
Jody Fors • 10 months ago
We don’t need a wall anymore. We do need workers if Trump brings factories back to the U.S. And, we need to know how many people are unable to work. That may be the largest total of all.
Please be empathetic towards Mexicans and Latin Americans. You might appreciate them when you are old and need assistance to live.
Kristin Miller • 10 months ago
No one has an issue with Mexican-Americans or Latin-Americans… The issue is NON-Americans AKA: Illegals from anywhere who are NOT Americans. The country of origin isn’t the issue. The real issue is people who come here to work & instead of paying taxes & contributing to our economy as an American, they circumvent the LAW & take jobs away from All-Americans who are here either by birth or by obtaining citizenship legally.
Cheryl Gajowski • 9 months ago
Dear Tump supporters: he used ‘legal’ workers – from Poland and Romania — he arranged the visas, reportedly – only he didn’t pay them US minimum wages – in the case of the Polish labor, it may be that he didn’t pay them at all. DO you really believe he cares about the tribulations of US workers or any others? He is willing to exploit anyone to increase his bottom line., and that is his sole interest.
George Peters • 9 months ago
Actually his butler reported that he paid well and occasionally handed out hudreds to all of his employees.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
We are going to build a wall to keep them in. If they can find a job in Mexico they will stay there.
S TGreen • 11 months ago
One thing about politically correct discourse on this issue is that benefits the owning class, while comporting with a narrative of historical generosity. A large influx of illegal immigration puts a downward pressure on wages, especially for the working class. This has already been documented by labor economists Lester Thurow and George Borjas, among others. There is no great mystery why the US has such a huge population of illegal immigrants. Wall Street prefers it that way. De facto immigration policy in the US is driven by a concern for employers’ interests, not workers’. Contrast this with Canada.
Canada is hardly a Right-wing bastion, yet they take the issue of someone being in their nation VERY seriously. Canada has only an estimated 75,000 illegal immigrants. Even when you account for differences in population size between Canada and the US, there are still FIFTEEN times the number of illegal immigrants per unit population in the US than in Canada.
Why is this the case? The answer is simple. Workers in Canada have value, not just the capitalist class. Canada lets in a large number of immigrants, but immigration is an orderly process. There are enforced controls in place to prevent illegal residency. This is a humane way to proceed. What is happening in the US is not humane. This large undocumented presence keeps wages low and it harms poor people the most.
I can’t stand Donald Trump, but he has zeroed in on a hot-button issue. Americans are fed up with politics as usual: Republicans catering to the cheap-labor lobby, and Democrats trying to appease demographic groups.
Amanda McDonald • 10 months ago
Don’t you think geography has played a huge role in the numbers of illegal aliens in Canada??
Anonymous • 8 months ago
No. Canada doesn’t educate all children in Canada – no papers – no education. Likewise no medical care – they won’t tax their citizens by making them pay for folks that are not in their country legally. They are quite strict and yet we don’t call them racist… We seem to respect their right to have an autonomous country with their own laws.
Tim Steinkamp • 12 months ago
I don’t understand how you can call this article “5 facts about illegal immigration in the U.S.” when you make no mention of legal immigration to the USA. You don’t say anything about “guest worker programs” and the H-2A and H-2B Visa program and if they are included in the numbers you use or not.
By not mentioning the guest worker visa programs you end up with stupid responses to your article like “well written” and “100 percent accurate.” I don’t know what to make of your facts and figures but I say they are wrong. I don’t even know what your definition of unauthorized is because the usual term is undocumented so you’re using some new classification.
Lets have a few more facts. America encouraged immigration since WW2 to work in the fields to harvest the food to feed the World. The program is so onerous that many USA Corporations don’t use the programs and just hire undocumented workers. The USA forced the middle east oil producers to use the American Dollar as the payment for all energy which made it the worlds reserve currency. People want that currency because it is usable the world over. Of course if you don’t want to work the USA also is very giving and supports the poor of heart and spirit.
Not to worry though because soon the Dollar will not be the reserve currency and then we will not be able to print money willy nilly so no more handouts. I think many of these immigrants whether documented or not will find a better country to go work in. People really don’t care about Democracy or even freedom as much as you think they would. The first three things are Food, Shelter and Clothing.
Bruce Drake • 12 months ago
Among reports we have done on legal immigration is this major one from September: pewrsr.ch/1LfZEzE
Cathy Molyneux • 11 months ago
There is No such thing as an Undocumented or Unauthorized Immigrant. That’s the MSM attempt to make it appear that these illegal aliens did not commit a crime(s).
Not much different than saying a person made an undocumented withdrawal from a bank instead of referring to them as a “Bank Robber”.
The Legal term is “ILLEGAL ALIEN”.
The term “alien” means any person not a citizen or national of the United States.
—United States Code, Title 8, §1101(a)(3)
“An illegal alien…is any alien (1) whose most recent entry into the United States was without inspection, OR
(2) whose most recent admission to the United States was as a nonimmigrant and—(A) whose period of authorized stay as a nonimmigrant expired, OR (B) whose unlawful status was known to the Government, before the date of the commission of the crime for which the alien is convicted.”
—United States Code, Title 8, §1365(b)
The term “Illegal Alien” is used at least 5 times in the INA.
Nowhere in the INA are terms “unauthorized immigrant”, “undocumented immigrant”, “undocumented alien”, etc is mentioned.
Rich Sei • 12 months ago
PEW = Moderation = Censorship
Rich Sei • 12 months ago
11 millon illegals is a decade old LIE
some are saying 50 million
PEW is not to be trusted
James Hickman • 12 months ago
Why didn’t you list the source of your “some say it’s 50 million” . Surely you don’t think we’re taking your word for it, do you? If you were confident in the 50 million you would have listed it your sources.
Darrell Hahn • 10 months ago
Oh its 100% true, their research is based off 100 face to face interviews *cough*
How can it be nothing but 100% correct
Hocking Hick • 1 year ago
Pew should do research into illegal immigrant workers in the US construction related industries and the economic effects of lower wages vs it’s use in propping up markets.
Most mid-sized US companies in construction related industries rely on immigrant labor to fill thousands of jobs. Most – from my experience I would guess 80-90% – immigrants employed by these companies — most are “subcontractors” – would be classified as illegal by ICE. Most immigrant labor in construction related industries in my area of Central Ohio are from El Salvador or Korea.
The result of this is a glut of cheap labor, driving down the cost of doing business, which is a big part of keeping new home builders and non-government (non-prevailing wage) multi-fam and commercial construction projects viable.
The “subcontractor” culture in the building industry takes some ‘splaining; but most of it is designed to either remove ‘responsibility for’ or to inhibit ‘investigation of’ the actual employer’s legal responsibility to check and track immigration status of employees. This is enabled by the wide-spread misuse of the “subcontractor” system, which insulates the large employer from anything but an in-depth investigation into the legal status of its employees.
tomas alla • 1 year ago
Great article that is 100% right on.
Le Cycliste • 1 year ago
I don’t know who Pew Research is, but I must hold my nose to pronounce their name after reading these five “Facts.” The 11 million number stated in “Fact 1” is at least twenty years old and currently nothing but a smelly canard. The actual number of illegals in our country is probably over 35 million, not counting the children they’ve whelped here (who, incidentally, are NOT US citizens according to the intent and proper interpretation of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution). Adding these children brings the total of illegal aliens in the USA to between 40 and 45 million.
One visit to Walmart or Costco or any mall in America should be convincing enough that the damage has already been done, making any solution to retaining American culture and sovereignty difficult or impossible. It happened to Rome, and now it’s happening to us. Enjoy what’s left of our once wonderful civilization, folks, and good luck when it’s over.
Mark L • 12 months ago
So where do you get your immigration figures ? If you look at the chart above, it’s clear that Pew has not been reporting 11 million for 2 decades. Pew is not a Heritage USA think tank, their research is sound & their analysis is unbiased. Their reputation & business is based on providing sound analysis of their survey results & Pew is well respected for their efforts. The immigration population is impossible to count directly since these are people that sneak across the borders without the border agents witnessing their entry. The fed uses knowledge gained from the Reagan amnesty program to estimate possible immigration rates. The fed government learned that more than half of undoc immigrants will stay in the US until they have saved enough money to return home to their families. This is why so few immigrants chose the pathway to citizenship because they were not interested in becoming citizens. It was also learned that since immigrants regardless of legal status come to the US to work & earn a better life for themselves than they could realistically obtain in their impoverished home countries. This is 1 reason that we know that immigrants do not leave the poverty of their home country to live in poverty in the US by collecting welfare. Rather, they work earn a fair income that they could not obtain in their home country. Why risk your life to simply live in poverty ? Living in California I am used to seeing latino & hispanic people every day. So yes, I see them in Walmart & Costco too. Don’t understand what your point is though. Are their employees supposed to be undoc immigrants or do you not like non-whites shopping in your stores ?
James Hickman • 12 months ago
PEW research is a creditable site. They publish the methodology they use to arrive at their number. You; however, threw out that the number is 35 million or higher. Logic dictates that you would have provided a source for that number. Your source would have to be as detailed as that presented by PEW. Why should anyone believe your number that is supported by not one scintilla of evidence?
When it comes to the 14th Amendment when did your opinion supersede the Constitutional Authority of the Supreme Court? The federal government consists of 3 co-equal branches, how did you become the 4th? What is your title?
By the way if the 14th Amendment does not apply to the children of the undocumented explain why the provisions apply to you?
Amanda McDonald • 10 months ago
When was it wonderful precisely? And for whom?
hecobe • 1 year ago
We can talk about illegal immigrations, building fences and all other degradation of human races, color, creed, religion, etcetera , and never resolve these issues. You all have great ideas. But policing, politics, prejudices and all other human degrading ways will not resolve the problem of man seeking the way to meet his food, shelter and most basic need of comfort. U. S Americans have advanced well ahead in how to solve these issues because we are always driven by curiousity in how how things work and finding ways to improve such works. Other peoples we call third world countries seem stuck in accepting the teachings of the old “man” who himself cannot see the better way of improving but has taught his people to stick with what he thinks is and should always be. Our planet is it. We can keep it and tend it or we can destroy it and ourselves by degrading others and nuking them out of existence and them nuking us back. We can keep peoples in their countries by helping them make their country like ours. If their country becomes like the United States of America – a country with jobs,, paved roads, houses – everything we have they have, why will they desire and long to come to our country where the language and culture is not to their liking and not their ways? They will come to tour like we will go to theirs to tour and quickly go back to home sweet home. The reason as we already know why they come to our country is our country has things of better comfort than theirs, thanks to their third world backward minded rulers and government. Want to keep them out of our USA? let’s go teach them what to do to make their country like the USA. Let’s not bring our machine guns to mow them down. Rather, let’s bring them pencils, papers our ABC and arithmetic and our curiosity mentality and teach them how to make their country a USA, then they won’t have to come here to take illegally what we have. Then we will not worry about wars since we all have the same kind of comfort. Want to have countries without borders where you can go camping in mexico, fishing in Iran, ski in Germany and not worry about a policeman pulling you over for your color? then read again this idea and join us make this world like the USA, a land and society of freedom and fun.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
Now”thats an awsome brain.You are so right, i love that idea you are the only one that’s thinking right.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
Very true. But the problem is that their governments know how to fix things but choose not to, because they want to keep all the wealth for themselves at the top. Mexico is a corrupt country. All of latin america is corrupt. The government in Mexico would rather keep money for the rich instead of investing money in paving roads, installing citywide plumbing, having municipal projects, like weekly garbage pick-up and teaching citizens how to stop the spread of mosquito vector diseases and food borne illnesses….
hecobe • 1 year ago
Reading all your comments l find you are all in the right track the way you see and understand the issue. With an overtaxed, overburdened and overwhelmed governments, add to that, corrupted leaders sitting there, we citizens must do our part. Divide 320 million true citizens, recorded in our BOOK, into manageable citizen enforcement groups, send them to look for the “not in the list”, report these names and humanely open our exit gate and let them leave, making them understand well that they may visit – properly (legally) and abide by our law or face the humiliating policing force. We are humans. We will always loo for that place where our hunger and needs can be satisfied. This is our country, our forest where we worked so hard to plant fruit trees for us, not for outsiders who will not cultivate their forest and plant their own fruit trees for them but rather go and trespass someone else’s fruit land and eat it out and leave the owner emptied. If they don’t know how to make their forest fruitful, and we do, let’s help them, teach them so they will quit being raiders because they will have no need of our forest, they have their very own. By the way, when we let them exit our gate, our law must REQUIRE they take with them ALL their belongings – anchor babies and children, monies, dogs, cats, etcetera. It’s theirs and they have the right to these – we must not covet what belong to them. Donald Trump is right – they may come to visit again but legally!!!. What’s wrong with that. The Immigration Department and Washington are overwhelmed. As citizens, let’s stop whining but help identify those who are not in our list as legal citizens and legal visitors, write down their names and location and help them to be legal and if that can’t be done because of our laws, broken hearted as we will be, we must bid them goodbye. Thanks for reading.
hecobe • 1 year ago
Our inattentivity to our founding parents, who taught us to live in good behaviour, proper manners and right conduct, will eventually bring the downfall of such a great society. We will become like Persia, Babylon or Rome – fallen great kingdoms, read only as bedtime stories without substance. We must protect this great society with its well thought of, well designed, well contemplated, well engineered laws, enforcing them and not giving in to the demand of child minded unruly members. This is our house, our home. We must enforce our laws that bind the unity of this home. Allow lawlessness and unwelcomed outsiders here and this home will totally fall. It’s your choice. I truly believe we rank number one on the list and the one after us look to us to lead. Will you join with all of us to keep our society as it was designed – a society under the law and law abiding? Maintain this house or neglect its care – your choice.
Mark L • 12 months ago
This nation’s porous borders have always allowed for easy access to foreigners to cross into this nation without much danger of being caught. Unauthorized immigration has always been occurring with no POTUS ever accomplishing much to secure this nation’s borders. It is not about the false argument of following this nation’s laws. They are. But when the people jumping the fence are doing it secretly, this nation’s law enforcement cannot follow them & arrest them for breaking a law which they were not seen breaking in the first place. The answers are not as easy as those being suggested, like citizen groups asking people their ames & checking them off of a list or simply obeying laws which are already being enforced. The immigration policies of the Obama admin appear to flow from the immigration policies of the Bush regime which did not address unauthorized immigration until the final 2 years of his presidency. The obvious differences are that Obama has directed law enforcement to focus on deporting unauth immigrants who have committed additional crimes while in the US. Under any POTUS, any unauth immigrant who commits a crime must serve their time in prison if found guilty. They must be released once they have served their full prison sentence. Holding them any longer violates their constitutional rights against false detention. While INS attempts to deport each released unauth immigrant, the US must receive permission from the immigrant’s home country to do so. If they do not accept their fellow countryman, then they must be released in the US. The US Constitution does not permit anyone to be held without cause. The only reason for this being a newsworthy story is so that conservative media can create a false issue for the Obama admin, which is doing the same thing that other POTUS’s have been required to do. Keep in mind that the current administration deports an average of 400,000 unauth immigrants annually which is also the maximum that Congress budgets for said procedures. As for the Pew Research, their involvement is not to promote either side of the issue, rather they are pointing out known facts that they have been able to confirm through their research.
Anonymous • 1 year ago
Actually my research (that I am forced to conduct due to an AP Language class) states that Barack Obama has indicated that he intends to admit 85,000 refugees in the year of 2016. That includes 10,000 from Syria. Yes, this has been criticized by some law makers and politicians, but it is true information.
Jane • 1 year ago
I find the figures about K-12 students born in the U.S. to at least one (and often two) unauthorized immigrant parents (roughly 1 in 20 students) especially concerning. If the mother or both parents are UI’s, they should never have been here to have a child, but the child gets citizenship and serves as justification by some to not deport the parent/s or UI family members.
As I watch my property taxes rise sharply to fund schools in a city with many immigrants and high unemployment, I cannot ignore the direct impact on my community of students from UI families or the jobs filled (sometimes off-book/untaxed) by UI’s when locals cannot find work.
We get hit doubly hard in terms of public assistance resources. We are having to support the out-of-work locals, while also providing schooling (and often housing, food, and medical care) to UI’s and their children.
Mark L • 12 months ago
You do realize that all residents regardless of nationality pay property taxes which fund the public schools. This is why the courts have instructed school districts to cease inquiring about legal status since even renters pay the property taxes on where they live & that goes into the public school system. Undoc immigrants do not qualify for unemployment insurance. Some states do fund SNAP (food stamps) for children of immigrants that are in the US illegally. Generally they only provide support for the children who are here because of their parents’ decision. The parent is not included in the funding design. Undoc immigrants are not eligible for federal welfare funds by law so any state providing extraordinary public support pay for it themselves. It is true that anyone can walk into a hospital ER for treatment. Legally they cannot refuse medical treatment for anyone suffering a life threatening ailment. In all other cases, the uninsured & underinsured are subsidized by health insurance premiums, prior to the ACA the estimate was $300 per policy with states & the fed funds contributing the rest. Most states provide access to local free clinics so that undoc immigrants can access healthcare early before health issues become chronic.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
This is very ignoret comment, most of you have no clue what you talking about. Can ask, where your family is from? I guarantee not America! Your family heritage is from all over the world. Just as mine is. I’m a white American, my parents white Americans, my grandparents not so much! why do we have more right? We don’t!
That person • 1 year ago
Cool and depressing
jone • 1 year ago
Why can’t they make a law that whoever enters the us of a LEGALLY, should automatically be allowed to work temporarily and stay for a little more longer maybe 1 year instead of 6 months, maximum 1.5 years. What makes people not return to their country is the law. The law is a trap for them making them not want to go back to their country. The law states that if you stay more that 1 year, you cannot re-enter after 10 years. So do you think they will want to take the risk to go back. America is the only opportunity for them,everybody wants a good life maybe their country cannot offer that. So you should understand that these people who go to us of a, are seeking a good life for them and their families. So the only solution to that is change the immigration LAW to that. And you will see flocks of birds migrating back south.
Anna Martin • 1 year ago
Then they should go through the process initially and become legal citiZens from the beginning.
Jaime Charles • 1 year ago
You should look over the immigration policies that are in place before you make a statement like that. Trust me if people could do it legally they would. But the legal process is pretty much impossible. I have been in the U.S. on an F-1 Student Visa since I was 12 (I am 22 now), and I can’t even begin the residency process. I tried to start when I was 18 and 4 years later I’m in the exact same place. Moreover I’m lucky enough to be able to study in the U.S. and I don’t have the chance to apply. How do you expect people who haven’t had the opportunities I’ve had to have a chance to apply? There needs to be a system that gives people a chance, because the current one, doesn’t.
John Smith • 1 year ago
So what you’re saying is since it’s hard they should be able to break the law? You think its easy for the people who were born here to just go out an get a job? That’s like saying since it’s hard to make money its ok to go out and sell drugs…Illegalis illegal,you can try an justify breaking the law all you want….
Milly M • 1 year ago
Okay first of all your comment is disturbing, rude, and uneducated. It is not hard at all to find a job in america. There are staffing agencies all over, the processes takes about 1 week top and you get started asap. Yeah the pay may not be great but a job is a job. McDonalds also hires basically 24/7 and everyday of the year. Just because people can’t find a job where they sit on their lazy ass all day does not mean that finding employment in the U.S is hard. These “law breakers” break the law because going thru the process is nearly impossible. For a Syrian engineer the processes to even get started on getting a visa approved is about 35 years and for a farmer from mexico on average takes about 135 years, this is from research. Nobody lives to be 135 years now a days and life doesn’t stop for one. So get your head out of your ass and do some research before you start talking. Another thing, Immigrants are not coming here to harm other people, they come here to work, make a living to support their families etc, most of them end up working some shitty jobs that assholes like you would’t do because you were “born and raised” in America the great and think that you shouldn’t get down and dirty on “OUR LAND” because you’re better then that. So instead illegal immigrants do the dirty work for us.
Mark L • 12 months ago
I believe that what he was saying is that our immigration process is broken. A person can enter the US on a visa, but if they seek permanent residency there is no reliable process to apply & receive a response. I have heard this many times where people apply for permanent residency but receive no progress on their applications for years. Sometimes they are approved but the card is delayed a decade or never received, but they were approved.
Maribel Valle • 12 months ago
The difference is that those born here are practically fed and sheltered by the government. Who would really put effort into wanting to work when your own government makes it so easy; you get food stamp, cash assistance, unemployment benefits, and medical coverage, who needs to work? Who ends up having to work? I’ll tell you who! It’s all those individuals you are trying to send back to their countries. They are the ones that in essence put food on your table by doing all the hard and dirty farm work, they are the ones cleaning your hotel rooms so you have a nice and clean room to come to, they are the ones that are cleaning office spaces at night, they are the ones that are doing every job at the lowest wage possible, something U.S. born don’t want to do. They don’t take no one’s jobs, they simply do the jobs no one wants to do!
Esther • 1 year ago
Thank you for sharing a real experience. I am blessed to have been born to Puerto Rican parents which automatically makes us all US citizens as PR is a US territory. Because I speak Spanish I have been able to hear the difficulties other immigrants from Mexico and Latin America have had trying to get citizenship the legal way….some have been waiting 15 years to get reunited with their families here….You are right…so many are quick to judge but have no clue what barriers are in place. Not to mention that the focus and so much hate is target at Mexicans but the report says they are 49% of illegal immigrants so WHY DON”T WE EVER HEAR ABOU
T THE OTHER 51%!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Connor Darrow • 11 months ago
We don’t hear about them because they are a mix of the rest of the world.
tyler • 1 year ago
Many of these people are sending their money they make back to their home countries instead of in the US which effects our economy negatively.
Esther • 1 year ago
All of them live here while they are working here and have to pay for food, clothes, rent, transportation, etc. so they are still contributing to our economy. You can say the same for workers on tech visas from India for example…Many in the Seattle area where I live….they also have families back home they send money to. They make more money than I ever have and I was born and educated here including college. We need to have more compassion for those who come here working for poverty wages and make a workable legal path for them to contribute to both our country and their families and not just support those who come from already elite families who can afford to educate them and send them here to fill positions other Americans could be. Let’s look at the big picture and be fair.
Mark L • 12 months ago
It also means that they are here temporarily & will return to their home country after they reach their savings goal.
Robert donaldson • 1 year ago
Thanks for the pass Jeff..good to be back. Lol.
Bill • 1 year ago
Rep King of Iowa stated recently that 300-400,000 illegals are coming across the southern border every year. Illegals levelling off? Rediculous. Anybody see 1000 people per day heading south?
Mark L • 12 months ago
Yes, search Pew’s research. Along with known trends immigrants often avoid coming to the US during recessions since jobs become scarce. A trend that was noticed by many during the recent recession was that undoc immigrants left the US because of lack of employment opportunities while in their home countries which were less effected by the global recession they saw greater opportunities at home. This is why most research shows that the 11 million figure has stayed steady since the recession.
DRP • 1 year ago
5 “Facts” About Illegal Immnigration??? The name alone is ridiculous!!! Illegal immigrants are living in the shadows! The only “fact” we can be sure of is that we DO NOT know the numbers!!! Our inept excuse for a president and his cronies have put the health, safety and financial security of Americans at risk in order to fulfill a political agenda! If ever we needed to secure our borders it is now! Maybe you could write an article about liberal insanity???
Esther • 1 year ago
The insanity is the solitary focus on Mexican immigrants when the Pew report says they are 49% of illegal immigrants….so why do we never hear about the other 51%? Maybe they are European ( I have met a few!!!) and Asians and those who come over on visas and overstay their stay . If we focus on those alone, we could clear up quite a bit.
Mark L • 12 months ago
So during the Bush regime who did not address unauth immigration until the last 2 years of his second term, the US did not experience any illegal or unauth immigration ? Why do some people only blame the current president who is following the same policies of his predecessor ? Law enforcement deports 400,000 unauth immigrants every year which is also the max that congress funds in the budget. Unlike the Heritage Foundation which exists solely to provide support & validation of conservative policies, Pew Research conducts mostly opinion related surveys and reports the statistical data from their results. Pew maintains its non-partisan role by reporting the opinions provided by their surveys & has managed to help track the in & out flows of immigrants. Blaming Democrats for a problem which has affected every admin whether conservative or liberal seems unjustified. This nation’s borders have always been porous & no POTUS has ever secured its borders. But the blame goes to liberals & the current POTUS even thought the facts prove that he did not create unauth immigration.
Robert donaldson • 1 year ago
Good morning Jeff Robert donaldson here. I suppose u didn’t appreciate my rebuttle to Mr. Mendez .I’m gonna go out on a limb and have to say u didn’t like the 20 million Mexicans invasion part. Maybe the part where I say we don’t want u or your families here. Which ever it was I want to make clear that it wasn’t any type of racial piece. Fact is the comments made where he claims Americans are lazy and our time is up and to basically move over so they can take over doesn’t fly with me or many other millions of Americans. I should have toned it down to 20 Million illegal aliens and what not. I get it but I will say this politically correctness is one of the biggest reasons why were all here in this mess in the first place. Im mad as heck these people get treated better than alot of Americans especially our veterans and homeless people. Many of these illegals have very bad back rounds but yet get rewarded over and over and are protected by our government in sanctuary cities . Mendez boasts about how is “illegal mother” has 2 jobs and how he goes to school everyday and than works 35 hrs a week . I ask you..are you ok with this? Not for me..I view this as 3 less jobs for Americans who desperately need a job and more money for tax payers to put this kid thru school. His comments were offensive to me as to say us Americans are lazy and Americans get foodstamps to trade off for drugs. Hardly hurts my feelings I’m a grown man but I will not let an illegal who has no right what soever to be here and is a burden on society spew stupid comments about us Americans and than stand by and let that slide. No way!!!! I love my country and hope you feel the same…
Christian girl here • 1 year ago
Amen!!!!!!
Jonathan Ramirez • 1 year ago
You do realize you live in country built on illegal immigration. Your ancestors stole land from Native Americans. Native people. My People. So before you feel so self righteous about a country that barely belongs to you, let me teach you something. You Americans claim to care about your homeless and veterans so much yet do nothing about it. There are millions of homeless and yet none of you do nothing. And you want to know why immigrants take all of your jobs? Its because you Americans are lazy. Mexicans aren’t they risk everything coming here as your ancestors did when we welcomed them before you. And in case you forgot, your ancestors massacred their people for this land as well.
Rina • 1 year ago
well said
MY name IS name • 1 year ago
Can we not justify those acts as war. I may sound like i am defending this and partly I am but we didn’t treat the Native Americans well at all. But to call America lazy is one of the biggest lies. Why are we the world’s premiere super power in just 200 years of existence. Why is Mexico not on the level of America if they have been around for a similar amount of years? America worked to get where we are now. Why shouldn’t we be able to enjoy all our hard work? We are the only country to maintain world peace through thick and thin even from our humblest beginnings as we barely survived. If you remember correctly America could have wiped Mexico out during the war the Mexican American war. We cut through you like a hot knife in butter. Alas i waste my time on petty matters. There is so much more to say but i feel not the need to waste my breath.
Tiger Fan • 11 months ago
I am so sick of so called “Native” people complaining about having their “lands” taken from them by some invading force. Do you actually think that all the many hundreds of different Native American tribes that existed on this continent, lived in peace and harmony before the coming of the pale faces? They only came up with their ideas of war drums, scalping people, war parties, counting coup, and eating their enemy’s hearts, after the white man arrived?
The Native Americans were just as bloodthirsty and interested in wiping out each other for territory as the other races of men have been throughout history.
The war was just as fair as any of them have been, accept the fact of who the losers were and move on.
Catherine Gonzalez • 10 months ago
“Scalping” was not a Native American doing. It actually refers to how bounties were placed on Native Americans and how as prove people would bring back their scalps. Native Amercians were scalped, not the other way around. In greater detail higher bounties were placed on the heads of Native little girls, and as prove people would bring back the skin of their vaginas. So yes Native Americans were killed primarily by colonists, often after being promised peace.
Jenell Scherbel • 10 months ago
“I view this as 3 less jobs for Americans who desperately need a job and more money for tax payers to put this kid thru school.” This statement by Robert donaldson is arguably the most often quoted reason why some Americans are opposed to selected, or all, immigration from selected or all areas. The job facts are much more complicated. Actual research (again by Pew, a solid research organization that is non-partisan) found that “no consistent pattern emerges to show that native-born workers suffered or benefited from increased numbers of foreign-born workers.” O.K. Then, there are changes in the American economy not wrought by immigrants, but by business. Businesses seek to keep expenses (workers are an expense) low to maximize profits. One way to do this, increasingly, is to move companies overseas. In the past, America moved workers TO factories here. Now, they increasingly move the factories themselves, as well as workers, in order to seek low-wage workers. This is what one of Romney’s companies did during his last campaign, moving Illinois workers mainly out of their jobs and relocating an entire factory to China. Needless to say, he did not answer offers to bring his campaign to that community. The new economy is increasingly “post-industrial” (that means most jobs in America are now “service industry” jobs rather than production jobs (a structural shift begun during the Reagan years–and yes, I had a cousin who lost his job to the refrigerator factory he worked for relocating overseas, way back in the early 1980s). After NAFTA, American businesses began to move abroad in a big way. Taking those jobs with them. The new economy iis also increasingly global. Businesses that serve a global market don’t have a commitment to local communities. All of this results in what is sometimes called “a race to the bottom.” In both the U.S. and abroad, businesses and governments compete to offer businesses lower taxes, lower wages, and “business friendly environments.” All this is occurring on a global scale and America is fully involved in this global economy. The number of people present in any one country does not determine the number of jobs or jobs available. Population growth (of any kind, natve-born or immigrant or worker programs where workers are actually moved by companies to locations) both creates jobs and adds to the number of people available to fill jobs, because people consume as well as produce. Population declines often result in jobs being lost. Think of those small, rural communities that fail to thrive because people simply move away to larger places with more opportunities. There were few immigrants coming into the U.S. during the Depression in the 1930s. That economic situation, like the one in 2008, was caused primarily by the speculative activity of banks and other monetary entities. Mexicans were, in fact, deported then as well, but that did little to affect the American economy one way or another. The economy and presence of jobs is affected by a multitude of structural factors, one of which is the globalization of industry, an ongoing and current structural change that is enormous all over the world, and here, too. Finding one group to “scapegoat” for either the lack of jobs or the state of the economy does not do justice to the actual situation, the flux experienced in a changing economy, and real factors that contribute the the presence of jobs much more so than the presence of either documented or undocumented workers. Finally, I lived in Nebraska. There, not many locals were amenable to taking jobs in meat-packing plants locally. Those jobs were just not attractive to most American workers. Most of those jobs were filled by immigrants. As are the back-bending laboring jobs in the fields where most produce is picked in agricultural areas, jobs requiring that workers move themselves across the country to follow the crops. Again, Americans mostly do not wish to take such jobs. Yet, the people who do take them, and ensure delivery to your tables of food and meat and vegetables and fruit, are often reviled and exploited by agricultural industries. I would challenge any one of you to go and work in either of those forms of labor, meet the people who do this labor, before you harshly judge those upon whom you depend. And, finally, every piece of research I have seen shows value-added by immigrants to the American economy. They often pay into social security and other taxes without receiving benefits, in fact subsidizing citizens. And are the readiest source of the cheapest labor in the U.S., taking jobs no one else seems to want. George Bush lived in Texas and knew exactly how this system of immigrant labor worked in the Texas economy. He was no fool in that regard. Rather than just having attitudes toward immigrants, perhaps it would be good to learn what they do and what they contribute to the American economy. The facts seem to be that they do not, in fact, displace American workers.
Anonymous • 8 months ago
perfectly stated. You touched on every factor that has led to where we are. Globalization, the capitalist necessity of lowering costs, and most importantly the transformation from our manufacturing to service based economy.
Another point left out. It is not simply taxes, or cost of wages, that discourages companies to manufacture in the US. It is primarily (according to logic) the cost of our currency which makes it impractical to export goods. What exports does the US lead the world in? Planes, computer chips, and Corn.
Instead of natives trying to compete for low skill, low wage jobs. Why not push for better training which will increase the labor force qualified to work on the assembly line at Boeing.
