Thursday
Jun242010
Immigration Reform Bill Gaining Support In The House
Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 1:39PM
By Sarah Mamula
Talk Radio News Service
“We have reached the milestone,” said Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) on Thursday. At a press conference surrounded by immigrants and other representatives, Gutierrez announced that the Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America's Security and Prosperity (CIR ASAP) bill he introduced has surpassed 100 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives.
“The legislative clock is ticking,” stressed Gutierrez. “We know people are getting deported at the highest rate in modern history.”
Guttierez said the need for Congress to pass his plan is critical, especially with only one month to go before many provisions within the recently signed Arizona immigration law start to take effect. He called the Arizona law a call to action, and said a pragmatic solution must be found for what he referred to as a “broken system.” The Illinois Democrat added that he wants something passed before Congress recesses in August.
Gutierrez's bill would require illegal immigrants to register with the government, go through a background check, and learn English before becoming an American citizen.
With respect to a possible federal lawsuit against Arizona’s recent immigration law, Guitierrez said the legal action is not meant to fuel anger towards Arizona’s attempt at controlling its border, but rather to protect the constitutional rights that are entitled to everyone in the country. Guitierrez said the law is not a solution and could set a dangerous precedent if fully implemented in Arizona and other states.
“We simply cannot expect to get rid of a population about the size of Ohio, or their 4 million American citizen children,” said Gutierrez, referring to the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States.
Talk Radio News Service
“We have reached the milestone,” said Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) on Thursday. At a press conference surrounded by immigrants and other representatives, Gutierrez announced that the Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America's Security and Prosperity (CIR ASAP) bill he introduced has surpassed 100 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives.
“The legislative clock is ticking,” stressed Gutierrez. “We know people are getting deported at the highest rate in modern history.”
Guttierez said the need for Congress to pass his plan is critical, especially with only one month to go before many provisions within the recently signed Arizona immigration law start to take effect. He called the Arizona law a call to action, and said a pragmatic solution must be found for what he referred to as a “broken system.” The Illinois Democrat added that he wants something passed before Congress recesses in August.
Gutierrez's bill would require illegal immigrants to register with the government, go through a background check, and learn English before becoming an American citizen.
With respect to a possible federal lawsuit against Arizona’s recent immigration law, Guitierrez said the legal action is not meant to fuel anger towards Arizona’s attempt at controlling its border, but rather to protect the constitutional rights that are entitled to everyone in the country. Guitierrez said the law is not a solution and could set a dangerous precedent if fully implemented in Arizona and other states.
“We simply cannot expect to get rid of a population about the size of Ohio, or their 4 million American citizen children,” said Gutierrez, referring to the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States.
Reader Comments (28)
Millions are suffering! End the madness and hatred! No human is illegal! Congress must act on immigration now. History and God will judge us for such cruelty!!!
[...] Luis Gutierrez, who introduced the legislation, drove home the urgency of the moment: “The legislative clock is ticking,” stressed Gutierrez. “We know people are getting deported [...]
Ship them home if they don't want to play by the rules it's not hard to get a green card but most are to lazy! I have to follow ALL the rules why should they get to break them when they are not even helping out!
Noah, you're so stupid. Devoid of reasonable arguments so you resort to playing the race card. 'No human being is illegal!' - beyond lame. STATUS is often illegal, and that is what counts. Get that knuckleheaded nonsense out of here. We simply cannot afford compassion at any cost when so many of our own citizens are hurting.
The people that say they are criminals because they croosed a man made line in the dirt for servival need to realize if that is the case then EVERYONE in America are criminals.REREAD YOUR HISTORY. they do contribute they pay taxes they work and make more jobs.How much the goverment tells you about well, that is another issue. If they are documented thier contributes will be documented and they can be acountable for their actions. They are already here they have made a life here just has everyone else has. Let them live in peace.Like God says. The Europeans came and took this land from MY Ancestors which are WOW the same ancestors as the Mexican. Native American are the ones who founded this land all the way from ALASKA to SOUTH AMERICA.
Hey, Noah, you want to see cruelty against illegal immigrants?
Check out how Mexico treats "their" illegals.
