OPINION — It’s time to put this immigration business on the shelf, next to the thrice-failed health care overhaul or whatever they’re calling it these days.
The concerns and arguments about illegal immigration are getting a little long in the tooth and grossly exaggerated.
Yes, it is true that the majority of immigrant families – those in the United States legally and illegally – use the nation’s welfare programs.
That is indisputable.
But, like most things, unless you place it into context, it is meaningless drivel based on bigotry and hysteria.
I don’t quite understand why conservatives like to claim this is something liberals will dodge or ignore because, you see, it is a fact that demands consideration.
Why are more than half of the households of immigrants drawing on some sort of welfare program?
Researchers are pretty much in agreement with Steven A. Camarota, the director of research at the Center for Immigration Studies, that it’s not because of legal status or an unwillingness to work. It’s because of low incomes, partly because of a lack of education, partly because of the clandestine nature of seeking employment as an undocumented worker.
Most are making less than $30,000 a year doing hard labor – from agricultural field work to the service industry; from working construction to maintenance jobs. Not many are parked behind a desk in the air conditioned executive suite. They take the jobs most in the American labor force feel are beneath them, from picking lettuce in the fields to busing tables at the local restaurant, to cleaning guest rooms at motels and hotels. Think of the cost of a room in Las Vegas without the immigrant maid.
Think of the cost of your meal at the local restaurant without the immigrant workers who clear the tables and wash the dishes.
Think of the cost of that head of lettuce without some undocumented worker picking it at far below the minimum wage.
Think of the cost of your house if the entire crew was native born.
At the same time, remember there are also immigrants who are doctors, lawyers, teachers, cops, firefighters, scientists, soldiers, sailors and pilots. They are artists and entertainers. And, yes, there are politicians.
There are an estimated 11.3 million undocumented immigrants in the United States, a little less than 4 percent of the population, according to the Pew Research Center. About half come from Mexico. There are approximately 8 million undocumented immigrants in the workforce, which includes those with jobs or those seeking work. That works out to about 5 percent.
The growth in numbers of undocumented immigrants shot up dramatically during the administration of George W. Bush. There was a small, gradual decline during the Obama administration. Although the argument can be made that modern-day illegal immigration was at its height during the Reagan administration it would be unfair. Statistics on the undocumented were not well kept until the last two years of his second term and much has changed since the Clinton administration switched tactics. Where previous administrations simply rounded up as many undocumented immigrants as possible and shipped them home, Clinton hardened the borders and instituted policies to deter illegal immigration.
Immigration reform advocates, however, continue to try to stack the deck to implement policy based on hysteria.
We heard, during the campaign, about the dangers of wild and crazed “illegals” running amok in America, selling dope to our children and raping our women while stealing jobs from our men.
Look, in a population of a little more than 11 million people, you are going to definitely have some bad actors. Still, according to the Migration Policy Institute, less than 3 percent of the undocumented population has committed a felony. How does that compare? Research by the Population Association of America pegs the number of felons in the overall population at 6 percent.
But we must build that wall, right?
We must ensure that everybody coming across that border has a degree and speaks clean English – an accomplishment sorely missing, by the way, in the upper echelons of government today.
And, we must ensure that they are Christians because, well, you know, the Muslims who sneak across our borders have a tendency to kill people and blow stuff up, right?
Except that the terrorism experienced on our shores by immigrants was done by bad guys who went through the formal process of gaining legal entry.
So why, then, are we blazing a trail that leads to walls and hatred?
We’re told it’s because of crime.
We’re told it’s because of welfare fraud.
We’re told it’s because of blue states sucking down the federal funds generated by the red states.
None of the above, however, is true.
The crime stats don’t bear that out.
The fraud stats don’t bear that out.
And the political angle just isn’t true.
Mississippi, with its lack of decent education and jobs, leads the nation in food stamp use and federal assistance.
Should we build a wall around Mississippi?
Walls and travel bans are the product of bigotry and Islamophobia.
Less than 2 percent of the United States population is comprised of indigenous people. The rest of us can trace our roots to elsewhere, whether across vast oceans or hard-earth borders.