R. Valli • 1 year ago
Violators of our immigration laws are ILLEGAL immigrants, and trying to obtain votes by changing that Clinton is, shamefully, abiding by the wishes of an illegal immigrant. The truth of the matter is that the great majority of Latin Americans that have immigrated LEGALLY support Trump. Like other legal immigrants, they were granted immigrant visas and have education, skills and experience in several work areas, and to have obtained legal entry they had to prove that they have the financial means to avoid being a liability to the US. Contrary to the illegal immigrants, they have learned English, have adopted the American way of life, and many have important jobs in all areas of our economy. Trump is referring to the rampant illegal immigration of close to 12 million Mexicans, who have little education and work abilities, and many have criminal background. The Mexican government despises them, and send them here to solve their problem, and to get over 2 billion dollars /month they send to Mexico. This situation has incremented the negative attitude in the US towards Latin Americans, and is the reason why legal Latino and other immigrants resent the outrageous Mexican illegal immigration.
Joe King+Nah • 1 year ago
Try this on for a hat, friend: The US siezed north america through blood and rape. Your glorious nation is a blight on human existence, only here to serve us as an incentive to quit the rambunctious life style that is modern ‘Murica. The only reason why The US government will do the same to its people in the near future, sell them down the river and let them waver for themselves. Its a messy dish, for sure.
Shawn • 1 year ago
Illegal immigration is not fair to all those who migrated to US through legal process . I am US citizen who migrated to US legally as refugee escaping ethnic prosecution by Saddam Hussien . I have found its will take 10-15 years for me to legally petition for my family members to migrate to US through legal petition process , this is not fair for all of us legal immigrants who come from all these countries Australia , New Zealand , Canada , Mexico , Latin America , Africa , Europe , Middle East , Russia , Chinna , India and other countries who want to unite family though legal immigration channels . If The government want to pardon all illegals in this country , then the government should also enact laws for all legal immigrants who file immigration petition to unite family migrating legally to US in fair and speedy time equivalent to illegals who in short time become legal without going through long time of legal family unification migration process .
The Professor • 1 year ago
You were fortunate to be allowed to become an legal migrant, but the economics has changed and North America can take only as many immigrants as it can support until they become citizens and find jobs, which are hard to find these days. My response is if you are that upset about the length of time it takes to get your family to America then you may want to consider moving back to your country or to another country where they have the financial means to support more people and the process is quicker.
Robert Liken • 1 year ago
Dear Jose,
You are right about many Americans being lazy. However, most Americans are not lazy, just as most Mexicans are not lazy- including your mother. The real issue is whether you believe that people should obey the law. If you think they should, then you have to agree that your mother disobeyed the law by entering my country without permission. It doesn’t matter whether your mother is a good person, or whether she wants to feed her children, or whether you think she had a good reason for entering my country illegally. Your mother was flat out wrong, as are all illegals. I would never attempt to enter Mexico illegally because I respect Mexico’s laws. I condemn all Americans who would try. Likewise, America is not a grab bag of economic opportunity for every foreigner who feels victimized. We have laws, as every country does, and those laws should be obeyed. If someone wants to come to America, let him or her apply for entrance in legal ways.
Joe King+Nah • 1 year ago
Every person has moral obligation to break unjust laws. The grass in America might be astroturf, though it is that tip toeing of ‘laws’ that played part in the rape of the Americas in the past. Claiming that the governing forces now are right to the absolute is just silly; this country should be ashamed of its history. We have been hijacked, sure. We jump off cliffs for them, sure. Though we do not need to fight any more. Our government is lost and it is up to the people who call the world home to stop its propagating flawed laws of two sided morality.
The Professor • 1 year ago
Well stated, Robert, and I agree with it.
Morgan • 1 year ago
HAHA. This is hilarious. The concept of “law” is so important to you, yet you have more than likely broken at LEAST one of America’s “laws” since you’ve been living. Ever smoked/drank before the legal age?? Then you, my friend, have broken the law. You cannot sit there behind your computer screen and tell me that if you had children who were freaking starving, that you wouldn’t do EVERYTHING in your power to help them. Anyone coming to this freaking country because the economy is not structured well were they were born is not “wrong”. YOU are WRONG, MORALLY, for even saying such a thing. It is heartless creatures like you that ruin the WORLD we live in. Oh, and “your” country? YOU own it? You’re funny.
Yeison Gomez • 12 months ago
It’s hilarious because America has always been seen by foreigners who suffer from financial problems and tyranny in their own country as a economic grab bag, I mean look at the first European settlers, and what about the massive amount of Jews that came when the Holocaust. Should we have deny them entry?
If only the native Americans would’ve thought that way!
Jose Mendez • 1 year ago
FIRST OF ALL I’m only 16 years old and I am a son of an illegal mother and no one is stealing your jobs my mom is working 2 jobs and I got to school and work after school it’s not my fault you lazy Americans take what you have for granted and aren’t willing to put in some effort to fill out an application. I know a lot of American people who would rather sell their food stamps and get cash from them to buy drugs instead of finding jobs and most of the people at school who have jobs are hispanics meaning white American people are done for and it’s time for us to achieve the “American Dream” and succeed. All I want is to join the army and service this land of opportunities but I can’t because my daca permit only allows me to do so much and it bothers me that I have to put in 35+ hours a week working just to get money taken out to feed lazy people who won’t do a thing for themselves
Joe King+Nah • 1 year ago
Dude, I feel ya. All I want to do is throw in the towel and live in the woods. As for America being lazy, they are not. They are hard working peoples, just like us. And just like us, they have been tricked by evils committed by their own government. Unfortunately, just like the suit wearing money monkeys that beat down indigenous tribes people in the big cities all over Mexico, they believe in a scape goat. Their government tells them to look at that, and they look. They never ask why, why would people risk every thing just to see the grass that is greener, on the other side. The American dream might just be astro turf, though anger is misplaced all over. The anger should be towards the governing forces, in Mexico and the US. Their petty handlings of all our lives brought us here; though it is on us as real human beings, with needs besides money, to step outside the political jim-jam flabber and react to the situation with the golden rule. The people of America saw that America was the last hope, we have all been tricked.
Jose, we should leave this bitterness behind us; we are not thieves or outlaws, we are human beings. Everyone else, you bleed the same color, who do you think the oligarch wants more? Fences are their doubled edges swords; do not be sheeple, get to know people.
The Professor • 1 year ago
You stated that you are only 16, so I will take that lack of years into consideration. You can not judge an entire nation by the few you may encounter. Jobs are given to illegal immigrants because the company under pays them and does not provide them with the proper Rights that a legal immigrant enjoys.
Remember there many Americans who consider illegal immigrants as lazy and their hard earned money goes to providing them an education, housing, food, and many other items that done through the use of their income.
Many companies hire illegals because they know they can get away with it. They do not care that the job they just gave them is a job an American applied for, but was denied and not because they are not capable of the job, but because they are Americans and the companies must follow certain Labor Laws.
Gabriela Quevedo • 11 months ago
I wish most people were like you. Unfortunately not – illegal and Americans alike.
H. Smith • 9 months ago
You might be bitter, but don’t call Americans “lazy.” This is the greatest country that ever existed — as Marco Rubio describes it — and it was forged over the 18th, 19th and 20th Centuries. My god, the Declaration, the Constitution, abolition of slavery after 625,000 dead in the Civil War, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, the Wright Brothers, wins during WWI and WWII, the Roosevelts, the Kennedys — the accomplishments to the world in tech/Silicon Valley alone since the 1950s! How did “lazy” people create such a legacy? Ridiculous.
Robert donaldson • 1 year ago
Too many people stealing jobs. They are automatically a criminal as soon as they jump the border. To award criminals a drivers licenses,housing,foodstamps and checks for their anchor baby’s is beyond me!!! But hey who cares about our American people the ones who really need the jobs people who live on the streets, our veterans,American minorities who need that job to feed their American born children and the less fortunate. Greedy self centered politicians are to blame. It’s all about the vote no concern for peoples rights. It’s not we the people its I the politician!!!
JR • 1 year ago
Absolutely correct! And, their “anchor babies” should not be American citizens because one or both parents are criminal trespassers that should be deported as soon as the criminal attempts to have the birth certificate filed!
Joe King+Nah • 1 year ago
Robert Donaldson, you and I both share the guilt and dirty wealth that built this country through the RAPE AND GENOCIDE OF INDIGENOUS GROUPS THAT WHERE HERE AND WELL BEFORE WHITE SETTLEMENTS FROM EUROPE. Its like the story of how the Indian sage Valmiki came to be. Valmiki, before he had his transformation with Narada, was a high way robber named Ratnakar. Ratnakar tried robbing Narada, and Narada asked him the million dollar question: DOES YOUR FAMILY KNOW WHAT YOU DO, AND WOULD THEY SHARE YOUR SIN? He asks them and they all desert him. Share the sins of your ancestors for robbing this land and plundering it, as I do.
The Professor • 1 year ago
Well, I am happy to see someone admitting they stole America from the Native Americans.
Gabriela Quevedo • 11 months ago
That’s such a stupid argument. if that is the case, every country that has been conquered (I can’t name one that hasn’t) is stealing the country. Native Americans lost, colonialism won – deal with it.
Connie Foust • 1 year ago
Since you chose Pew as your reference you need to go back to 2005 and see that Pew downgraded the number of illegals from 20+ million to 11 million. They based this on using U.S. Census data. Not very many illegal aliens answer the U.S. Census. So the number is bogus and has been used by politicians and open border lobbyists since that time. Many in this number are not Hispanics, it covers all races and countries. At that time there were 60K illegal Irish in the United States.
The numbers have not gone down nor has the deportations gone up. That is the liberal line, but it is not based on facts other than what the Obama administration puts out.
It was this administration that released over 50K criminal illegal aliens into the country just a couple of years ago.
Check out the Pew Facts, you will have to go back 10 years or so, but it is there. Somewhere in my files I have the information on this. Also check out the costs to the states of social services, schools etc.
Pew back then was called the Pew Hispanic Institute.
Jode Blampett • 1 year ago
As a Census worker, who lives in Anne area with a lot of undocumented people, in NY, I would say are average was really good, and our numbers were excellent.
J Dallas • 10 months ago
How would you know what percent of illegals responded to the census? That can’t possibly be determined by people on the ground.
The only real data we have is the U of Cal study where 10% of Mexican-born immigrants said they didn’t fill out the census and another 40% refused to respond to the survey questions.
To use a 10% value like Pew does, we have to assume all of those 40% who refused the survey questions filled out their census survey. Now THAT seems unlikely.
Lets split the difference: 10% said they didn’t fill out a census and an additional 40% refused the survey. So let’s go with 25%.
That change in assumptions would put Pew’s enumeration of undocumented immigrants around 28 – 30 million.
Bear Stearns with a different method concluded there were about 20M illegal aliens back in 2005, which is more consistent with a higher proportion of census non-responders.
Mark L • 12 months ago
The Pew Hispanic Center is Pew Research but focuses on understanding hispanic trends. Pew is a nonpartisan research group, unlike the Heritage Foundation which generates position papers to support conservative views, Pew conducts surveys on various topics from religion to immigration periodically publishing their analysis. As Jode Blampett who works for the US Census mentioned, the US Census is very good about reaching nearly every household in the US. In addition to the initial mail-in forms, they canvas every block using personal contact to get nearly every households response. Researchers like Pew value the thorough data collection that the US Census is renowned for collecting. One of the results of the Reagan amnesty, was that researchers were able to get more accurate counts of immigrants in the US illegally. The use this info to help estimate the flow of immigrants crossing into the US to help verify their estimates.
There are costs to states that fund food supplements to children of adult undoc immigrants. Healthcare is often handled through a network of free clinics, which reduce costs by addressing health issues before they become acute. All home owners & renters pay property taxes, which fund local public schools. Which is why public schools do not inquire about legal residency. The figures from the US Census Bureau are collected by career staff that work through various admins regardless of the party in the White House. Political appointees fill the top leadership position only & their actual authority is limited by Congress to avoid any appointee from abusing power to say change unemployment figures, Census data, etc.
Recent news stories have highlighted the release of undoc aliens who have served their full prison sentence. Upon release, the US attempts to deport these undoc aliens to their home countries. If their home country refuses the return, then the undoc alien is released in the US, since they cannot be held in custody indefinitely & this is based on longstanding laws which every POTUS is required to follow, but various news services make these routine releases sound like new news.
Bill • 1 year ago
So there are fewer illegals, big deal they should not be here. If the economy were to really start producing good paying jobs those numbers will go up.
j • 1 year ago
Some of your comments are dense, and ignorant. Do your own homework most of you who write negative comments are barking up the wrong tree. As well as the whole food stamps ordeal goes. anonhq.com/really-benefits-food-… nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/lega… tolerance.org/immigration-myths
JR • 1 year ago
Regardless of the statistics, they are still criminal trespassers guilty of a felony and they should be immediately deported!
Dean Jeffery • 1 year ago
JENS MANUEL KROGSTAD and JEFFREY S. PASSEL
I assume you did significant research on this topic; if possible, could you respond to the questions below if you have the information:
1. Can you explain how illegal immigrants and children of illegal immigrants get employment in this country when it is required by law to ensure they are legal prior to hiring?
2. Is the federal government assisting this process through back channels? It certainly appears that the federal laws regarding employing illegal immigrants is being flagrantly violated with no apparent intervention by the government.
3. Do you have statistics on the number of companies that violate the law for hiring illegal immigrants AND were caught with resulting fines? The followup is “what happens to the illegal immigrants that are found in this situation?”
I am suspecting that companies that are looking strictly at lowering costs are the ones ignoring the laws and getting away with it while no one in our federal government is seriously attempting to enforce the law. Do you have any information to support or dispute this?
JR • 1 year ago
Excellent questions which i see the “article authors” have conveniently ignored or they cannot find any reputable source to support their very, very slanted article!
Mark L • 12 months ago
The researchers amy not have answers to the questions you are asking because they are not directly related to the surveys they are working with. Statistics could be hard to find, I don’t see the Bureau of Labor compiling these stats. Which law enforcement agencies would compile this data could be city police, county sheriff, INS ? Laws often change if the original intent is not being realized. It’s unlikely that laws are not being enforced on a broad scale. The current immigration policies are supported by Obama & were put in place during the final 2 years of the Bush regime. Prior to that, his admin largely ignored immigration issues. Congress budgets for 400,000 deportations annually which seems to be the average annual deportations that are occurring.
There are employers who are willing to cheat the system to hire staff that they can pay under the table, ie cash. This allows them to pay less than min wage or not pay the associated taxes & fees which might save them some cash. Cash is hard to track & those transactions can be hidden or disguised as other transactions.
There are some positions which congress has passed legislation to offer employers some relief. Migrant farm hands are often permitted to cross the border & apply for certain types of farm work that farmers claim they cannot fill at the pay that they find affordable. During WWII the shortage of farm hands was so acute that when congress allowed foreign nationals to work in the US without documentation or official approval the outflow from undoc immigrants returning to their home countries because of the great depression reversed & more immigrants returned to work on the farms. I don’t believe that any government agency or politician looks the other way however, they pass legislation to control the process.
It isn’t likely that any public records exist. Back in the 80’s it was more common for news reports to cover big busts of employers, but this seems to not happen anymore. Either the laws changed or the publicity was not accomplishing what the INS wanted.
nck • 1 year ago
I met and married my wife abroad and went through all the proper channels for my wife to be issued a green card 2 years ago. It costs money, time, many interviews at american embassies, etc. I could have done it shady, gotten a cheap travel visa for her to come to the usa, then married her while she was on a travel visa so we could escape much of the paperwork and money to process her green card. But I respect my country and my wife enough to go through the proper channels to get it done the right way, we were issued a 10 year permanent residency card for our efforts and have had no problems since. I believe anyone who respects the country that they are trying to move to should do the same process to get here. I have had permanent residency visas for work across at least a dozen countries that i applied for and acquired LEGALLY so that I could be in those places. the illegals that come anywhere, be it here in the usa or europe or japan or china or india or wherever, should do this legally if they respect the places they are going. nine times out of ten they are not only escaping paying taxes on earned income, but they are also sending a majority of that income out of our country and back to their originating country to families etc, I respect that but if everyone did this, america would be nothing, so much capital outflow would destroy the country.
eml • 1 year ago
I absolutely agree. I understand unfortunate things happen in other countries. However, entering the country without proper authorization shows a complete disregard for the country you wish to gain a citizenship status and it’s established rules. It’s hard to believe someone can get here illegally AND wholeheartedly respect this country or it’s citizens. I think that’s the root of mistrust for those who are against illegal immigration – – Americans are also struggling to have the “American dream” but these individuals are “cheating” Americans and those who are going the legal route to get it.
Yesenia Rivera • 1 year ago
Well then, we should let everyone in other countries know that the PROPER way to come into the U.S. legally is to marry some dimwit American so he can get you papers. Don’t get married for love!, get married for Papers. (I’m using a sarcastic tone, in case you had not noticed)
The Professor • 1 year ago
Your statement is childish and uncalled for about dimwitted Americans marrying people from other countries just to get into the USA. I know of Americans who met people in other countries and because they fell in love with them through lies and deceit from the foreigner stating they were in love with the American in order to get a marriage certificate and a free pass to the USA is heart breaking to see these people suffer because of unethical foreign people when they seek a divorce after they get what they want from the American.
JR • 1 year ago
Well said! My spouse also came to America as a “legal” immigrant! After going through the expense, time, interviews, extensive background documentation and paperwork, today my spouse is a Naturalized USA citizen! I welcome all “legal” immigrants with open arms and a warm welcome. However, if you are a criminal trespasser illegal alien I firmly believe you and your “anchor babies” should be deported immediately!
MOW-Dallas • 1 year ago
The USA has about (+/-) 5.5 percent “unemployment”, and of course a larger
number consisting of the under-employed, etc.. Our national unemployment
numbers could be reduced by 5.1 % is the statisics of Illegal immigrants
is correct. Thus, illegal immigrants that make up the 5.1 % that are employed
are thus displacing US citizen workers. The “Argument” that these people take
only jobs Americans do not wany is a myth!!! Just ask any parent of a teen
that just got out of high school, college, and of course young African American.
Further, ho do companies or individuals get away with hiring illegals ? What
ever happened to complaince to law ? Of course the PC (Political Correct)
Police will critize the use of the term “Illegal Immigrant” – that’s to be expected.
But tio deny this is a real problem is an exhibit of stupidity.
Yesenia Rivera • 1 year ago
Well 5.5% unemployment is actually considered “Full Employment” among most Economists. Anything below this would actually start to worry said Economists because it would mean that our labor force is almost at full capacity, which is actually not a good thing for the country’s economic growth. Please, take a Macroeconomics class before you start talking about Unemployment. Thank you.
The Professor • 1 year ago
Your saracasm and rudeness is making you look bad. Plus, if you are going to use Economists as your point of proof then add the source of that Economist(s) because not all of them agree with each other.
Catherine Gonzalez • 10 months ago
There isn’t a single economist to attribute that fact to because it is VERY basic economics, taught in any basic level economic class. Atiidtude does not disprove fact. But if you must have one cepr.net/publications/op-eds-col…
rick • 1 year ago
How can an accurate count of illegals be made if they are in the shadows? This poll is bogus.
Crystal • 1 year ago
Take a count of the amount of people, take a count of the amount of legal documentation on people. Subract the amount of legally documented people from the total count?
Lisa • 1 year ago
Great idea if you can find a way to do that let me know asap so I can sleep at night.
Wait I will probably not be able to sleep if I knew the real number we have a big problem the U.S. Government knows that too and so do I we better fix it before they fix us
Mark L • 12 months ago
The US Census Bureau does a thorough job of getting statistical data during its decade census. For residences which do not respond to the mailed form, foot soldiers are sent into the neighborhoods to track down & get household information. The bureau is able to review responses to certain questions which help them to determine whether the household has legal residency. So their figures are fairly accurate now. Pew announced sometime ago that they were seeing success with tracing unauth immigrants leaving the US. One of the results of the Reagan amnesty was that agencies were able to get better information about the flow of immigrants into the US & this rate can be applied to current counts now as well. It’s not like they are standing at the border counting the rate at which people are crossing, but the new methods are improving their estimates. We know from previous episodes like the Great Depression that unauthorized immigrants find it hard to secure employment like everyone else so many return to their home countries. In many cases, their country is not affected by a US recession so they can find jobs easier in their home country. Over time we are able to more accurately estimate the population.
Mayra • 1 year ago
People like to talk about how this country is theirs, when in reality it is not! The only people that can truly claim that are Native Americans. SO if you’re not Native American, get yourself educated before you start speaking. Stop the hated stop saying they are burden to this country. The majority of these people actually work, they pay taxes just as anyone else. You don’t see them standing outside of fast food restaurants or gasolines asking for money!
Carol • 1 year ago
Dear
They are receiving support from government benefits.The women go to department of social service to apply for anything made available to them ie food stamps,medicaid,and housing.Meanwhile the boyfriend/husband work under the table.They have many children,trust me I know. Wondering who you are speaking of asking of asking for money…would it be blacks??? We are not all standing there waiting on the likes of you for money.honey tell my black people to get a job if they ask you for anything,i do.the illegal s dont have to beg or borrow its given to them.and yes we are paying for these people to walk across the border..illegally..the same people that should considered a threat to our society because of how they enter. We the people have laws in place.
Catherine Gonzalez • 10 months ago
“Trust me I know” yes you seem very reliable. Great sourcing
Michael Abracham • 1 year ago
A. There is Native American and native American. B. This country does belong to natve Americans.
Patrick • 1 year ago
No. Not even close the Native Americans like the Cherokee, and Apache were here centuries before the vikings came in the 1400’s and had their land stolen under false promises of more and better life and lands. none of the promises made ever came true.
Annoyed • 1 year ago
Wars were fought. They lost. The European colonists conquered the land and then created the United States of America. It was not “America” before then, it was a rabble of warring tribes that contributed nothing to the world as a whole. The argument, “oh immigrants are ok because you’re an immigrant too” is bogus for two reasons: 1. They’re not immigrants, they’re illegal aliens. To call them immigrants is offensive to legal immigrants. 2. Native Americans weren’t citizens of any country, the colonists founded America. They weren’t immigrants, they were colonists!
Joe King+Nah • 1 year ago
Wars=Rape
Jose • 1 year ago
The Solutrean people were here 10,000 years before the Clovis migration.
Mark L • 12 months ago
Since many Native American cultures did not have a concept of land ownership, many thought that we were crazy for offering anything for the land, which is why some land was “sold” for mere trinkits
H. Smith • 9 months ago
And so Native Americans always lived in benign, bird-tweeting peace with each other until the terrible Europeans arrived? Are you kidding? Native tribes fought, killed and conquered each other way before then. Conflict, wars, murder are part of human existence everywhere. Repeating things like, “Native American cultures did not have a concept of land ownership” is so simplistic and just perpetuates stereotypes.
Kenny • 1 year ago
Amen!!
Patrick • 1 year ago
Not even close The Native Americans like the Shoshone, Cherokee, and Apache were here centuries before even the vikings did back in the 15th century.
JR • 1 year ago
Patrick, okay. But that does not change the fact that they were warring tribes and not a “nation!” Also, the prisoners they captured from the other tribes were made “slaves” of the winning tribe! The European explores settled and civilized North America and made it a nation. Read a little history and use that knowledge as a basis of your opinions instead of spouting off.
Joe King+Nah • 1 year ago
I KNOW RIGHT????
In India, there is a story of this high way robber, named Ratnakar, who supported his family with his thievery and murder. One day, the wise sage Narada came by, and Ratnakar siezed him. Narada calmly asked if his family knew what he does to support them, and if they would share in his sin, for they live off his doings. He asks them, and they all leave because they do not want to share his sin. He asks Narada for help and becomes Valmiki, after sitting in an anthill.
Moral of the story, all the entitled political people are sharing the sins of the whole of their country, just as the illegals are. The indigenous and sovereign people of the Americas should decide this case, on their own terms to share.
Kramile Marsh • 1 year ago
To our beloved country America, a nation reborn
Nic Holden • 1 year ago
I agree with Rita and not with Maria. She is a liberal by the way she speaks
Kenny • 1 year ago
I am actually cherokee Indian by 75% so i would be more native to this land than most
Dude22 • 1 year ago
This is outdated
In August 2015 new data was received showing a large rebound in new immigrants. Keep searching and you will find.
Rita Nippert • 1 year ago
WHY??? Are we paying for the mexicans to live here iliegally. This is not fair. Even Obama can see that. (I refuse to call him president) Its tearing our country apart with so much hatred. I think that a illegal immigrant comes over knowing our US laws that if their child is born on US soil, the child is automatically a citizen.That law doesn’t have to change. The parents will get the choice to go back to Mexico with or without their US citizen child. What parent will sayis ” we have to go home but you can either stay here or come with us.” Kids with no parents? Our country is full of them. If we remove the humanity part and put our economy first, which one would cost less? They do have a place to go. We do not have to support them The point that I am making, is what parent would leave their child behind?
Aaron Clupper • 1 year ago
Such a rude fellow. You’re an immigrant, we are all immigrants, and yet you chew this anti immigrant thing right up based on your need to hate.
Cast that first stone, judge not, love thy neighbor…
wobort8963 • 1 year ago
Where did you get that number 11.3 million undocumented immigrants. DID THEY TELL YOU? Every single Illegal said HEY I AM UNDOCUMENTED. I am sure that number is incorrect. If I was undocumented, I wouldnt tell anyone.
How did these immigrants tell you, Did you ask EVERY ONE?
This number is false and probably WAY WAY HIGHER.
regraceddd • 1 year ago
That number is an estimate. You are right, it would be awful hard to get them all to confess to being undocumented. Fortunately, America and our government has enough brain power to use math to figure it out. One way is to take our country’s population, and subtract the legal population from it. that should give you a pretty good guess.
Rex Remes • 1 year ago
And how do you accurately determine the overall population?
An estimate based on another estimate can be very flawed.
rick • 1 year ago
Big difference from coming here legally and illegally.
MOW-Dallas • 1 year ago
I am not an immigrant, neither were my parents, or grand-parents, etc. We
were all born right here in the USA. This “argument” has lost its “reality”
and is usually only cited by “illegal Immigration” and one world society
liberal supporters.
Truth • 1 year ago
So are you Cherokee, Seminole, Cree, Apache or another branch of Native American? just wondering… because if you are not, then someone in your family ABSOLUTELY migrated here. Mine came from Ireland and Germany. The Irish had it rough here for a while, if you’ll recall. . . and the German side, well they were literally fleeing for their life. Both sides came to America for a better life for their family. As do SO MANY TODAY.
Patrick • 1 year ago
technically even the Native Americans were Immigrants to America at one point as well. they came from Asia millenia ago back in the last Ice Age before the land bridge connecting America and Asia sunk into the ocean
bear grylls • 1 year ago
Mexicans are NOT the only race that are illegal. There are undocumented Filipinos, Asians, Hispanics, African and even Europeans. Mexicans are only half the makeup for illegals.. get educated..
JR • 1 year ago
True, but if we got rid of that “half” of criminal trespassing illegal immigrants that would be really great!
Writer • 1 year ago
Bear, “‘Mexican” is an ethnic designation within the Caucasian racial category — as is Canadian, French, Irish, Austrian, etc.
Though, any ethnic group may include individuals from other races, such as Italian Asians or Swedish Indians, etc.
All of these categories, however, are made-up academic labels — with no basis in biological fact. Scientifically, there is only one biological race. Homo sapiens. The human race.
Maria Young • 1 year ago
I pity you Rita. You must be an unhappy, unsuccessful ‘white’ person blaming others for your situation. Perhaps you are a waiter, living in a trailer park? If that is the case, you had all the opportunities in the world to be educated and financially successful; yet, look at you. You mention “Mexicans…”, obviously you are not a good reader as the article clearly states that ‘others’ make up almost half of the undocumented. You also state that “you are paying…” Immigrants come to this country TO WORK. Undocumented individuals are not entitled to ANY benefits. What about getting some information before letting everybody know that you are part of the uninformed Rush Limbaugh / Fox News hater crowd? I feel sorry for you. All that hate must make you sick.
Easta Wabbit • 12 months ago
i only dislike illegals…they’re called illegals for a reason..if they ‘re here illegally they’ll be going home by god,when we finally have a real leader in the white house…you can count on that!! and btw,,it won’t be Hillary..It won’t be long before illegals are told and forced to go home to where they entered illegally from and to either stay there or re-enter legally.
Gen Frustration • 1 year ago
Maria, that’s a fallacy. The 14th Amendment (law everyone cites regarding immigration) states that if an individual falls under the jurisdiction the the US then they are eligible to apply for citizenship. The United States does not govern the world and has no jurisdiction over any other nation. Therefore, the “anchor baby” debate is a myth.
Simply because our federal government chooses to ignore the law, doesn’t make illegal Immigration lawful.
On another front, Pew is only telling part of the story. They should report the birth rates of “Mexican” and south American natives. This figure would much more accurately report where these immigrants are coming from.
And please refrain from the liberal name calling and trolling. I’ll save you the time. I’m hateful, a bigot, a horrible person, etc etc. Shame all you’d like, it doesn’t change the facts.
Rex Remes • 1 year ago
Good post, Gen.
PEPE • 1 year ago
no parent would leave behind witch is why they bring them to the US and support them with the little bit of stuff they have, such as food and money. they work hard to support there children with education. its hard to help your child if they never had an education.
John Travolta • 1 year ago
USA is country of immigrants. Although the right-wing politics is painting a picture of immigrant population consisting solely of unskilled workers, that’s only half-true. There are a lot of people out there, who are educated professionals, fluent in English, but had the “luck” to be born in some third-world rat-hole. It’s very hard for them to legally immigrate to USA, but once they make it they often come to be valuable, contributing members of the society. And yes, immigration process is getting more and more complicated over the last 100 years.
Best,
An immigrant, hoping to be a US citizen one day
Writer • 1 year ago
John, thank you for your eloquent and civil reply, amid the hateful rabble. So many of these angry, uninformed people demonstrate a lack of critical thinking and an inability to form calm, grammatical composition.
Carol • 1 year ago
I completely agree with you.We said
WizView • 1 year ago
Before 1995 the immigration issue should have enforced immigration laws to all in the USA and accelerated legal processes a lot, such that in maximum 3 years legal candidates could have become legal residents fulfilling key prerequisites, and letting them on their path to become citizens, if they wished so. Unfortunately what the governments have done during all following decades has been exactly the opposite. The consequences are here to stay, and so are the dreams of thousands that were good candidates to come legally but found all these contradictory and unfair policies in place really promoting illegals.
Randy • 1 year ago
Are there any figures on how many Muslims have come into US in last few weeks. Read 10,000 came into New Orleans few days ago. No women or children.
Anthony Ridley • 1 year ago
Dude, you would know if 10,000 Muslims made it in your state.No women no children. Lol That Ignorant comment will further fan the flame of hatred and fear. Out of all states why yours?
People fear who they don’t know, and hate what they don’t understand.
Truth • 1 year ago
that would be a big fat lie
terri mccarthy • 1 year ago
Anyone should be able to live where they desire. But you have to follow the requirements to qualify. My mom & grandma came from Hong Kong which required them to get a green card & to be educated to speak the English language. My opinion is to have the Federal Government put their monies into the immigration funding which has been established upteen yrs ago. I know that for a fact. My mom use to work for the Social Security System. Instead, the government is giving these illegal immigrants our Soc. Sec. monies that us Americans worked so hard to save for our individual retirement that as of now, 50% of us Americans will not receive a penny of it when they retire as currently their wages is having this monies deducted for what. I say go after the government personal pockets. See how they like living in poverty.
Gee zee • 1 year ago
Terry. How is the government giving SS money to illigals? They cant get SS cards. THEY ARE ILLIGAL!!!!!!!!
Where do you get your information from?
John Greive • 1 year ago
Americans Americans Americans We are all AMERICANS brother. We were all Mostly born in the Americas…….Except those immigrants that weren’t of course. If you are from Canada you are American if you are From the Great country That is The United States You are American, Same with Mexico,Guatemala, Panama, Colombia, Brazil, Chile. All these countries and a few more are part of the Great Continent of AMERICA. Just saying….
Yesenia Rivera • 1 year ago
I have to agree with Gee. Furthermore, what about the “illegals” that work at your local grocery store. Don’t they contribute a set amount to SSI from every paycheck. Where do you think that money goes? If he is using a fake Social Security Number then how do they give it back to him?
Think about it.
You done? Okay, well let me help you figure it out. That money they take from his checks…he never gets to see it ever again. That money is actually going to pay for your mother’s SSI benefits. See clearer now? You’re welcome.