Of course, "no human is illegal (that's just stupid)", but
humans do illegal things: like illegal immigration. Get it?
Gutierrez is trying to fool everyone. If they haven't learned
English in the years since they've been here, what makes
anyone think they'll learn it ever?
They have no intention of assimilating or learning English;
Gutierrez knows this.
He's a known illegal immigrant sympathizer & racist.
Gutierrez is loyal to only three colors: red, white, and green.
He sees only one color: brown.
He has no business being a representative of the
American people.
HOW IS THAT SHIP THEM ALL HOME WORKING FOR YOU. IT HAS NOT WORKED SINCE IT STARTED BACK IN 1997 THE NUMBER HAS TRIPPLED. IF SOMETHING IS BROKEN FIX IT. THE IMMIRGRATION LAWS AND SYSTEM IS BROKEN FIX IT!!!
THINK ABOUT IT WHY WAS OUR COUNTRY'S ECONOMY BOOMING IN THE 80'S AND EARLY 90'S THE IMMIRGRATION REFORM THAT CLINTON DID HELPED THE ECONOMY. GO RESEARCH AND YOU WILL SEE I AM NOT LYING.
MOST IMMIRGRANTS CAN SPEAK ENGLISH I DO NOT KNOW WHAT PLANET RON LIVES ON BUT I WORK WITH IMMERGRANTS AND ARE SURROUNDED BY THEM DAILY MAYBE YOU SHOULD GO DO SOME RESEARCH THEN WRITE DOWN THE FINDINGS. YES, THEIR ARE SOME BAD APPLES THERE ARE SOME IN EVERY RACE.THE ONES THAT DO KNOW ENGHLISH AND OBEY REAL CRIMINAL LAWS ARE THE ONES THAT WANT TO BE IN THE COUNTRY,CONTRINUATING AND MORE LIKELY HAVE BEEN THAT IS WHERE THE CONDITIONS OF THE REFORM COME IN AND WHERE ICE COMES IN.
"The people that say they are criminals because they croosed a man made line in the dirt for servival spelled survival"
No they crossed the line to come and take are SHITTY job, the one we use to give to our teenagers who now can't find jobs themselves. To raise 15 kids that they never watch or discipline them when its needed, So there kids can be in gangs, get pregnant at 13 or worse! Yea you are right let be easy on a group of people that what nothing more then to ture California in to anther Tijuana!
Fielding Mellish is named new Czar of Immigration - the SHOCKING deets are at:
http://spnheadlines.blogspot.com/2010/06/fielding-mellish-is-obamas-new.html
Have a great day! :-)
US dictates every country around the world. However it is pity that some are getting inhuman treatment in the same country. Before trying to act as big brother , first sort out problem in their own land, respect people who came here to work, legally or illegally....
Our immigration system is not broken! We have immigration laws, they are not being enforced! This is not a party issue, illegal immigration effects all of us. Amnesty was given in 1986, and by the looks of it soon after the illegal aliens started lining up again just waiting for the next amnesty. How many times are we going to reward these law breaker? They made the choice to ignore our laws, they need to be held accountable for it. Secure our borders, enforce our immigration laws, make e-verify mandatory, stop all the entitlements and they will self deport. And before some says it's tearing the family apart, their children can go with them. There is nothing that prevents them for taking their children back to their country of origin.
When you are an entrepreneur,
you would like that many customer invest in your company,
don't you think so?
The same for any corporation owner small or big!
A country is nothing else as a large corporation, any immigrant
who bring money to this country as any investment
like paying the mortgage, the property taxes, insurance etc
to build up his/her life has to invest more than $5000 to $850000
depend how big he will be. So any Investor small like a grape
picker or even larger has no rights? Government decisions of
allowing that in between rightness or corrupt builder, mortgage,
attorneys ore people who life in greed can take advantage of those
who are vulnerable by law. madoff, aig, wallstreet etc.. the
variety is very long. Billions of us dollars in miss use.
And now to throw illegal's out of the country is theft.
250000000 victims (2007) of crime are in this country
so how many citizen like you are all over the country
are criminals ex convicts. Most republican war keepers with greed
to take the money from those who are vulnerable that is
the idea. The republican finger pointing, who broad this
country in a financial disaster.
