Enforcement Does Work in AZ
Our second guest post of the day is from Susan Duclos. She takes a closer look at illegal immigration.
Time and again I have said immigrants are welcome in this country, when they come legally, and for those that break the first law of entering our country, we need to enforce the laws we have on the books and make them leave and come back through the front door, so to speak.
I have seen many debates, with people accusing those that want our borders secured and our laws enforced, of being racists or bigots, from others that simply refuse to acknowledge that legal immigration and illegal immigration are, indeed, two very different things and are incapable of distinguishing between the two.
For those that can and do understand that difference and have fought to get our government to start enforcing the laws and stiffening penalties on employers that hire illegal immigrants, this article from the Tucson Citizen shows that enforcement does work.
NOGALES, Sonora – It’s a common scene this time of year: streams of overloaded cars, pickups and vans with U.S. license plates crossing into Mexico for the holidays.
Most are filled with Hispanic families from Arizona and other states on their way to visit relatives south of the border for a few weeks before heading back to the U.S. But this year, the holiday travelers are being joined by scores of families such as Jorge and Liliana Franco, who are driving to Mexico not to visit but to stay – permanently.
The Franco’s, among others no longer find America “hospitable” to illegal immigrants in AZ, for multiple reasons, one of which is that Congress could not pass the immigration reform, another is because of Arizona’s new employer-sanction laws and recent illegal immigration crackdowns throughout this state.
The Arizona sanction law, known as Legal Arizona Workers Act, is expected to take effect in January, provided it survives a last minute challenge and illegal immigrants are preparing for that eventuality.
It’s intended purpose is to ensure that no businesses in Arizona knowingly or intentionally hire or employ illegal immigrants. The business owners risk losing their state and local licenses if they knowingly or intentionally – the law makes a distinction between “knowingly” and “intentionally” – hire illegal immigrants after Jan. 1, 2008.
The law also enhances the punishment for identity theft, a crime frequently associated with illegal workers.
For those that claim that illegal immigrants do not steal or falsify social security and other documents, the family that was interviewed, the Franco’s, are the perfect example.
In November, their employer checked and found out that the Franco’s had used false documents to get their jobs and they were both terminated and could not get hired elsewhere.
Liliana Franco states “Everyone wants a good Social Security number now.”
The Mexican consulate in Phoenix is seeing a dramatic increase of applications for Mexican birth certificates, passports and other documents these families will need to go home to Mexico and they are reporting the number of applications are three times the amount from this month last year.
The consulate also has processed more than 16,500 applications for Mexican passports this year, nearly twice as many as last year.
Rosendo Hernandez, president of the advocacy group Immigrants Without Borders, states “If people can’t find work, they won’t be able to pay their bills, so they will leave.”
This family is the perfect example of how stricter laws against the employers that encourage people to enter our country illegally, knowing they will be hired, and cracking down on illegal immigrants, does have the desired effect.
For those that do not think illegal immigration or illegal aliens are a problem, one only needs to look at the news releases over at the U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement site, to put to rest that false misconception.
Yesterday, 20 Southern California gang members awaiting release from area jails and state prisons are facing new criminal charges today as a part of “Operation Winter Warning,” an expanded effort to target incarcerated foreign national gang members for federal prosecution.
Since the operation began three weeks ago, a total of 23 criminal gang members have been charged with re-entry after deportation, a felony violation that carries a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
On December 17, 2007, three brothers were sentenced on charges of smuggling illegal workers into the U.S.
December 12, 2007, Twenty-four people were arrested Tuesday on complaints associated with identification document fraud and immigration violations in the Eastern District of Texas.
The examples go on and on and provide further proof that illegal immigration is a problem that needs to be dealt with and Arizona provides a good example of the methods that are working.
Come legally or do not come at all.
Susan Duclos, aka Spree, blogs at Wake Up America!
I live in AZ. I hear all of these arguments for 1) the Wall 2) employer sanctions 3) local police authority to arrest illegals etc. I’m still not convinced. Yes I understand that crimes have been committed by illegal immigrans. Yes I understand that Illegal immigrants use governmental services such as ER care. But beyond all that I see folks who are willing to risk life an limb for low skill jobs that are not filled. I beleive that enhances, not hurts the AZ economy, not to mention the US economy. In the long run we will have a shortage of workers as our population ages. I assume day we will be actively inviting Mexicans and other immigrants to come to the US to work here and pay into SS payroll taxes. I have yet to see consisten, compelling evidence that illegal immigrants are a net cost nor a net benefit. And yes I expect the US to enforce existing laws. I personally beleive the immigration influx from south of the border is good for AZ and for the US. I am a minority in my party (Republican) and I accept that.