Mark L • 12 months ago
Social security is not a retirement account. No one pays into the social security fund with the promise of receiving that money in retirement. No one is guaranteed a certain payout either. Everyone that is currently employed is supporting someone currently on social security. What the government collects from workers today is sent via check to a retired person today. When you retire, your benefits check will be paid by others who are currently employed. That’s how the system was setup to work. Regarding unauth immigrants, every year the IRS receives income tax returns with fake social security #’s. The fed gov profits by about $11 billion annually since the social sec #s are fake & the IRS cannot return the payments.
wiley • 1 year ago
You have to turn off the water ,put out the fire before you can figure the damage. Similarly if you do not stop the influx you cannot stop the damage.
Put military bases along the border then build a wall with welcoming doors. These are doors will be the only way in. If the countries that allow these illegals to continue travelling across their boarders and into the US. stop funding those countries.
We buy a lot of oil from Mexico. Stop it and drill here. Build more refineries. We do not have enough jobs, toilet paper, etc. for everyone on earth.
Jay Pegram • 1 year ago
what do we do about the other 48% that come by airplane?
Bruce Curtis • 8 months ago
How do you sneak in by airplane? That’s a good one. Those fake passports must be pretty convincing.
Dakota Osiecki • 3 months ago
Bruce, you have to be joking. It’s not possible that you don’t know how air travel works. I’ll explain just in case. First of all, passports aren’t an American-only thing. Mexican immigrants have Mexican passports that allow them to go on international vacations, just like how we use our own if we go on vacations to the Bahamas or something. Now what happens is that they come here for “vacation” but just don’t leave. Their visa runs out but they remain here illegally, and thus they become illegal immigrants. It’s simple as long as they can afford a one way ticket.
Catherine Gonzalez • 10 months ago
Lol we totally have enough things for basic needs for everyone in earth but economic disparity and massive food waste in first world countries such as ours keeps food out the mouths of people that need it forbes.com/sites/bethhoffman/201…
Nala Román • 1 year ago
I have always been proud to be an American. My Spanish ancestors were exhiled from Spain, my Chinese ancestors were exhiled from Mexico and my Mexican ancestors are deported from the US. I came into this country, my country, when i was a toddler. This is the only country I have ever known. I am a loyal American. Most of us dont need a paper to tell us were our loyalties lie. Citizenship and residency just tells us we are needed and wanted.
We have suffered discrimination of every kind. We have been victims of numerous unreported crimes. We have been abused, neglected, raped and used as slaves. Our families live in terror. We dont want to live this way. Every time an undocumented relative leaves our homes is like when our soldiers to war. We might not ever see them again. I remember the fear that I felt growing up, is the same fear I felt when my husband was deployed.
We deserve to be treated with respect and common courtesy. We all have human rights. Just because some people are here illegally doesnt give any citizen/resident the right to break the law. We all have rights.
I teach my children love, compassion, morals and values. I pray for a better future for all generations to come.
L. McNinch • 1 year ago
My ancestors came to the U.S. as Irish immigrants who went through the proper documenting process and became legal citizens. Why then should my ancestors struggles and efforts to move from a potato famine country be diminished and for not by a new generation of illegal immigrants who want a free pass to my country?
your truly • 1 year ago
back in those days it was super easy to become an american you just had look white and they practically gave you citizenship
Me • 1 year ago
not true
regraceddd • 1 year ago
You are right, its not true. but all they had to do was live in the country for 5 years to gain citizenship.
Peter Paul • 1 year ago
I’m having a hard time reconciling what you’re saying; you’re here ILLEGALLY, but that doesn’t give CITIZENS the right to break the law? YOU BROKE THE LAW. To boot, the amount of crime, including hit and runs, crowding emergency rooms for non-emergencies; etc. I could go on and on. CITIZENS are here LEGAL. They have shed blood and tears here for generations. They have paid taxes for generations. They have paid for their schools. They built them. ILLEGALs are encroaching on real citizens birth rights. They are trespassing and they are stealing. Our politicians are going to HELL for their treasonous behavior, so, where does that leave you? An angel? I hardly think so.
Nala Román • 1 year ago
I am a legal.You are having trouble with human rights and the laws of our country. Illegal or legal, still HUMAN with a beating heart just like yours. Someone crosses the border illegally, does that give citizens the right to break our laws and take matters into their own hands? Does that give them the right to do as they please with illegals? We are all human. I dont think so.I am against discrimination of any kind, shape and/or form. I was raised to get to know, respect and value others for who they are not by where they came from, how they look or what religion they practice or dont. Weall have past, it about making a better tomorrow.
JustPassingByForReaserchXD • 1 year ago
Peter, your comment made me cry tears of laughter, I find it funny that there is someone out there who can make a serious comment so cringe. Keep in mind that there is no such thing as an “american” its just a title you get from being born here that’s it, we literally came from immigrants, we are immigrants. The only people who truly belong in the U.S are the Native Americans that we so kindly slaughtered. Also immigrants don’t even cause all that much of a problem, you make it sound like they are taking over the country when in reality they are 5% of out population at most. Plus they don’t really comment any crimes because they don’t want to be found and deported, of course there is always those few cases. My point is do a little more research, you have a good idea of what your saying but there is flaws in what your saying (i’m not trying to be rude I just don’t like seeing someone who has the feel of it but is not fully educated on the subject… if that makes sense)
Gee zee • 1 year ago
WOOOOW!!!!!!! I was begining to think there wasnt an educated American but you restored faith in me.
regraceddd • 1 year ago
THIS^^^
May I remind you, Peter Paul, that most of these people are coming here to work and make their OWN money? They do the necessary jobs that we don’t want to do. By working here, they are preventing companies from outsourcing jobs, and are therefore actually beneficial to our countries growth. I find it sad that you sound so much like those who were against Irish immigrants back in the early 1800, or those who claimed that black people should not have equal rights because they are unskilled etc. These people are fleeing a tumultuous country where they were unable to succeed, or provide for their families. Tell me, would you not do the same?
Mark L • 12 months ago
Everyone pays property taxes, including renters & property taxes fund the public schools. Therefore every unauthorized immigrant is paying for their children’s education. Even people with no children pay for public schools.
Patricia Glover • 1 year ago
I find that this is unfair to the every day American who’s competing for the same job. The doctor or lawyer has nothing to worry about but make money off of these illegals by allowing them to stay it is causing Americans to loose their homes and cars and jobs. While the Mexicans live off of the system free housing , clothing, food stamps and education. Stealing the jobs by either working under the table or working for beans.
Chris • 1 year ago
You aer ignorannt
jake • 1 year ago
U r ignoraant
Daityn • 1 year ago
Actually I agree will most except the jobs if Americans would get off there lazy butts they could get the jobs that they want there are so many high/collage drop outs that also use the free housing food stamps ect.. But they could have gotten the jobs if they didn’t drop out and got a proper education the U.S. would be a better place but I do agree with them coming over here and taking all the resources that they could give to the sick homeless and so on.
Georgia Thompson • 1 year ago
See. That’s the problem. You and a lot of people think it’s only Mexicans who are the illegals. Nearly half of illegals, 48%, are here on expired visas, entering the country from Canada and through airports/ports in the states of Washington. Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Florida, California and Texas. Since that is fact, I guess Trump will have to build a wall that surrounds the whole country. Which is stupid since we should just update the systems and hire more people to enforce the laws already on the books. But no, they focus on Mexico which leaves me no choice but to conclude that, to them, it’s a ‘brown’ issue and they are racist bigots.
Martha • 1 year ago
Sorry, you do not know the facts. Illegal immigrants are not eligible for public assistance. Also, Mexicans are not the only group here illegally, there are Polish, Romanian, Chinese, Canadians, and many more that are here illegally. The main difference is that they melt with the white population; and because they are white the white racist population here in America do not mind. Get your facts straight! And by the way, just in case you think I am illegal. I am a citizen from birth. I am Puerto Rican.
Lisa • 1 year ago
Lies, they are eligible as long as they have American born children.
Tom Lemos • 1 year ago
Only the child is eligible for benefits if they are born here. The parents do not get anything if they are illegal.
John • 1 year ago
Wrong. Mexico account’s for 68% of our countries illegal immigrants. You’re calling people racist because more then half of the illegal immigrants coming into this country are brown and unskilled laborers? Sorry, but i’d rather have 200,000 polish bakers, welders, and others over an unskilled laborer, whether he be white, black, brown, yellow, or blue.
regraceddd • 1 year ago
Well, last time I checked, most “every day Americans” are not applying to painstaking physical labor jobs. In fact, the undocumented immigrants are beneficial, because they fill the jobs that no citizens want to fill, rather than outsourcing the jobs to other countries. Besides, if an immigrant gets a job over a citizen because they would be better at it, I don’t consider it stealing. If the citizen wanted to get the job, they should have upped their game.
Please, I want everyone to open their minds and realize the selfishness in what they are saying. If your family was starving in a tumultuous country drowning in poverty and in a drought of opportunity, would you not seek refuge in the supposed land of success?
Carol • 1 year ago
So true
Mark L • 12 months ago
It is illegal for unauth immigrants to receive any amount of federal public assistance funds which are block granted to the states. A few states offer their version of SNAP, supplemental nutrition assistance, which is budgeted for the children of adult unauth immigrants. There are no housing benefits or other welfare programs. In states with free clinics, anyone can receive medical care which saves the tax payers in that state from health problems that would otherwise become acute with lack of medical care & that is always more costly.
Regarding public education, that is funded through property taxes which everyone that owns their home or rents their home pays. Even if you don’t have a child, that person still supports the local public schools & unauth immigrants do pay for their child’s education.
Kimberly Tomlinson • 1 year ago
If the United States wants to curb illegal immigration, it must contribute to the establishment of policies that end the current corrupt regimes in other nations. This seems unlikely. Our Government cannot yet keep itself from corruption within its own ranks.
The people of this Country must unite to demand the enforcement of our longstanding immigration laws and policies. Until we can do this, we have no chance of reform.
Joel M Evans • 1 year ago
To whom it may concern,
While the numbers of illegal Mexicans must remain approximate, due to the proclivity of unsupported numbers, the impact on health issues is not. The waves of illegals brought with them chickenpox, measles and tuberculosis to name a few, all of which were thought eradicated or of very low incidence. They also increased the numbers regarding hepatitis c and e coli. What is being done?
Jose • 1 year ago
Sir, I believe you have misinformed yourself with a diluted idea that immigrants are the ones who have caused the recent outbreaks. Instead, if you bother to do some research perhaps? The recent out breaks were created by an ignorant population who refuses to vaccinate their children. Viruses don’t cease to exist, they remain in the environment, when they refer to the virus being extinct, they are talking about the majority of the population taking their vaccine to prevent themselves from being infected. Therefore being unable to infect other human beings. Don’t blame immigrants for the faults of an ignorant population that still stands in America, most of them which being right wing extremist.
Scott Miller • 1 year ago
No, the so-called anti-vaxers are from across the political spectrum. There are people on the right who distrust the govt, but there are plenty of people on the left who eschew regular medicine and distrust doctors, believing them to be drug pushers.
Alul’koy • 1 year ago
I agree, it’s usually those white american privileged yuppie moms who refuse to vaccinate their children that are spreading their deaseases , like they did to the native Americans.
Mark L • 12 months ago
Children are vaccinated for many of the diseases that you mentioned. E coli is a food born bacteria which causes in some cases food poisoning, it is not communicable. Hep C is only spread through blood & is not spread via sexual intercourse because it is not present in semen or other bodily fluids. Smallpox is the only officially recognized disease that has been eradicated from this planet. Yet the US still maintains 2 live colonies of smallpox for research. Other diseases are slated for eradication at some future dates if vaccination programs are successful.
In cases like the measles, while a vaccinated person cannot get sick from the disease, they can serve as a vessel to spread it to other people. The claim that unauth immigrants are disease spreading vessels is inaccurate.
prayer • 1 year ago
god bless you for all the help you gave us i bless everybody who worships god
Nigel Hornbean • 1 year ago
Allahu akbar
donald trump • 1 year ago
that is not funny
Brian • 1 year ago
you shuldn’t say that, weirdo
Magni Togorsak • 1 year ago
Mexican immigration to the US has been declining steadily since 2006 and most likely will never happen again for several reasons.
1. Border is more secure, it’s way harder to enter the US illegally.
2. The border is too dangerous.
3. Mexico’s population growth is very low…. Mexico is aging and many of the small modern Mexican families are joining the middle classes. The Mexican mother with ten children is nothing but a thing of the past when Mexico was highly agricultural!
4. Mexico is more prosperous, nowadays is possible to study, get a job and live a good life in Mexico without having to go to the US.
5. Mexican youngsters are shrinking in number (see point 3), so venturous men going up north to look for work are becoming less and less common with time.
Interestingly enough most of Americas new illegal migrants are now Asians (mostly Chinese, Philippinos, Pakistanis and Indians)
Miguel • 1 year ago
I agree with everything with except #4; I wish Mexico was prosperous enough to go get a job and live well (although this can carry a relative meaning). Currently, -and even when this was published- Mexico is giving trouble to a good portion of college grads and even those who can get a job with their degree it would be something totally different from what they studied and more than likely underpaid. There are those, however, who get well paid jobs and the chance to go up in the ladder, a minority unfortunately.
Alaina • 1 year ago
wow i did not expect to hear that
rutabaga • 1 year ago
I got a hard time to get a green card and am not pretending to be racist,, however with the job i have,,,you cannot imagine how frustrating it is to find a job and have a decent salary especially if you work to the food industry,,,so i think it’s unfair ! i would punish employers who hire those people and threat them as slaves first
brad • 1 year ago
If someone is in the US illegally, they have no right to work here period. They don’t pay taxes on the wages they earn because they are not supposed to be here. But I do agree that if a business owner is using illegal labor they should be fined heavily.
Lou • 1 year ago
You are incorrect, sir. I used to help working illegal immigrants file their taxes every year. Upon being hired by an employer, the IRS assigns illegal immigrants a “special ID” number in order to file taxes.The IRS basically states to illegals that they should not be working in the US, but if they are then the might as well pay taxes. This special ID number will not suffice if used for anything else besides filing taxes.
Wiibaron • 1 year ago
Saying it’s a ‘fact’ that there are a specific number of illegal undocumented foreign born invader people is an absolute lie. Nobody has any idea how many are here because we can’t keep track of our border. In or out. It would be like saying you know how many gallons of water are in the Colorado River. Since it is a moving entity, you CAN’T count it.
Richard • 1 year ago
Yes we do know how much water is in the Colorado river. It’s called science.
Christian • 1 year ago
Truth is the U.S. depends on undocumented immigrants to do jobs U.S. citizens won’t do, such as picking crops in the fields, construction (they build your million dollar custom homes for little money), meat packing industry, cleaning/maids, landscaping etc. They are laborious jobs that the American people reject. As a matter of fact, immigrants should be the ones receiving benefits. They don’t give immigrants personal protective equipment when they are doing hazardous jobs such as construction or when they are exposed to chemicals and pesticides. Immigrants pay taxes to pay for American’s health insurance, education, social security benefits. Benefits that immigrants need but can’t receive. They also fund and go off to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan to defend America’s “Democracy and Liberty” from “terrorism”. They die for a country that rejects them and treats them like second class citizens. The U.S. tears families apart when they deport immigrants. Children are being left in foster care due to having undocumented parents.
The U.S. owes immigrants too many things. They should be thankful. I hope to see the day immigrants are treated with the same respect and equality as the rest of the American population.
Troy • 1 year ago
I understand we need immigrants to do jobs that americans won’t do but people its not fair that the illegal ones don’t pay income tax like all other legal citizens, that is the point of working and paying taxes……I mean Bernie sanders wants to give everything away because he feels the rich are geedy and don’t pay enough taxes, what about the 11 million undocumented immigrants that don’t pay income tax of any kind, yeah that’s a lot of money, it shouldn’t be ok for them and not us and Obama allows it, so yes we do need them but we don’t owe them anything, think of how much more money you could be earning every year if you paid no income tax.
garybegd • 1 year ago
If you work using fake documents, taxes are withheld and so is social security. But you can never file a tax return, so the government keeps all the money, and never pays a benefit, because only US citizens receive Social Security, or welfare, for that matter.
Maria • 1 year ago
Garybegd…a form of Medicaid they do get and often need for the children or themselves. It’s a good thing , they don’t need to suffer and come to school sick but it costs the States money which they don’t have.
William Kenyon • 1 year ago
It’s frustrating to see such an emotional discussion with so few facts presented.
See
thefiscaltimes.com/2015/04/16/St…
for some information on how much taxes illegal immigrants pay.
Ana • 1 year ago
Actually the government gives undocumented immigrants a number for which they can use to do and pay taxes every year. I appreciate the concern but please having and opinion does not entitle anyone to make assumptions it would help if people like you would do their research before posting false information for others to believe!
AL MARKS • 1 year ago
The amount of tax $ available by taxing every single working illegal would not even approach the amount available by enacting a marginal increase on the 1%.
Most low paying workers would end up getting nearly total refunds on any taxes due to family deductions and medical expenses. As long as the wealthy are able to effectively portray themselves as overtaxed victims, our national budget will never come into balance.
Georgia Thompson • 1 year ago
Obama allows it? The problem of illegals did not surface with Obama. The practice of hiring under the table has been around for centuries. Enforce immigration laws, prosecute people/businesses who benefit from undocumented workers, amnesty for parents of minor children born in US under penalty of deportation if parents do not complete process for citizenship and change policy regarding those who successfully land via boat to include Haitians.
HighSeirra • 1 year ago
Christian I don’t know what state you live in but I live in California, my whole family is or was in the construction industry and had to find a different line of work because their employers fired most poo f the crews that are Americans to hire cheap unskilled Mexican labor. It’s not true Americans won’t do the jobs Mexicans do, it’s they can’t afford to do the jobs because of the low wages. They’ll live ten to twenty of them in one home. They don’t care what their living conditions are. They cost America far more than they put into the system. Please educate yourself on the true costs to us tax paying Americans. When close to a third of working age Americans aren’t in the workforce because they can’t find employment that pays a living wage that’s a problem. The wages in America have Been stage for the last 30 years because of illegal immigration. You get wage growth by demand for employee’s, but when you have millions of illegal people that will work for wages Americans can’t afford to work for it pulls every bodies wages down. Let alone all the troubles they cause people by stealing their identity to work in the USA. Look at the whole picture. I understand being compassionate towards them, but they need to do it legally or better yet put all the effort they put in coming here illegally into improving their own country. Alot of them that have come into the U.S. in the last 10 years or so are here working in the drug trade. Just this summer in the small county I live in they had to irradicate 15 pot grows in the national forrest that has done untold amount of damage to the forest, water ways and wildlife. The trash left behind and all the chemicals they dump into the water ways destroys a tremendous amount of wildlife for years and cost a fortune that we don’t have to restore all the damage they do. So please don’t act like all they do is great things for this country. Please open your eyes to the whole picture.
Chris • 1 year ago
I agree with you, but it isn’t like they can come legally without having to do lottery or having a baby with a us citizen. Many Asian women are paying thousands to us citizens to be able to become us citizens. Although they don’t pay taxes, they do try hard working. More than 10 years my family has been here. It really depends on the actual good people and the bad. Like people said, we have corruption inside our government. Until we can fix the situation, everyone is a lose lose. Mexican doesn’t have easy, American have it somewhat easier. But either way, it’s a lose lose.
Scott Miller • 1 year ago
Illegal immigrants are not fighting and dying in our wars. You cannot join the service if you are not a legal permanent resident or citizen. Even as a legal permanent resident, your options are limited. If an illegal has joined the service, not only have they broke the law entering the country, they are breaking the law by providing false documentation to the govt.
beau • 1 year ago
People are misunderstanding what conservatives mean when we say “Illegal Immigrants are bad.” At least I in fact mean that we should make it easier to become a citizen. Its not bad that they are here doing jobs, its bad that they come illegally, and take free health care and education without paying any taxes. It would be great if we could make it easier to become a citizen but having a bunch of people not contributing to our society and economy is no good.
tony cassa • 1 year ago
Ameicans who paid into social security over a life time are being threatened
that their $$$$ may be running out. What did the Federal government do with it???
It seems the government has never ending funds for illegal aliens! Am I missing something?
AF Cassa
Reynaldo Pulido • 1 year ago
Tony please explain to me how based on this article or any data for that mater do you get the idea that the US has ending funds for illegal aliens? Yes you are missing something facts.
emjayay • 1 year ago
Yes, you are missing several things. Social Security is secure for decades. The threat of money running out is imaginary. The baby boomer population bubble is retiring and will use up a lot of money. This was all very predictable. Simply raising the income limit on FICA to whatever level is necessary would be a simple method of covering SS costs. What funds does the government spend on illegals? Mostly they save employers money by paying them less. If they are not paid under the table they are a big plus for SS because they are paying in and won’t get anything out.
Mark L • 12 months ago
Yes, you’re missing a great deal. People who are working today are paying the social security funds that someone is receiving today. That is how the system has always worked. No one pays into a future retirement fund that is not needed. Congress adjusts contributions so that there is enough $$$ in the system to cut the checks for today. When you retire, you will be paid by someone who is working.
Roy • 1 year ago
They are not unauthorized they are illegal.
Maria Gordon • 1 year ago
If we have laws in this country they need to be enforced equally to all. It truly doesn’t mean one doesn’t like the Mexican and S.American people , the American law requires it and so does the Mexican law when we enter their country to have appropriate papers. That’s one issue , the other is the dependency on American Aid which not all have to have ,but a lot do. That’s were the sheer numbers of Illegals present an unfair problem to the American taxpayers , especially to our own poor people who have to split the now smaller resources with a never ending stream of Illegals. America has to treat other countries as they are being treated, when you want to enter you show your papers so people know who you are. By sneaking across the border without papers one can assume you are hiding something therefore under the law you are a criminal . It has nothing to do with Hitler ,,, it’s the law in every country.
Vanessa • 1 year ago
One thing that you have to understand is that this country makes a business out of having illegal immigrants. They reside in this country, but they certainly do not live here for free. They are doing the jobs that lazy Americans do not want to do, jobs that are of high risks and lower pays, and guess what most of them do get taxed regardless of their status. Additionally, these undocumented immigrants are consumers just like you and I, and they do consume, therefore, they are paying for taxes. You want to know what the saddest thing is, that they are humble people that just want to have a decent life without the crimes that they are subjected to in their country (which is one of the main causes of the immigration; this does not mean that they are criminals), and they work for it, unlike the many Americans that just sit at home and expect the system to support them. Many of these living off the welfare system have not worked a day in their life , so you cannot say that these people are entitled because they work and pay taxes; they are just American. Undocumented immigrants are the slaves of today because although they are paid, they don’t have the basic right to take day off or time off because they got injured at the job, and they are more susceptible to threats of ICE, allowing people to dehumanize them. If you want numbers, undocumented immigrants make $330 billion of the nation’s GDP; the undocumented makes $130 billion of California’s GDP. Do your research before you spew your xenophobic venom that has society as screwed up as it is. I have never heard of a Latino going on killing sprees that several white Americans go on several times in one year. Good Day.
zoe • 1 year ago
They are not American, they are undocumented immigrants.
Chris • 1 year ago
For a large population of these people (I’d wager the majority), they are more American than some of the people born in the US.
They value hard work, they appreciate what they have in life and do honest work to get a better life for themselves and their children. For the majority who don’t work under the table, these people do pay into federal, state and local taxes and SS payments, but without a valid SS number or other documents, they can never collect those benefits, welfare included. In terms of participating in society in other ways, like obtaining a drivers license, it is impossible without papers, and so most do without. Sure some do drive without a license, and these folks shouldn’t be driving: most undocumented people would agree.
I know all of these things to be true because I grew up with illegal immigrants, I befriended illegal immigrants, and I was the son of illegal immigrants. Call me biased, but I grew up seeing all of these people leave the place they called home for reasons of survival and searching for accomplishment that was impossible in their home countries. These goals conflicted with the law, but when the alternative was squalor, it’s a gamble they take.
Not even speaking of those who die crossing the desert or are betrayed by the coyotes they pay for safe passage, those who are fortunate enough to make it to the North now have to live a life without friends, family or comfort, only with intentions of living the American Dream.
While working brutal jobs for low pay, they work their hardest to learn English, to learn the customs and to be members of their community, contrary to nativist rhetoric. When my father was presented the opportunity of amnesty during the Reagan administration, you better believe he studied as hard as he could to answer every single question on that test correctly. I guarantee (I believe its been studied, actually) that most “true” Americans can’t pass the naturalization test, which leads to the irony that these Americans who want to remove citizenship by jus soli, or birthright citizenship, are by no means themselves hallmark citizens.
I didn’t know my parents were once undocumented immigrants until not too long ago, but that never changed the respect I had for them nor the belief they had in this country.
What I’m arguing here isn’t that illegal immigration is right, or that it should continue (other avenues should be opened, but that’s another argument). It’s that undocumented immigrants here now, for better or for worse, are your neighbors, your coworkers, and your friends. To speak of rounding up your neighbors and friends and deporting them away from the home they’ve spent so long building is betrayal.
Salme3 • 1 year ago
Latin Americans ARE American. They are not “United Statesian”
Salme3 • 1 year ago
You both have excellent points. Clearly the solution is to offer a Guest Worker pass, through which currently undocumented workers can gain legal access to work here, and pay taxes here, but remain citizens of their own countries. As laid out in NAFTA in the mid-90’s.
What drives me nuts is how we keep revisiting this. NAFTA allowed for guest worker passes, which have never been implemented, because of the skill of US politicians at delaying things by simply saying “We need to keep discussing this.” We don’t. We have a solution. We even have the laws (NAFTA) in place. Ridiculous to keep arguing about it.
Martin • 1 year ago
I don’t think Donald Trump has any realistic idea of how to address the issue of 11 million illegal immigrants, 8 million of which are working – many doing the type of work that US citizens don’t want to do. Trump’s approach to the issue reminds me of Hitler and the Nazi Party – and how they used the Jews as scapegoats for Germany’s problems. For political purposes, the Nazi’s singled out a small segment of the population, played on existing prejudices, and systematically convinced the German people that the Jews should be deported. We all know how that ended. When people enter this country illegally, it causes problems – no question about that. On the other hand, we need the workers – we need to accept them, educate them and assimilate them into our society. Otherwise, our population will decline, our workforce will decline – and nothing good will come of that.
Dave • 1 year ago
Where do you get the basis for that assertion, as the US has a sufficient replacement rate for the labor market as is. Come to think of it, our labor participation rate is historically low.
Caleb • 1 year ago
The undocumented are willing to do the work we aren’t willing to participate in because we have loans and a sense of “we deserve more”(which we do, but that’s a completely different subject). So you are correct in saying we have sufficient replacement capabilities but it would be harder to convince to settle for minimum wage jobs because our debts are far greater, especially when the average American citizens debt is 87k$ if i remember correctly.
Martin • 1 year ago
Dave – a fair challenge – with the national unemployment rate having recently gone below 5%, and a massive number of ” baby boomers” getting ready to retire, the stage is set for labor shortages – one data point – a recent article in the WSJ regarding the construction industry being limited by – yes, not having enough workers, and because of that fact, projects are being delayed.
HighSeirra • 1 year ago
Construction jobs if truly being delayed are because of the wages they are offering to do the work. They just want cheap labor so they get bigger profits. My whole family is in the industry and have seen the destruction of wages in the industry because of illegals willing to work for half of what it costs to hire an American trades men. It’s untrue that Americans won’t do the jobs they are doing, they just can’t afford todo the jobs at save wages. It’s about paying your bills and feeding your family. Quit thinking with your heart and open your eyes to the true costs to the American worker and our cost we pay that go to illegals. Please educate yourself on the real facts.
Martin • 1 year ago
HighSeirra – so – for the sake of discussion, lets assume that your comment – {My whole family is in the industry and have seen the destruction of wages in the industry because of illegals willing to work for half of what it costs to hire an American trades men.} – is 100% true. So the construction firms involved are breaking the law by hiring illegals. They either don’t ask for the I-9 form to document citizenship – or, they falsify the documents. So – how do they get away with it? It is hard to believe that an American worker – who can’t work on a project because all the workers on the project are illegal – is going to just keep his mouth shut and walk away. In my opinion, a firm that routinely hires illegals will get shut down in about 5 minutes. Is it possible that the person that you see working for half of the wage that you want – is actually in this country legally, and paying taxes just like the rest of us.
MIT 2000 • 1 year ago
Most welfare recipients are white. Why can’t they do the job the illegals do?
Annoyed • 1 year ago
False. Statistically they use the lowest in proportion with their percentage of the population. Also, many Hispanics call themselves “white” which further obfuscates the issue.
Mark L • 12 months ago
In the US 9/10 of welfare recipients are the elderly, the working poor (like many Walmart employees) & the physically disabled. Of the rest, they are mostly white American. Immigrants, regardless of status, are the least likely to apply for public benefits. Understand that people living in poverty are unlikely to risk their lives to cross into the US just to live in poverty. Typically the undoc immigrant has a goal to save money & at least 50% return to their home country once they have met that goal. For years racial classifications have made a distinction for white & non hispanic, so it is unlikely that race is being miscounted.
Julio R. Garcia, Ph.D • 1 year ago
Please keep up the good work as I remain interested I our future Hispanic students
and communities.
Maria Gordon • 1 year ago
As an European immigrant I had to fulfill a series of obligations before I was allowed to come to this country. Number one was a health certificate , a shot record, a police clearance, a bank statement and proof of financial security and most of all a waiting period to get all the papers and translations together . Why are Mexican and other South American people not held to the same standards? They are clearly breaking the laws. Mexico demands papers or sends people back if not imprisones them as felons. I am a college educated teacher , obeyed the laws and now my tax dollars are used to pay for illegals health and welfare, something smells here and Trump has a very good point.
alisa • 1 year ago
God bless you for doing the right thing become a citizen i wished all were like you my prayer is for these ILLEGALS to make it right or get the hello out of America we tax paryers pay 80 billion a year to care for illegals and the ones that work lives with wife and kids but the wives go to wearfare and say no man in house so they get food stampes on top of wages kids get health and dental not my kids government did not give a crap about my kids so i pretty upset about illegals and there disrespect for us and our laws. I also pray Trump gets in but does what he said he would do we as americans should not stand for it its not ok for them to stay in my book. Lol
sethbuser • 1 year ago
your right
Amanda Lafaive • 1 year ago
You know what’s funny? I’ve seen and met many immigrants, legal and otherwise. The illegal immigrants have money, money that they worked very hard for, and they spend it in our economy. The legal immigrants are often receiving money from the government. In many different ways including welfare, housing, and food stamp benefits. So before you go blasting some things you heard on the news, you might want to try forming your own opinion based on real life
Mary G. • 1 year ago
Marla, I commend you for doing it the right way, the way we natural born americans were told was the LEGAL way for any one, regardless of where they were from , or born, was the ONLY way for someone to become a citizen of the United States of America. I’m afraid, though, that over the years, our government, with their back room deals, has sold us out to whoever would pay the price, and it seems that Mexico, and other south american countries, ponied up the ante for the price of admission. And by putting the 1 % in charge of the media, they have been able to spin history into printing false articles of Americans being lazy, not wanting to do the jobs that are now done by the millions of illegals in this country, and as far as the skilled jobs go, our government already out-sourced those jobs to its “partners in crime”, years ago. But hey, just for the sake of arguement, lets talk about all the americans that lost their jobs over the last 10 years, applied for unemployment, and were paid better then when they were working full time, and then the government, after getting everyone accustomed to receiving government benefits, pulled the rug out from under them, foreclosed on their homes, denied them benefits because they made too much the previous year to get an extension, a little more time, before they lost everything…..now the borders are wide open, the millions of illegals here in this country that are costing everyone millions….where do you think the money comes from to pay for everyone????? They are not illegal immigrants…they are not refugees…..every non-profit agency that gives them something, whether it be food, clothes, money, housing…..it comes from tax paying citizens of the United States of America, thats where from! Nothing is free in this country, and the citizens of this country, whether they were born here, or came here and paid for the right to become citizens, are paying for every one who is coming here either as a person crossing our border illegally, or coming here through channels provided by our government. The bleeding hearts of this country want to say that everyone who came here before was an immigrant…we are a country founded by immigration…well, fine….that can be said when the country was first founded….people came here, they fought hard, they assimilated, they provided a service, whether is was founding a business, or working to be a productive citizen of the United States. How many illegals are here from Mexico? Working with falsified papers, shared ssn’s, drivers licenses, that send American money back to family in Mexico? How is it that they can take 2-4 weeks off from work here, drive back to Mexico, spend time with their “family” that they had to leave there, and then come back to the U.S with no problem crossing the border each time??