Instead of declaring war to and after the terrorists, with
all spending brought the economy down and Americans who life
undisciplined irresponsible in over valuing there living standards who lost
there homes to be responsible for their depth.
And now take everything away from Immigrants or Aliens ?
Oh, no right to return the food in the restaurant or criticize
the chef or his Kitchen. How low leveled can the people be
Melinda Warner is the Director of PoliticalCorrection.org, a progressive research and information center dedicated to analyzing and correcting conservative misinformation coming from politicians and advocacy groups.
Blog Entries by Melinda Warner
The American People WANT Comprehensive Immigration Reform
Posted June 3, 2010 | 09:49 AM (EST)
Governor Jan Brewer has landed herself a meeting with the president. Good for her.
Unfortunately, any productive conversation that might come out of this meeting will be overshadowed by the nonsense coming from the GOP, Tea Partiers, and Brewer herself. These factions insist that Americans support the new law in Arizona, but they are doing the country a great disservice by not communicating the whole story.
Americans recognize our desperate need for reform. And they know that reform has stalled in Washington, so it isn't that surprising that so many support the Arizona law -- because it is at least an attempt at changing the situation, however misguided it may be.
CNN found that 80% of Americans want illegal immigrants to be able to earn their legal residency -- by having a job and paying back taxes -- compared to the 51% who support the Arizona law.
Additionally, the CNN poll found that 71% of Americans want employers who hire illegal immigrants to be fined to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars. 54% of Americans also want to complete the fence and 88% want to increase Border Patrol along the U.S/Mexico border.
Interestingly, all of these issues are addressed in the Democratic proposal for comprehensive immigration reform.
59% of Quinnipiac respondents said illegal immigration is a "very serious" problem for the U.S. The same poll shows that while 51% approve of the Arizona law and 48% want their state to pass a similar bill, only 45% think the law will reduce illegal immigration, and 45% think the law will "lead to discrimination against Hispanics." So while 51% approve of the measures taken in Arizona, 45% of Americans clearly see the danger of the law sliding into racial discrimination against Latinos.
Quinnipiac also asked an unfortunate question that made respondents choose between two options that are actually both part of what comprehensive immigration reform entails -- when asked if they thought "immigration reform should primarily move in the direction of integrating illegal immigrants into American society or in the direction of stricter enforcement of laws against illegal immigration," 26% answered "integration" and 66% answered "enforcement." In reality, comprehensive immigration reform would incorporate both of these issues. It seems fairly obvious that a real solution would both bring immigrants out of the shadows into mainstream society and toughen enforcement of immigration law at the border and around the country.
A Gallup poll showed that 68% of Americans think border security is either extremely or very important, while 67% think "developing a plan to deal with the large number of illegal immigrants who are already living in the U.S." is either extremely or very important. Both are necessary, and both must be accomplished soon.
Americans support the Arizona law because they don't see the federal government making any moves to address the very serious situation we are in. And Americans recognize that when the federal government won't step up to the plate, the states can and will take matters into their own hands.
But the problem isn't that the federal government or the Democrats in power refuse to tackle the problem. It's the Republicans who are standing in the way of federal action. It's very convenient for Senators like John McCain to rant about the need for more troops at the border, but he -- and others like him -- are willfully deceiving their constituents and the American public at large because McCain and friends have continually voted against funding for the same border security measures they are currently fighting for.
Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) was working closely with Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) before Graham took his ball and went home. And since he decided he didn't want to participate in a bipartisan solution, no other Republican has had the courage to take on the task.
Republicans are the ones who killed immigration reform in 2006 and 2007 -- and they're going to be responsible for killing it in 2010 if none of them are willing to put their partisan nonsense aside and work with Democrats to fix the situation.
Polling shows that Americans want Congress to fix immigration -- now it's up to Republicans to quit hiding behind their partisan agenda and do what needs to be done.
Immigration Myths and Facts
aclu.org/immigrants-rights/immigration-myths-and-facts
April 11, 2008
January 2008
MYTH: Immigrants are a drain on our social services.
FACT: By paying taxes and Social Security, immigrants contribute far more to government coffers than they use in social services.