There is much talk about "enforcing the laws" and "punishing those who break them" but nobody talks about how the gap immigrants will leave is going to be filled, if tougher immigration policies are enforced and they are forced to leave this country. You said that immigrants are welcomed in this country when they come legally, but the current immigration laws only accept people with special skills or a hundred thousand dollars to invest. The people who pick your vegetables, build your houses, clean your offices, bake your bread and do many other low pay jobs don’t even have a shot to immigrate legally to this country. Are immigrants with higher education and a lot of money going to do those jobs?
Nativists also argue that their ancestors came to this country legally through the "front door". Did they get in line and waited for their turn to be called, or did they just board boats and cross an ocean only with the hope of a better life? Did they leave their countries because they wanted to do it, or did they leave because their governments and countries didn’t offer a dignifying life for them and their children?
However, the most important question is:
is the legality of current immigrants what makes some people so angry, or is it something else?
Once again, history has failed in teaching us an important humane lesson.
Chris: Ditto to everything you said, except that I’m in GA and see the same thing here. And I’m part of the same minority in the Republican party, except I’m not even sure we’re that much in the minority. I think those who take a harder line against illegal immigration (and oppose anything that even comes close to amnesty) are just a lot more vocal and influential than people like you and I.
Just about every poll taken of Republicans shows over 80% [& one over 90% I saw a while back] support strong enforcement of laws against illegal immigration. Even Democrats in the Heartland are fifty-fifty on the issue. So C Stanley must hang out with the Wall Street Journal wing of Repubs, who want cheap labor keeping wages below living standards.
Let’s build a wall and enforce the laws. What kind of "Republican" is against law enforcement?
Let’s build a wall and enforce the laws. What kind of "Republican" is against law enforcement?
well I guess I’m "that" kind of Republican. Dave, did that good to say that?
I doubt many are against enforcing illegal immigration Dave, I wouldn’t think CS is either. But I also think a large % of that 80 or 90% also realize that there is reality to deal with and the reality of what we have now is a different topic (or different aspect) than desiring for laws to be enforced. I would be most would favor a type of guest worker program. Reality is a wall will not work unless your posting guards every 10 yards complete with motion detected machine guns like in East Berlin once upon a time. Reality is you need enforceable laws with law enforcement that will enforce them – backed by an immigration plan that is more economically feasible for immigrants than being illegal is.
Interested is right- and no Dave, I’m not a Wall Street fatcat trying to keep a source of cheap labor, I just want the laws to be changed to acknowledge that business is seeking a supply of labor and people who come from a country with no means of supporting their family are happy to come here to fill that gap. Let’s create a legal way for them to do that, rather than keep laws which are immoral from the standpoint of allowing corporations to exploit illegals.
I actually think that Bush had it about right, or about as right as anyone could make this mess (which has resulted from the failure to deal with the issue after the last round of amnesty- funny how problems that get ignored become intractable over time, or as a friend of mine wrote in a song lyric: "There’re no big decisions, just the small ones you chose not to make.") I would have favored Bush’s comprehensive plan, but would have preferred being even more comprehensive by also putting pressure on Mexico to solve their own economic/corruption problems. I think we need to determine a quota based on our own labor needs and ability to assimilate, and we need to make sure Mexico doesn’t think we’re their stopgap for rampant poverty and unemployment.
There is a surprising level of ignorance from illegal alien supporters regarding basic economics. For starters illegals add nothing to the overall economy they depress wages and erode the middle class. They offer advantages only to criminal businesses that can exploit them as slave labor and thus destroy legal competitors.
Illegals are also like locusts in their level of consumption of welfare, food stamps, free medical care, housing assistance, and law enforcement. They are choking our schools killing and raping American citizens and offer zero benefit to the Untited States. They are simple free loading aliens.
I’d ask their supporters to justify the FBI statistics that illegal aliens violently kill 25 Americans per day and Rape 8 American children per day. What numbers of dead Americans and raped American children per day should we accept?
SPQR_US: the extent to which wages are being depressed is completely due to the fact that these people are here illegally, so that criminal businesses can hire them under the table at substandard wages. That factor would be removed if we had a legal guest worker program that acknowledged the labor need which is being filled in this manner instead of legally.
As to the crime stats- show me the numbers (reference your stats) before asking me to respond to them.