It is a slap in the face to me, an American, that my government can welcome these illegals with open arms, give them all kinds of benefits, look the other way, say they are not illegal, but “immigrants” and “refugees”, take my taxes to pay for all the different programs to pay for these “poor afflicted people”, all the while, expecting me to pay for myself and my family full price for everything….if I have a hardship, if I lose hours at work, too bad, so sad for me???????
I really feel for the people who have come here legally….the ones who fought for years, paying thousands of dollars, to do things the way my government said they had to be done….who, through, blood, sweat and tears, fought to assimilate to the american way, learn english, obey all our laws, to embrace this country as their own….this invasion of “immigrants”, refugees”, who seem to have everything handed to them, including citizenship, without having to work for anything, all the while wanting everything handed to them, as if we owe them something, is a slap in the face to everything I was taught and believed in. My dad used to say “Unless I just woke up this morning in Russia”…..sorry dad…..we’ve been bought…and sold….to the highest bidder…..
Mark L • 12 months ago
Check the unemployment schedules, unemployment pays 60% of a person’s regular paycheck. The lower the income, the tougher that 40% becomes. Higher income earners have the ability to reduce their expenses to match the 40% cut. People who can barely pay for the essentials, food, housing, utilities can least afford a 40% paycut. Unauth immigrants come from every continent & the countries they come from are not paying for them to be here, that’s preposterous. It is illegal for unauth immigrants to receive any federal public assistance funds. Some states do provide from their own budgets supplementary food assistance which is determined only for the children but not their adult parent if they are in the country illegally. Free clinics are open to anyone, the benefit to tax payers is that people who receive medical treatment early are far less costly than when their condition becomes acute. Immigrants of any status that come to the States to improve their lives. For this reason, people escaping poverty in their country are unlikely to risk their lives to come to the US & live in poverty by receiving welfare. It’s known that at least 50% of unauth immigrants are here to earn enough money to send home at which time they return to their home country. Many want to build a family home for both their family as well as parents & grandparents. This nations porous borders have always made it easy for people to enter the US illegally & as a result, it’s harder for law enforcement to find & deport them. No POTUS has ever made much of an impact on illegal immigration, yet the Obama admin has averaged about 400,000 deportations annually, which is also the budget that congress approved.
Karon • 1 year ago
They are not unauthorized immigrants. You can change the name to make it sound better all you want. They fact is they are criminals due to the fact that they are here illegally. They have broken our laws. Whether they sneaked across our borders or they over stayed their visa they are here illegally and therefore they are criminals. Immigrants are people that have come into our country legally. Changing the name does not make their status any different. Also, we, the real citizens and immigrants of the US get to pay for them to be here. Paul Harvey once said that we can not afford to NOT send them back. I honestly doubt the financial facts have changed for the better since he said that some 20 years ago.
Willys41 • 1 year ago
OK, so remember next time you get a ticket for ILLEGAL parking you broke the law so YOU are a CRIMINAL.
Chris • 1 year ago
A parking ticket is completely different from Sneaking into a country and staying. Why do you think Europe does not let half the desert into the country? its extremely hostile on the economy that’s why. Not to mention you don’t know what diseases people could be bringing over. Sneaking into the country is just like if I broke into someones vacant summer house for a few months and stayed their and lived there and pretended lie it was mine.
TG • 1 year ago
Actually, immigrants are almost always a boost to net growth, and usually increase per-capita GDP as well. It’s a self-selecting phenomenon; getting here is hard, and those who manage to make in here are usually middle-class, not dirt poor.
In addition, “illegal immigrant” is a new and fairly strange distinction. The idea of “applying” for citizenship and “waiting in line” was basically unheard of in the turn of the 20th century. Mexican workers have been filling positions in the US for decades, and the border was basically open throughout even the Cold War.
Capitalism depends on the free movement of both labor and capital. Work creates work. It isn’t some zero-sum game where the evil Mexicans steal our jobs. Our products get cheaper, they spend money and create jobs, and both countries benefit. Basic economics.
Ed Rumsby • 1 year ago
Absolutely! If you break the Laws that a country has in place you are subject to the penalties for breaking that law. If a traffic violation means a monetary penalty then fine, but a to expect the taxpaying citizens of this country to carry the load of over 11 million illegal aliens at a cost of over 100 billion dollars is insane. This is not about alienating any hard working ethnic group, but our country cannot handle this financial burden.
What happens if this country falls as a result of this financial burden? They will pick up and illegally immigrate somewhere else.
Vanessa • 1 year ago
As a daughter of undocumented parents, it’s far interesting to me how you use the word “criminals”. I believe there is no such thing that connects to them with those phrases you tend to use. Let me just give you some facts here.
Labor work: If those who are “legal” in America would take the opportunity to work those jobs that undocumented people work, you guys would fail or else they wouldn’t be working there in the first place.
For that reason, undocumented immigrants come to America to live a better life, no matter what there has to be done. They do not come here TO BE LIKE YOU! They have dreams and aspirations just like any other person who cares about their future. I personally believe it’s confusing on how you say they’re “criminals” “illegal” and all the other nonsense, when the Europeans were the ones who stole this land from the Native Americans. So in that case, you’re illegal and criminals too?
You guys worry so much about money and “paying” for them being here, when in the real life, they are making American a better place.
For example, the economy. By having undocumented immigrants grant legal immigration status (about 2.1 million who would qualify if there are specific requirements), that would increase the earnings by $148 billion that would include them buying cars, houses and all the goods. This would ripple the economy by assisting another $181 billion in economic influence, the foundation of 1.4 million new jobs, and more than $10 billion in increased income.
So now, who is actually benefiting from all this?
Scott Miller • 1 year ago
Vanessa,
There are many jobs filled by illegals that Americans would do, but it is far cheaper to pay illegals to do them. That is why they are getting the jobs. Oh, and give it a rest with the “we are all criminals” because Europeans “stole” from the natives. First off, there is no one alive today who legally took land from the natives and there are no natives alive who had “their” land taken by Europeans. The natives stole from each other, and in the end, sometimes one nation conquers another. I know some of the racist groups like La Raza are advocating for reconquista of various parts of the US. Of course, they are doing by co-opting the hatred the left in the US has for our country and are trying to get parts of the US given to them.
mack spear • 1 year ago
Have you considered the reasoning for why hundreds of thousands of people have been emigrating from Mexico to the U.S.? Maybe consider the detrimental effects that the United States int. policies have had on Mexico; NAFTA, the subsidization of corn.
The N. American Free Trade Agreement: opened the Mexican economy to American trade & investment
–Displaced Mexican farmers & company owners
–Increased competition depressed Mexican wages even further
Even more so, consider the continuous effects that our incredibly unscrupulous conglomerate corporations have on the illegal immigration into the US. BIG FOOD INDUSTRY, MEAT PROCESSING INDUSTRY, BIG AGRO-INDUSTRY
Just because immigration regulation has been codified for decades doesn’t rescind its implicate the ‘de jure discrimination’ against immigrants (illegal or not) who reside in our country. These industries are run by employer tyrants who have no consideration for immigration laws let alone any level of conviction for “Duty of Care.” Perhaps money-driven policies pose a bigger threat to this country than immigration.
Scott • 1 year ago
How interesting…we as a nation have come to the point of letting people into our country, illegally, paying them in ‘cash’, not knowing ‘who’ or ‘what’ they are or have been, not requiring them to know anything or respect anything that pertains to The United States of America, e.g, our beliefs, customs, language (so to speak), history, or anything else that would tend to lead to becoming a part of the nation-assimilating. This is all being done for nothing more than houses and hamburgers?? Because no one born and raised in The United States will do such work? Did you know that in 1969 90% of everything consumed and or used in the United States was made by American’s in The United States with only American raw materials? That 95% of all labor of any kind in The United States in 1969 was done by legal American citizens? And now we are held hostage by companies/corporations who just want to save a buck? Being slowly turned into a dump by politicians who, along with the aforementioned business conglomerates, want nothing more than to keep people marginally content so they will work for crap wages, hate unions and end up right back where their working ancestors were in the 19th century? Have any of you here been to an agricultural town in California? If you would like to live in Central or South America or Mexico, no need to move out of the United States, just head for The Salinas or Central Valley of California. English is secondary as is anything remotely resembling ‘being’ a part of America. Believe me, I live in it every day. Little ‘colonies’ are being established complete with high crime rates. So, for those of you who think ‘the poor’ Latino’s need a break and America has a duty to be the savior, here’s a historical factoid for you. The United States of America is 239 years old and was founded predominantly by protestant Europeans. In an era, the 18th century when most world powers were under a monarchy, for a people to declare themselves independent was not only unheard of but outrageous. Yet, the colonists of North America did it. The European Spanish made their debut in this hemisphere in 1492, as did The Roman Catholic Church. Hence the Spanish language being dominant today in 85% of this hemisphere, and Catholicism still being the dominant religion in what is known as Latin America today. However, you will be hard pressed to find a “Bill of Rights” anywhere, or, that is being upheld anyway. 80% of Latin America has always been and continues to be, in abject poverty. Many of these people, many a cross-breed of European Spanish and indigenous peoples, are no better off now than 500 years ago when Catholic Spain showed up. But yet, it seems that we, The United States are the issue, for whatever reasons. Because we have wealth, resources and so on, ‘we’ are bad and must atone. My Stepfather, who is from Mexico puts it this way, “The farther up the political ladder you go in Mexico, the more Castilian things look.” As the Pope makes a Spanish missionary a saint in the 21st century, tell me, just how much has changed? If the peoples of central and south America have issue, I say take it to Madrid and The Vatican, not Washington D.C. I keep hearing how this Spanish Missionary helped the indigenous peoples, saved them, and so on. What was he saving them ‘from’ exactly?? What ‘help’ were they in so dire need of that some Spaniard had to come save the day??? Indigenous peoples of California were hunter gatherers, had a language, weren’t stupid and had this thing for being ‘clean’, literally, as in ‘bath-ing’. Something the Spanish of the time weren’t a fan of. I’ve been to Mission San Antonio in California, the buildings and grounds are in great shape for being over 200 years old. It is still a functioning church. However, when you go to visit the graveyard of the indigenous peoples, the ones who built the place, you see a decaying wall, a tired small metal gate, and a field of nothing but weeds and dirt. No headstone, no cross, no Christ, no nothing. By all means, do make this man a Saint, for he saved the indigenous peoples, but apparently, not from mass graves.
Don • 1 year ago
You forgot to mention that when the Europeans came to the “New World” how they stole the land from the native people who welcomed them, at first. When the “locals” resisted their land being stolen, they were wiped out.
D • 1 year ago
No. Your claim is an Old lie; propaganda to encourage racism toward white people. The majority of Europeans that came to America arrived as Indentured Servants. Read a few Books: 1. White Cargo: The Forgotten History of Britain’s White Slaves in America, 2. They Were White and They Were Slaves: The Untold History of the Enslavement of Whites in Early America 3. White Gold 4 The Irish Slaves 5 To Hell or Barbados: The Ethnic Cleansing of Ireland … Then read the 13th amendment to our constitution, “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude” and understand the truth: “Before the Civil War, slaves and indentured servants were considered personal property, and they or their descendants could be sold or inherited like any other personalty.” memory.loc.gov and know this – Those that did survive, fought for liberty and equality.
H. Smith • 9 months ago
Awesome reply! Bravo.
Donni • 1 year ago
Truth is, it is a burden on our economy. They come here for the freebies. Free housing, food, medical, etc. And they make more babies that WE, the taxpayer, must pay for. If they are coming here to work, the money gets sent back to Mexico, so it really goes into their economy, not ours. This is a strategy perpetrated by our government – it is call the ‘Cloward and Piven Strategy’. What they do is bring all of these people in from 3rd world countries – with the promises of housing, medical, now even cash, etc. It places a huge financial burden on the states that are harboring these people – so then, the state must go to the Federal government for aid. This is how government gets bigger because by accepting federal assistance. Then the situation becomes a humanitarian issue, the UN will step in to save us, and that is how the UN gets power. All by design. This is how America loses her liberties and freedoms, by allowing the globalist agenda to take over, America officially becomes a 3rd world country, because these people do not improve our living standard, they greatly reduce it. This is the insanity of the maniacs pushing for one big happy global community.
Laz • 1 year ago
Undocumented immigrants dont receive federal benefits. Children do receive assistance.
Immigration, in total, provides a positive contribution to the US economy.
Immigrants are less likely, as compared to citizens, are less likely to commit crimes.
Every year the number of illegal immigrants who file taxes has risen
The majority of illegal immigrants take on the most unwanted jobs.
This administration has deported more illegals than any other (hence its reference to “deporter in chief”
A gret way to discourage some illegal immigrants from entering this country is by enforcing the e-verify system (which companies like Walmart & McDonalds have avoided).
Another idea is to require proof of residency from people who want to western union money to their country of origin….what do you think of that idea?
There are some decent ways to deport some of these people or limit them from coming in, its just no president or congress in the last 20 yrs has put forward any common sense proposals. But the senate passed a bi partisan immigration bil but boehner wont bring it up for a vote.
D • 1 year ago
Oh Yes, they do receive federal and state funds. Go to a bank, or grocery store on the first of the month anywhere dominated by illegals
The illegal parent gets the benefits from 69 federal programs providing cash, food, housing, medical care, social services, training, and targeted education aid that includes everything from clothing to backpacks, and school supplies that poor legal families have to do without.
In FY 2011, federal spending on welfare, plus state contributions to federal programs, reached $940 billion. The federal share was $695 billion, state spending was $250 billion…. and the cost to America keeps climbing.
heritage.org/research/testimony/…
Mark L • 12 months ago
According to the comments on this page, the cost to tax payers of unauth immigrants has gone from $80 Billion to $100 billion & now to $940 Billion which eclipses even the DoD budget through 2019. Heritage Foundation is a group dedicated to promoting conservative policy, their positions are therefore partisan & biased. Legislation makes it illegal for unauth immigrants to receive federal public assistance funds, though some states to offer at their expense supplemental nutrition assistance which is determined solely for the children of an unauth immigrant. Healthcare is available to anyone from a free clinic. Being able to receive healthcare early on costs much less than treating an acute condition. Curious how people think that they can tell who is here illegally just by going out to a grocery store. As for banks, welfare is now mostly debit card based & few living in poverty have bank accounts because they have no income to save. It is also illogical for a person living in poverty to risk their life to enter the US just to live in poverty. In fact, immigrants of all status are the least likely to seek welfare benefits, they are underrepresented for that group. Whereas white Americans are the most likely to tap welfare. Even then, the typical person receives welfare for an average of 4 months. Claims that the US is going bankrupt bely the fact that other countries are eager to invest their sovereign funds by buying US debt, while their monetary reserves trade their currency with the Federal Reserve for American $$$ to help stabilize their currency. There is no benefit to the US to lend its currency to another nation, there are other countries that provide this service as well. Commodities are traded in US $ simply because the US $ is so stable that prices don’t have to be recalculated because of currency fluctuations. We greatly benefit from the non-partisan & unbiased work of organizations like Pew Research.
John • 1 year ago
I’m not exactly the most informed person, but, logically speaking, why would so many people want to come over if there wasn’t a problem? This is something not very many people seem to address. Everybody knows that the Mexican government is horribly corrupt and controlled by the cartels, but nobody’s doing anything about it- instead, we’re just complaining about the people who don’t want to have to live in those conditions. I think that, before anything else can be done about the whole issue, something needs to be done about the government in Mexico.
I understand that we have our own problems at home, but this isn’t a situation that is going to fix itself- either of the two most popular solutions (open the border or deporting all illegal immigrants) is going to leave half the country extremely unhappy with the decision. If Mexico becomes a better place, people will, for the most part, stop wanting to come here. Then it won’t be so immoral to deport illegal immigrants (from Mexico) back to Mexico, and most people should be pleased with the outcome (except for greedy business owners).
Auralae See • 1 year ago
I agree that one (or both) countries need to drastically change. The problem is that the solution of changing Mexico would involve nation building on our part to bring about. Perhaps the better solution might be to restrict nation building to one’s own nation, and along those lines, it seems beyond obvious that we have two choices, either close our borders (like we MEAN it) OR get rid of both crony capitalism and socialism. I think a very good case could be made for the latter being the more merciful choice for our southern neighbors.
Sue • 1 year ago
Just watched the Presidential debate sponsored by CNN – – Really some good comments by people that by and large have very decent thinking about our current problems. Illegal immigration is by far one of the worst that we have here in the US. Been so concerned about the masses of displaced people in the Far East that are looking for rights to immigrate into countries that haven’t had the recent problems that we have been facing with that problem. Certainly Germany can handle 500,000, that is a reasonable number for some country with non-growing problems. But think about it, here we are transporting them in on planes – – setting them up with all the immenities when already we have so many millions of illegal immigrants stopping up our systems with all of their problems. Wouldn’t it be more reasonable to consider the things that could be done for them – – particularly in learning the language and studying to be citizens, rather than bringing in people that we do not know of their real intent (and maybe won’t know until the pressure cooker bomb goes off) in wanting to be a part of our citizenry!!! Please, let us reason together and find solutions to the problems that already exist, before we welome new ones – –
Claire • 1 year ago
It is also my understanding that a large percentage of those working are paying into social security taxes (using incorrect ss# but don’t get discovered) and as we know you cannot obtain benefits without a legit ss#. They pay state and income taxes which come directly from their paychecks as many are hired believing they are legal. I also believe there are a larger number of Europeans that have come here to work on a visa which expires and they stay. They can obtain a Tax ID in order to work here without being citizens. They cannot use the systems benefits either.
Drew F. • 1 year ago
Claire, some possibly are paying taxes. First of all I am in the air conditioning and refrigeration business in Austin Texas. Yes, the state with the longest border to Mexico. Not only do we do a lot of residential repairs on a daily basis, we are also in the new construction business. In turn all contractors know one another, work together on jobs etc…
I know quite a few plumbers, landscapers, roofers and many others that pay in cash. When I say a few the numbers are more than likely to be in the 100’s. Personally I don’t know the laws because I am not the owner, just an employee. I thought at some point they created laws that restricted hiring illegals. If they did no one enforces it. I haven’t seen anybody coming on the job sites checking credentials.
Just a little info from someone who experiences the immigrant problem firsthand.
BZL • 1 year ago
Drew, Claire,
I am a project manager for a construction company in San Jose, CA (Interiors, Floors, Painting, Tile etc.) I experience the same thing, the labor force is all foreign nationals that get paid in cash. This practice has been going on since the 70’s and is so entrenched that if the employers had to pay full SS and disability tax matching, Workers comp insurance, overtime pay, health insurance and many other extra costs that the cost of construction would skyrocket. The owner of my company discussed all of this in depth with several IRS auditors and they are forced to allow it. If the laws were enforced the entire construction industry would collapse, along with the restaurant/fast food industry, home and garden services, etc. The real downside is that I have personally had conversations with the undocumented foreign nationals that have been gang members since childhood and have access to cartel weapons such as hand grenades.
Sam Orr • 1 year ago
So costs of construction would go up, but the American citizens who would do the job would be paid a living wage. I personally know a former drywall contractor. He was in business for 20 years and paid good wages. then the illegals (primarily Mexicans) showed up and undercut him. He went out of business and as for his workers who knows what happened to them? Posts keep alleging that these people pay taxes. The correct answer is that some do and that some don’t! I am reasonably certain that a whole lot of illegal workers who are paid in cash do not file US Income tax returns or pay taxes.
Donna • 1 year ago
The contractors want to keep more of the money for their own bank account. Paying cash allows them to do just that.
Mark L • 12 months ago
The IRS reports that they receive over $11 billion annually in income tax related payments which cannot be returned to the individual because of fake soc sec #. Typically these are employers who are unknowingly hiring unauth immigrants so they deduct income tax withholding which is transmitted to the IRS. Additionally, every unauth immigrant pays sales taxes & property taxes which funds the local public schools, which is why public schools do not ask for proof of legal residency.
Manny Cervantes • 1 year ago
People who complain that their jobs were lost to illegal “aliens” most likely had their jobs, if at all, go overseas or were lost to technology. I would think executives of large American companies like Apple made the decision to export these jobs for financial reasons. So unemployed American workers are in fact barking up the wrong tree.
Illegals, almost all the time, take low skilled, hard work that Americans would never even consider doing (just ask any employer or employment agency including EDD).
It appears to me that once again Americans are blaming the people that can’t fight back for all that is wrong. This is always the case when the economy for whatever reason goes south. The pitchforks come out to get those “aliens” out of our America, even if some of them have roots in one of the western states that goes back when this was in fact their country. Oh, but we have Manifest Destiny on our side.
Parker • 1 year ago
Agreed!!! And, it isn’t only the illegal immigrants that are doing those jobs. It is their relatives and people who are identical to them in every way except their resident status. So, even when they become legal, we are still treating them as if they don’t deserve the same opportunities, and/or we continue to make it difficult for them to move into other jobs or increase their skill sets. Do they complain? NO! Why? Because you have scared them into submission! They are terrified of being deported by racist pigs who don’t give a flying turd about the families who depend on the pittance they are paid for this extremely hard work nor the jobs they DIDN’T “steal” from them! All of those poor helpless lazy fools who wouldn’t take those jobs EVEN IF they came even close to being enough to support a growing or established family! The jobs they do ensure your utopian suburban universes can even be a reality! No, they are grateful to be here and to have those thankless jobs because although they aren’t ideal, they give their families a fighting chance to know a different kind of life someday. They aren’t all uneducated or “unskilled” either! Many of them make this sacrifice because they want better for their children. What a novel concept! Wouldn’t it be great if there were a country where people could live freely and have better opportunities in life? Oh wait, there is!!! Only, we have continued to make it harder and harder for immigrants to gain legal status so it is no wonder we have so many that are undocumented! Not to mention, there are many that MUST escape their conditions YESTERDAY, and who don’t have the option to wait for approval. Something every American should sympathize with as we would do whatever we had to do to protect our children even if it meant going into another coutry illegally. Those who say otherwise are liars.
They keep their heads down, work harder than most LEGAL citizens of all classes, and for the most part they keep their noses clean! The false information being spread about them which can include: they are lazy, they are moochers, they are all gang members or criminals, among other things, are an unfair representation of these people who are only after the same thing we are all after…a happy life in a “free” country, safer environment, and where they can raise their families with the least amount of financial or social interference!
My family businesses would not have succeeded without our immigrant employees (yes, we checked documentation, but my family always tried to help those who were less fortunate that they could not legally employ in other ways when possible). We always tried to pay a better wage to our employees because we were DISGUSTED to learn early on that people who are supposed to represent good morals and family values, were ironically the worst offenders of bully pay, coercion, and taking advantage of those who are more vulnerable just to make their wallets fatter, spoil their children more and more with unnecessary THINGS, and raise their status in their churches and other communities. It is not only immoral, it is the antithesis of supposed “Christian Values”. What’s worse is the children are being raised to do the same. That is why I find it quite humorous that the people shouting the loudest about illegal immigrants are of the Christian variety! They cut off their nose to spite their faces. If there is anything good that can come out of their hateful policies, it is that they will be up the creek without a paddle if they ever get their wish. My instincts will want me to revel in their misfortune, but because I am not a monster and know it isn’t just them who will be negatively impacted, I will feel bad for them but hope they learn a valuable lesson. Treating others as you would want to be treated is not only central to be a Christian, it is a universal moral imperative that we do so if we want to live in a more peaceful and united world. Until then, people are getting exactly what they are asking for by treating people the opposite of how they wish to be treated. It’s that simple. Karma is a vengeful you know what so let’s hope they can change their ways soon!
I left Christianity years ago because of this constant hypocrisy and mistreatment of my fellow human beings. ESPECIALLY those in minority communities. It makes me physically ill to witness such mean spirited baseless vitriol and lies being spewed about them. I am not alone either. People are dropping like flies because of all of the hypocrisy, greed, and immoral teachings of religion or rather religious people. As I began witnessing it more and more over the years I started questioning my faith and ended up studying it on a more scholarly level only to find that religion does in fact, poison everything. I learned that there was so much I had not been exposed to about many aspects of my faith and made the conscious moral decision to keep seeking my moral questions elsewhere. But, to each his own. I don’t care what God you pray to as long as you aren’t hurting people…that is becoming more and more the case though in American Christianity…just sayin.
This WAS America. I must have missed the memo about it becoming an unwelcoming bigoted plutocracy. If anyone wants to live in that kind of country, don’t let the door hit you where the flying spaghetti monster split ya!
Sam Orr • 1 year ago
I am not a nativist, nor am I anti-Hispanic. The illegals who are here have already shown disrespect for this nation by sneaking into the country illegally or by remaining here after their visas expired. We are supposed to me a nation of laws. When 20 % of American citizens are on food stamps, when 10,000,000 American citizens have given up even looking for a job, when the labor participation rate is at the lowest rate since the great depression of the 1930’s; I want a President who cares about American citizens, not somebody who is concerned about a bunch of ILLEGAL immigrants. The national origin, ethnicity, religious affiliation, or sexual orientation of ILLEGAL immigrants is quite irrelevant. The harm to this nation would be neither greater nor lesser were the ILLEGALS Chinese, Russians, Uzbekis, Somalis, or Ethiopians! It is outrageous that the Democrats and the main-stream media continue to their libels and slanders against those of us who believe in the rule of law; and who are neceessarily against illegal immigration.
Ryan Showalter • 1 year ago
Of course they aren’t focused on illegals. Making laws for US citizens naturally leaves them out of the loop. They can’t vote, they don’t get the same rights, and they aren’t all criminals either. The republicans are so focused on illegals they don’t care about the citizens! If laws were passed to help the US citizens, the people who don’t benefit are the rich and illegals. Helping the middle class indirectly impacts illegals. I’d rather focus on us then them. If they want to take jobs at slave pay, let em. Otherwise, they can break the law and get punished, or go back to their country.
Heather Neistein • 1 year ago
Well said!
Megan Gutierrez • 1 year ago
First off thank you for those that know what they are talking about! I am currently a single mom of 3 children an wife of 6 yrs to my mexican husband who was here illegally. He has been incarcerated 8 mos an recently been deported for a 25 yr old case. He has been here illegally for 32 yrs. We have a buisness of our own an don’t live off the state. He is now not able to have a relief to him to come back to us to see his children grow an I now will have no problem taking from taxpayers to support my family. Seeing and hearing everything in the immigration process was brutle. Legal immigrants are the ones who get slapped on the hand and let to run our streets doing most of the illegal activity. Then u have my husband who works his ass off for us an has ample info to prove a person of good character an one who deserves to be here. An has earned his way an this is what he gets while I now deal with a broken family an children who cry for their dad daily! If the system was tragedy correctly maybe things would be different people need to open their eyes a bit more an pull their head out of their butts!!
Susan M • 1 year ago
I’m sorry your children do not have their father. That is regrettable. Your husband is the responsible one however. He broke the law 32 years ago and has had a lot of time to take responsibility and correct his mistake. Many people save money, hire lawyers, cross back over the border if necessary to make things right. It’s not easy but it is possible. He did not do that. Instead he decided to start a family.
Karen • 1 year ago
All the comments here are so ignorant. You are all talking about illegal immigrants sneaking into your country and that stealing makes you a criminal. Let us start by the fact that this country was conquered and stolen. Therefore, that point is invalid. Secondly, the United States is a nation formed by immigrants and it is ethnically diverse. Third, not everyone coming from Mexico into the U.S is Mexican, some are from Central America and South America who also passed the Mexican border and in most cases ended up staying in Mexico instead than coming to the U.S. Third, I saw a comment about an European immigrant saying how he had to get his documents (visa) or whatever before coming here. He obviously had to have some type of financial support to avail that, Hispanics often do not have that in their respective countries hence why they are coming here in the first place. That is why it is harder for them to come legally with visas. Bottom line is everyone in the United States is an immigrant, because even now those so-called Americans lineage is way down European. Unless you are a Native American, heck even a Mexican, your roots can be traced back to some states of the country. As mentioned, everyone is an immigrant – the difference is, some are legal and others illegal. And last, what is with all the bashing against Hispanics being illegal? I have met several illegal Europeans. & last week I read an article that mentioned how Hispanics are being surpassed by Asians in terms of immigration. So, focused all that negative energy in other immigrants too- not only Hispanics. Thank you.
Sarah M • 1 year ago
I agree with Mr. Cervantes. It seems as though Americans would rather collect unemployment that take up one of those low paying, hard work jobs that are filled by illegals. Yet, they still complain that these unauthorized immigrants stole their jobs.
Iveth • 1 year ago
Even if the Native Americans and Europeans from the “new world” have passed away, the damage the Europeans made is still present today. There is not a single soul that is not an immigrant. America’s foundation is immigration. The real Citizens are Native Americans. It was not a “new world” for it was inhibited by Native Americans for it was their land. The native Americans took in and help the Europeans live in the “new world” their world. What did the Europeans do in return of the natives help? They fought, brought in diseases, scattered families, destroyed, and sent off the Native Americans from their land. Americans have and always will try to fight for something that is not theirs and then end up complaining that they are the ones who are abused. That they are the ones who work hard and that Immigrants are Lazy. No immigrants are not. All if all they seek for a job to maintain their family. Immigrants do not care what kind of horrible job they get, for they are simply trying to feed their families. Americans complain that Immigrants are taking over their jobs. Blaming it on them always and saying they do the work for half the cost, but heck is an immigrant lands a job it is like heaven for them, no matter if the jobs is like hell. Why? Immigrants are not afraid to work hard and/ or a crappy job, if it means their family will not perish. ** Americans need to understand that immigrants cannot just not get a job. It is hard for an immigrant to even find a “horrible” job to do and when they land a job they are pleased to even have it and work extremely hard to keep it. Americans are always putting conditions and always want to work where the air is fresh and the work is easy. While immigrants don’t mind working out in the fields, getting cut up, burned and/or around dangerous chemicals. Immigrants don’t mind sharing a house with 20 other individuals (an american said this) if they all work and saving money (the little money they get from their horrible jobs) this way then let them be. Immigrants do all they can to survive, they don’t want to be sharing and living with other 19 people, but if it means they will live and they can save their money to one day have their own homes then they don’t mind suffering. On the other hand Americans you can say are to picky or they think they are to smart to do that kind of labor and deserve to get paid better. Of course immigrants should get paid more also, but more than often immigrants settle for a less weigh than Americans do because it is hard to even get a job in the first place. Also need to understand that immigrants come to America trying to seek a better and safer life to live. In the case of Central Americans, the crime rate is extremely high. If an individual owns a store, is a working individual, or has a home – then there are gang affiliations to oppress them. All the money they make the gang comes in and takes it away from them or they die. These individuals are always in fear because Gang affiliations put a bill on them due at anytime of that month of extremely high prices and if they do not meet them they die. The contradiction here is how can they sell and buy if everyone has a bill to pay and they have no money to even start of with since the gangs took their money? how will they live if the people don’t have money to buy food? also were will the food come from if no crops can be planted? If there is even anyone left to even plant any crops, due to the gangs killing and posting bills on the working individual that they cannot afford to pay. The people have no choice but to come to the United States for a better living, IF they even make it to the USA along the way. They have to risk taking the journey into the united states or die back home. Many can not afford paying thousands and thousands of dollars to get a visa or green card because they are being oppressed to their very last dime by gang affiliations. Americans say they should go back home and “apply” for a green card the right way and they say it so easy and carefree with a happy face. Not knowing the reality and immigrants struggle. This is a major reason why immigration is growing and the fear of being deportation exist. Also, where will an immigrant or undocumented individual who has lived in the united state all their lives go to in their country if they get deported? Children who were brought in to the US as children do not know where to go in case they get deported. Say their parents are dead, they are of young age, and they do not have family back in their country? It is unfair and unjust to send them to somewhere unknown. Immigrants don’t leave their homes to come compete with Americans, but to seek a better life and safety for their family. By the way it is extremely hard to even consider getting government funding’s or health care. Everything is triple the amount an american has to pay, so stop complaining that you have to pay 100 for a doctors visit when immigrants have to pay even thousands of dollars for that same doctors visit. An immigrant has to directly pay everything out of pocket and triple the amount than Americans. Immigrants more often than not don’t go running to the hospital because of a cold or flue like many Americans do, because they don’t have the money to pay thousands of dollars to a simple doctors visit. Instead they cure them self, struggling to keep their jobs while taking days of to recover IF they even take days off. Immigrants are slaves in the states and imprisoned in their own homes back in their countries awaiting to die. Therefor, before you go discriminating and treating immigrants horribly, just understand that they can take it because they have far more important things in life to worry about then someone with a bad mouth. Just wanted to say in general don’t judge a book by its cover. Have a blessed day.
