Political Crossfire Forums

[Jimz]

As a long-time practicing attorney, I find the term "Illegal Immigrant" to be simple to define, clear, straight-forward; basically unambiguous. There should be no reasonable confusion or way to obfiscate the pure fact that any foreign national who enters this nation without permission and authorization has done so in contravention of a number of existing Federal and State laws. Remaining in the U.S.A., no matter the length of time, purity of motive, or familiy considerations involved, fails to alter the illegality and impropriety of both the unlawful entry and the extended unlawful stay.

That said, the human flow, in an intensified manner, continues unabated, and, in many cases, unchallenged. Certainly, were the eisting power structure interested in halting the mass migration across the borders, there are certain practical measures that could, with enough resolve, manpower, resources, and funding be successful to halt the problem and simultaneously improve national security. The initial resolve is obviously lacking. It is understandable why market and social forces are at work to permit illegal crossings to continue in large numbers. The economies of most Latin American countries are in woeful shape which forces their poverty-ridden population underbelly to head north in an effort to seek a better life for themselves and their families. United States employers, despite protestations that foreign workers are merely filliing job positions U.S. workers refuse to occopy, are more than anxious to hire unskilled foreign labor at less cost than a citizen would request.

Organizations such as the U.S. Catholic church, piously mouth platitudes about the humane need to assist our fellow men in need (i.e. illegal immigrants) whereas their real concern is to bring as many new Roman Catholic constituents into the fold as fast as the Rio Grande River can be crossed. Liberals in the Democratic Party have their own non-moral and base reasons to wear a blindfold when discussing illegal immigration. Their leaders salivate at the prospect of a new large scale potential voting base arriving at the projected rate of one and one-half million per annum. Large labor unions have visions of new members dancing through their heads. Improperly designated "immigration rights' groups (no one questions the right of legal immigrants to arrive and remain) see an opportunity to flex their own muscle as prospective leaders of a fledgling power base comprised of an ethnic block with many interests common to those attempting to speak for them.

The combination of the self-serving interests of large agri-business, multi-national corporations, conservative christian church groups, politicians who dream of creating a sympathetic electorate, special interest organizations including the Chamber of Commerce and ethnic dominated lobbyists, plus the government of Mexico which benefits in numerous ways from illegal immigration, is able to garner large sums of money that can be used to influence the policy promulgated by the U.S. political system. That policy has even filtered to the level of Federal, State, and Local law enforcement which is collectively hesitant to admit the existence of laws prohibiting illegal immigration and sustained residence in the U.S. let alone that there is an obligation and requirement to enforce those laws.

So, while the U.S. Senate blathers endlessly about formulating something called a comprehensive solution to the problem of the poor and the unskilled invaders, too many of whom possess extensive criminal records, (1 in every 12), rushing over our national boundries, (read: amnesty), and the House Of Representatives attempts to exhibit some legislative backbone by insisting on making border security and implementation of penalties a priority against employers who hire illegals, the American people suffer. We lose on so many levels. Wages are depressed for legal working people to the tune of about $200 billion each year. The cost of providing public service, educational and health services to illegals is enormous, as are costs attendant to law enforcement apprehensions, detainment in correctional facilities, deportation hearings, plus the actual costs of deportation which merely normally establishes the impetus for those deported to return as quickly as possible. Then, there is the cost related to the investigation, arrest, prosecution, and confinement of the far too high a percentage of illegals who run afoul of the law while here; all of which must be factored into the cost equation.

Those are immediate foreseeable costs which affect taxpayers in the here and now. I submit that a much larger and more insidious aspect of the illegal immigration problem rests in both the obvious and subtle ways in which our culture and society will be changed on a long-term basis should we continue to permit a vastly disproportionate number of people from one region of the world to add to our population. That arguably may alter the nature and character of who we are as a people. It will almost certainly revise the existing power base away from those who, ironically, are now advocating the unfettered continued entry of illegals, and tilt the control of societal power and influence in the direction of a Latin-American population. That will soon occur in the State of California which is the world's seventh largest economy. And, lest we forget, should a magic wand ultimately be waved to transorm some twenty million illegals instantly into U.S. citizens, one must question the true loyalties of those individuals, who would hold duel citizenships and strong cultural ties to their homeland. Should a disparity exist between a policy that would primarily benefit U.S. interests versus those of a native land almost certainly containing relatives, where would true loyalties lie?

Finally, let us not forget the significant increased costs to the already beleagured U.S. taxpayer should present day illegals achieve the rights of citizenship and become entitled to additional attendant benefits such as welfare, social security, and medicare.

Overlaying all such considerations is the concern about what message we are sending to the world about the importance of the Rule of Law to our leaders. It is suggested that a short-term view that largely benefits corporate interests to the detriment of the vast masses, may be a short-sighted view not in the long-term interests of the American people.

ThotsNRamblins

[Superfly]

:lol: you know, you really didn't have to tell us that you were a lawyer. Your "brief" screams it.

[johnflesh]

Superfly wrote: :lol: you know, you really didn't have to tell us that you were a lawyer. Your "brief" screams it.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Excellent read.

[brian_in_idaho]

"Illegal" describes an act, not the person that commits it. The person(s) you are describing should be called "criminal aliens" or something to that effect, "illegal immigrant" trivializes the action. Kind of like calling a murderer an illegal undertaker...