Criminals did NOT build America; Citizens and LEGAL immigrants built it. Illegal Aliens and Immigration is NOT the same thing. 80% of the American people want an end to anarchy! This is NOT a Democrat, Republican, Independent issue. It’s an American Issue. Illegal aliens are criminals, those who hire them are criminals and those who aid-and-abet them are criminals. Illegal aliens in America have NO rights. We are required by law to arrest and prosecute, deport them. (Title 8 U.S. Code) To report illegal aliens call the DHS National Hotline 1 866 DHS 2ICE. (1-866-347-2523) No, matter your political party affiliation, and setting aside your thoughts on issues. We all need to remember what it is to be an American Citizen. We need to make sure our elected representatives obey their Oath of Office and keep their Oath of Allegiance. See http://tinyurl.com/2znnvl Know whom you are voting for.
Criminals did NOT build America; Citizens and LEGAL immigrants built it. Illegal Aliens and Immigration is NOT the same thing. 80% of the American people want an end to anarchy! This is NOT a Democrat, Republican, Independent issue. It’s an American Issue. Illegal aliens are criminals, those who hire them are criminals and those who aid-and-abet them are criminals. Illegal aliens in America have NO rights. We are required by law to arrest and prosecute, deport them. (Title 8 U.S. Code) To report illegal aliens call the DHS National Hotline 1 866 DHS 2ICE. (1-866-347-2523) No, matter your political party affiliation, and setting aside your thoughts on issues. We all need to remember what it is to be an American Citizen. We need to make sure our elected representatives obey their Oath of Office and keep their Oath of Allegiance. See http://tinyurl.com/2znnvl Know whom you are voting for. Criminals did NOT build America; Citizens and LEGAL immigrants built it. Illegal Aliens and Immigration is NOT the same thing. 80% of the American people want an end to anarchy! This is NOT a Democrat, Republican, Independent issue. It’s an American Issue. Illegal aliens are criminals, those who hire them are criminals and those who aid-and-abet them are criminals. Illegal aliens in America have NO rights. We are required by law to arrest and prosecute, deport them. (Title 8 U.S. Code) To report illegal aliens call the DHS National Hotline 1 866 DHS 2ICE. (1-866-347-2523) No, matter your political party affiliation, and setting aside your thoughts on issues. We all need to remember what it is to be an American Citizen. We need to make sure our elected representatives obey their Oath of Office and keep their Oath of Allegiance. See http://tinyurl.com/2znnvl Know whom you are voting for.
Wage depression from illegal immigration affects almost exclusively our native lower class, while the benefits of the cheap labor accrue specifically to employers and generally consumers.
A good border fence/wall would cut down on illegal immigration. As would employer enforcement and/or a workable guest worker program–simple supply and demand. Nothing will stop it entirely.
The idea that there is some magic wand or single-item solution is for simpletons.
To BETTYbb- I’ve noticed your comments alot, and I always appreciate them. You seem to be extremely well-informed. We need to keep these third world lawbreakers out of our country. I think they are shocked when they are arrested because they weren’t raised in countries which honored the rule of law. Where they grew up justice was an accident and a good citizen was a person who was able to put it over on someone in power. So, why should we expect them to obey our American laws? We need to deport them before America becomes a balkanized sink of poverty, disease and corruption–like Mexico.
Newsroom
In FY 2006, USDA spent nearly $5.1 billion to serve about 8.2 million WIC participants. Hispanics represent the largest racial/ethnic group in the WIC Program. In 2004, about 39 percent of those enrolled in WIC were of Hispanic origin. Approximately 3/4 of the Hispanic infants born in the United States participate in WIC.
Have you been to a McDonald’s or other fast food place lately?? They are infested with people who cannot speak English and you just know are not legal. Who would fill those jobs?? How about the teenagers and uneducated, non-skilled legal citizens that used to hold those jobs? Our schools are overcrowded due to the illegals and it costs more to educate them. Our healthcare system is cracking because we need to pay for the illegals medical problems. And yes, the government should pick and choose which aliens they want in this country. We need the best and brightest to continue to move forward. And if your first act in our country is to break our laws then you are not the type of people America needs. Policiticans need to get tough about illegal immigration and get this major problem under control quick. Our country’s future depends on it
I was brought here with hopes of a better future not to kill, rape and steal anything from this country. I grew up here I did not ask to… My dad has paid taxes and he has worked long days to raise me and I have studied and volunteer several months because of the principles I have learned in this country. I love it here and I want to be part of the society I love school and now I have a family to care for… Tell me what do I do.. I am not Mexican I dont feel mexican and my papers dont say american citizen were do I belong.. How can you label all of them without risking some of the innocent ones. The idea is not to make a bigger problem but to solve it once and for all. A couple thousand deportations a year are not merely close to the reality so… With all the technology the best they can come up with is a huge wall come on get serious… And generalizing about criminals of illegal immigration thats very ignorant of you "one apple rots the bunch" My culture has changed as yours, just embrace it it will keep changing. And avoiding illegal immigration with stupid deportations is not going to fix the problem its just going to create a bigger one … ECONOMY GO DOWN!
