Illegal Immigration

[Merlin]

With all of the news attention on the immigration bill in congress, I wanted to get a feeling for what the average American thinks about it. I personally think Congress is out of touch with what the average American believes and I wanted to get your opinions.

[packinpatland]

I'm not real sure how to vote. What would amnesty entail?
Work visas are a good thing.
Our agricultural system in many parts of the country are dependent on migrant workers, how do we solve this part of the equation? Not many Americans are willing to do what they do for the wages they get.

[GBRulz]

I think they are a great asset to the US, as PIP said, they do alot of the work many Americans would not, but why is entering the country legally such a big problem?

Our world has changed since 9/11 and it's important that we secure our borders as much as possible. If they cannot enter legally, then ship their asses back. Same goes with the Haitain immigrants from Cuba and the Florida "dry land law". That is BS.

[MadtownPacker]

Yeah, do whatever it takes to keep the Canadians out.

Just joking Woody and Guiniess!

[BallHawk]

Invade China, destroy the government, tear apart the Great Wall of China and ship it over to the US. Reconstruct it and place it along the border. Problem solved.

[Scott Campbell]

Re: Illegal Immigration

With all of the news attention on the immigration bill in congress, I wanted to get a feeling for what the average American thinks about it.

Our group is well below average. I think you should look elsewhere.

[BallHawk]

Re: Illegal Immigration

With all of the news attention on the immigration bill in congress, I wanted to get a feeling for what the average American thinks about it.

Our group is well below average. I think you should look elsewhere.

He should go to JSO then.

[oregonpackfan]

I don't think the average American realizes the incredible drain illegals have on our social infrastructure.

As a retired elementary school teacher, I saw the phenomenal flood of the children of illegals into our schools. Though they are illegal, not only do we have to educate these children but Federal lawa mandates we have to provide special English as a Second Language teachers for these illegals!

Almost all illegals did not graduate from high school in their own countries. The majority of them have not even graduated from their form of middle school. Instead of viewing education as a stepping-stone for their children(like many Asian-American groups do) they view formal education as unnecessary and actually encourage their 15 and 16 year olds to quit high school to get a job.

Some Oregon school systems like Woodburn, Cornelius, etc. have student populations where the majority of the students are illegals! The ESL services are a huge drain on the school system.

Illegals drain the health care systems. Few, if any, have health insurance. When they need medical help, they flood the emergency rooms of the hospitals. By law, hospitals cannot turn them away. The illegals receive free medical care at taxpayer expense.

Illegals are a big drain on our criminal system. About 80% of the meth in Oregon comes from Mexico. A number of illegals act as "mules" to transport the meth. Meth, in and of itself, increases crime as the users often steal goods, fence them for money to buy more meth.

Illegals represent about 5% of the population in Oregon but comprise 12% of the prison population. It takes a tremendous amount of mone and manpower to arrents, try, convict, and house these people.

Yes, Illegals help fill the employment rosters of agricultural and corportate firms but they are heavy financial burdens on society's infrastructure.

[MJZiggy]

Just a question, but why are illegal convicts being jailed and not deported?? What kind of demands are your schools putting on these kids within the confines of the school? At the schools here, they are expected by their teachers and school admin to perform at the same level as anyone else. Then again, I did read an article not long ago saying that this area was the best in the country as far as opportunities for minorities so our student expectations might be more localized.

[oregonpackfan]

MJZiggy,

For your question about illegals being jailed and not deported, I share your angst. To deport an illegal requires federal agents and money. They are in short support supply for the illegal criminals here.

Oregon schools do hold the same standards for illegal students as American students but the kids are at a huge disadvantage when they arrive here not speaking a word of English.

Linguists maintain that it takes a child 5-7 years to master a new language. Even wiith ESL assistance, most children of illegals do not catch up.

For many of these kids, they only time they hear English spoken is when they are at school. Spanish is spoken usually exclusively at home. They can also tune into TV and radio stations broadcast in Spanish.

In many work environments for illegals, such as fast food restaurants, construction, nurseries, etc. the language spoken is Spanish. There is little incentive for the illegal parents to learn English. A lot of that lack of incentive to learn English is invariably passed down to their children.

[Little Whiskey]

Our agricultural system in many parts of the country are dependent on migrant workers, how do we solve this part of the equation? Not many Americans are willing to do what they do for the wages they get.

i heard a thought on the radio the other day, but I'm not sure who i was listening to but he made a good point regarding this argument. He asked why it is okay for the farmers to utilize low wage "immagrant" workers and everyone is okay with it but when wal-mart tries to use low wage workers they get blamed for ruining the world and not carring for their employees. kinda a double standard

[GrnBay007]

Not many Americans are willing to do what they do for the wages they get.

Raise those wages?

Priorities seem so messed up here. Look at the wages paid to people that care for the elderly. No wonder people are afraid to put their loved ones in nursing homes for one example.

I grew up hearing stories of how my Grandparents and Parents at a young age made it through the Depression....people worked hard for the little money they got then. Many Americans have become spoiled and would rather not work, either because they can live off welfare or because they don't feel the need to work and be a productive member of society.

And then we are shocked people come here and take advantage of our lazy society?

[mraynrand]

All I want is for Consuela to get my *ucking kids to school on time. Her cooking is for *hit anyways, and she does a crappy job on the windows. I just about lost it last year when she poured the new concrete driveway half an inch too narrow. And she wants 'church time' on Sunday morning. Why in hell am I paying her $1.50 a day?

[Kiwon]

From George Will's Newsweek column:

"Writing in last summer's City Journal, Heather Mac Donald of the Manhattan Institute gave a sobering example:

"Protecting one form of lawbreaking may require protecting others as well. The city of Maywood in Los Angeles County declared itself a sanctuary zone for illegal aliens this year. Then it got rid of its drunk-driving checkpoints, because they were nabbing too many illegal aliens. Next, this 96 percent Latino city, almost half of whose adult population lacks a ninth-grade education, disbanded its police traffic division entirely, so that illegals wouldn't need to worry about having their cars towed for being unlicensed."

Mac Donald says that although some data suggest that many Hispanic immigrants live in increasing cultural and linguistic self-segregation, clearly some have assimilated in the sense of acquiring one of the nation's unpleasant current attributes, the entitlement mentality: We are here, therefore we are entitled to be here."

[Kiwon]

Just watch it....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KTL22J5NqY