In its landmark report published in 1997—arguably the most thorough national study to date of immigration's fiscal impacts—the National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academy of Sciences concluded that on average, immigrants generate public revenue that exceeds their public costs over time—approximately $80,000 more in taxes than they receive in state, federal and local benefits over their life times.1 This same conclusion was reached in 2007 by the Council of Economic Advisers in their report to the Executive Office of the President where they state that "the long-run impact of immigration on public budgets is likely to be positive," and agree with the NRC report's view that "only a forward-looking projection of taxes and government spending can offer an accurate picture of the long-run fiscal consequences of admitting new immigrants."2
Indeed, most non-citizens are not even eligible for the majority of welfare programs unless they are legal permanent residents and have resided in the United States legally for at least five years. This includes benefits such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), SSI, Medicaid, and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).
Moreover, according to government reports, noncitizens are much less likely than citizens to use the benefits for which they are eligible. For example, immigrants, especially the undocumented, tend to use medical services much less than the average American.3 In fact, the average immigrant uses less than half the dollar amount of health care services as the average native-born citizen.4 Moreover, the claim that immigrants account for high rates of emergency room (ER) visits is refuted by research; in fact, communities with high rates of ER usage tend to have relatively small percentages of immigrant residents.
Likewise, according to Department of Agriculture reports, noncitizens who are eligible for food stamps are significantly less likely to use them than are all other individuals who are eligible for the program. For example, about 45 percent of eligible noncitizens received food stamps in 2002, compared to almost 60 percent of eligible individuals overall.5
Most of the fiscal impact from immigration is felt at the state and local levels. The Council of Economic Advisors points out in its report to the Executive Office of the President that "the positive fiscal impact tends to accrue at the federal level, but the net costs tend to be concentrated at the state and local level," which bear primary responsibility for providing not only health care but education.6
Still, according to recent studies from a number of cities and states—including the states of Arizona, Texas, Minnesota, California, New York, North Carolina and Arkansas, and cities or counties of Chicago and Santa Clara—while the cost of educating the children of immigrants may be high, the overall economic benefits of immigrants to the states remain positive.7 A University of Illinois study found that undocumented immigrants in the Chicago metropolitan area alone spent $2.89 billion in 2001, stimulating an additional $5.45 billion in total local spending and sustaining 31,908 jobs in the local economy.8
The Udall Center at the University of Arizona found that the fiscal costs of immigrants, starting with education, totaled $1.41 billion in 2004, which, balanced against $1.64 billion in state tax revenue attributable to immigrants as workers, resulted in a fiscal gain of $222.6 million.9 Similarly, in its Special Report about undocumented immigrants in Texas, the Comptroller of Public Accounts found that in 2005, even counting the costs associated with education, "the state revenues collected from undocumented immigrants exceed what the state spent on services, with the difference being $424.7 million."10
MYTH: Immigrants have a negative impact on the economy and the wages of citizens and take jobs away from citizens.
FACT: Immigration has a positive effect on the American economy as a whole and on the income of native-born workers.
In June 2007, the President's Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) issued a report on "Immigration's Economic Impact." Based on a thorough review of the literature, the Council concluded that "immigrants not only help fuel the Nation's economic growth, but also have an overall positive effect on the American economy as a whole and on the income of native-born American workers."11 Among the report's key findings were that, on average, U.S. natives benefit from immigration in that immigrants tend to complement natives, not substitute for them.
Immigrants have different skills, which allow higher-skilled native workers to increase productivity and thus increase their incomes. Also, as the native-born U.S. population becomes older and better educated, young immigrant workers fill gaps in the low-skilled labor markets.12
With respect to wages, in a 1997 study, the National Research Council estimated the annual wage gain due to immigration for U.S. workers to be $10 billion each year13 in 2007 CEA estimated the gain at over $30 billion per year.14 The CEA acknowledges that an increase in immigrant workers is likely to have some negative impact on the wages of low-skilled native workers, but they found this impact to be relatively small and went on to conclude that reducing immigration "would be a poorly-targeted and inefficient way to assist low-wage Americans."15
In addition to having an overall positive affect on the average wages of American workers, an increase in immigrant workers also tends to increase employment rates among the native-born. According to a Pew Hispanic Center study, between 2000 and 2004 "there was a positive correlation between the increase in the foreign-born population and the employment of native-born workers in 27 states and the District of Columbia." These states included all the major destination states for immigrants and together they accounted for 67% of all native-born workers.16 California, for example, saw an increase in wages of natives by about four percent from 1990 to 2004—a period of large influx of immigrants to the state—due to the complimentary skills of immigrant workers and an increase in the demand for tasks performed by native workers.17
MYTH: Immigrants—particularly Latino immigrants—don't want to learn English.
