Miss. immigration bill makes sense
Lazarus Austin
Issue date: 2/29/08 Section: Opinion
Lazarus Austin is a junior majoring in history. He can be contacted at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu.
At least here in Mississippi, if not the whole nation, some progress is being made against illegal immigration. A bill that just passed the state's Senate floor could deny illegal immigrants workers' compensation and death benefits.
Instead of forcing the taxpayers (legal immigrants and citizens) to pay for it, the employer who hired the illegal person in the first place would have to pay for any immediate medical attention needed after an on-the-job incident. After that, it is up to the illegal to pay his way.
Now there is less motivation to immigrate to Mississippi, and employers are less motivated to hire illegal immigrants in the first place. This is certainly a step in the right direction for Mississippi.
Some people say it is cruel. They also say it is cruel to deny illegal residents health care, deny to put them on organ transplant lists and refuse to provide them with a free education. What if they don't have the money? Are we just supposed to let them suffer?
Let me put it this way: if I have to pay rent on my apartment, but I spent it all on drugs, parties or whatever, that was my choice. The government, federal or local, should not subsidize me. That's how life works; it's all about choices and taking responsibility for those choices.
Also, if an illegal immigrant can receive all the same services I can, what's the difference between being illegal or not? What are the benefits of being a citizen? If there was no difference, I would personally prefer not being a bonafide citizen. A non-citizen has no responsibilities.
It's not fair to put illegal immigrants before taxpaying American citizens. A couple of years ago, there was an illegal Hispanic woman put on a donor list for an organ transplant in California. She had priority over many Americans, including a war veteran.
Furthermore, the influx of illegal children in schools is taking a toll on the education system. Illegal immigration, overall, is taking a toll on our whole country.
At least here in Mississippi, if not the whole nation, some progress is being made against illegal immigration. A bill that just passed the state's Senate floor could deny illegal immigrants workers' compensation and death benefits.
Instead of forcing the taxpayers (legal immigrants and citizens) to pay for it, the employer who hired the illegal person in the first place would have to pay for any immediate medical attention needed after an on-the-job incident. After that, it is up to the illegal to pay his way.
Now there is less motivation to immigrate to Mississippi, and employers are less motivated to hire illegal immigrants in the first place. This is certainly a step in the right direction for Mississippi.
Some people say it is cruel. They also say it is cruel to deny illegal residents health care, deny to put them on organ transplant lists and refuse to provide them with a free education. What if they don't have the money? Are we just supposed to let them suffer?
Let me put it this way: if I have to pay rent on my apartment, but I spent it all on drugs, parties or whatever, that was my choice. The government, federal or local, should not subsidize me. That's how life works; it's all about choices and taking responsibility for those choices.
Also, if an illegal immigrant can receive all the same services I can, what's the difference between being illegal or not? What are the benefits of being a citizen? If there was no difference, I would personally prefer not being a bonafide citizen. A non-citizen has no responsibilities.
It's not fair to put illegal immigrants before taxpaying American citizens. A couple of years ago, there was an illegal Hispanic woman put on a donor list for an organ transplant in California. She had priority over many Americans, including a war veteran.
Furthermore, the influx of illegal children in schools is taking a toll on the education system. Illegal immigration, overall, is taking a toll on our whole country.
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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