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Miss. immigration bill makes sense
Lazarus Austin
Issue date: 2/29/08 Section: Opinion
Local governments have to make an impact on the fight against illegal immigration, especially since the federal government is more worried about the borders around Iraq than they are ours. It has been a federal responsibility, but they are not doing their job.
The first priority should be to eliminate illegals' motivation to immigrate. Beside the American dream, we give them every reason to come here - free health care, free education, amnesty, workers compensation, social security, you name it. President Bush and potentially future presidents want to encourage them to cross our borders by providing a means for that amnesty, and they want the taxpaying citizens to pay for it.
A pet peeve of mine is the claim that anti-illegal immigration laws are racist. This logic doesn't make sense. If the majority of people who commit murders are white or black, should we legalize murder? The point is that anti-immigration laws are aimed at immigration in general, it just so happens that most people who commit it come from the same country.
There are a lot of good reasons to immigrate to our great country. The American dream promises equality and opportunity, not wealth or free services. And of course, being an American citizen has its responsibilities.
Under our current system, though, why should an immigrant be inclined to come here legally?
The first priority should be to eliminate illegals' motivation to immigrate. Beside the American dream, we give them every reason to come here - free health care, free education, amnesty, workers compensation, social security, you name it. President Bush and potentially future presidents want to encourage them to cross our borders by providing a means for that amnesty, and they want the taxpaying citizens to pay for it.
A pet peeve of mine is the claim that anti-illegal immigration laws are racist. This logic doesn't make sense. If the majority of people who commit murders are white or black, should we legalize murder? The point is that anti-immigration laws are aimed at immigration in general, it just so happens that most people who commit it come from the same country.
There are a lot of good reasons to immigrate to our great country. The American dream promises equality and opportunity, not wealth or free services. And of course, being an American citizen has its responsibilities.
Under our current system, though, why should an immigrant be inclined to come here legally?
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 44
Cassie Howard
posted 2/29/08 @ 10:06 AM CST
Lazarus,
Who will work in our poultry factories, sweet potato farms, or construction sites if illegal immigrants are not here? And if the answer is other Mississippians, how much will we have to pay for chicken, sweet potatoes, and houses if the employers are forced to up their wages. (Continued…)
Cherubim
posted 2/29/08 @ 10:31 AM CST
In Mexico there is a very rich ruling class of elites. Mexican citizens should stop marching in the streets of the U.S., and go to their own government and demand the officials in their government stop being corrupt and stop taking money from the drug cartels. (Continued…)
jamse
posted 2/29/08 @ 12:03 PM CST
Cassie, in regards to your questions, who do you think did those jobs before the illegals came here??? it was Americans.
The prices will not change much but it will mean that the employer is following the laws of the United States where its already against the law to hire and employ illegals. (Continued…)
Prevailing Wages for US CITIZENS AND LEGAL IMMIGRANTS
posted 2/29/08 @ 12:16 PM CST
Lazarus,
The solution is simple: Penalize companies hiring illegals, withhold social enticements that encourage illegal immigration, and provide the American farmers with a competitive wage. (Continued…)
Peter30
Peter30
posted 2/29/08 @ 12:20 PM CST
Cassie Howard:
The solution is simple: Penalize companies hiring illegals, withhold social enticements that encourage illegal immigration, and provide the American farmers with a competitive wage. (Continued…)
cassie
posted 2/29/08 @ 2:01 PM CST
Peter30,
I like the idea of providing American farmers with a competitive wage. But why can't American farmworkers also be the Mexican and Central-American farmers who are already doing the work? Or why can't we at least give them a legal migrant status?
Because I'm not sure we can get rid of them. (Continued…)
JanetP
posted 2/29/08 @ 2:07 PM CST
HooRay for Mississippi and all the other states that have acted to make their states inhospitable to illegal immigrants. As the various states pass legislation to keep them out, they will all flock to the states that want to be a sanctuary. (Continued…)
Tayla
posted 2/29/08 @ 2:09 PM CST
Peter30,
The solution actually isn't that simple. While that may work for larger factories/companies who can actually afford to increase wages across the board and perhaps even increase the cost of their products, it's the small time family-owned businesses who are going to suffer. (Continued…)
howard
posted 2/29/08 @ 2:09 PM CST
To stop illegal immigration, it must be at the employers door step. We have enough problems with social security and medicaid. We do not need to adopt 20 million more welfare workforce so big business can have cheap labor. (Continued…)
Jeffrey, Alum '99
posted 2/29/08 @ 3:09 PM CST
Tayla, Cassie, the answer is obvious when the government (aka the American taxpayers) dole out of 300+ million dollars (google it, if you don't believe me) in social benefits, free education, and health care to Illegal Aliens. (Continued…)
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