We are a nation of immigrants and nothing will ever change that.
Three of my four grandparents emigrated through Ellis Island.
When they arrived, they weren’t allowed in based on their knowledge of the English language, how much money they had in their wallets or which religion they practiced.
They also weren’t looked upon as rapists, thugs and thieves.
And, nobody built a wall to try to keep them out.
Immigration has been researched to death.
We know that yes, indeed, immigrants – those who are documented and those who are not – use the welfare system.
But, we also know that despite the lower-paying jobs most take, they still contribute billions in taxes each year; that although some may be using false Social Security numbers to secure a job, most will never see one dime of that money; that they are a blessing to our economy, accepting the jobs the average worker turns his nose up at.
We know they like it here because most have lived in the United States 10 years or longer. Since it’s clear they wish to be here, why not make that path easier?
Albert Einstein was an immigrant.
Google co-founder Sergey Bin was an immigrant.
Joseph Pulitzer, Irving Berlin and Madeleine Albright were immigrants.
John Muir and Carlos Santana were immigrants
We’ve had our share of those who entered illegally, but went on to great success. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael J. Fox and Charlie Chaplin came in without documentation. So did John and Yoko, and the valiant reporter Joe Antonio Vargas, who won a Pulitzer. Even Cesar Millan, the dog whisperer, came in without paperwork.
The truth is, however, that the United States has always been picky about who it lets in.
But, at least back when the Naturalization Act of 1790 was written, they were honest, offering the citizenship process only to “free white persons” of “good moral character.”
It’s a shame we haven’t made much progress in 227 years.
No bad days!
Ed Kociela is an opinion columnist for St. George News. The opinions stated in this article are his own and may not be representative of St. George News.
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews, @EdKociela
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2017, all rights reserved.
Ed, Unless you missed the line where they were passing out brains, there’s two types of immigrants….Legal and Illegal.
Quit justifying the cases for Illegals. You’re wasting your breath and our time with your senseless logic.
Try and go to Mexico and live there without proper documentation. You’ll be thrown in jail. (In fact the whole damn country is corrupt against Americans now, I won’t set foot in that country again)
It’s you lily-livered liberals that want to just open our doors and let whatever crawls in, take advantage of our systems and dilute our chances for a positive future. Yes, most all Americans have immigrant ancestors that came here, but, here’s he difference…..Our ancestors came here with respect for this country and came here under the rules. Not like the the Illegals that assimilate cockroaches and just come out at night and hide in the shadows.
Illegals are criminals, period. Unless you recognize this fact, you should be considered un-American and sympathetic toward law breakers.
U.G. read this article again. Don’t act like you’d just turn in all your guns if the “law” said you had to. No way you’re going to tell me if guns were made illegal you’d just send them all in to the smelter because, as people say, when they agree with the law, “we’re either a nation of laws or we’re not.” Read this article again, out loud and slowly if you must. You don’t have to agree but you have to admit, you think you’re better than them; your own narrative of what an immigrant is says enough for anyone who who didn’t miss “brain day” to recognize you’re speaking from a place of bigotry not logic. The two, bigotry and logic, can’t coexist.
Sounds like you missed “brain day” also.
I have complete respect for those that hold our immigration laws sacred. Those that came to this country legally and those that continue to lawfully become American citizens are what this country is about and should continue to be the foundation of an “American Citizen”.
Because I’m fed up with those that take advantage of the system and break our immigration laws get called “cockroaches” is my right, a right protected by the First Amendment. Seems like you’re the only one offended here….
What would you call someone who violated your property rights, broke into your home and took advantage of your food, utilities and your family’s safety? A good shepherd? A stalwart? Dependable? Reliable? Trustworthy?
I just “call ’em as I see ’em”.
We’re either a nation of laws or we aren’t (and we’re becoming less a nation of laws every day, and we’ll pay dearly for that fact over time, because everything we take for granted in this country comes from that).