H. Smith • 9 months ago
Why aren’t American citizens taking jobs that Mexican and other low-skilled immigrants take? Because the pay is far too low to begin with and remains low because these immigrants will take any paying job in America since it would pay considerably higher than in Mexico. Do these immigrants pay their share of federal, state, Social Security and Medicare taxes? How many are paid in cash and don’t file tax returns? How fair are they to America if they do not pay those like everyone else has to?
Lynn • 1 year ago
Can an illegal immigrant be deported?
Ron C. • 1 year ago
Blah, blah, blah…You want to help somebody? Start a business and hire people…otherwise shut up.
Magni Togorsak • 1 year ago
the question here is why are Americans ignorant enough to not make a distinction between mexicans and south americans.
there are barely if any illegal south american in the US yet we’re constantly accused of being illegal immigrants because of our neighbors to the north “mexico”
isn’t it time america to get a bit educated and start understanding cultural and geographic differences around the world? you can’t afford to spend your lives being just stupid americans!
Joy • 1 year ago
Where from the data is collected? they are undocumented .. how come we are declaring that illegal population is declining? where is the validity of this statement? i want to see the data .. they way it is collected, the sampling .. i personally think this is a fake report.. just to give American people a false hope that illegal population is not increasing!!!
Middle Molly • 1 year ago
This link explains Pew’s methodology. You may have to dig through links within links to understand the whole thing.
pewhispanic.org/2014/09/03/appen…
D • 1 year ago
It is decreasing and the information comes from the fact most Mexican immigrants come here on legal visas and just over stay their set time period which they’re allowed to as long as they work on their citizenship requirements, which shows that they’re not so “illegal” after all. Please learn facts and not from fox news those aren’t facts.
Susan • 1 year ago
I don’t believe that we have any idea how many people are here illegally. For every one that admits being illegal, there are probably 100 or more that would never say that. No one checks or asks for documentation because you would be a hating racist. With 47% of the people living off government handouts, that amounts to more than they would make doing the jobs that the illegals supposedly come here to do. Of course, the Americans won’t do the jobs. Why would they, when they can make more money on welfare? I don’t blame the people who come here illegally. If I were living in their circumstances, I would probably do the same thing. Our country is in deep trouble on many levels. We accept 1,000,000 legal immigrants a year and that’s more than we can practically accommodate. We need to start with the Rule of Law. That’s what makes our country attractive in the first place. That means: If you are here illegally, you will have to leave (and you can take all your family with you — no need to separate anybody). We have specific laws about crossing the border illegally. We need to enforce them for a change. We need to stop the Anchor Baby business. We need to clean up our welfare situation and put our population back to work first. If we don’t fix ourselves, and soon, we are not going to be able to take care of all these people and then we will all be living in a third world country.
Hugo • 1 year ago
Where do you learn all of this? Illegal immigrants are barred from receiving government assistance. They DON’T receive a thing from the government. All of the money they receive is money that they earn from working multiple jobs that usually each pay below minimum wage. How do illegal immigrants get these jobs? That’s because American businesses need workers and illegal immigrants are not as reluctant to handle tough manual labor as American born citizens. I know this from the fact that I am a Central American immigrant that came with a visa with my family and now goes to college and is supported by extremely hard working parents. We’re now permanent residents and on our way to citizenship but we have never depended on government assistance. And guess what? It does make sense that illegal immigration is declining, economic and political conditions are improving in Mexico and Central America. And plus the bigotry in this country makes it much less desirable place to live, not only for illegal immigrants, but for anyone that is not a privileged middle class white person.
AJ • 1 year ago
I think Susan was referring to American citizens as the ones taking the government assistance and she was saying that those people receive more money than the illegal immigrants do when they work the actual jobs. Read carefully: “With 47% of the people living off government handouts, that amounts to more than they would make doing the jobs that the illegals supposedly come here to do. ”
I don’t know whether the statistic about 47% of people taking handouts is correct and I think it may be taken from a quote from Mitt Romney. I think this number actually comes from a statistic that shows 47% of Americans do not pay income tax. But I just wanted to point out what seemed to be a misinterpretation of the original comment. Hope this helps.
Mark L • 12 months ago
The 47% is a group that includes millionaires & upper middle class that take advantage of tax loopholes to receive refunds on their income taxes. Corporate welfare & welfare for the wealthy should be the first targets as they have disposable income. The working poor do not have disposable income as their entire income goes towards the basics, food, shelter & utilities. The US Census Bureau sends out a survey every 10 years. When no response is returned, they send out canvassers who are very successful at getting nearly full participation in the census. The census is anonymous but with the help of some responses can estimate the unauth population now in the US.
Aldawg • 1 year ago
Why should the U.S. fix Mexico’s problem of employing their people. The U.S. has problems of its own with unemployment. The real problem is the U.S. gives out government cheese in the form of food stamps and housing to undeserving people. That’s why some people (U.S. Citizens) don’t want to work and do the the job that illegal immigrants are willing to do.
Fleetwood • 1 year ago
People don’t work because they get free cheese?
Have you talked to people at food banks? Here’s the most common reasons people aren’t working that I’ve come across while handing out that free cheese. Not in any particular order.
Disabilities or injuries which prevent people from working at the job they knew.
Car broke down. Couldn’t get to work. Got fired because they couldn’t get to work. Can’t get the money then to fix the car. (Doing what they can to get the money so that they can fix the car. Mostly by saving every penny and eating free cheese.)
Has a criminal record (usually for a minor drug violation) and they can’t get hired.
Woman who was abandoned by partner or victim of abuse by partner and left with kids – can’t earn enough to pay for child care.
Cannot find a job – especially a job that pays a living wage.
And most commonly – they HAVE a job – but it doesn’t pay enough to support them and their family.
Honestly? I’ve yet to hear someone say that they aren’t working because they want free cheese. The cheese isn’t even very good.
Gabe • 1 year ago
Great response, Fleetwood! You’ve done something that many people haven’t–actually spoken to the people as human beings versus just talking about them.
Ben Hemingway • 1 year ago
I’m a veteran who was on food stamps for 6 months and can confirm what Fleetwood said. We went without food for an entire week, went to a church food shelter and were given iceburg lettuce, beans, and lots and lots of chewing gum and chips (???) then told we could come back in 3 months. SNAP (food stamps) kept us afloat for 6 months until things smoothed out. There are also plenty of people who are working and on food stamps simply because wages are so low. My wife was a general manager and was making $9.10/hr without benefits or overtime. I was going to school on the GI Bill.
Nathan • 1 year ago
Here’s something to chew on. In this country we are ALL given 12 years of free education, some college prep programs, others in the trades, but education is available to EVERYONE. As they grow, SOME kids are smart enough to see that there is a time coming when they will have to support themselves………or die.
Others take an easier road of public assistance because it is there, so why not?
Plenty of loan money is available for all who want to earn a decent place for themselves.
My parents GAVE me 25 cents each week as an allowance. but if I wanted more than that I had the opportunity to EARN it by doing various chores around the house. Every “A” on the report card also earned another 25 cents. Anything less than an “A” got nothing. The strategy worked on me. Today I am 68 yrs old, have some $$ in the bank and have been debt free for over 20 years. I also still work 60 hrs/week and pretty much like it. I have not done anything that any other motivated person could also do. Please read “The Richest Man in Babylon” if you need a little boost onto the path. Just remember, “if wishes were horses, beggars would ride” We all have to catch our own horse…….I’m not going to GIVE you mine……….
eddie chacon • 1 year ago
Read a little and don’t listen to Trumps Propaganda
loomy2 • 1 year ago
There are 11 Million Illegal Immigrants of which 8.1 Million have Jobs, representing 5% of the American Labor Force.
Knowing America, few of these people are paid the minimum wage, pitiful as it is, and thus are likely being exploited and providing long and hard labor for minimum reward or benefits suiting their Employers as well as anyone else who use these people for Gardening, Child Care and other purposes at rates below that which is legally mandated.
No one stops their employment which is illegal, nor stops them from paying tax or renting homes or buying things which is illegal as they are illegal.
The sad truth is that the only reason most of these people are illegal is because by being so, they can be exploited and provide cheap labor at minimum cost to and for the advantage of those who use and often abuse them.
That is why they are NOT made Citizens and remain illegal. It is also why there are 11 MILLION of these illegal people and why they are not deported.
They provide to many benefits to the country that profits from their status as well as their being here for anything to actually change. And that is why nothing really ever does.
This FACT is one Fact about illegal immigration in the U.S that you never hear about.
Eric Koch • 1 year ago
loomy2 – absolutely correct , its the tail wagging the dog ” big business ” the ones lobbing our elected officials , to gain favor …..want and need this cheap labor pool .
you hit the nail on the head !
if anyone has doubt of this ..I ask them why not simply enforce laws fining / incarcerating employers of illegals – its simple to do we obviously can count them creating statistics / compiling data , we know the industries they occupy … so
“just enforce the law making hiring them detrimental ” and it will cease .
also many americans are not aware in “agriculture work ” there are no workers rights , no minimum wage , no benefits , no labor practices determining break time -hours etc etc ..perhaps if there were, and this was viable employment and not a form of eco-salvert / indentured servitude .. legal us citizens would want to work or at least see a up side to employment in that field .
another quick example reenforcing your point , is the practice of many large box store chains catering to “illegals ” ,or non english , spanish speaking costumers – when asked if I speak spanish I often joke – yes every time I shop at Lowes .Home Depot, etc etc , I learn a few words – as many of these stores have redundant signs in spanish , soon i’ll be bilingual …
its not a joke – also not the fault of a person seeking a better life / opportunity ..the issue is the money being make on the backs of the illegals and the additional costs to joe average taxpayer propping up the system to handle these illegals so the fortunate few benefit .
Aldawg • 1 year ago
The going rate for a day labor in California is $10/hr. The minimum wage in California is $9/hr. As far as no workers rights, Larry Itliong, Philip Vera Cruz and Cesar Chavez fixed all that with the United Farm Worker.
r.root • 1 year ago
absolutly true. this reason the southern border has been sealed is because many rich and powerful people don’t really want it closed. There is a lot of cheap labor coming across that border. That’s money in their pocket.
Steven Straper • 1 year ago
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–Hmmm…can see one word of being illegal or legal, nor about being citizen or not
Angel • 1 year ago
Are we going to deport the first “illegal immigrants” too? The white people that came and stole this land from the NATIVE americans? No? Okay.
Andrew Bennett • 1 year ago
White people are illegal immigrants here in the USA,Canada ,central and South America ,India ,Africa ,south east asia ! they came from the UK in 1492 !
Jason • 1 year ago
That would have been people from spain
John • 1 year ago
Do you even know anything about Spain? The culture and people have far more in common with England than with Mexico.
marjane52 • 1 year ago
Sorry but that Spanish are white doesn´t mean that they have nothing in common with Mexicans. Language is very powerful. If you think that they don´t have any in common, Americans must stop calling Mexicans hispanic and latino, because Mexico is a hispanic and Latin country only because Spain(indigenous are not hispanic). ALso, I don´t understand why you mentioned Mexico? Mexico is not in Central or South America. Also he talked about Spain because who arrived to Americas in 1492 was Spain and not UK. Also it seems that you don´t know many hispanic South Americans because excepting Bolivia ( and also forgetting the fact thar South America has received immigration from many Europeans countries not only Spain)Spanish blood is strong but very strong.Also, Spaniards are not very lovers of UK or La pérfida Albión.
Joanne Boring • 1 year ago
Our United Methodist Women just discovered we have a member who came here as an 8 year old and is now 50. Her parents came from Germany and are citizens but she is not. She never had a green card.
How can we help with getting her started on applying for citizenship?
Daniel A. Rodriguez • 1 year ago
You can start with:
1. Hiring professional legal services to help you with navigating the immigration system.
2. If she had a social security number, the easier way is to see if she paid social security for at least 40 periods of salary. I can’t go on detail here, but if you research that you will find the information. She will be accepted as a permanent resident.
3. You can find her an sponsor. With an sponsor (the church itself) she can also receive at least a temporary resident card and then apply for a change of status.
Here’s where I would stop. I will need more information. But the best thing you can do is talk to an attorney that can review her case and gather information. After being here for such a long time I don’t think she would have problems to become a permanent resident. Citizenship could take a few more years though. I hope this helps.
Thomas • 1 year ago
How about redoing the polling using the term “illegal aliens” for the sanitized undocumented immigrant or unauthorized? Let us see how the polling goes then.
tess • 1 year ago
Illegal aliens….sounds like they may be from Mars or a far off galaxy!
Gene • 1 year ago
they may as well be, They are in America Illegally. Parse your words if you like but you need to look in a mirror to see who you are kidding.
mdmtnwmn • 1 year ago
Thomas, there is no such thing as an illegal person. “Undocumented” and “unauthorized” are not “sanitized” terms, they are the correct, most accurate terms. “Aliens,” while it does mean a person from outside the country, also obviously connotes a being very different from “ourselves.” It is also a broad term that includes everyone who comes to the country regardless of whether they’ve immigrated or not – vacationers, guest workers, students, etc. Therefore, “immigrant” is a more accurate, specific and correct term.
Believangels • 1 year ago
Are we only talking about Mexicans? How about Ilegal Irish and italians, residing in New York…?
Julia hogan • 1 year ago
Those people need to get documented and become citizens too.
John • 1 year ago
No they don’t, they’re white. America is the land of the free, if you’re white.
howmanyamericans • 1 year ago
54% of California K-12 is Mexican “Hispanic”. Schools have gone from best in the nation to bottom in a few decades. Cheap labor for farmers and elites is paid for by the average American and especially our children as in MillennialGiants.com
Thanks
Chad • 1 year ago
California’s schools went to the bottom because of a tea-party like tax rebellion many years ago. The undocumented cannot be blamed for that.
Ron Gosch • 1 year ago
“Unauthorized?” How about ILLEGAL?
Jamie Davis • 1 year ago
Continuing to use the term “illegal immigrant” fires up anger but that doesn’t solve the problem. Entering a country without the proper paperwork is neither a felony nor a serious misdemeanor, it’s a civil violation. Do you want all your local cops to focus on enforcing immigration law?
GE • 1 year ago
Depends on the country. It is a felony to enter Mexico illegally and punishable by 2 years in prison. Repeat offenders can get 10 years in prison. It is also a crime to assist illegals to enter and stay in the country.
No sane country has an unprotected border with a 3rd world county left open for criminals to enter. The workers (49% of the US population) can not feed and clothe the rest of the world.
Local cops would not need to be involved if the federal government would take care of the issue. No illegal should ever be granted citizenship is the first change needed.
mdmtnwmn • 1 year ago
The problem is that there isn’t really a problem with the vast majority of people who have immigrated here. They aren’t bringing crime, disease, or what have you. They are hard working, tax-paying, productive citizens who pump $ billions into our economy and support low prices and a higher quality lifestyle for many Americans. All the hysteria is baseless. Most of the crime issues originate on our side of the border with our “War on Drugs” that has accomplished nothing but making the drug cartels bigger and stronger than ever. Until we change our policies there, that element will continue to grow and terrorize the population south of our border – leading to more undocumented immigration and asylum seeking.
WML • 1 year ago
Also, recent studies prove that areas with a higher number of undocumented immigrants have a lower overall rate of crime. So, combined with all other factors, i.e., actual statistics/numbers, proves the racist hysteria sweeping the nation is baseless.
And, sadly, it also proves that a small, yet very vocal, minority engaged in hateful, racist rhetoric can infiltrate the majority only if that majority fails to counter that rhetoric with their own voice, using actual facts to quash dangerous propaganda.
The majority must speak out against this dangerous foolishness before it gets out of hand. Remaining silent only empowers the opposition. It’s happening here and it’s also happening in Germany. There is a dangerous wind that could escalate into a raging storm if we continue to allow this hatemongering to continue.
H. Smith • 9 months ago
Do you know anything about the Mexican drug cartels, the corruption via drug lords by Mexican federal, state local officials, the 160,000 people brutally killed/beheaded below the Mexican border due to drug cartels from 2005 to 2014, more than in military and civilians killed in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars combined? Do you know about the Norteno and Sereno drug street gangs? How about the Mexican Mafia that rules many American prisons? Stop blaming Americans for “hateful, racist rhetoric” when they have a right to be concerned and upset about the future of their country.
John Rohan • 1 year ago
Actually it is a felony to re-enter the country if you have previously been deported.
Get a Life • 1 year ago
Oh good God. Who cares? Same thing. People like you are afraid of everything. Obamacare, Muslims, climate change (Oh, just say it’s not real and it will go away), immigrants, the dark skinned president with the funny name that is going to declare martial law and take your guns away, etc.
Jorge • 1 year ago
Wow! Four words and you were able to find all that? Impressive.
Bob • 1 year ago
You are not scared of muslims?! You should read the Koran and learn what Jihad means to them. Why do you think muslims from all over the world including the US are joining Muslim terrorist groups? You should read up on things like ISIS, Boko Haram, Islamic Revolutionary Guard, Haqqani, Hezbollah, CAIR, Palestaination Liberation Army and the hundreds of other muslim based organizations that are part of the 1400 year old war against the rest of the world. And then see how they isolate and form communities of hate in western countries where eventually they grow unrest and jihad in countries where they live. If you don’t know what a no go zone is and why they exist then do some research.
The US needs to start venting all immigrants and keep out those that don’t want to assimilate and live peacefully. Illegal immigration could be controlled if one party was not more interested in accumulating votes and wealth over the safety and future of American citizens. When certain politicians refuse to allow states to confirm ID to vote then you know they are not putting America first.
Angel • 1 year ago
If that’s the csse then I am terrified of white “americans” (who seem to be excused from the whole “illegal citizen” thing despite the fact they stole this country from NATIVE americans)Jihad means struggle not necessarily anything violent. Muslims are just as peaceful as Christians and generalizing an entire religion/culture based on terrorists groups is absurd. Yes, there are people who are extremists and believe they should do any and everything to protect their culture but there are people like that in America who claim to be Christians.
Hawkins • 1 year ago
The Holy Koran states “Because of that We ordained for the Children of Israel that if anyone killed a person not in retaliation of murder, or (and) to spread mischief in the land – it would be as if he killed all mankind, and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind. And indeed, there came to them Our Messengers with clear proofs, evidences, and signs, even then after that many of them continued to exceed the limits (e.g. by doing oppression unjustly and exceeding beyond the limits set by Allah by committing the major sins) in the land!.” Chapter 5 Verse 32, Koran. This is the message of the Koran, and ultimately the message of Islam, how can you expect a religion which gives this message to be a source of killing, hatred & evil especially when the word “Islam” itself means peace. And I am giving you the proof from Koran itself, I have mentioned the chapter and the verse as well so you can verify it as well. Just don`t blindly believe what the people tells you see the source of their info and kindly double check and even still in doubt see in what context it has been said, by reading the whole chapter instead of just taking the bits of the verses from the Koran thank you.
Chad Richardson • 1 year ago
Remember the Oklahoma City terrorists? They were “super-patriots” who were mad at the federal government. That is what this “tea party” crowd is fomenting. Those results could be much worse than what I fear from America’s Muslims.
Hawkins • 1 year ago
The word Islam itself means peace, what you are stating is nothing but the bias rhetoric propaganda that is pervasive against the Muslims especially in the media but unfortunately such propaganda has no grounds. There are extremists even in Christianity for example Ku Klux Klan or the KKK the organization as per its beliefs represents the ideals of Christianity but as we all know that that their actions have nothing to do with Christianity. P.s Islam is not just confined to the Middle East, there are more than 1.6 billion Muslims in the whole world with Muslims countries in Central Asia , South Asia, South East Asia, Africa and even Europe, Muslims roughly representing about a fourth (1/4) of the total worlds population with estimates showing that it would have the maximum number of adherents by 2050, and what you hear about in the media are those representing a tiny minority which might not even be 1 percent of the total muslim population. Muslims especially practicing Muslims are as much peace loving and humble as you might not percieve them to be because of the negative connotation which the media attaches with them. As for Koran kindly refer to a video on Ted Talks by Lesley Hazleton: The doubt essential to faith | TED Talk it might allay your uncalled for fears. Cheers
Fleetwood • 1 year ago
Quote from the Bible: “They entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and soul; and everyone who would not seek the Lord, the God of Israel, was to be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.” (2 Chronicles 15:12-13 NAB)
Point being, all religions have been misused to hurt other people. There are extremists in every faith and culture. I’ve spent time in the Middle East, getting to know the people and their beliefs. Everyone that I met abhorred violence and said that that was not part of their faith – just as Christians would say that violence is not a part of their faith, despite this verse to the contrary.
Trisha • 1 year ago
It seems that Everyone is overlooking the 1st Simple Issue. They have broken Our Law or Laws.. They are not INVISIBLE, we’all have seen them etc……. If all Hospitals, Social Offices, Businesses, Schools of All Levels, Police Departments, WE! ME & YOU!! All American Citizens had to call the State Authorities to have them Returned or Picked Up by Their GOVERNMENT. Now they can try it again the LEGAL WAY…
2nd Issue. If 60% of Illlegal Mexicans LIVE IN 6!! SIX!! Of our USA STATES; HOW HARD Would it be to pick up 60% of the USA ILLLEGAL IMMIGRANTS… Why are we not using our Armed Forces! ( if that PERCENTAGE was a Sale, I’d be right on it for the Savings..)
mdmtnwmn • 1 year ago
Why don’t use the armed forces? To round up maids, landscapers, auto mechanics, cooks, waiters, etc. and their US CITIZEN children? Because that would be revoltingly inhumane and a violation of their human rights. These people are not to blame for America’s problems, they contribute to our prosperity and strength. Get rid of them, and you won’t like the life you’re left with.
Rebecca • 1 year ago
Well said!! Ppl are afraid of the facts that they think they know!! And this concept of this is my land not yours makes me sick!!! Yes there are laws to follow but there is a reason the law is broken by those that come illegally.. Maybe the law itself needs to be fixed!!! I also hope Gods not as hard on those wanting into heaven as we are on those wanting into this country!!
Bill Rigley • 1 year ago
What a crock! Human rights? They have the right to live however they like in their country. The US can’t be expected to house the entire world and its problems. We have our own issues to resolve and more than plenty of hungry and homeless Americans to take care of that paid taxes into the system. As Americans, we pay taxes so that our government will serve our best interests and protect our land from invasion. Yet, for all that we pay into the system, life here doesn’t get any better for the average American and we are forced to deal with an increasing silent invasion of illegal immigrants who come to change our way of living and take the jobs Americans would do if not forced out by these foreigners.
Chad Richardson • 1 year ago
So what do you want the federal government to do? You think there’s some list of who they should pick up? When Eisenhower did “Operation Wetback” in the 50’s, that dragnet scooped up many American citizens and broke up families. Go out and work in the fields for a day with the migrant workers and see if you would be able to replace them. Our agricultural industry depends on their labor. If those workers were deported, farmers would be out of business (or would move south of the border) because Americans simply will not do that work. They pay into Social Security so it will remain solvent for many more years (though they will never get the benefits).
Bill Rigley • 1 year ago
Another crock! Our agricultural systems depends on foreigners to survive? You are seriously deluded if you believe that. Americans have been forced out of such jobs because businesses are more than happy to exploit the illegal foreign population and pay wages far below the poverty level. It’s not a matter of Americans won’t do the jobs the immigrants will do, it’s that Americans refuse to be treated unreasonably and expected to try and live on wages that won’t support the average family.
You take the fast food industry for one example. 20 years ago, Americans, English speaking teenagers and adults, worked in such places. Eventually, the immigrants took over and Americans couldn’t get a job in such places anymore because they were outnumbered and couldn’t compete or communicate with these people.
homework4class • 1 year ago
These undocumented people can be a security threat to the country so even if they end up staying the need to be accounted for.
Jody • 1 year ago
I live and work on the border of Texas and mexico. I have lived and worked in Mexico and Texas for many, many, years. I can absolutely assure you that your numbers are ridiculously low. I am absolutely positive there are upwards of 35 million illegal Mexicans living and working here. We here in Brownsville Texas are buried under a mountain of illegal aliens draining public assistance and health care reserves. You people in Washington have NO IDEA how heavy illegal immigration is.
Kerry • 1 year ago
Care to tell us how you’ve arrived at that number?
Lyn Wright • 1 year ago
I agree. California alone has the number they mention for the whole country.
Scott Wilhite • 1 year ago
Do you have any data to support your theory, or is it completely anecdotal?
tito • 1 year ago
of course they don’t, facts dont matter…
Gator • 1 year ago
Thank you for telling us the truth, since our government will not.
John Rohan • 1 year ago
Mexico’s ambassador agrees with you:
breitbart.com/big-government/201…
Lev GV • 1 year ago
You need to learn basic statistics. The things you see, it does not imply that everything behave in a similar manner. Go to College and, maybe, you can get more accurate conclusions.
Carlos Z • 1 year ago
How about giving us some statistics on Illegal Employers too?
That will be a welcome change on point of view on this “problem”,
solution for the US.
HL Mencken • 1 year ago
Here’s one for you Carlos: A result of the last amnesty legislation under Ronald Reagan, there was a compromise made by conservative Democrats to ensure that employers would be equally enforced for their part in the illegal immigration problem (the hiring of illegal workers; suppressing wages even further).
To hold illegal alien employers accountable – and to ensure passage of the law – the authors of the Amnesty Bill and the Reagan Administration agreed to include funding for enforcement specifically for employers.
Take a wild guess at how many enforcement officers (regulators) are in place in California that are tasked with patrolling illegal alien employers?
Answer: 2. One for Northern California; one for Southern California.
On top of that, California does not require that state or local law enforcement officers check the immigration status during traffic stops or similar circumstances.
Additionally, under a federal program, all individuals arrested are fingerprinted and run through a database which checks their immigration status. Some states, including California, are considering and sometimes passing legislation permitting local governments to “opt out” of such programs.
Further to this point, while a number of other states require the use of E-Verify, recent legislation signed into law in California instead restricts the use of E-Verify in California.
California also doesn’t prohibit illegal immigrants from obtaining benefits, health care, education or access to housing despite most of these items being illegal at the Federal level.
With all of this supporting infrastructure in place in California, it’s no wonder we have an illegal immigration problem in the US; which includes culpability on the part of the criminal trespasser, the illegal employer, the willful negligence of law enforcement and the capitulation of both the US and other nations in their efforts to carry out the laws.
All of these factors contribute to the uproar you’re hearing out of the ‘silent majority’ as Mr. Trump has taken to call us. It’s been percolating for decades and is finally being addressed on the national stage.
Mark L • 12 months ago
California offers a supplemental nutrition program for the children of unauth immigrants & this is primarily to ensure that the children are well feed for when the go to school & are ready to learn. The state does not provide any federal funds to unauth immigrants because it is illegal to do so. There has been some mentions of making the state health insurance exchange available to unauth immigrants, but nothing has come out of that idea yet. As for now, unauth immigrants can do what anyone can do when they are ill, visit any hospital ER. By federal law, anyone suffering from a potentially lethal health issue must be treated by the hospital the person walks into, regardless of ability to pay. I believe that checking citizenship while stopped for an unrelated issue was found to be illegal. Think about it, our laws must apply to everyone equally, so this citizenship requirement has to be followed by every cop when interacting with someone. But there is no requirement in this nation that we carry ID’s or documentation of citizenship. This is largely because conservatives once felt that it was an invasion of our privacy. The checks cannot be applied to just people of a certain color skin or accent, that’s unconstitutional. This nation’s border have never been sealed or secure & no POTUS has ever accomplished much in the way of illegal immigration. Most countries have porous borders which cannot be secured. The difference is that economically, Mexico & the US are still worlds apart in economic success. Most other neighboring countries don’t have such a wide divide. Ultimately the reason for California’s immigration issues result from being one of the largest providers of food exports & being a border state. I highly suspect that the silent majority isn’t the majority after all.
vandammenumber1 • 1 year ago
ok. well if 11 million people just got deported think about the economy. First days will be hell because many illegals work on jobs no body wants. No more cheap labor, no more people cleaning offices or restrooms, no more people in grocery stores no more people in landscape. sure all this jobs can be replace by U.S. citizens but trust me people that never work in this type of jobs will be very difficult for them to adjust. Nobody wants this type of jobs and the ones the do are always complaining. Trust me companies like hiring illegals because they don’t complain they don’t even care for vacation all they want to do is work. What about the fields mostly they all Hispanic and they know how to work in the field. over 100 degrees and no shades just 8 to 12 hours working, wow, good luck with that. Sure kick out criminals but look at millions of lives they going to destroy and look at companies how they going to struggle to get many people to work for them and once they do to maintain them with out complaining. People should go fine how this people live and see why they must go are they harming the country or they are making it great. not just because everyone is jumping to the bandwagon. Oh, don’t talk about they don’t pay taxes which they do and is call a pin number because they have no social security plus they receive a small tax refund and the rest who knows what happens to it.
ks • 1 year ago
well, you got one thing right. no more “cheap labor”, which is why companies like illegals, so they can pocket the bigger profits. just like what happens in China, people work as slaves for pennies and then the companies export the merchandise to America and charge $25 for something that cost them $1 to make with slave wages, then they pocket the difference. What happens when the Chinese come over and are willing to work for even cheaper than Mexicans and then they will be saying wtf? Mexicans do work for cheap, and they drive down wages for Americans, who would gladly do the same jobs, but they need to be paid a livable wage. A lot of these “landscapers” etc live together, a bunch of grown men who split the rent and send most the money back to Mexico, they don’t put it back in the American economy like Americans would. You know who used to mow lawns when I was growing up in the early 80s? Guys in high school, trying to make extra money to buy a car or something. now it’s all Mexicans, no wonder our kids are into drugs now they can’t get a decent paying job to invest their time at.
Concerned father • 1 year ago
Really you think it’s mainly field workers? Try every good middle class job this country had the last 25 years! Including a railroad engineer I work with! You have no clue! They come over illegal and Mary the woman that nobody else wants and get there citezinship then divorce them and bring over their real family. Also last I checked when your making less than middle class wages and have several children you don’t pay taxes! You get way more back than you pay in at the end of the year. Also free medical food stamps social security etc. now with Obama care the middle class is paying Los paying anywhere from $800 to $1800 for family medical to cover all the free people when they were paying around $300 to $800. Get you facts straight people or this country is going to be Greece in the next 20 years! Broke bankrupt and powerless!
Mark L • 12 months ago
Unauth immigrants do not qualify for Medicaid or the ACA exchanges. The earned income tax credits do not apply to everyone & are the only refundable tax credits available. Otherwise, the working poor might receive a tax refund, but no more than what they paid already. This is considered good policy since those people are already having a tough time just paying for the basics of living, food, housing & utilities. The working poor have no discretionary funds unlike most of the people posting on this forum. The far better economic policy is to end corporate welfare & welfare for the wealthy first. They have discretionary income & do not need the handouts. It’s a well known fact that the IRS receives over $11 billion annually from unauth immigrants who have provided a fake soc sec # to their employer. These income taxes are not returned by law the IRS cannot, so the fed gov keeps this as a tip. The insurance exchanges provide affordable health insurance to lower income households. Generally, lower income households who did not have health insurance through their employer were uninsured because the individual health insurance plans were too costly. Those households who now have health insurance were not paying $300 – $800 for health insurance because individual health insurance plans are several multiples more costly. Most employers are not experiencing vastly higher insurance costs beyond the annual 10% increase that has been experienced for the decade prior to the ACA enactment. The minimum standards for health insurance were largely met already by employer plans. Prior to the ACA, every health insurance policy sold in the US had an estimated $300 subsidy included to reimburse hospitals for their costs of providing healthcare to the uninsured & underinsured. Every state & fed government also had tax payer funded programs to subsidize what ever losses were remaining. This is the first year that those funds are being phased out, since fewer uninsured people will seek free healthcare from hospitals.