FACT: Immigrants, including Latino immigrants, believe they need to learn English in order to succeed in the United States, and the majority uses at least some English at work.
Throughout our country's history, critics of immigration have accused new immigrants of refusing to learn English and to otherwise assimilate. These charges are no truer today than they were then. As with prior waves of immigrants, there is a marked increase in English-language skills from one immigrant generation to the next.18 In the first ever major longitudinal study of the children of immigrants, in 1992 Rambaut and Portes found that "the pattern of linguistic assimilation prevails across nationalities." The authors go on to report that "the linguistic outcomes for the third generation—the grandchildren of the present wave of immigrants—will be little different than what has been the age-old pattern in American immigration history."19
While many first-generation Latino immigrants are unable to speak English, 88 percent of their U.S.-born adult children report that they speak English very well.20 And studies show that the number rises dramatically for each subsequent generation. Furthermore, similar to other immigrants, Latinos believe that they need to learn English in order to succeed in the United States, and believe they will be discriminated against if they don't.21 Most Latino immigrants (67%) report that they use at least some English at work.22
California's second-generation immigrants experience a large drop in "low levels of English proficiency" compared to first generation immigrants, from 27% to 6%, and the proportion of immigrants with high levels of English proficiency rises from 49% in the first generation to 79% in the second generation. The proportion of both Asian and Latino immigrants, who speak English exclusively rises from 10% in the first generation to 29% in the second and 94% in the third.23
Notwithstanding the current levels of English language acquisition for the newest wave of immigrants, there is a demand for English language classes that far exceeds the supply and which, if met, would greatly advance immigrants' integration into American social and cultural life.
MYTH: Immigrants don't want to become citizens.
FACT: Many immigrants to the United States seek citizenship, even in the face of difficult requirements and huge backlogs that can delay the process for years.
Most immigrants are ineligible to apply for citizenship until they have resided in the U.S. with lawful permanent resident status for five years, have passed background checks, have shown that they have paid their taxes, are of "good moral character, demonstrate knowledge of U.S. history and civics, and have the ability to understand, speak and write English." In addition, people applying for naturalization have to pay a fee, which increased by 69% in 2007 from $400 to $675, making it much harder for low-income immigrants to reach their dream of becoming Americans.24
Despite these barriers, The Pew Hispanic Center's report on U.S. Census data shows that the proportion of eligible immigrants who have acquired citizenship rose to 52% in 2005, "the highest level in a quarter of a century."15 In the 2007 fiscal year, DHS received 1.4 million citizenship applications—nearly double from last fiscal year 26—and between June and July of 2007, naturalization applications increased 350% compared to last year.27 In his testimony to Congress, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director, Emilio Gonzalez, referred to this increase as "unprecedented in the history of immigration services in our nation."28
Yet, despite the promise by USCIS that backlogs would be eliminated, applications for naturalization can take a year and half to adjudicate and of the 1.4 applications it received in 2007, less than 660,000 have been decided.29
MYTH: Immigrants don't pay taxes.
FACT: Almost all immigrants pay income taxes even though they can't benefit from most federal and state local assistance programs and all immigrants pay sales and property taxes.