Visitors to my home are welcome, provided that they come in through the front door, by invitation, during the day. People coming in through the window, uninvited, during the night are criminals.
The reality is there are literally billions of people that would come to America tomorrow if our doors were wide open. The vast majority of those are poor and uneducated. America (as we’ve known it for 228 years) would cease to exist, replaced by a 3rd world country. So we have to limit immigration with laws, and we have to enforce those laws. Not enforcing and protecting our borders in unfair to those coming through the front door. Imagine standing in line at Disneyland and for every 10 paying customers let through the gates 15 are climbing over or under the fence, and nothing is being done. Does that make you keep wanting to stand in line, paying full price? We give citizenship to about 1 million legal immigrants per year (more than any other nation on earth and all of the EU combined), yet 527,127 stayed here illegally in 2015, 337,117 came in and got caught, and an estimated 674,000 came in without getting caught (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illegal_immigration_to_the_United_States#Yearly_new_illegal_immigration). That disenfranchises existing citizens, especially new citizens coming through the front door!
I hear you railing against conservatives using cherry-picked stats, but I don’t hear you putting forth an actual plan. What, exactly, are you calling for? What is your proposal? Or are you actually calling for open borders and just don’t have the cajones to say it? We know what you’re against (common sense rule of law), but what are you for?
Excellent Comment Brian
The purpose to allow immigrants into our nation is not so working people can support them.
Historically, immigrants wanted to come here for freedom and opportunity.
A wall is not hatred, as you suggest. A wall is securing our border. If people want to immigrate, do it legally.
Excuses for entering as an illegal alien are unacceptable.
“Walls and travel bans are the product of bigotry and Islamophobia.”
This is just calling people names who dare disagree with you. Shouting others down with name calling is inappropriate and beneath you.
Discuss and debate with one another.
There is a process by which people can ome into this country.. Educated, speak English, not crawling over or under the wall, or swimming across the rio grande…as far as lettuce pickers we have a system by which workers are brought to usa seasonally for 6 months to pick apples, work ski resorts, or cape cod. Etc..it means the workers comes in on a permit from a company.. Not a family who stays here and gets food stamps,educate all the babies,medical care and subsidized housing just to pick lettuce…in other countries they have permits yo work seasonally it works fine, but our go t, cut back on this short term permits which would save a lot of money.. The issue if visas to students from other countries, then they stay here and fin,t go back to help there own country.. Why can,t we hire govt people to check on these expired visas??? If we hired people to check on Medicare fraud, Medicaid fraud and insurance fraud we would saved money for the average worker, who gets hit hard in the pocket..
Comparing your grandparents to today’s illegal aliens and some illegal immigrants is a fraud. Your grandparents I suspect had no thought of breaking the law. That would be against their character.
I also suspect they came, just like others, for our freedom and opportunity. They wanted to work and probably had not interest is having the government care for them.
You need to target equal opportunity, not equal outcomes.
Keeping people dependent on the government robs them of pride and purpose.
You know why I want a wall? Because I’m a citizen and I have to obey the law (or get caught and go to jail) so why should an illegal immigrant have more privrlidge than me? Not only do they get caught not obeying the law they are provided food stamps as well. It’s like I want to be illegal and get gov’t assistance and it’s like I would be treated better if I were illegal ( don’t get me started on we are all illegal, I hear it everyday from my Native American husband I wasn’t born then- I’m talking about now)
I think putting a wall around Mississippi is a GREAT IDEA! Wish I’d have thought of it.
I would have been for a wall to keep the white folk out so they couldn’t send the natives through what’s called, the trail of tears, and trying to genocide the native Americans. I would have died protecting them, if I was born.
But we are here now. I love Mexicans, especially the ones with broken English, they are great people just get legal please.