SamIam • 1 year ago
migrationpolicy.org/article/freq…
you guys need to update your stats, they conflict with the migration policy institutes numbers
HL Mencken • 1 year ago
Actually, you’re wrong: migrationpolicy.org/research/ana…
Kyle • 1 year ago
I hear people on tv all the time talking about the legal path to citizenship, but for many people there is no legal path if you don’t have a relative or a special job skill or some refugee status(there are a few others) you are not eligible to apply for citizenship. Basically if you are just a regular guy who wants to move to America because it’s the best and you don’t know anyone here your out of luck so the only way in is the illegal way. The U.S. Certainly isn’t handing out work visas despite the demand for low wage foreign workers(yes there is a demand if there weren’t they wouldn’t be here) correct me if I’m wrong on this stuff. It seems to me people just don’t want foreigners here because they don’t like them or because they don’t spend the time to research things for themselves.
Bob • 1 year ago
We already have an unskilled labor force. However, they are not ready, willing or able to work because they have decided that welfare is the more dignified means to the same end. When you can get more in benefits, and in some states substantially more given your circumstances, then from minimum wage, why get up and do anything useful at all? If there is a need for unskilled workers who can take simple directions and work, we already have the bodies. Just connect the two. Instead of sending out welfare checks in exchange for doing nothing, get people to work in buses from the social service office centers which they frequent. Get them to farms, factories, construction cites where ever there is a need for hands and/or backs. When they actually get up in the morning with purpose, it will give them the self respect that cannot be provided by a welfare check. Crime goes down because people will be occupied doing something positive instead of nothing with their lives. It really is just an understanding of basic human behaviorism. It’s time to replace illegal immigrants with welfare recipients. Why doesn’t any politician have the balls to implement this simple idea?
Paul • 1 year ago
Your comment is interesting. Did you read this article before posting a comment on it? undocumented immigrants make up 3.5% of the population yet they make up 5.1% of the work force. I wonder how they’re simultaneously lazily consuming all our welfare and working harder than us at the same time? Seriously, you should probably be treated for a severe case of xenophobia.
johninnv • 1 year ago
But remember, Paul – as Bob said…it is just basic human “bahaviorism” !
I think your request of Bob to “read the article” is setting too high of a bar.
Ron Gosch • 1 year ago
The ones working harder and the ones consuming all our welfare, to a large extent, are not the necessarily from the same ethnic group. You seem to have missed his point. The group he is talking about seems more interested in burning down their own neighborhoods than working.
gnome • 1 year ago
As should you.
Zeke • 1 year ago
Paul,
It appears Bob was referring to the unskilled American workers already here legally and living off welfare “We already have an unskilled labor force”, and he was not making a reference to those who enter the country without documentation.
I like the discussion, but that is what it is, just discussion. Arguments are not reason to downgrade or attack a person’s beliefs, but to understand different viewpoints.
mdmtnwmn • 1 year ago
Bob,undocumented immigrants do not receive federal benefits. False SS numbers can be used for payroll purposes, but the immigrant using one can’t really use it for benefits because of the way benefits are approved.
Also, no lazy adults, especially no undocumented immigrants, are choosing to not work and sit on their butts collecting “welfare.” First, the US does not have one program called “welfare.” There’s no such thing. Adults receiving “food stamps” – SNAP – and Temporary Assistance to Needy Families – TANF – benefits are required to work or go to school up to 20 hours/week. Many work full time, including those working for employers like Walmart. Further, there is a 5-year lifetime cap on receiving those benefits and most, I think it is somewhere above 70%, are on and off in 2 1/2 years.
Those receiving assistance who don’t work are children, elderly, and catastrophically disabled. Do you begrudge a 5 year-old her meals and want her to work for them? Do you begrudge a 90 year-old who worked hard all his life, raised his family, served his country, his spot in a nursing home? Do you begrudge a disabled adult – someone whose parents did not abort their pregnancy when defects were revealed – his place in a group home/family?
Believing in the fairy tales of a so-called “welfare state” that went out with Bill Clinton’s presidency might make you feel superior and mighty, but it makes you and others like you emperors with no clothes.
Laz • 1 year ago
The federal government does not provide federal assistance to undocumented immigrants.
Children can go to public school, and maybe food stamps? Im not sure on this one. Some clarification is welcome
Mark L • 12 months ago
People don’t choose to live in poverty, which is all that you can expect on welfare. It might also be of interest that the average welfare recipient is on welfare for an average of 4 months. Not much of a lifestyle or life choice is it ? The working poor do receive some welfare benefits so that they can cover the basics of food, housing & utilities. They might work for Walmart of other employers who know that their low wage staff can receive welfare benefits as well.
Lester Phinney • 1 year ago
I think we must understand that coming heres is not a right. Since we cannot possibly accommodate every human on the planet, it is only logical the we decide who enters and who does not. I don’t view it as bias; I view it as common sense.
Ray • 1 year ago
My concern is the in flux of people of unknown age, education, home of origin, criminal history, health status. Would you leave you door to your home open 24 hours a day 7 days a week for whom ever wants to come into your home. This is what happens when you don’t control access to your home/border. The problem is not the illegal aliens but, a government leaving the door open to this country for 30 years. In so doing the government has created the following problems. Poor living conditions for said illegal aliens which, leads to crime and drug use and trafficking. The problems only continue from there.
Mark L • 12 months ago
Correction, the “door” has never been closed to this country. Its porous borders have never been secured & there has always been illegal immigration into the US & no POTUS has ever accomplished much to fix this.
ks • 1 year ago
I wish I could move to Canada but I’m just a regular American with no special job skills, or relatives who live there, so I’m out of luck. Should I just try to move there illegally?
SubCulture MEDIA • 1 year ago
There is simply not enough room for everyone in the world to live in the USA. I live outside of the US now and every day, practically everyone I know is trying to get visas. Then you have millions upon millions of illegals inside the US with undocumented income, so their kids are all on ‘free lunch’, getting government-subsidized housing etc. IT IS as huge drain on the economy, much more so than 5% of the workforce leaving, while our current unemployment rate is around 5.3%
Amram Linebarger • 1 year ago
Can you explain why a country should allow unskilled workers citizenship? Is America just a giant charity, but instead of donating you are being taxed.
Vin Bale • 1 year ago
Actually the numbers for guest worker Visas are way up, not to mention visa lotteries. 100s of thousands. Many of the companies that request contracts for guest workers also lobby heavily against any minimum wage and other basic employment rights in America. It is common throughout the world and it makes for a comical conflict of interest among Americans between public view and private. In other words, the general GOP leadership and those they carry water for hate immigrants publicly and love them in secret. These employers will not enjoy having to pay real wages and benefits and many will simply look to the Fed for a bail-out, thus sharing company with all the others who take more free money from the government than all the “freeloaders” combined. Their experts say it will cost between 400 – 600 billion and 20 years to remove 11 million people. It will also bludgeon the economy and make a whole lot of rich people not so rich. Thankfully, money trumps everything and the sycophants that call themselves statesmen will eventually whitewash it all and we can get on with reality again.
Shriman Gurung • 1 year ago
If we really wanted to fix immigration we could.
1. E-Verify for every job, all the time.
2. Punitive costs to employers who hire people off the books or fail to do #1. In short, dry up demand via the market.
3. Help make Mexico, el Salvador etc less like failed states and more like countries that a hardworking person would actually want to live in. You don’t see thousands of Canadians desperately trying to flee into Vermont, because Canada provides a functioning economy with the rule of law.
As far as dealing with the existing population, I really can’t see how there is any solution other than deportation. You broke the law, I’m very sorry, but that means you get to be expelled.
Carlos Z • 1 year ago
Punitive costs to Illegal employers and felony crimes for Illegal Workers?
How about jail time and felony charges for illegal employers too?
Jall all illegal employers and you will solve the problem.
Go after the farmers, factory owners, nanny hiring people, construction company workers, chicken, tuna and salmon processing plant owners, hotel owners, fast food restaurant owners, high rate restaurant owners, cleaning ladies hiring people, golf courses owners, etc etc.
Should I keep going?
Now, do you want to deport all undocumented workers and jail all federal law breaking employers?
Or do you just want to punish the workers?
Myra M. • 1 year ago
Are the numbers of illegals in this report actually counted? Or are the totals estimated.
Huge difference. I doubt very much that there are as few as you’re claiming.
kp • 1 year ago
The population was probably estimated using probability and statistical techniques with population sampling, the same way our general population consensus is done.
It would be impossible to do otherwise unless you mobilize the military and go door to door with a computer and start taking fingerprints. I don’t think advertising for illegals to come out and raise their hands would work either.
Mark L • 12 months ago
The US Census Bureau every 10 years surveys every household in the nation. If they do not receive a response via return mail, they send out canvassers who will visit the household & complete the form with them. The Census Bureau gets a high response rate. From some of the questions they are able to make an estimate of how many people are in the US but are not official residents. It’s not an exact science, but they are good at what they do. Since the Reagan amnesty in the ’80’s, there was much learned by interviewing unauth immigrants & are able to use the immigrant population back then as a guide to ensure that their numbers are tracking accurately. The Pew Research group also come up with ways to follow the flow in & out of the nation, recently, which helps refine those figures. It’s certain that during the Great Recession that a number of unauth immigrants also became unemployed & many were having little luck finding replacement employment, so they returned to their home country where the employment picture was better than here. But, low information sources will find ways to bump those figures up to anger their conservative followers. The general consensus is that the population figures are as true as we can hope for. Remember, POTUS only appoints the head of an agency, the remainder are career professionals who work through many admins regardless of which party is in office. They are dedicated to their jobs & good at them. Like the head of the VA who literally did not have the power to terminate poorly performing staff, congress limits the coercion that a political appointee can have on the dept’s staff to ensure that staff are not intimidated to falsify any work.
gog • 1 year ago
immigrants need to be controlled. The illegal ones should be deported and kicked out of our country.
666 Omen • 1 year ago
If you will come to my country even for tourist visit, I will do the same with u.
Kevin • 1 year ago
What’s the methodology to determine how many illegals are in the country. If they’re here illegally they aren’t announcing themselves. I don’t think PEW has any real clue honestly. It’s not quantifiable, yet the media picks it up as a matter of fact. That’s the problem with stats these days, there’s too much made up BS that is quantifiable.
Hugh Patrick • 1 year ago
Kevin – Just because you don’t know how to gather such data doesn’t mean that it’s impossible for those who do know how. After all, the PEW Research Center has been doing this for a long time. Is it not plausible that they have learned a thing or two in all that time ?
Amram Linebarger • 1 year ago
What technique is used to gather this information?
Michael • 1 year ago
Kevin, while I’m sure a few others experienced the same knee-jerk reaction, a little critical thinking goes a long way.
The sources for Pew’s data are listed at the bottom of the graphs, which is all from the Census Bureau. It is still legally required to respond to the American Community Survey if you are part of the selected sample but also illegal for the Census Bureau to release any portion of an individual person’s data (which includes immigration status). So, illegal immigrants are not punished for accurate information but face serious consequences for refusing to report that information.
As for how Pew is augmenting that data, well, as the person before me pointed out, Pew Research Center has been collecting and augmenting data from smaller samples for a long time with great accuracy and is subsequently one of the most trusted sources for such information. If you’re actually curious about their methodology they do appear to explain much of it here on the website.
miss • 1 year ago
What about being brought here as a child due to no choice of yours living here working her having American children then one day get pulled over thrown in ice deported now your kids have no father. Let’s do that to every illegal and everything will be just perfect.
Lesley • 1 year ago
As a former social worker in Tucson, AZ I’ve seen hardworking parents picked up at bus stops by the cops on bicycles & stuck on a bus to the border. CPS picks up the poor kids & that’s rarely good. People may be surprised to know that a lot of Mexicans want to come here & work, such as picking oranges in the hot sun for peanuts and then go home & work on their houses. Since Bush made the regular border crossings so hard to get through, people either tramp through the blazing desert for days or die trying. So they stay because they can’t come and go anymore.
JennyG • 1 year ago
Yes! And this makes no sense to me, you’re willing to take your 5 year old child on a dangerous trek through the desert for days with no food & little water to get to America. But you’re not a bad parent? Yes, yes you are. And you know what? Nothing is stopping mom, dad, and younger dual citizen sibling from accomanying the deported “DREAMER” back to Mexico (or wherever). But I notice they never do. They let their kid get sent back to Mexico while they stay here & cry about it.
Jennifer Moore • 1 year ago
Spoken like someone who has never lived in Mexico or seen the life these people ar3 born into. A teacher with a four year degree makes 4 to 5 dollars an hour doing he same job an American does. People don’t walk in the desert for 5 days for fun. They are obviously trying to get a chance at a better life. And that example I gave is what I make as an expat living in mexico for People without a formal education the legal minimum wage is 5 dollars a day for 8 hours of work. The typical pay for unskilled labor is 100 pesos a day which is less than 10 dollars for 8 hours or more of work. What kind of life can a person have making this much money? And before you say come here legally. Do you have any idea how hard it is for a Mexican person to get a work visa? If people want to stop illegal immigration the government needs to come up with a plan to make work visas available to workers. Don’t blame someone for doing whatever they can to take care of their family. Be happy that you were born into a country where you were lucky enough to be paid a fair wage and given the chance to make something of your life.
Robert Martel • 1 year ago
For those who are either too mentally incapacitated to think rationally or are merely drowning in a cesspool of nativist racism, we do not currently have – and have not had since 2008 – an increase in the number of illegal immigrants in the U.S. (In fact, the number has declined by about 400,000.). When we find the political sanity to develop a ‘path’ to citizenship for those who are living here and working here the issue of low paid illegal immigrants being hired to replace higher paid current citizens will, by law, be eliminated automatically. The raging anti-immigrant attitudes of those who refuse to deal with that reality is the major cause of the loss of jobs to lower paid immigrants.
Continue to increase border security as well as the hunt for the 50% of illegal immigrants who entered the country legally but overstay their visas, while at the same time maintaining a path to citizenship for immigrants generally, and we have a much stronger country and economy. Failure to do either or both hurts America and Americans perpetually.
Robert Martel • 1 year ago
I’m outraged! It’s all Obama’s fault! He’s only reduced the number of illegal immigrants in the U.S by 400,000. When Bush was president, he kept untold billions of illegal immigrants out of the country while only adding 3.9 million to the number inside the U.S.
There is clearly a problem, but it’s just as clearly not a problem which is on the increase, which has everything to do with the increasing numbers of illegal immigrants being caught and deported as they enter the country. In other words, for the thick headed clueless dolts among the 30% of the population who belong to the Know-Nothing mob, America needs to have a come to Jesus moment and deal with the reality instead of your idiocy and never ending hatred of anyone who isn’t in your America-destroying gang. About 11 million people live in this country as your indentured servants and slaves, but would prefer to be citizens…while no matter what we all do, China is going to overwhelm us with sheer numbers and eat our lunch unless our population increases dramatically over the next few decades. Try, little ones, to get the big picture and if you’re incapable of that, buy a clue…or 50.
Arizona Jim • 1 year ago
The “11 million” figure been around since 1995, yet is still widely used today!
Panz Critter • 1 year ago
Exactly, like many other government figures, suddenly they pause or decline because of methodology. The true number of illegals is closer to 30 million which would toss the other numbers all over the place. And the majority is from South American countries. Until we face the real problem, we can’t find the real solution.
Ann • 1 year ago
offering up stats based on inadequate information does no one a service.
How long has the number 11-12 million been used. Surely, simple math would indicate that it has to be far more than 12 million in the country illegally.
So, you lose credibility right off the top.
Choose2Think • 1 year ago
Just wondering if any “commenters” are willing to pay $5 for a head of lettuce. I live in California. We have been “dealing” (in essence, not dealing) with the illegal immigration problem for decades. Now that illegal immigrants (especially those from Central America) are infiltrating the north-east corridor, there is the huge cry to “do something about those damn illegals.
There is no real solution that any politician is willing to undertake because it would mean losing votes. Want people to stop wanting to come to this country? Simple. Abolish all welfare, free health, and free education. Abolish ALL taxes and institute a national sales tax. Abolish minimum wage laws. Open the borders. But in order to get here, you have to prove that you are proficient in English. Make English the official language of the United States and stop printing all government documents in multiple languages. Abolish “bi-lingual” education. Reinstitute a guest worker program.
Here is what would happen. Our prosperity would surge. People would complete for jobs. Companies would stop outsourcing jobs to other countries. We would be able to compete in the global market. We would be able to stop buying goods made in China, India, et.al. We would stop hating one another.
Michael • 1 year ago
“Want people to stop wanting to come to this country? Simple. Abolish all welfare, free health, and free education. Abolish ALL taxes and institute a national sales tax. Abolish minimum wage laws.”
This would also stop most people already here from wanting to remain in this country. It would result in unmitigated institutionalized poverty and regression towards a highly disposable and vastly uneducated workforce. The economy would collapse due to significantly reduced consumption (and subsequently, reduced production) of goods which have become much less affordable (like food and clothing) and/or simply no longer mass marketable (like computers and cars). Even less people would be proficient in English because the educational system is only available or viable for a very select (rich) minority. This minority would then have complete control over “official” language and all other government policy, resulting in an even further entrenched class system. This is quite literally the opposite of a surge in prosperity. What you’re proposing is a jump back to the Dark Ages and feudal oligarchy.
On the bright side, though, no more damn illegals infiltrating your precious territory. Because at the end of the day, that’s what really counts.
Ken Potus • 1 year ago
The illegals coming here are doing it for jobs; not welfare, which they cannot collect since they do not have a social security number (which are checked by our government systems for fraud). If you want to diminish illegal immigration write your congressmen and tell them we want our government to strictly enforce the use of the e-verify system by our businesses..
Carlos Z • 1 year ago
And throw in jail all the illegal employers!!
JennyG • 1 year ago
Technically true, however many social services have been told NOT to ask for SS# when they know their “clients” are illegal. Basically to bend the rules. And if they have an anchor baby, that child is eligible for services no problem and the rest of the family benefits.
Ruby Melody • 1 year ago
JennyG,
Where are your sources on that? I’m conducting a lot of independent research, looking at as much non-bias sources as possible to get the most facts about illegal immigration. I am attempting to educate myself as much as possible through non-biased independent research and personal experience/accounts.
Your comment is something I have not seen in my research nor any of the personal accounts I have collected. You seem very sure about it which leads me to believe it must be true. Please direct me to where you have gathered such information. I’d sincerely appreciate it.
ruby_g@ymail.com
Thanks!
Dandelion Daydream • 1 year ago
well said Michael
Harvey Bauer • 1 year ago
11.5 million illegals unlawfully in the USA when Obama took office on Jan. 20, 2009 ~ and 11.3 million illegals unlawfully in the USA in 2014, AFTER Obama had already forcibly deported 1.8 million unvetted criminal illegals by that time ~ and, this is called “stabilization?” I call it a failed “revolving door” illegal immigration policy. PROOF, the border is Not Secure.
Bob • 1 year ago
Where do these statistics come from? It would seem to me it would difficult to gather given the topic and sample discussed.
Lyn • 1 year ago
@Bob. Exactly. If ‘they’ have been saying there are 11 – 20 million in the country how can one even give stats when they do not have the accurate numbers. And, politicians will use this to their advantage. If the Dems say it is only 12 million that is so that americans won’t be soooo alarmed to know there are many, many more.
This isn’t about the color of someone’s skin or the country they hail from. It is about a spineless corrupt political system that would put Anyone above its own ppl. The poor, the disadvantaged through no fault of their own while promoting illegal immigrants.
My insurance, taxes, school funding should go to assisting american citizens. No one else. It is illogical
Ken Potus • 1 year ago
If you read the research reports illegals are not able to collect welfare since they do not have a social security number and applying for one will put them at risk of being caught. Most economist that have studied this issue extensively agree that illegals on the whole are a net positive or at worst cost neutral to our country. remember, they pay to social security due to the payroll taxes that are automatically collected from their employers yet they are not eligible to collect ss. If we want to decrease illegal immigration we already have a system in place called e-verity that requires biz to hire legal workers. This has not been heavily used due to lobbying by businesses complaining about cost of compliance and over regulation. Talk to your congressman about this if you really care about decreasing illegal immigration (oh, and get ready to start paying $10lb for your tomatoes, carrots, apples, chicken, etc).
matt • 1 year ago
hmm…5.1 percent of the workforce? so that means when people cant find jobs, its because of that number? and texas having 9% would eliminate the unemployment here if they were gone…its great that obamacare is here since, even if we deported them, employers wouldnt be able to hire americans to fill those jobs because it would be too expensive..some people want insurance and a higher,wage, which larger corporations may be able to do, but the smaller businesses won’t. this kind of thinking is magical, because it assumes there is ample money to be handed out by small businesses to “create” jobs…entitlement…
Fernando Centeno • 1 year ago
We also have legal immigrants wkg in gov’t positions, at all levels — local, regional, state, national, as I witnessed wkg in Austin, our state capitol. Yes, legal immigrants can work in the U.S., but not only are they taking jobs from qualified U.S. citizens, they do not owe their allegiance to the U.S. Some of these positions are policy positions, effectively representing U.S. citizens; imagine if U.S. citizens knew that almost 1/2 millions jobs are taken by legal immigrants, what reaction you would see.
Contact yr local, state & nat’l repre. to address this issue!
Lindsey Nyberg • 1 year ago
If you want to work outside in the 95 degree heat 12 hours a day 6-7 days a week laying brick pavers (breaking your back & inhaling the dust) be my guest. That is the kind of jobs they are doing!
KARMA • 1 year ago
An American job is an American job they should be given to the legal Americans first.
KEVIN BEALER • 1 year ago
Patric,
I have no clue what your post is about.
Annonymous • 1 year ago
I don’t really think that there is anything that can be done by the citizens of this country that would have any effect on the policies that are made or enforced by our government. I don’t think they necessarily want it to be that way, there are just too many differing sides to the battle. I think Trump may be using the podium to either gain votes or to let people realize that nothing is going to be done. Anyway, I can see both sides. I have read the history of immigration. No one is innocent. Religion is kind of a side issue. Could we sell California to Mexico? Could we make Mexico a state? This is certainly a crazy messed up way to do business.
David Gomez • 1 year ago
Would you be so kind as to provide some helpful resources to learn more about the break down of labor force numbers (#4)? Im curious to see what jobs undocumented immigrants are filling.
Lee Founds • 1 year ago
This touches on that subject…………coincidently see #4, but also has some other interesting info. money.cnn.com/2014/11/20/news/ec…
Carlington Reese • 1 year ago
Here is an older (2013) report released by the Department of Homeland Security that might be of interest to some readers: dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publ…
Does anyone have research that highlights the efficacy of border security?
Thanks
Michael Hartman • 1 year ago
I happened to notice that the peak of influx was in 2007 at the peak of the US economy and the first decline in 2008 the same year as the crash. If this correlation is representative of causation then the numbers show the amount of money available to pay illegal aliens and will rise with the economy or availability of money. It is less likely that any law was obeyed given that the illegal immigrants and those that hire them were not paying attention to the law beforehand and are unlikely are now.
Nancy Beeds • 1 year ago
I hope and pray you are considering each and every illegal immigrant to the America’s since 1492 …
Jamarr • 1 year ago
Illegal immigrants of what country? What country was here? Mexiico? Americans are illegal immigrants of Mexico is that what you saying?Yea sounds pretty dumb doesn’t it, just cause you live on the land don’t make you responsible for it’s greatness.America was made great by the collective intelligence of races that span the globe .Africans, Europeans, Asians, Indian’s, Jewish and yes native American and
South Americans so please just be thankful
Sandi • 1 year ago
In the last national census, there was not even a place to mark if one was Mexican, if you remember right. In the one done in 2000, it was the Native American who was left without a place to mark on the ballet. Just depends on which survey is to be skewered, near as I have been able to figure out.
Michael • 1 year ago
What I think you are referring to are race and ethnicity portions of the decennial US Census. In that context, an option to report oneself as “Mexican” would not be accurate to the type of data being gathered, as “Mexican” is not a race or ethnicity, it is a nationality.
Since 2005, The Census Bureau has collected some nationality and immigration information through its American Community Survey each year which is distributed to a much smaller, random sample of people living inside the United States.
National reality • 1 year ago
Illegal immigration is a modern form of slavery, there is no need to build a wall between U.S. and Mexico to stop illegal immigration, we just have to pay legal wages and then U.S. citizens will be willing to do the job.
Be realistic, there is a government/society promoting illegal immigration for their own benefit, then all those illegal immigrants, slaves, are deported as soon as they are not needed any longer.
john rizzuto • 1 year ago
Slavery??? These people come here on their on accord, look for jobs, have children knowing they are breaking the law, and then cry they are not being treated fairly. I know one that asked his him employer to sign a letter saying he made less than he made ( he was making $17/hour) so he can get medical benefits, that we pay for, for his 3 children that he had here. But alot of the middle class that are real US citizens can not get health care. BS!!!
Jack Wynder • 1 year ago
The problem is we can’t agree on how to fix the immigration system so we leave it as it is and things continue.
That said: there’s something we can do to fix things without doing anything to the immigration system:
Raise sales tax to 30% in every border state and give sales tax refunds to citizens and legal residents at tax time.
That way all the illegals who are escaping deportation will be indirectly forced to pay into the system even if they don’t file income taxes.
Shane Simmons • 1 year ago
“Raise sales tax to 30% in every border state and give sales tax refunds to citizens and legal residents at tax time.”
And you put the burden on retail, etc. businesses in those states to keep track of everyone who makes a purchase at one of their businesses, and the extra headache and expense will drive them out of those states. Brilliant!
Leon Lewis • 1 year ago
Not at all. There would be no need for tracking at the point of sale. The burden would be on the individual to document their spend and request their refund..presumably when filing a state income tax return.
Carlos Z • 1 year ago
The immigrants will move to other states….
Chris Johnson • 1 year ago
Does your research show what percentage of undocumented immigrants are repeaters every year? By “repeaters,” I mean that they tried at least once before to immigrate to the US, were apprehended, and were deported.
Jorge • 1 year ago
I’m not sure it’s that way. Crossing the border might be extremely difficult and dangerous (and expensive) depending on several factors, the biggest one is if you have a Visa (or not).
I think we can classify Mexicans working illegally in USA in these groups:
– Non immigrants with a Visa: usually highly skilled workers (bachelor’s) that can’t find a good job in Mexico. They commonly get in using a tourist Visa and overstay working some minimum wage job for a couple of years while saving money. They tend to come back to Mexico after they get tired on working on something they are overqualified for (but with a bigger savings account!). They might or might not go back to the US (or to a different country) depending on if they get a good job back in Mexico or not.
– Non immigrants without a visa: usually low skilled workers (less education than high school) that are denied a visa (if they even tried to get one). These are somewhat common in certain part of Mexico, and could be seen as a long tradition/rite of passage. Basically, a guy (almost always a male) goes to the USA to work for 6 months to 2 years to make some savings and then comes back permanently (or might try to go to the USA again, depending on how easy it was entering). The main objective is getting enough money for a big purchase (say, a pickup truck), or to get money for a big event (like a wedding) and then go back. My grandfather actually did this in order to marry my grandmother.
– Immigrants with no Visa: really poor people with nothing to lose, they intend to cross and stay there forever. Main motivation: minimum wage jobs pay probably 10 times better in the USA. They usually have almost no ties to Mexico (how could you have strong ties to a country that has failed you?).
-Immigrants with a visa: usually middle-low class people with an education level around high school. They manage to get a tourist visa but overstay in the USA. When they see that jobs in the US pay better and with less work than the ones in Mexico, they decide to stay and use all resources they can to get citizenship. It’s common for this group to marry for citizenship (be a legitimate married or a sham/paid one). They tend to have strong ties to Mexico (specially familiar ties) but see no other option, or just prefer the lifestyle the US offers.
Jorge • 1 year ago
Well, if they were legal they would pay taxes. Win-win don’t you think?
Jack Wynder • 1 year ago
Raise Sales Taxes and they will have to pay taxes illegal or not.
Mari • 1 year ago
They do pay taxes though. Wow the ignorance of it all
Leon Lewis • 1 year ago
The irony of the poorly informed generalization in this comment is hilarious.
Dan Eldridge • 1 year ago
This data seems to be in line with most other data I have found on the subject. Provided one does not go to a source that is bent liberal or conservative. My opinions on the subject are complex. Too much to write down here. Having no ancestors that can be traced in this country beyond 1890, leaves me a profound sense of happiness and pride that this great nation took in my great grandparents and great, great, grandparents without anything other than the desire to be American and a signature/mark. I know, I have seen the papers of my maternal great grandparents. That was it, no 1 year this, 3 years that, 10 years for good measure. I am not saying the doors should be thrown wide open. That ship has sailed. But I do believe that the current immigration policies has given rise to a great degree of problems we currently face with immigration. I do know this, I would much rather see money go to help americans in need, improve medical science, and science in general. Than spend it on a foolish wall and/or armed soldiers/police to guard this silly wall.
Anita Anderson • 1 year ago
Good facts
Proud American • 1 year ago
What I find interesting is that of the noted 11.2million illegal immigrants ( I disagree with use of unauthorized) 8.1 million illegals are working (72%). At first glance that looks good except they are not paying taxes. Another way to look at it is 28% are NOT working. It raises the question what are they doing and how do they sustain themselves?
How many of the services are used by the 28% not working?
Edward • 1 year ago
Not paying taxes? How do they avoid paying sales taxes in stores? Gasoline taxes? What about the portion of their rent payments that go toward municipal property taxes? Highway tolls? Wireless phone taxes? All unavoidable for anyone living and working here in the US.
Ariel Perez • 1 year ago
Proud American, what makes you think they don’t play taxes. A large part of that 72% working use ITINs when filing their taxes, to the tune of $870 million dollars in 2010. All of those workers also paid over $3 billion into Social Security that year, money they’ll never see again.
Get your facts straight.
Vicki Martinez • 1 year ago
I am curious how this data is collected when many illegal immigrants come to the country and are hiding in the country, therefore can not be counted in the data. They have no identification, they pay with cash, live with family members and are ghosts in the community essentially. This is the reason most citizens have a problem with illegal immigrants being here and not coming to the country through proper channels. I am curious how these ghosts in the communities are counted in this data.
sbrown • 1 year ago
Schools, hospitals, social welfare agencies, police, border control, they aren’t really flying under the radar! They come here for all these things.
RegularGuy55 • 1 year ago
Data aside, I still find calling illegal aliens ‘unauthorized immigrants’ is an attempt to legitimize their presence. They are criminals who broke the law by entering the US, broke the law by living here, and broke the law by working here.
Vanessa • 1 year ago
Who do you think works in America’s hard labor force? Its those same illegals that work Sun up to Sun down picking vegies and fruits so we can have produce in our markets. We can’t forget those 5 star meals who do you think works in those slaughter houses. Latinos do anything to support their families. They are the reason majority of landscapes look as beautiful. They take the jobs that us Americans wouldn’t even think of doing. We have opportunities. Why not give them that choice. We all are immigrants , unless you’re native American.
Vincent Vlemx • 1 year ago
They take American jobs at half the money–it’s not true that Americans would not take the jobs. Everytime someone hires an illegal 2 Americans are priced out. We are legal immigrants. We did not break American laws for profit.
grant • 1 year ago
Actually, we aren’t all immigrants, though all of us, including Native Americans, have ancestors who were immigrants. I don’t agree that there are jobs the illegals are doing that the rest of us wouldn’t do. As a matter of fact, illegal workers have driven down the wages paid to American workers by participating in an underground labor force. Those wishing to come to the United States to live and work DO have a choice. They can get in line, apply for work visas and legal status, just like the legal immigrants of our ancestors’ generations.
Insert • 1 year ago
Grant, there are no “lines” to apply for a work or resident visa.
Actually, immigration to the US is quite difficult. Just take a look at the USICS website and get a grasp of the types of visas, the requirements and the benefits (or lack thereof) each has.
Adam Sternberg • 1 year ago
Studies have been shown, over and over again, that this is a fallacy. It’s a lie made up by liberals to help justify the illegal immigration waves. If you go to any farm, you’ll see just as many whites working there, if not more, than illegals.
Cynthia Blancett • 1 year ago
You may see whites picking produce but how many of them are prison labor? That is a question I would like an answer to.