Personally I am sick to death of having to pass by hundreds of illiegals to get to my bus stop for work every morning, they stare and make lewd remarks in a language I don’t understand. Why are they permitted to be here if they came here illeagally?? I don’t want my hard earned money (taxes) going to feed, school, take care of their health issues, pay for them to give birth in our hospitals, etc. Send them back home if they did not come here legally…period, This is not racist, it is the LAW!!!!!
Just build the dam wall already!!! Of course business owners want cheap labor, rich ppl employ them to take care of their homes, landscaping, kids, they are tearing the middle class family apart, there is no more middle class, you R either Rich or poor nowadays, we don’t need to have illegal aliens taking from our government programs too* To Shay Arizona for your strick santion on illegals*****
just build the dam wall already!!! Of course business owners want cheap labor, rich ppl employ them to take care of their homes, landscaping, kids, they are tearing the middle class family apart, there is no more middle class, you R either Rich or poor nowadays, we don’t need to have illegal aliens taking from our government programs too* To Shay Arizona for your strick santion on illegals*****
Uhh Robbie, You may want to spend some time investigating the issue. For instance I can list a dozen families that are lower middle-class that hire a Mexican national to clean their house, watch their kids & landscape their property. There is enough information to not post without knowledge on the subject.
C Stanley
It surprise me to hear you say business have postions that are going unfilled because no one wants to do the work, and the illegals can fill those jobs.Have you been out there trying too find a job?Sure if you wan to work like a slave and be paid the lowest possible salary the employer can pay you , you will find alot of of jobs.The average worker who wants to work and make a fair salary can not get a job.The illegals will work for half the cost of skilled american born labor, so my job is out the window because businessmen in Arizona want to make as much profit as they can and do not care if they are breaking the law.I can not beleive that you expect anyone here to think you are only looking out for the businessman welfare , that the illegals skills are neeed to fulfill American born’s jobs .That is so out in left field and it does not matter what Political Party you are from . Wake up this is not your old "Arizona" anymore
My two cents on immigration.
Illegal Aliens are good people for the most part. However the only reason this country needs them is to fuel an expanding economy that puts off budget reform.
More legal and Illegal aliens simply allows for the expansion of the economy by a greater margin then would be normal by the normal means of natural birth and regulated immigration principals.
Thus the more the immigrants flood into our lands the more jobs, taxes and services that are needed and the more our economy expands to meet these needs. Expansion means jobs. It means wellbeing in the facts and figures that the government sends to the people to convince them the country is healthy. It means that Democrats get new voters and it means the GOP can increase the budget, cut taxes and expand business.
However. There is something wrong here. The more our economy expands the greater becomes our budget deficit. With Bush in power they trickle down tax cuts have worked. Sorta. But its all a lie. It does not work. Its a fabrication.
Simply put the forumula for this means is …….cut taxes>>>more money to spend>>>>equals growing economy>>>>equals more revenue for the government>>>>>equals more taxes to spend on stuff.
Great Ronald Reagan and GWB have convinced many that it is in fact the truth. However.
The truth is that if you look at Reagan he demanded and got a new Immigration bill because the one thing we all knew and no one wanted to say anything about is that the expansion was fueled by immigration…..Illegal and not. GWB wanted a bill. It failed this time. He says okay Ill show you guys. Ill enforce the law. He does. Economy slows. Why?
Economy slows because its expansion is not contingent SOLELY upon tax cuts but rather a healthy continuation of immigrants into the country. Both legal and Illegal. It is why EVEN the GOP wanted to at first give amnesty to the Illegals. They need that tax base to continue the expansion.
Thus you have an entire nation being hoodwinked by both parties. Trickle down does not work as advertised without extensive immigration and the tax and spend plan of the democrats does not encourage immigration as much as does the GOP.
In fact the Hispanics greatest friend has always been the GOP and not the Democrats because it is normally under a GOP president with the trickle down/tax cut mentality that stimulates a HUGE need for immigrant labor.
The bottom line to this is that once the GOP faithful put down their foot and the president was more or less forced to stop immigration or at least slow it down……….what happened?
Recession. Trickle down does not work without the direct result of Immigration in large numbers to fuel the expansion of the economy.