We can’t take care of the people we have in this country. It is time to take care of our own, get our problems solved before we add to this mess. We need to balance the cost of things with our wages so people can work and take care of themselves without government assistance. We need to realize that if the government is having to subsidize health insurance premiums, then it would be more cost effective to have a Medicare type plan for the rest of society and leave health insurance companies to the rich who like supporting for-profit companies. We need to realize that if almost 50% of working people have to get food stamps to eat then the cost of living is too high. We have both parents working with no one home to care for children who then get involved with substance abuse, crime, and self destructive behaviors because no one cares about them. We are creating a society of miserable people who can’t be successful on their own. Why in the world would be invite anyone to join us and have to support them too? We need to get our house in order here in the US.
I agree
This is from Teddy Roosevelt and is what I wish President Trump had used.
Studies show the significant social and financial handicap of refusing to learn English. Further, historically people came here to be Americans, nothing more.
I wish the President proposed immigrants be allowed a few years to learn English. That seems more fair. But, I may be wrong because learning English before immigrating shows a real commitment.
It’s a rare country that allows people like you and I to become natives.
Teddy Roosevelt –
“We should insist that if the immigrant who comes here does in good faith become an
American and assimilates himself to us he shall be treated on an exact equality with every one else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed or birth-place or origin.
But this is predicated upon the man’s becoming in very fact an American and nothing but an American. If he tries to keep segregated with men of his own origin and separated from the rest of America, then he isn’t doing his part as an American. There can be no divided allegiance here. . . We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language, for we intend to see that the crucible turns our people out as Americans, of American nationality, and not as dwellers in a polyglot boarding-house; and we have room for but one soul loyalty, and that is loyalty to the American people.”
A great example of the difference between a statesman and a politician.
Good OP Ed. Previous comments indicate that you’ve drawn out some of the mouth-breathing Southern Utah rednecks and ammosexual perverts. It’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it. :>)
You really have a way with words Stephen, are you a published author? I Know your wisdom is truly needed.
So anybody opposed to ILLEGAL immigration is a bigot? This kind of thinking is why the far left is on a sinking ship.
Kudos “Real Life” and a very appropriate screen name.
I think people would be surprised to know how much our country needs this caste mechanism. Don’t reply if you don’t understand what that means, our exchange would just end up with you insulting me.
My father arrived here, legally, from a then communist country; not a day or a dollar of assistance from the government. Oh, and he came here with a few bucks, worked hard (farming, low-level factory, taxi-driver and then on to managing a small transportation company)a, never wealthy or well-to-do. He learned to speak English and two other languages. He did feed and clothe his kids, roof over heads, and lots of love.
My dad could do it, so can any soul who is able-bodied. btw bigotry and racism was much worse when my father came to the shores of the United States and he experienced a couple of beat-ups.
If you don’t understand and get it, Ed, me thinks you never will. The progressive brain-washing over the last 100 years has turned out people who either can’t or won’t think for themselves and take personal responsibility and expect the same from others. You help people when they need it, not because life is tough; they are not one in the same.
The problem is simple: progressives don’t know the difference between a safety net and a hammock.
Clever insight. I need to remember that one.
I defended them for thirty (30) years and have worked 70 hours a week in California building them apartments and homes, and I sounded just like the editor for all of those years, and now I and everyone else around me in California learning the same mistake that we made, and I am moving to St. George and I see the editor spewing the false facts that were taken off of an Hispanic website, and St. George will be just like California soon…luckily it will take 20 years and I will probably be gone by then, but I hate to see a great place that you have in Southern Utah fall to the same result, and it will. By the time that your narrow mind see’s the truth, and others have to face reality, it will be too late. I respect your opinion, it is just that your facts are wrong, there are many “real” sources of information out there. Everyone has their own agenda and spew what suits them and their agenda fits best. Too bad that is the way things have gotten. Mexican Immigration ???… come to California, I’ll take you around and show and explain the full affect. Most work under the table while their families draw welfare; they do not hire caucasians and only hire their own; they leave trash (TV’s, couches, chairs, etc..) all over the roads, streets and freeways at night; they go to parks and take over the parks and scare others away; they graffiti everything; they drive out other workers in factories and only speak Spanish; They have taken over every aspect of construction because they have driven everyone else out; they have Spanish speaking counter people at every doctors, dentists, DMV, government offices and have taken all of the counter jobs because they need someone at the counters that speak Spanish because of the “11 million illegals” (I have the real numbers as I work in that arena) in California that get free medical; and so on and on; they have filled all of the prisons and institutions; most have DUI’s and no insurance so when they get in an accident or hit a pedestrian.. they take off; I am in affordable housing and see it all. You have no idea…you think that Einstein was a detriment to society or others that you have noted, just wait? Get real!!!