Mary • 1 year ago
Who do you think works in America’s hard labor force? It’s those same Americans that work sun up to sun down in the Appalachian coal mines, some of the hardest labor work on the planet. I know because I come from these people and I have many friends whose family members STILL do this work. It is grueling and dangerous. Why do the poor, rural people who’ve lived in that region for generations risk their lives to support their families in coal mines instead of farm fields? Because farms do NOT pay a living wage! Why? Because illegal immigrants are not beholden to US labor laws like US citizens are, and can be paid pennies. No American family could survive on the same wages without forever relying on social services or living in a cardboard box. Companies hiring illegal immigrants are not willing to pay Americans a fair wage – these companies are the problem because they put the profits of their CEOs over the welfare of their people. They also put Americans out of work because they can underbid on construction contracts when their entire workforce is illegal and underpaid. American construction workers can’t compete. If farms, slaughterhouses and construction companies paid Americans what the law says they’re entitled to, there would be PLENTY of Americans working in those difficult fields, because there are millions of rural – and urban – Americans who have done hard labor to support their families all their lives.
Paul Muller • 1 year ago
If they crossed the border illegally, deport!
Susy Smith • 1 year ago
My adult students in Miami, Florida do not work from sunset to sundown in the fields. That is a myth. I wish I could inform our country as to the truth because we are losing our country and nobody seems to represent us, the American citizens.
They (the illegals) are working in construction and making good money. Those jobs use to go to our union employees. (Not only Americans, but legal citizens as well). However, since they are illegal, they don’t pay income taxes like we us citizens. They all have fancy cellular phones and tennis shoes. They carry no insurance because our hospitals cannot ask questions as to whether they are illegal or not. they know they can keep on having illegal children without having to pay what the rest of us pay.
The overcrowding in the schools Is horrible. We, the taxpayers are paying for all those illegal children because illegals own no property, and it property taxes that pay for schools.
For the last 15 years I have face the problem of illegal immigration daily at my school. It is a sad picture for those of us who were born in Miami and remember a totally different society. A society where rules and law were respected by all.
Random Thought • 1 year ago
Well, the number is something like 40% entered 100% legally. These people are taking planes. Only 50% are from Mexico. The rest get on a plane, pass thru customs, and are here (originally) 100% legally. So, this idea that they entered illegally is unfounded. Yes some % of them did. But probably the vast majority actually just overstayed their visit.
Chris • 1 year ago
I guess the fact that all of the Americans at the time of the Alamo were illegal immigrants doesn’t have any bearing on the conservation? Or does it help explain Texans. They wouldn’t bring drugs if there wasn’t a demand. Have to finance the trip somehow. Market forces? Or evil people?
JennyG • 1 year ago
By the time of the Alamo America existed as a country so no we were not “all illegals”. If you’re speaking of this as the perspective of native Americans it’s more like we were invaders than immigrants.
Something that has happened many many times throughout history, all over the world, not just here. Pretty much all of what is now the UK, the empire of Alexander the Great, the Mongol invasion of China, the Visigoth invasion of Rome, etc etc etc.
And the Battle of the Alamo (and in fact the entire war between future-Texans and Mexico) was about the type of gov’t Mexico was going to become, up until that point Texans considered themselves to be subject to the laws of Mexico. So it literally has nothing to do with illegal immigration. Unless you think Miami or Houston are going to try and cecede.
Susan Anthony • 1 year ago
I have couple questions, if anyone knows and one observation.
Are DACA recipient still consider in that 11million figure?
Is there anywhere you can see the number of Asylum cases gained green cards in immigration and family courts, across the country? IS there a data base that keeps track?
In the article it says the illegal immigration in Massachusetts is declined, how they get info?
My observation is that in my area of Massachusetts it is very much on the incline. Everywhere in construction, hotels, gardeners, house cleaners,the nannies at the park etc
In my area it is Brazilians and their numbers have definitely grow in last decade.
Lucy Love • 1 year ago
Yes
Deborah • 1 year ago
Half of illegal immigrants were on legitament visas,and just over stayed .,,from all countries.
Irma Flores • 1 year ago
You are close to being correct. I believe that it’s between 35 – 40% that overstay their visas.
Nomoremaos • 1 year ago
The propoganda machine jas been using he 12 million figure for as long as i can remember. So somehow, the illegal population swelled to that figured and it was at that point where they decided not to migrate to the US. Hmmm, sounds like a load to me. It’s a convenient metric to sound resonable to some but % wise, not to alarm most. However, for every illegal, there ate on average 3 children (often times more), the spouse, grandparents, et al… This means we easily have 100 million people who should not be in this country.
What other nation thinks open borders is a smart national policy? Pretty much zero.
johnny • 1 year ago
No one is proposing an open border policy.
Charles Gatlin • 1 year ago
But that’s essentially what we have.
Susie • 1 year ago
No it’s not. We have American businesses GMC, Kwikset locks, etc. In Mexico so this is why America doesn’t close the border. Think how corporates would feel. They wouldn’t be able to pay cheap slave labor. Including a large percentage of agriculture comes from over the border.
CJS • 1 year ago
The propaganda machine is right. I just read an eight year old study from The Social Contract that estimated 20 million then. It made sense to me.
Larry Uebbing • 1 year ago
So according to your numbers 1 out of every 3 people in the U.S. is an illegal immigrant. You need to either increase or decrease your prescription dosage.
sbrown • 1 year ago
What’s the population capacity of the U.S.? There are approximately 319 million people in the U.S. The planet is being crushed under a growing population of 7.5 billion. This country is dealing with social and political chaos, environmental imbalances, terrorism, and a $17+ trillion deficit. Is there a limit? The country is certainly not financially, socially or politically “healthy” enough to absorb 11-30 million illegals and their families, those days are gone. Why do Americans feel some strange guilt or obligation where Hispanics/illegals are concerned? The constitution gives the children born here a “right” to be here (despite the scam), NOT the illegal family members! America is not a “bad guy” for sending them back to their homes and shoring up the border. My original question is, what is the population cap on the U.S.? 320 million, 500 million, a billion people? Population growth is at zero growth in this country all increases in the numbers are through immigration alone. The American west is in the midst of a water crisis right now, what happens in the next few decades when the “climate refugees” begin arriving from dozens of other countries- what then?
Mengnan Wei • 1 year ago
I lost my job and visa for not lying to my client. Lying on your resume is not a crime but it’s still unethical in the IT consulting industry.
I love America and I wanna stay but not in this way so I headed back to China this January.
I wanna say show mercy to your human fellows even though they’re illegal immigrants.
I think those illegal immigrants are no different from me. We both love America but in different ways.
Tom • 1 year ago
You say, “11.2 million illegals in 2012.” Is that the –very best– you can do? Hey, were in July 2015. That 11 million figure is waaaaay old. Ann Coulter calculates the true figure is –at least– 30 million. Is Pew infested with liberals?
Linda • 1 year ago
Now there’s a source I’d quote – Ann Coulter – NOT
Craig King • 1 year ago
Ann Coulter calculates……….lol. My young son is big into calculating recently. I’m usually somewhere between a hundred and a thousand years old based on his earnest calculations. To be fair his perception of my ancientness is probably no less real than Ann Coulters fearful perception of being swept under an avalanche of 30 million “others”.
Irma Flores • 1 year ago
Yes, we should all go quoting Ann Coulter especially since most of her statistics are overblown. That makes perfect sense!
Bruce in AZ • 1 year ago
In here new book on immigration, she quotes figures supplied by legitimate government organizations with foot notes. Can you supply credible data that refutes Ann Coulter’s? (Aside from partisan ridicule and personal denigration.)
gary schatz • 1 year ago
Well done! Explodes the myth that all of them are from Mexico. Though a lot of the Mexicans here are not the best citizens (and incarceration costs a lot of money). Another interesting statistics would be about where the drugs come from.
David • 1 year ago
That still means about 1.7% of the population are undocumented, Mexican illegal immigrants, and that’s a problem a lot of Americans want to sweep under the rug. That could be a lot of tax revenue for this country that’s simply not being generated. Why is it ok that taxpayers foot the bill to jail illegal immigrants, but it’s not ok to tax them for being here if they plan to stay here indefinitely illegally?
Zara • 1 year ago
Many undocumented immigrants pay taxes. Please educate yourself.
Laylah • 1 year ago
Yes and many (especially from Mexico ) are of low socioeconomic status when they illegally migrate here. They take advantage of resources that were put in place to assist American citizens who may need them.
Jeffrey McDonald • 1 year ago
More don’t pay taxes. The employer is suppose to use e-verify & you know they tell the illegals they are paying taxes but if employer report those taxes they would be in violation and fined for hiring illegal aliens. Quit using that argument. We know there is probably more illegal aliens here than the #’s being reported.
Gigi • 1 year ago
Illegals from all other countries who work here pay taxes just like every citizen. it’s not just the “Mexicans” that are unauthorized. I recommend doing more research. We have people undocumented and paying taxes from Asia countries, Europe etc. I wish people can stop always pointing out “Mexicans ” like they’re vermin. They are hard working citizens. Parts of America were mexico at one time know America’s history.
JennyG • 1 year ago
If taxes are being paid by illegals it’s because they are using someone else’s SS #. Otherwise they are working “under the table” and not paying taxes. Either way they are breaking the law. If by some magical chance they say they are paying taxes the company they are working for is lying to them. No company is going to knowingly hire an illegal, pay them at least minimum wage, and then pay employer & employee taxes to the gov’t. The whole point of hiring illegals is that you don’t pay them min wage, and you don’t pay taxes on their wages. Otherwise they’d be hiring citizens.
I don’t care what country they are from. Law breaking is law breaking.
Laylah • 1 year ago
Mexico and South America thats where the drugs come from, and their President is the biggest drug lord of them all.
marjane52 • 1 year ago
May be if Americans stop consuming, Mexicans and South Americans would stop sendig.
Jake • 1 year ago
What continues to baffle me is how people can’t understand that illegal immigration is a terrible thing for our country. My girlfriend has relatives who have been put on a waiting list for over YEARS to be become a citizen, whereas there are people crossing the border within an instant.
The process of becoming a citizen is safe and helps prevent people like murderers or drug dealers into our country through background checks. That is something that doesn’t happen when people cross the border illegally.
immigration is very good thing, but bringing in vast quantities of illegals is very dangerous
Not saying that everyone crossing the border is a bad person, but you cannot deny that there have been a surplus of criminals coming over
phyllismurphy • 1 year ago
A Federal Illegal Immigration was passed long long ago but any law is only as good as enforcement. A country weakens in every way once a break down in law is allowed by the pitiful creatures elected or appointed to keep American citizens protected. Me and 5 bros worked in fields back in the 40’s when Mexicans swarmed into our small country town in Illinois and began taking jobs..Citizens objected strenuously and culminated with illegals swarming the downtown streets and male citizens swarming and a massive brawl ensued. Fortunately, no serious injuries or deaths but that stopped most Mexicans from coming to our town for future jobs. So this uncontrolled illegal invasion is and insidious insult to all who are waiting in line to become a citizen legally..I have not respect for the idiot self serving lazy politicians who fail to enforce laws!
Kevin Pierce • 1 year ago
You quote, “Mexicans swarmed into our small country town in Illinois and began taking jobs”.
So they just elbowed you out of the way, or were they willing to accept less?
Sounds like market forces at work, and then you saved money of your food later on?
critical_thinker • 1 year ago
ah yes – market forces and the cost of food. I assume you approve of lowering or abolishing the minimum wage in the fast food industry so we can all appreciate a drop in the cost of a Big Mac 🙂
Irma Flores • 1 year ago
Anyone coming to the US legally does not automatically become a citizen. They are documented aliens. Depending on the type of permission that they have. Some are given Visas, others are given temporary residency. After temporary residency comes permanent residency, then after five years you are eligible to apply for citizenship.
However, you also have a misconception; just because someone is legal doesn’t mean that they can’t committ crimes and that our country is safe because of it. Need I remind you that the terrorists of 9/11 were all here legally and so were the terrorists who bombed the NY city garage back in the 90’s and none of them crossed the southern border either .
T. • 1 year ago
Also from other countries. This is the huge gap in our immigration system. Statistically a very low percentage are criminals majority coming over are not. They’re desperate what would you do if you had a family to support. Its a matter of life and death. This why immigrants come here or send their children for a chance to prosper and be productive . isn’t that what America and our Constitution stands. Equal opportunity.
D’Arcy Burgess • 1 year ago
Carlos, I’ve always read about the land belonging to the natives and I haven’t really questioned that; but I have to admit that I wonder, what land REALLY belongs to any human? Just because the natives were here first, does that mean it was theirs to claim? Who decided that rule? I’m not even saying I have a problem with it; but seriously, what human being can really make that call?!?
James Wilde • 1 year ago
That’s a fairly logical assessment. Nobody sprouted from the ground and has some entitlement to the land. The world’s borders are not first come first serve. Some army/tribe/empire/society came in and conquered or developed the countries that exist today. Some societies hard work and governments have yielded better results. Because the U.S. worked out so many others want a piece of that pie, the grass is greener on this side. As someone who has ancestry dated back to the Revolutionary era, I can say that my family were the laboring, working class that built the country to make it something worth having when it wasn’t the world power that is today. The U.S. didn’t become a modernized nation and world power over night.
Ben Weiser • 1 year ago
Which is “the” laboring, working class that built the country? Are you descended from enslaved Africans?
Redacted • 1 year ago
Don’t take this the wrong way, but why do they all flock here? Clearly there is a problem there for them to do that, so why not band together and fix it? I’m not saying I hate them, or that America isn’t good enough to immigrate to, but it all causes population problems here. Legal immigrants I have no qualms with, fyi. It’s just they come here instead of doing what must be done there. Essentially what Wade said.
Passing Through • 1 year ago
Considering the exploitative damage that NAFTA dealt upon Mexico (not the first time the US has bullied its neighbor to the south), the US has set itself up for waves of immigrants who are looking for better conditions outside their country. Additionally, the US aided the civil war in El Salvador during the ’80s, again prompting a toxic situation that demands people flee immediately. I would like to see traditional, legal immigration processes work here, but it would willfully stupid to turn a blind eye to the tragic situations our country has caused and manipulated.
So, to answer your question, that’s why many Latino undocumented immigrants arrive. I am not as well informed in Asian countries or other areas. It may or may not be the same.
Mabes • 1 year ago
NAFTA did not damage Mexico…it damaged the USA
Irma Flores • 1 year ago
Sorry Mabes – but Passing Through is correct. This is why the US had an influx of illegals coming to this country in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. Most were peasant farmers who could no longer compete with the pricing that Mexico (and some Central American countries) was receiving from the US for agricultural items.
Ana Sheila Victorino Lopez • 1 year ago
It hurt poor Mexicans. The number of agrarian jobs in Mexico plummeted, hence why you saw in increase of poor Mexican immigrants in the U.S looking for the jobs that no longer existed in their own country.
Hominychi • 1 year ago
Assuming you are of Caucasian decent: why did your ancestors flock here? Why didn’t they stay back home and fix whatever problem it was they had back then? Why did they take over the native Americans land?
Tina • 1 year ago
I also married a person who came here illegally 11 years ago. We have two US born children. He pays taxes, has never collected any benefits from the government and speaks English. He has no chance of gaining any type of status without reform. He actually doesn’t care about citizen status all he wants is a driver’s liscence and to continue supporting his family. How many US citizen fathers don’t give two craps about their families? They rather not work in order to not to pay for their children. Doesn’t that tell you something?
MrCharles • 1 year ago
He ought to respect this country enough to get right with its laws. He has rationalized common decency away. What country did you say gave him the opportunity to support his family? What does he say to legal immigrants looking for the same opportunity?
Bob • 1 year ago
I’m sorry , i married a undocumented person, they are scared to get pulled over by police
because they have no license and several times i had to get the cars from impound yards .
They don’t want to be counted in any census. The Government Of Mexico is the Problem and the other South American Governments . so I do think their are more people here than
your estimate . I deplore our leaders in both parties who want these people to break the law , so their children who are born here can grow up and vote . We are a country of Laws period.
marjane52 • 1 year ago
and the other South Americans goeverments? Mexico is not a South American country. Also do you read the articlel? immigration of South Americans to USA is not that big and most of them are legal.
PD: Cubans, Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, Central Americans are not South Americans.
C Bender • 1 year ago
I’m all for people coming to America for freedom and a chance at the American dream. But they have to come wanting to be American. That means they have to learn to speak English. They have to obey and respect our laws, our government and our beliefs! They have ro come into our Country legally. We cannot just let people walk over our borders and declare themselves Americans! Do you know of any Country that would let you do that? Come on people we cannot continue on with bleeding hearts for every person in the world. My Grandfather, father, brother, husband and many long dead relatives died for me to be here, I cherish that dedication to this Country. I’m not willing to share my Country with anyone who wants to change what they died for! I believe in God, I believe that he blessed this Country and I believe that the melting pot we have become has eroded the very foundation of what this Country was built on! You cannot have a Country that supports every belief and every religion, it is not possible! Every Country has to have a core belief to build on. When there is to much diversity the Country crumbles. This is a fact that goes back to every great civilization from the beginning of time. And the majority of Americans refuse to see that it is happening to our Country. You cannot have a Country without morals, principals and core beliefs. So, if you want to live in America, then be an American!
Cameron • 1 year ago
I was also born and raised in America, as well as my parents, grand parents, great grandparents, and so on. We came over on the mayflower and have been one of the longest American families. I do not believe in god. I do believe that our Constitution grants you the right to believe in god and me not to, something called the first amendment. It’s also a well known fact that, because of this amendment that you uphold so dearly, that the US does not have a national language. We are a country founded on immigrants and a country founded on immigrants with a population over 300 million will never become completely universalized. Both your dead relatives and mine came to America, slaughtered or supported the slaughter of a mass amount of people, and then declared themselves American. This hypocrisy has to stop. The system must be reformed of course, but in a way that supports our forefather’s cherished ideals of acceptance and kindness. A form of welcoming that is open to all people who want to live and thrive in the greatest country in the world.
Alex • 1 year ago
Be americans!?people from central to south America, They are Americans born and native to this continent , yet we have Europeans here who want English to be spoken here why!? English is not native to America the continent ,there is no such thing as the US as it being America the country that’s plain retarded
Ordinary Person • 1 year ago
Alex,
This is exactly why so many Americans resent the illegal alien brigade. You are voluntarily moving to a majority English speaking nation. It is hardly unfair to ask for English fluency in return. Why should a law abiding American citzen be asked to adapt to your refusal to learn English, pay more in taxes for your interpreters and face decreased job opportunities because they aren’t fluent in YOUR language?
The American government represents the American people not resentful foreign nationals who imagine they have the right to dictate how our society is run. If you want to voluntarily join our society, we have every right to ask that you exhibit basic common manners and be fluent in English.
Ricardo Gonzales • 1 year ago
South and central americans are europeans aswell or have more european than native heritage. And they are mixed with the indians from those continents which are very far away those indians had nothing to do with the indians in the USA for example the sioux and the inca did not know each other communicate share a language or culture so those people have no claim to the united states. Thats like saying a frenchman has all right to russia becouse they are from the same continent, dosn’t work like that.
Ricardo Gonzales • 1 year ago
Spanish in not native to the americas either? The central and south americans are european just spanish european and even the indians of central and south america have no connection to the indians from the united states for example the sioux and the inca or aztec had no connections a different language and different culture the south and central american have no cnnection or right to lands in the united states. Thats like saying a russian has rights to china just because they are the same continent asia and that is not logical.
KARMA • 1 year ago
You’re restarted Alex.
what do you know I just practiced one of my Rights as an American citizen Freedom of speech.
marjane52 • 1 year ago
I am South American and this is the worst argument that you can say when South America is also a land of immigrants of every part of the world, and when this land sadly is more European than indigenous because our European ancestors killed indegenous people.There is a lie that everyone here is a mestizo, when there is diversity, you must read about migration from Europe not only Spain or Portugal but Italy, Germany, Ukraine, about Arabic diaspora, Japanese, Chinese, etc, about Afrosouthamericans, Also I have never read about a indigenous of my country travelling to USA and claming their land. Also most illegal migrants in Usa are from Mexico, Mexico is not in Central America or South America. Also Spanish is not a original language from here either. If you want to defend migration use better arguments.
Larz • 1 year ago
I do not believe in any “god” or deity…so does that make me un-american?
patricia ligons • 1 year ago
This was build on religion by freedom. So answer is NO
patricia ligons • 1 year ago
It should be a fair playing field not a open back door for one Race illegally and close the front door to the legal sreps.I was a Democrat but I think they are destroying our country, we need to vote for a Leader not a Party American !
Ray • 1 year ago
Love it! My sentiments 100%!
Leif Cairn • 1 year ago
1. If your God blessed the massacre of 80-90% of native North American peoples, so you could have a house with 2.5 kids and a picket fence, you should seriously question yourself about what ‘God’ you’re worshiping.
2. “Every Country has to have a core belief to build on.” We are built on a core belief: everyone is equal and are free to worship or not worship a particular God. That IS what makes America, America.
The plate on The Statue Of Liberty: oi58.tinypic.com/3090ub9.jpg
3. “When there is to much diversity the Country crumbles. This is a fact that goes back to every great civilization from the beginning of time.” Both the Greek and Roman empires had immense diversity early in their existence, but to be frank about it, a level of a societies diversity doesn’t control whether they eventually crumble or not. Every society crumbles, it’s just a matter of when, and a substantial argument can be made it that generally happens because of hubris and the neglect to manage resources proportionally to their citizenry.
Irma Flores • 1 year ago
The US is not the only country facing problems with illegal immigration. England is also facing this problem, and Canada as well – to name a few.
james fitch • 1 year ago
Kindly disclose the source(s) of your estimated illegal Mexican immigrants.
Many estimates come in as high as 18-24 million. Since U.S. policy for many years has been not to even attempt to keep track of illegal immigrants, U.S. Bureau of Census or State Department estimates are practically worthless. How did you arrive at your figure of 11.2 million?
james • 1 year ago
wat is illegal immigration and how did it began and why cant things be settled in peace
john ulysis • 1 year ago
Illegal immigration is a serious crime. The only ones that deserve this country are legal citizens. Criminals sponsored by politicians should not be here.
Dee • 1 year ago
Illegal entry is a civil offense. As such it is not criminal nor is it considered serious.
Bob • 1 year ago
Yes , it is a civil offense , and we pay billions of our tax dollars to feed ,house and educate , and free medical for people breaking the law, go to Tecate
border in
San Diego and watch every morning the 100’s of children coming over to go to school here, it’s a joke they give a false address and get a good education here and a free lunch everyday they go back home , and this is just the tip of the ice berg we tax payers are so upset with our leaders pandering to undocumented workers who break the law of this great country who has the highest quota in the world for legal immigration . The cost is in the 100’s of billions every year.
Even if illegal immigration stopped today the cost of services to these people
the rate for services goes up for the ones who are here every year ..
Lisa • 1 year ago
Not necessarily so…allot of illegal aliens pay taxes…and local taxes. They contribute some in many many ways to society. Educate yourself…it is not as black and white as you make it sound…as most things in life.
Susan Anthony • 1 year ago
Maybe we should make it a felony like so many other countries
Kevin Pierce • 1 year ago
If their status is changed, they are no longer criminals, eh?
Wade • 2 years ago
So if things get bad in someones home country the solution of choice is to just bail out and not fight to help save the home country. Instead just go to some other country and ignore your countrymen. If Americans did that there would never have been a country like it is today. It would just be ruled over by terrible people like drug cartels and corrupt political self serving jerks. Where will the cowards run to if the USA decays like that? Canada is reticent to receive.
Kaylee • 1 year ago
Except for the fact that this country wouldn’t even exist if it weren’t for people doing that.
Joshua • 2 years ago
Great site but I wish it could be updated to 2014 rather then that it’s spot on
venna • 2 years ago
they aren’t issues if the immigrants weren’t here you would not have the resources you have now… americans don’t want the jobs the immigrants are taking and the immigrants are providing resources
David • 2 years ago
These are good facts… I hope people can respond intelligently about our immigration issues based on the truth and solid facts vs emotions..
sam rolley • 2 years ago
this iws great
Hunter Patton • 2 years ago
Im writing a 6 page essay about this stuff, please help my finger are getting cramped and im breathing really fastly, but anyways this is a good cite
sonia fuentes • 2 years ago
My question is does a undocumented person Obama care or qualify for medical insurance although they are not legal in the country?
John • 2 years ago
Please, people shouldn’t utilize public services if they have and STILL ARE breaking the country’s law; that’s common sense.
Dee • 1 year ago
No, they are not eligible for Obamacare. It is only for citizens.
J • 1 year ago
They should be eligible for Obamacare and pay the fee. By not allowing them to pay for Obamacare they now use the emergency room. All should be allowed to receive medical care. They then contribute to Obamacare and received regular health care
Jose Cabrera • 2 years ago
Did anyone notice the not so subtle change from the article’s title to the rest of the article.
Caramel • 2 years ago
Wow I always thought Europeans were the largest number of unauthorized immigrants in the US. I could have swore I read somewhere that European people migrated here on boats, and I certainly don’t remember any mention in history that they were ever authorized to be here… mabey I’m wrong. I’ll google it and make sure I have my facts straight.
steve • 2 years ago
One doesn’t become an “unauthorized immigrant” going into a wilderness, where there were no taxpayer subsidized entitlements.
Bruce • 1 year ago
When the Europeans came to the Americas, there was no established government. There was open land and various tribal people. The greatness that is the USA, which is one the current world powers, had to be cultivated by hard work over a few centuries. The Europeans that came to what is now Mexico did the same things as the British colonist, but their body of work in the new world didn’t turn out the same. That country has far worse racism and diversity issues than the U.S.
Carlos Anonimo • 1 year ago
get your facts right. This place was no open land. This land belong to the Natives. Europeans snatched it from them, by killing them, by poising them. we still see it this actions by the government today. For example, 9/11, Sandy hook. All plan by the government.
D’Arcy Burgess • 1 year ago
Carlos, I’ve always read about the land belonging to the natives and I haven’t really questioned that; but I have to admit that I wonder, what land REALLY belongs to any human? Just because the natives were here first, does that mean it was theirs to claim? Who decided that rule? I’m not even saying I have a problem with it; but seriously, what human being can really make that call?!?
Pamela Stringfellow • 2 years ago
Sources?
Bob Cat • 2 years ago
I am debating this and I would like to say that the whole point of illegal immigrants is that they are illegal that is my whole argument.
Truth • 2 years ago
A lot of you want to claim that it’s a principle of laws well if its principal laws than all those should be followed to T. There is no statue of limitation therefore all white people who came from illegal immigrants should be sent back and then come back legally. Also you’re not American your English American or European American just like any other race here you’re not American there’s no such thing as a full blooded American unless you’re brown (Red man) . I’m a white supremacist by the way. I’m just telling you guys the truth.
logic • 2 years ago
The Native Americans did not have laws against Europeans coming over and taking there land. Therefore your argument is invalid.
Shut up • 2 years ago
Your life is invalid @logic
Witch King of Angmar • 2 years ago
I have seen these statistics on other sites(4). They all check out. It is sad that we have so many unauthorized people living among us. I think that the president is allowing a lot of these people in so that he and other democrates can gain popular vote. He is using them to get his way in Congress. He doesn’t care what they are doing to the economy or to other citizens, he just wants their illegal vote. He wanted to decrease the unemployment rate, well if he wanted to really fullfil his promise then he’d find all of the illegal immagrants and either deport them or make them go through ALL the neccisary paperwork to become a citizen because most of the illegal immigrants don’t want to be here, but they want to sent OUR money back to their families then go home. He can also stop illegal immigrants from comming in and not lie about that “he is trying”. Well, I have rambled too much. Sayoonara.
Natalia • 2 years ago
Well you are obviously misinformed because if these immigrants don’t have the right permission to live here they wouldn’t be able to vote. So, therefore they couldn’t get the popular vote through them.
fleetwoodray • 2 years ago
You are missing the point about the Progressive Socialism movement of the Democratic Party. When, not if, Obama gets his once executive order passed since the Supreme Court is blocking it, then, these people by-pass our existing laws on immigration to the U.S. Yes, they will be able to vote. Remember, they come from Nationalist countries. We have close to a million MS-13 gang members in the U.S. now because of border neglect. Obama released 38,000 convicts back into our population. The intent is to create as much chaos as possible, then instill more socialist policies which means bigger, more govt control over, guess who, us, the American people. We lose more every day because of socialism oozing into our way of life.
I grew up in Texas and most TexMexs couldnt stand illegals. They would come here and work using false SSNs which screws up U.S. citizens taxes to be paid. Scary when IRS tells you that you made double what you really earned and you must pay taxes on that. Happened to me, can happen to you. Then, they would go back on deportation bus and come back in a few months and do it all again. We can’t support Mexico, Central America and South America. Thats what we are doing now, because thats where our dollars are going, to support families there. 30 yrs ago, it wasnt a strain, but today, its a major strain on out already volatile economy. We have a imploding dollar and we will bankrupt if interest rates go up. Too much National Debt. We would do better to annex these countries. Then we could expand real growth throughout the Americas. Do your research!! Semper Fi
is that how you feel • 2 years ago
I’m Mexican and proud but you have no idea of how bad things are in mexico a lot of Mexicans come to USA in hopes of saving money or wanting to have a better life for their kids. And most Mexicans work here I mean if u went to a Mexican restaurant you would see at least one Mexican. what if we all left back to our country. Who would work in the fields? I cry thinking what if anything bad happens to my family. My mom, little sister. I hate that some American people feel this way, yeah I’m Mexican, no I don’t eat spicy things. Point is you don’t know how it feels.
John • 2 years ago
Dude, I understand that things in Mexico are really bad; so are things in Brazil, in Africa, in south Asia and in many other places.
Just because your home country borders the US, that is no prerogative to break this country’s law and just sneak in; that is unfair to other people who were also born to poverty or violence and do not have the option to walk across a border but rather have to study and work hard before they can come here LEGALLY and *maybe* get a change to stay.
Wade • 2 years ago
Here’s how I feel. If my country(USA) is in trouble with corruption and cartels I want to fight like hell to retake it. If things get awry in the USA are you just going to run to another country again?
Matthew • 1 year ago
A single man can make no difference at all when your hole country is breaking apart, running to another country is not tge best options, but sometimes it’s the only thing you can do when you want your life to progress in every single way. That’s what I think.
Redacted ERWE • 1 year ago
Exactly, a single man, but enough come here that you could make a large militia (If it comes to that). It is all about power in groups.
Tina • 1 year ago
Fight like hell to retake it? You can do that with a government that has some interest in the people. You can’t do that when the government, the police and all those who any normal person would go to ask for help is being controlled by the gang members. You’d be dead and then who would your family rely on?? That’s what this is all about. Family and survival.
mint chocolate • 2 years ago
First, learn how to spell and write correctly before you discriminate immigrants. Second, it is sad that all these immigrants are trying their best just to give their kids a better future than what they had to deal with. all they want is freedom and a better opportunity. Just like how the English wanted freedom and not wanting to be catholic anymore. So, there is no difference between then and now. Just put yourself in their shoes, the daring choice, the traveling, the saying goodbye to family, the starting a new life, and having something to hide from because you don’t have what they need. next time, think about it. Because you are discriminating immigrants on how bad they are. well you are clearly horrible at English and you are American. Yet, I am Costa Rican and I have better grammar than you and I’ve only lived here for 13 years.
Wade • 2 years ago
Why not fight like hell to improve the home country rather than bail out and impose on another society that fought like hell to build a good country? Do they not love their country enough to force change?
Aamirah • 2 years ago
That’s because Mexico is already dead. Tired of fighting, ignorant, corrupt, and distracted from its goals. Its all imposed inside our culture and imposing changes in a culture that has been promoted for years is hard, not many Mexicans have a proper education, and the ones that do, flee from Mexico (legally) to look for another country where they can exploit their potential. Everyone is scared, or just doesn’t care because they haven’t been thaught to care. Just shrug and embrace the lifestyle. Is very sad really. But you wouldn’t understand, unless you were Mexican yourself.
Harley Jensen • 1 year ago
Well I don’t want my country to “die” either!