Exactly. Do we want our entire country to become like mexico, as many parts of CA have? Many parts of CA are becoming more 3rd-worldish, impoverished, and rundown as more illegal mexicans flow in. The only real justification that supporters for illegals have is that they just love hoards of uneducated 3rd-worlders filling up the country and sucking away resources from citizens. It’s can only ever be a losing situation for citizens and legal immigrants. At some point it will boil over and it’s won’t be pretty. I wish Ed would just stay in Mexico permanently as he has no allegiance to this country. I’d also like to see refugee programs ended or scaled way the hell back, as I used to live in seattle, wa, and saw the effects it had on the city, using it as a refugee dumping ground. In general, uneducated foreigners, whether illegals or refugees, or possibly even legal immigrants, bring nothing positive to the US. They are a detriment and just create a fragmented society with no common heritage or cohesiveness.
I read the entire blathering diatribe. Ed, you ,and creatures like you, are everything that’s wrong with the modern democrat party. They do the jobs Americans won’t do? And for garbage wages? So clowns like you are basically ok with having what’s essentially a slave/ghetto permanent underclass of people doing crap work for slave wages? This is not a foundation we want to build our economy on. Plus, with all the welfare they suck down and anchor babies they produce that head of lettuce, or pack of strawberries, ect isn’t actually all that cheap. So it’s ok with you to have a permanent poverty class so long as they’re picking fruit for you. Ed, you are a hypocrite. Realistically, there’s probably more like 30 million illegals in the country, and people are tired of our country looking more and more like craphole mexico as time goes on, and nothing is done. The language of this country is english, and I and many others are just flat-out tired of mexicans being here where they don’t belong. The donald will likely not come up with drastic enough policy as what we actually need to deal with the problem. We need to bring down the hammer and find a way to get rid of them. Shame on you, Ed; you old hypocrite you.
Comment, they wouldn’t drive down pay rates if there wasn’t so much animosity. You can leave here an almanac of examples of job displacement and not be a hypocrite, if you do it from anyone of your American-made devices.
Also: Contrary to what Ed believes, these mexicans don’t actually like to pick fruit, and they don’t like to “do the jobs americans won’t do”. At the first opportunity they get out of the fields and dishwashing. The move into other jobs where they drive down wages in every sector of laborious and even some skilled employment. Jobs that once paid well are now done on the cheap by hoards of illegal mexicans working under the table. They are a net drain on our economy and standard of living. If you want to have more people in this country just for the sake of having more people then I guess you have a reason to love the tens of millions of illegals living here. For those that work, and compete with them, they see their standard of living being sucked down the toilet as the US gradually turns more and more brown.
We need a merit based system like Canada, New Zealand and Australia has. It works so much better then the archaic poorly executed system we currently have. Reducing immigration for a few years would help America to assimilate the huge amount of immigrants already here. The system needs to be fixed and the RAISE ACT goes a long way to achieving that. If we do nothing immigration problems will get much worse over time. Do we rally want more immigration chaos? I think not!
Exactly right. People should do a google search of immigration requirements for some other 1st world countries, and compare them to America’s.
You aren’t becoming a citizen abroad without an employer sponsoring you with a job in a critical skill and you demonstrating a basic knowledge of the national language.
And you want to retire abroad? In Australia, you need a minimum of $500K in assets to deposit in one of their banks and enough money to buy private health coverage (no, you can’t use their national health care).
About time that the U.S. adopts a sane immigration policy, like the rest of the 1st world.
Mctrialsguy, I agree with you. I moved here 11 years ago from California and was appreciative that the billboards here are all in english. I smiled when I saw no graffiti and no trash (or abandoned tires or sofas) on the roads or in empty fields. I stood in stunned silence when I realized that the hispanic person in line in front of me at the S.G. DMV brought his own interpreter! I was amazed that my gardener and most of the contractors I’ve hired in Utah speak english.
I am not prejudiced…my stepmother is hispanic, my brother-in-law is hispanic, my best friend is hispanic..all came here legally and are citizens. Even though I am not hispanic, I am fluent in Spanish due to a private education. I assisted Spanish speaking clients in their language during my former career in California. Again, I have no prejudice – I appreciate and love the culture – BUT…come here legally, blend into this melting pot, follow our laws, get a job and be productive and you will be welcomed with open arms. Don’t sneak in, use and trash my property, demand American assistance, then fly your flag in my face and say I’m a bigot. If I did that in almost any foreign country, I would be arrested and my family would likely have to pay a ransom for my return.
Ed, you’re a bleeding heart liberal and your kind is going to take us all down the drain.
I always thought (and was taught) that if you came to this country legally, you had to have enough resources to make a living and not be a burden to the citizens already here. That means skills to get a job, money to live off of.
I 2nd the idea of putting a wall around Mississippi. I think it’s a great idea and I wouldn’t stop with just Mississippi
Build the wall — now. Change the laws as needed with no citizenship for those here illegally. I like the idea that new citizens could NOT receive any welfare for 5 years.
Ok Ed, I read through your story…now here’s a few articles for you : http://www.fairus.org/publications/the-fiscal-burden-of-illegal-immigration-on-united-states-taxpayers and https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiC9Pmek8nVAhVY0WMKHefVBPkQFggsMAE&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.numbersusa.com%2Fnews%2Fnot-my-backyard-feds-efforts-relocate-illegal-aliens-border&usg=AFQjCNEB2pMO99mWxAG8Y7pjFx0MEYSGwQ
People;
The plygs (Jeffs Clan) will also build your houses for less than the common general contractor. They also use child labor to do work and bleed our system because of their anchor babies and abusing of the welfare system. Their companies have used child labor to harvest food, yet they called it a school activity. Their leaders have stolen from us and have plead guilty when caught. They have lied about their leaders and harbored criminals.
Ed why do you not support and defend them like you do the other legal and illegal immigrants? Is it because of their religious beliefs? Yes Eddie You are hypocrite. You will defend a certain group but will spew hatred of another.
Do the math Ed, 8 million illegals, 3% felons. That’s 240,000 illegal immigrant felons, a big burden on law enforcement and the criminal justice system. Think of the impact on the safety of our citizens and the cost.
You just can’t have open borders and a welfare state. California $300 billion in debt and the US $20 trillion in debt.
Until illegals become citizens, pay taxes with a social security number they have no right to any U.S. services. They do not pay taxes, re no SS #!
Ed-So illegals give us cheaper lettuce and hotel rooms? I guess they increase corporate profits as well, perhaps the reason why the Washington establishment, their big-business donors and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce all want the illegals. It’s all about the money—follow the trail: the cheaper labor, increased profits and lobbyist money to the politicians.
For any jobs you believe Americans won’t work, Econ 101 tells us that wages and benefits need to be increased. That eliminates any potential shortage of labor and increases wages at the same time, all driven by the invisible hand of supply and demand. I don’t mind paying more for my lettuce or hotel room if I know it’s going to American workers.
Regarding benefits, Illegals should not receive any. Nobody should be rewarded for breaking our laws.
Ed, think of this? Think of having legally documented immigrants paying taxes and paying into Social Security and not tapping out all of the government handout programs that cost all honest and legal workers trillions each year.
Think of the cost of a room in Las Vegas with the LEGALLY DOCUMENTED immigrant maid.
Think of the cost of your meal at the local restaurant with a LEGAL immigrant workers who clears the tables and washes the dishes.
Think of the cost of that head of lettuce with some LEGALLY DOCUMENTED worker picking it.
Think of the cost of your house if the entire crew were LEGALLY DOCUMENTED immigrants.