D’Arcy Burgess • 1 year ago
Wade, don’t mean to be argumentative or sarcastic; but you say that this country fought like hell to build a good country; but it fought like hell to steal something that is said wasn’t theirs in the first place because it was inhabited by the Native Americans first. So they ‘stole’ it. Though I have to say I even question how ANY human species can claim that any land is theirs just because they were there first. Who made up that rule anyway……
matthew • 2 years ago
hi iam an imagration person 😀
Antonio Ortiz • 2 years ago
At least todays the immigrants that comes here to the US they don’t killed and shot innocent people. Most of the people that are looking for a better future, Their ancestor were original from the continent of America. Why they are left with nothing, Who took over their land about 500 or 600 yrs ago. what the European people did when they came here to America they poisoned and killed all the Indians not just here in north all over of the continent. Now tell me who have the real right to be here and who has damaged the continent of America the first place. If the white people does not like other color of human being so they know where they are came from.
irm • 2 years ago
That is the real Truth. I can’t ask for a answer better than this one.
dave • 2 years ago
Reasons to Deport Illegal Aliens…
1. $11 Billion to $22 billion is spent on welfare to illegal aliens each year.tinyurl.com/zob77
2. $2.2 Billion dollars a year is spent on food assistance programs such as food stamps, WIC, and free school lunches for illegal aliens.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec…
3. $2.5 Billion dollars a year is spent on Medicaid for illegal aliens.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec…
4. $12 Billion dollars a year is spent on primary and secondary school education for children here illegally and they cannot speak a word of English!transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/…
5. $17 Billion dollars a year is spent for education for the American-born children of illegal aliens, known as anchor babies.transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/…
6. $3 Million Dollars a DAY is spent to incarcerate illegal aliens.transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/…
7. 30% percent of all Federal Prison inmates are illegal aliens.transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/…
8. $90 Billion Dollars a year is spent on illegal aliens for Welfare & social services by the American taxpayers.premium.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0610…
9. $200 Billion Dollars a year in suppressed American wages are caused by the illegal aliens.transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/…
10. The illegal aliens in the United States have a crime rate that’s two and a half times that of white non-illegal aliens. In particular, their children, are going to make a huge additional crime p roblem in the United Stateshttp://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0606/12/ldt.01.html
11. During the year of 2005 there were 4 to 10 MILLION illegal aliens that crossed our Southern Border also, as many as 19,500 illegal aliens from Terrorist Countries. Millions of pounds of drugs, cocaine, meth, heroine and marijuana, crossed into the U. S. from the Southern border. Homeland Security Report:tinyurl.com/t9sht
12. The National Policy Institute, “estimated that the total cost of mass deportation would be between $206 and $230 billion or an average cost of between $41 and $46 billion annually over a five year period.”http://www.nationalpolicyinstitute.org/pdf/deportation.pdf
13. In 2006 illegal aliens sent home $45 BILLION in remittances back to their countries of origin.rense.com/general75/niht.htm
14. “The Dark Side of Illegal Immigration: Nearly One Million Sex Crimes Committed by Illegal Immigrants In The United States “.drdsk.com/articleshtml
So using the LOWEST estimates, the annual cost OF ILLEGAL ALIENS is $338.3 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR! So if deporting them costs between $206 and $230 BILLION DOLLARS, if we send them home, we’ll be ahead in a year.
14 reasons illegals are far worse then white people tito!
DEE • 2 years ago
You need to get your facts straight. The undocumented does not get food stamps, health insurance, and Medicaid. I would know because I am undocumented. Also, I flew to this country LEGALLY. There are different situations for undocumented people. They are not all the same. They are just pooled in one category “undocumented.” I went out of status because I went over age. I am waiting for my papers since I am being petitioned, but it has been a long wait.
You people do not understand half of things you write on your comments. I came here legally, with a social security number. You people judge way too fast without knowing anything about the law, immigration, and the real truth behind the word “undocumented.” It is better to be informed than opinionated.
Wade • 2 years ago
Why did you not want to work to improve your home country?
Chuck C. Koehler • 2 years ago
immigrationpolicy.org/high-schoo…
Chris • 1 year ago
How much do they pay in taxes. Unless their employer is cheating the same as you or I. And things they pay for like social security they will never collect. What about “Give me your tired,your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be Free”? When did that expire?
bob • 1 year ago
That is what happens when you lose a war.
Mr barker • 2 years ago
I live in the UK
but my daughters went to LA grande Oregon
With there mother
I though it was all legal but it’s turning out that they could be illegal
I have flight itinery which stars a 2 wk stay
It’s nearlly 4 yrs I’ve been trying to find if there not suppose to be there
But no one ever seems to want to help me or my scared daughters
They’ve had enough of moving around over there and want to come home
I have to and need to find out if they should be there or not
Please please help us
Asher Smith • 2 years ago
I AM TOTALLY AGAINST ILLEGAL IMMIGRTAION
Bob Cat • 2 years ago
Me too to a degree.
mayee • 2 years ago
1. Thank you for the work you do.
2. Can you publish more unauthorized immig stats from Asia ?
Ted Friedli • 2 years ago
If you think illegal immigration is the reason why our middle class is disappearing, you need to study the political and economics of what has happened to our country in the past 20 years. The government deregulation of our financial industry, and their collusion with the banking industry, has allowed for the destruction of the middle class and the inflammatory growth of the countries wealthiest top 1%. This is all on the back of the middle class.
PatrickM • 2 years ago
I remember awhile back watching a documentary about illegal immigration the the U.S. and it found that most illegal immigrants in the U.S. do not in fact stay in the U.S. permanently but rather will travel back and forth every year. They will work in Mexico for 6 or so months they come to the U.S. work 6 or so months then return to Mexico. This cycle continues and continues. So I’m curious to see if the numbers of illegal immigrants in the U.S. is different or could be changed to reflect the fact most illegal immigrants do not stay in the U.S. permanently but rather migrate between the two countries. I cannot remember the name of the documentary I saw but it completely changed how I viewed the problem with immigration
eric sun • 2 years ago
Really? I did not know that. If that was the case, I am wondering how weak the US border is just letting these illegals travel back and forth.
Sam • 2 years ago
The U.S. is not an employment agency. No one has the right to immigrate here. It is a privilege and not a right. The pro-illegal alien crowd loves to conflate “immigrant” and “illegal alien” to be the same thing. The reason why so many Mexicans come here is that they are economic migrants. They think they have the right to just come to the U.S. as they please. Why don’t they stay in Mexico if they think it is so great? There is a Hispanic racialist agenda when it comes to immigration. If we continue with the same immigration policies (both legal and illegal), Hispanics will be the majority of the U.S. by 2060. If if we’re any other population replacement like this, it would be called ethnic cleansing.
Roy • 2 years ago
“The bosom of America is open to receive not only the opulent and respectable stranger, but the oppressed and persecuted of all nations and religions; whom we shall wellcome to a participation of all our rights and previleges” – G. Washington, Dec. 2, 1793
jerry • 2 years ago
remember that we are a nation of immigrants so you have no right to say anything these are families trying to find a better life,but your not in there shoes so you wouldn’t know.
marjane52 • 1 year ago
raciala nd ethnic agenda? hispanic is no a race or ethnicity
tbryant • 2 years ago
This is just a financial question that perhaps the PEW Research Center could provide. Of the 7% of K-12 students with at least one unauthorized immigrant parent in 2012 what was the estimated cost per U.S. citizen to provide healthcare or otherwise care for these children.
irm • 2 years ago
Illegal immigrants pay taxes just like you and me.
no no no • 2 years ago
just not as much but they pay the taxes that cannot be avoided by any one.
Cleeg • 2 years ago
Receiving social benefits is not paying taxes.
megan • 2 years ago
These are the numbers just for the state of Texas – $12.5 billion annually for education, including esl classes, $7.5 billion for healthcare, costs an average texas citizen household $1200 year to educate, etc, I also read that in Texas, around 15% of students were either illegal themselves or have a parent who is currently illegal.
Tyger • 2 years ago
The studies I have seen indicate that, while it is extremely difficult to pin down a solid “cost”, it appears that it is pretty much a wash. Illegal immigrants pay most taxes but use fewer services on average.
Chris • 2 years ago
As an enrolled Native American of the White Earth Nation (Minnesota) I have this to say about immigration: It is our history that uncontrolled immigration brings change absolutely. Change means you will replace something old with something new, and while some talk about change as if it is positive and part of progress this is not always the case. Sometimes change means endless sacrifice, compromise and the loss of freedoms to make way for the new world.
Immigrants do not leave their customs and traditions behind them when they come to a new land, they seek to shape the new land to their customs and traditions.
Chris c • 1 year ago
I can understand how you feel to some degree but isn’t migration sort of like immigration? Co-existence is the problem. Democracy for all is a good solution. Allows for the most input.
Angela • 2 years ago
Well first of all all of you white people who think “illegals” should be back in their country think again.Seriously white people descend from immigrants so its kind of stupid that you don’t want immigrants into the u.s.The constitution was written by immigrants so it makes no sense that all these immigrants are all like omg their are going to our country.This is coming from a mexican american 12 year old girl aka me
Beverly • 2 years ago
You are right! Most of us whites descended from immigrants. The catch is, those immigrants were LEGAL immigrants! The objection today is to ILLEGAL immigrants.
There are few objections to immigrants who legally enter the USA. They work and support themselves, and they do not burden our education, welfare, and health resources because they pay their fair share of taxes.
Tyler • 2 years ago
No they were not, it was not until 1921 that the US had a true immigration policy that said who and where from a person could move here. Before then many Europeans sailed here and raped, killed and otherwise swindled Native Americans off of their own “native land”. There were no laws when a vast majority of our ancestors made their way to the “New World” so I wouldn’t say it was “legal”.
D’Arcy Burgess • 1 year ago
Best post I’ve read so far.
Sarah • 2 years ago
This is just so wrong!
Its not that people who live illegal in this country say oh hey how about moving to the US and living there illegal, that sounds so much fun being forced to do all the shitty jobs Americans would not want to do and do in fact not do, it would also be fun to never be able to leave the US because when they do they cant get back in (meaning that they cant see their family back home), its probably also lots of fun being always scared and so on and so on
Now a person like you would argue so then don’t come or come as a legal immigrant..
Well THEY CANT, I am sure they would if they could but its not possible.
Those who come here illegal, come because its so bad in their home countries and no, they could not come here and live here legally. You people have no clue about immigration laws! Those people are poor when they come here-they cannot just pay 100 k for education in the US to get a student visa, its also ‘unlikely’ that someone without education etc. will get a sponsored by a company (that and tons of other things are needed to get a work visa) and it is also unlikely that a poor person from mexico has the money to start their own business so he can get a visa based on that business and live here legally.
Immigration rules are insane in this country and people who come here and live illegally do that because they hope for a better life for their children etc.
They DO NOT take away anything from anyone. In fact, they work those kind of shitty jobs Americans would not work- in fact Im sure the whole economy would break apart if every illegal person would be deported because WHO would do all the shitty jobs (who would deliver your food, how would restaurants exist when you would have a server and a chef but no bussers, no cleaning people, no kitchen help, …hmm no more laundry services…the list could go on and on).
Ps. I am neither Spanish nor illegal, just a regular white girl from the US
Anonymous • 8 months ago
People are hurt . The most vulnerable people have extreme competition thrust upon them by the invasion of people . If it doesn’t affect you does that mean it is not happening . Some aggressive people that come illegally displace nice people who would not aggressively invade another peoples country or neighborhood . There are a lot of good people who would fall upon homelessness because their morals direct them to not be mean and aggressive and they fall to the aggressors . A lot of people are finding out the hard way that the smiling immigrants do not like them .
Susan • 1 year ago
Well, first of all . . . the people who came from Europe had to sail across the Atlantic Ocean, a long way in boats that were tiny compared to our ocean-going vessels today. During the 1600’s and 1700’s (a LONG time before Ellis Island was even thought of, people got on those boats not knowing whether they would get there or not. Some had saved and scrimped until they got enough money to pay their passage (and it wasn’t cheap). Some wanted to come so badly that they indentured themselves, usually for 7 years, that they had to work for someone to pay for their passage. They were basically slaves. When they got to our shore, many of them were sick — from being crowded into small, dirty places with not enough to eat. When they landed, there were inspectors who boarded the ship and would not let anybody get off that was sick. When they got off or finally had their debt paid off, they were on their own to make a living. There was no welfare, food stamps, Sec. 8 housing, healthcare, etc., etc. So, please don’t compare the people who break Federal law by sneaking over the border with the brave, hard-working people that built this country into the Home of the Brave and Land of the Free that it used to be.
joel evans • 1 year ago
Stop with the nonsensical application of race. They ate illegal. They do not pay taxes like you and me. The vast majority use false ssn, the others pay taxes that go into the pockets of those who choose to withdraw them. Bush took 60 billion out to fund his illegal war on Iraq. Oh no their taxes are a windfall for politicians. Do you honestly believe that the most powerful nation on earth cannot stop illegal immigration. Illegal Mexicans also reintroduced chickenpox, measles and drastically increased the incidence of tuberculosis.
Pedro Martinez • 2 years ago
The thing your missing Angela is that when you break a law it doesn’t matter if your white, black, green or purple. This is a land of laws. Millions of people have immigrated to this country LEGALLY. What makes anyone so arrogant that they should go to the front of the line because they say so. Why the attack on “white people”? Who are “white people”? Do they have rights as legal American Citizens? Do your rights trump theirs?
The constitution was written by colonists who rebelled against the crown of England. They felt they were being over taxed and had no say in their own governing. They were not illegal immigrants they were colonists that became Americans through blood split and sacrifice that created this great and unbelievable opportunity for all of us.
Kenny • 1 year ago
Yes, so in essence everyone needs to contribute because if not we won’t have land to live.
There will always be laws of the land and mother nature will take care of the rest.
DISCO • 2 years ago
simmer down there, lassy. Nobody has issues with immigrants. The issue is with ILLEGAL immigrants, whom do not pay taxes, who collect tax payer money, and who break multitudes of laws, for example, driving without insurance, and cause problems in LEGITIMATE citizens lives like causing taxes to rise through using publicly available services i.e. medical care, with out paying for it- that are provided by the tax payer. Also by holding percentages of the job market when our own LEGAL citizens have an unemployment issue.
sfjr • 2 years ago
Are you serious? Illegal immigrants pay taxes. If the go to a gas station and buy a drink , they pay taxes right? I don’t think the the gas station employee it’s going to ask if he is legal or not to see if he/she has to pay taxes. Most illegal immigrants are working with fake ssn for a company and that means the are going to get paid with a check and also means that they are paying taxes. And about driving without out insurance it’s not true. Most illegal immigrants have insurance, why, because they don’t want to get pulled over and deported, and if they do drive without insurance and cause an accident , court makes them pay from their own money. Don’t be Fucking stupid don’t talk things you don’t know. Oh and thanks to immigrants, usa it’s a rich country.
cheryl • 2 years ago
I am not getting into the pros and cons but if you do have an argument to make, then make sure it is true. The not paying taxes is crazy. Well they do work for cash until they can buy their paperwork and get a better job. Then they pay taxes like everybody else but they will not file for the unemployment they pay taxes for and they will never get the social security they pay in. So if they go to the hospital occasionally it is just a wash. Money is the worst reason for not wanting them here. Decent people want to help those less fortunate. Ideally, we could have worker programs. That seems to work well for Germany and we would know who is in the country. Visas are practically impossible to get.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
Do you know how many illegal immigrants are working to get your food in the table? of course you don’t. Have you ever tried working the same low skilled jobs that they do? of course not, because its something that Americans don’t do. My whole family has worked in the field for over 15 years now and I started working with them when I was 16.On that very first day I worked for more that 12 hours straight, it was the hottest day ever. Most of the kids that work in the fields started when they were about 10 or 12 and still continue to work to this day. There was one time when an American lady decide to work with us, but she only lasted about 2 hours and she left and never came back. When I drive in town all I see is American citizens asking for money, while on another corner there is an Hispanic selling oranges, strawberries, or mangos. It drives me crazy when Americans say that immigrants are taking their jobs. That is not true instead of complaining they should see how the U.S economy is growing thanks those immigrants that they want to deport. Rather than taking the jobs, they are creating more job opportunities for American citizens. If you don’t know this then you should probably go back to school and take economics. When immigrants file taxes, yes they do use fake SSN and the IRS knows that they are fake, and yet they gladly take the money. I am not trying to be racist but that is just the way I see it. America is and will continue to be a country full of immigrants.
jonh • 2 years ago
The constitution was not written by immigrants that came to the country knowing they would receive mandated handouts, nor by immigrants that diluted educational & healthcare budgets through federally mandated expenditures.
RussP • 2 years ago
You are failing to separate legal from illegal immigration. I have not heard anyone calling for a stop to all immigration, just the flood of those entering the country illegally.
Farmer • 2 years ago
Your assumption we don’t want immigrants shows that at 12 years old you have been indoctrinated well. We want the immigrants to follow our laws and come here legally like our grandparents did. They waited at Ellis Island, took classes to learn about the
Countries laws and traditions and also the language. Is it really asking too much to ask new arrivals obey the law? I would hope that as you grow up you learn that the schools try to push a certain narrative on the students, and it is quite often distorted to make sure you come out of school with a certain state of mind. Stop and think for yourself…. after you see that illegals are called illegals for a reason, they are breaking our laws. Why should we open our arms to people that showed so little respect for our Country that they start their life here by thumbing their noses at our laws. And then they want to put their hands out and collect from a Social Security system they never paid into. The SSI system is a retirement program designed to ensure OUR retiree’s have enough to live, and yet it is being raided to pay for others that are law breakers. And you suggest we shouldn’t be upset. Our families obeyed the law, paid into SSI, and the lawbreakers collect the money. So please, take the time to look at the whole picture and ask yourself, should people coming here have to obey the law? Should they be required to pay into SSI like all Americans do? Should they adapt and become part of America? And if they refuse to do so, do we send them back home or throw them in jail for breaking the law? When you look at those two options, being sent home seems much better. So yes, I am for sending illegals home instead of throwing them in jail. Jump the border of some Countries and you will be shot. Are we really that bad? I don’t think we are, but then again I fought against the indoctrination and thought for myself.
Liz • 2 years ago
I am a white person of European descent. My ancestors came to the United States in the 1800’s from Ireland when the country needed people to do work, such as build infrastructure (roads, railroads, bridges, etc.). Now, the United States has more than enough people who can do blue collar work. We do not need foreigners entering illegally to do menial work when there are a substantial amount of non-college graduates already here. Essentially, there work here is meaningless.
In addition, many illegal immigrants evade taxes. Ultimately, every other American is supporting them here through government transfer payments. For example, if an illegal immigrant enters a hospital and seeks help, they are very rarely denied care. Basic economics: there is an incurred cost with everything. No “free lunch.” The illegal aliens’ “free” hospital visit comes at both the expense of paying customers and the hospital itself. Many hospitals are going bankrupt for this very reason. Many illegals are taking from the system and not contributing anything. They come here with intentions of getting a green card, when in reality, it is questionable if they deserve anything due to the very reason that they came here illegally.
I am not against immigration by any means; immigration is a wonderful thing if done correctly. For example, the United States needs people such as: doctors, nurses, and people with PhD’s. We do not need more unskilled, blue collar workers. We need educated people who will actually commit something to society. Along with educated people, there are also refugees. Bringing foreign refugees from a civil war prone country is great because those people live their lives with constant fear.
After travelling through Mexico, Central, and South America several times (even through extremely dangerous areas), I can assure you that the illegal immigrants who enter from there are just trying to take the easy way out. There is most certainly a way to succeed in those nations and it starts by attending school. For example, college graduates from a place like Brazil can become extremely successful in their own country. Of course their government is corrupt, but they are still able to live simultaneously to that.
Lastly, crime is a huge concern regarding illegal immigration. Phoenix, AZ currently has the highest homicide rate in the nation. This city also has a huge illegal immigrant population. Coincidence? I beg to differ. Many drugs start in Bolivia, Peru, and Colombia and eventually make it to the United States. The drug trade involves gangs and ultimately violence.
So when you say “The Constitution was written by immigrants,” think again because those immigrants committed something relatively important to American society; not simply committing crimes and soaking up government services.
Dorie • 2 years ago
I totally agree with you, Angela. My ancestors came from Scotland and Ireland, and my husband’s ancestors came from Sicily, Germany, and France. The only real Americans are the Native Americans who’s land was taken away and were forced to live on reservations. As far as the African-Americans, they were brought here against their will and were so mistreated.
The main problem that Americans have with immigration is when people come here illegally. It’s against U.S. law, and if you want to come here you must do so legally or risk deportation.
Cheryl • 2 years ago
Don’t forget the native Aleuts and native Hawaiians. And don’t forget the Mexicans that were living here when we increased the size of the US by one fifth.
Jim • 2 years ago
Way to play the race card Angela. Why you gotta be prejudice like that? Don’t be a hater. I would think ALL Americans would want to protect it’s borders. Other countries do.
Tisha • 2 years ago
The problem isn’t immigration, it is illegal immigration. How can you not understand that?
afghan1 • 2 years ago
White, Brown, Black, Red, Yellow. No one cares if you immigrate to this country LEGALLY. And no one cares if you work here LEGALLY. But if you’re here illegally then you really don’t have any room to argue.
Bill Neall • 2 years ago
There is no such thing as Mexican American. You are either a Mexican or an American. Don’t grow up to be a PC libtard dear. Learn the difference between immigrant and illegal immigrant. Anyone who is in this country illegally should leave or be deported. Otherwise we have no country. Sorry young lady but the citizens of the United States cannot afford to support everyone on the planet who would like to break and enter our borders. You and your family seem to like it here. Do you want to watch the U.S. become a broke third world ghetto slum like the places most illegals come from? How do you think those places became slums? Answer: Because they are full of uneducated unskilled people like most illegals who come here. It’s not sustainable.
e • 2 years ago
Ya but those immagrants didn’t come here illegally scrub
fer • 2 years ago
just open the gates and watch anarchy
M4giK–T3KK3RS • 2 years ago
i think they should let everyone in
Chris • 2 years ago
Ditto!
Wittsend • 2 years ago
It’s not as much the title of “illegal” that bugs me. I do not care what you call them. It is the lack of our country to police our borders and the impact that this travesty has on our middle class. We are already supporting too many people, legal or not, to add more to the mix is insane.
I guess that our government doesn’t understand the concept of the underground Economy. If you can not hold on to enough of your earnings because of high taxes, you force otherwise honest hardworking people to hide money.
So there’s a double whammy of non taxed hidden wealth and off the books workers not paying taxes and sending money out of the country.
mik • 2 years ago
I think you missed something. Those with american children are working under a tax number. They pay taxes and get reunds just like others do. Of course there is a few who work under the table but if ICE was funded properly we could not only get rid of the under the table people but also those employers that are hiring them. This is a current issue for republicans. But they will not fund it ortouch those who support them
Carlos F. • 2 years ago
Not everyone cares about the term “illegal.” In fact, some Mexicans use the term in Spanish. I even hear a lot of Mexicans say, “el vino de mojado,” meaning “he came as a wet[back].”
As a whole, undocumented immigrants probably do more good for the economy than bad. Why? Because they still have to pay income tax and pay state taxes with goods. However, because they are undocumented, they cannot file tax returns, so the federal government stays with the money. They do use schools, which affect the states’ budgets, but many states get tax revenues through taxing goods, which illegals have to buy. The whole, “they don’t pay taxes” thing is a myth. Do you really think that when I go to the store, because I look Mexican, people ask me if I’m an illegal so that they won’t charge me taxes?
As far as “sustaining” people goes, the only welfare illegals can get is food stamps under the condition that they have children. But most of them don’t even know about it and don’t care because they’re making so much money compared to what they did in Mexico.
And the whole “sending money to Mexico” thing being an issue is also a myth. Yes, Mexicans do send money to Mexico. But despite being the biggest group of immigrants, they only rank in 3rd place after Chinese and Indian immigrants. And even if Mexicans ranked 1st, it wouldn’t really matter because the US and Mexican economies are very dependent on each other. Most of that money sent to Mexico will be used to buy goods that were imported from the US. Because most of the goods in Mexico are from the US.
As far as “underground” economies go, the only true (by definition) underground economy that I know of are the Mexican ladies who park at Walmart to sell tamales to their coworkers and anyone else who gets word about it.
Tisha • 2 years ago
That is not true. We provide health insurance in the form of medicaid to illegal adults as well. While I am working 12 hours shifts and paying out the nose for my families health care they break into my country and get theirs for free.
Aisha • 2 years ago
It not that they don’t pay any taxes, its that they don’t pay income taxes, they work mostly under the table, or off the books ( cleaners, nannies, lawn care, home repairs etc).
So sale tax, property tax , gas tax they do pay , do not cover the cost of services, schools, police, fire, health care etc, that they use.
The way it works , even if you are legal citizen and make 50k a year, and have lets say two kids and you pay all your taxes, federal and state. The taxes you pay do not cover the cost of services you get. Mostly, this is why US is running deficits, but high income earner pay in more then they use in services, as it should be.
But this big underground economy is really bad for America
Leftcoastrocky • 2 years ago
If it had not been for the illegal immigrants entering during Dubya’s and Bubba’s years, there might be 1M at the most in the Obama years.
chris • 1 year ago
No, there is no relation between who is President and Illegal Immigration and besides Clinton is A Democrat and Bush W. is a Republican. The reason Hispanics(i.e. Mexicans) came to the IS illegally between 1995-2007 was because the US Economy was pretty good. There was demand for new houses being built and one of the biggest drivers work/industry wise of illegal immigration is Construction. When the Great Recession happened in 2008 some illegal immigrants went back to Mexico because there was no demand for houses being built because of the The Housing Crisis.
Mike • 2 years ago
PEW Research implies an accuracy when you use 11.2 million as the number of unauthorized aliens in the U.S. Funny thing is, no one, not even the government, knows what the actual population of the U.S. might be — they use estimates based upon the 1900 population estimate. I would think that plus or minus some 20 percent of the estimated number would put you in the ballpark. As to the unauthorized alien population, plus or minus 50 percent of the estimated number may not get you into that same ballpark. Any number reported by the government as to unauthorized alien population is just a wild guess based upon the “statistics” that the government wants to use to justify some wild action that may or may not be reasonable.
Melvyn • 2 years ago
Where is the citation to these facts?
hmm • 2 years ago
Well, for one, at the bottom of the graph. Duh.
Denny • 2 years ago
Can someone tell me if illegal aliens are allowed to have a “voice” in any other country besides the USA?? I honestly don’t believe you will find one, but I could be wrong !!
Cameron Joyce • 2 years ago
Why do you use such devise and demeaning language in the title of this piece? No human being is “illegal” and your choice to use this word is disrespectful and shameful. I don’t know what political or business purpose it serves using such language, but your institution knows better and I hope you will reflect and change this offensive title and way of discussing human life.
Sam Levy • 2 years ago
Cameron Joyce, I believe you are severely mistaken. At no point in the title or article does the author insinuate any of these people are illegal humans. Instead, it is the means of immigration they chose that is illegal. By choosing to pursue an illegal form of immigration into this country they broke the law causing them to be considered illegal immigrants just as a heroin addict is considered an illegal drug user. The only thing the term illegal immigration says about the people themselves is that they broke the law, that is all.
Noreen Linneman • 2 years ago
I agree with Sam Levy. They are and should be called illegal because they have broken laws. Many other immigrants have followed difficult and tiring laws to be here. Those people deserve our help. I feel that encouraging immigrants to break the laws of the country they wish to live in sets them on a course that could lead to the belief on their part that other illegal acts can somehow also be accepted. That does not bode well for this country.
plusafdotcom • 2 years ago
Well, that’s how folks like Cameron deflect the conversation away from the true issue of the illegality… the Fact that some Immigrants Break our Laws in the way they enter the US… that, by definition, makes them “Illegal Immigrants.”
Such a red herring ‘argument.’ I’m glad you recognized it!
D’Arcy Burgess • 1 year ago
Plusafdotcom, they break “our” laws? Others are saying our Mexican brothers and sisters “steal” their way into “our” country? Not trying to be devisive, I swear I’m not. I just don’t get how our European brothers and sisters don’t see how they are like the pot calling the kettle black. Europeans “stole” their way into this country when it was already being occupied by Native Americans. How can that be ignored??
Robert Hammond • 2 years ago
Wow! Well said. Very well said
Lucy Brozic • 2 years ago
I can only see the word “illegal” in the title, and it refers to immigration, the activity, not to a person. I noticed that in the article the word used is “unauthorized”, which I thought is better than “undocumented”. Nowhere in the article do I see the term illegal alien, or illegal immigrant, or illegal person used.
J Alonzo • 2 years ago
Illegal,unauthorized,undocumented.it all describes people that are breaking the law.
Joe • 2 years ago
What specific Federal Statute does their presence here violate?
Steven Benson • 2 years ago
Cameron Joyce’s nonsensical comments are a perfect representation of the absurdity of political correctness. Somehow, remarkably, an accurate description of a person is demeaning?! If you shoplift, its illegal. If you drive 75 Mph in a 55 Mph zone, its illegal. If you enter the country in a method outside the law, its illegal. To label an accurate and fair description as ‘demeaning’ is about the most ridiculous and unfairly hypersensitive response someone can have. Anyone anytime can claim to be offended by anything. This does not mean the world should contort and adjust to any opinion. If people develop inner strength and self-pride inside themselves, no names or comments or descriptions will bother them at all. Quit blaming the external world for your own internal insecurities. Fix yourself instead of trying to fix the world to accommodate you.
Glenn • 2 years ago
Cameron, If they are here illegally, then they are illegal. Sorry ’bout that. I regret that I am not at all sensitive to your PC spirit, but as far as I am concerned political correctness is just another form of cowardice.
KARMA • 1 year ago
Well said
hmm • 2 years ago
Too bad that calling a spade a spade is contrary to your political agenda. If you are in the US illegally, you are an illegal immigrant- in contrast to one who is here LEGALLY . It is a very simple distinction. It is easy to see what purpose is served by your (and others like you) attempting to make illegal behavior by foreign nationals sneaking into the US not appear illegal. It is simply part of the larger attempt to claim that foreign citizens have a “right” to enter the US as they please, and a “right” to representation and legal games to keep them here once they sneak in. No one in the US makes citizens of other countries sneak into the US, so if you (or they) feel disrespected by WHATEVER language we choose to use, there is a simple solution- do not come here illegally.
Sudheendra Gamoji • 2 years ago
That’s the point, isn’t it? They can’t enter legally. Nobody would immigrate illegally without a valid reason. That would just be really absurd.
Nomoremaos • 1 year ago
Amd what would the valid reason be? A need to break the law?
Anonymous • 4 weeks ago
Just off the top my head, I can think of a few reasons that I might be valid:
1- your own government is bombing your city and reducing it to rubble
2- your government is carrying out (or allowing others to carry out) a systematic genocide of people of your race or religion
3-desperate poverty such that you cannot house, feed or clothe your children
4- to escape civil war or pervasive gang violence
5- to protect your children from being conscripted into rebel factions or drug cartels.
There are probably more. Can you think of any I left out?
Kathy meyers • 2 years ago
Not calling them illegal person- calling them exactly what they are: ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS!
Wade • 2 years ago
At which point do you say someone is doing something illegal? Murder, fraud, speeding in their car and fleeing from the scene after striking your grandmother? When people feel it sufficient may they just move into your home and share it with you even if they pay some bills?
D’Arcy Burgess • 1 year ago
Cameron Judge,
I totally agree with you! How condescending for a group of “humans” to refer to another group of “humans” as if they’re better…..I’ve always felt this way.
Tory • 1 year ago
Dear Lord people! I completely agree we need to solve our immigration issues. However, I find it so ridiculous everyone focuses on Mexico while people from Canada come in and do the exact same thing yet I didn’t see one person mention the that boarder…So while you all are focused on Mexico and the scary brown people, the white Canadians can come over and do the exact same thing?! They might not run across the boarder, but they enter our country and fail to go back, as well as fail to become a legal citizen. Open your eyes to the big picture! Stop being racist and focus on our immigration issues as a whole. Sorry, but when I drive past the homeless shelters I see a bunch of white crack heads. The Hispanics might be on the corner selling them the drugs, but open your eyes to reality that just because they might be white doesn’t mean they are good people and should be free to roam our country illegally. If you’re against illegal aliens be against them all or just join the KKK or Aryan Nation, move to Idaho or Texas and embrace your ignorance.:)
John • 1 year ago
We all are humans, we fight to live each day. Our immigrant is human. We need to learn how to work together and not point the fingers on who taking what job. Just Because we landed on this land doesn’t mean we have all the rights of humanity to discourage one whom strive to survive.
Anonymous • 7 months ago
thank u you really know whats up