According to the 2005 Economic Report of the President, "more than half of all undocumented immigrants are believed to be working ‘on the books'…[and]… contribute to the tax rolls but are ineligible for almost all Federal public assistance programs and most major Federal-state programs." According to the report, undocumented immigrants also "contribute money to public coffers by paying sales and property taxes (the latter are implicit in apartment rentals)."30
All immigrants (legal and undocumented) pay the same real estate taxes and the same sales and other consumption taxes as everyone else. The University of Illinois at Chicago found in 2002 that undocumented immigrants in the Chicago metro area spent $2.89 billion annually from their earnings and these expenditures generated $2.56 billion additional spending for the local economy.31
Legal immigrants pay income taxes and indeed many undocumented immigrants also pay income taxes or have taxes automatically withheld from their paychecks—even though they are unable to claim a tax refund, Social Security benefits or other welfare benefits that these taxes support. In the Chicago metro area for example, approximately seventy percent of undocumented workers paid payroll taxes, according to the University of Illinois study from 2002.32 In the Washington Metro Region, immigrants paid the same share of the region's overall taxes (18 percent) as the rest of the population (17.4 percent), according to a 2006 Urban Institute study.33 This study also points to the fact that immigrants' tax payments support both local and state services in addition to the federal government.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) holds that undocumented immigrants "account for a major portion" of the billions of dollars paid into the Social Security system—an estimated $520 billion as of October 2005.34 The SSA keeps a file called the "earnings suspense file" on all earnings with incorrect or fictitious Social Security numbers and the SSA's chief actuary stated in 2005 that "three quarters of other-than-legal immigrants pay payroll taxes."35 Their figures show that the suspense file is growing by more than $50 billion a year, generating $6 to 7 billion in Social Security tax revenue and about $1.5 billion in Medicare taxes.
MYTH: Immigrants send all their money back to their home countries instead of spending money here.
FACT: Immigrants do send money to family members, making it possible for more people to stay in their home countries rather than migrating to the United States. Importantly, sending remittances home does not keep immigrants from spending money in the United States.
It's true that remittances are the biggest sources of foreign currency for most Latin American countries and surpass any amount of foreign aid sent by the U.S. The money sent by immigrants to their family members allows many people to stay in their home countries who might otherwise feel compelled to migrate to the U.S.
And while 51 percent of Latino immigrants send remittances home,36 they are spending their money in the United States as well. In fact, a 1998 study found that immigrants become net economic contributors after 10 to 15 years in the U.S.37
In addition to paying taxes and Social Security, immigrants spend money on goods and services in the United States. A study of Latino immigrants in California found significant gains in home ownership between those who had been in this country for ten years (16.4 percent are homeowners) and those who had been here for over thirty years (64.6 percent).38 Furthermore, a 2002 Harvard University study of U.S. Census data found that there were more than 5.7 million foreign- born homeowners in the United States.39 The study found that foreign-born new homeowners are buying their homes by saving more than native-born homebuyers and stretching their incomes more.
While homeownership nationally was approximately 69% in 2006, it was 60% for Asians and 50% for Latinos—each group with large immigrant populations and therefore greater impediments to obtaining bank loans.40 Although homeownership is largely correlated with legal status in the U.S., undocumented immigrants are also buying into the "American Dream" of homeownership in some of the most expensive housing markets in the country.41
MYTH: Immigrants bring crime to our cities and towns.
FACT: Immigrants are actually far less likely to commit crimes than their native-born counterparts. Even as the undocumented population has increased in the United States, crime rates have decreased significantly.
According to a 2000 report prepared for the U.S. Department of Justice, immigrants maintain low crime rates even when faced with adverse social conditions such as low income and low levels of education.42
Although incarceration rates are highest among young low-income men and many immigrants arriving in the U.S. are young men with low levels of education, incarceration rates among young men are invariably lower for immigrants than for their native-born counterparts. This is true across every ethnic group but the differences are especially noticeable among Mexicans, Salvadorans and Guatemalans, who constitute the majority of undocumented immigrants in the United States. Even in cities with the largest immigrant populations, such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Miami, violent and non-violent crime rates have continued to decline.43
Even after taking into account higher deportation rates since the mid 1990's, and reviewing the 1980 and 1990 censuses, the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) ascertained that, "18-40 year-old male immigrants have lower institutionalization rates than the native born each year…and by 2000, immigrants have institutionalization rates that are one-fifth those of the native born."44 In fact, according to the NBAR study, the newly arrived immigrants are particularly unlikely to be involved in crime.
Cities like Hazleton, Pennsylvania have tried to blame a new wave of immigrants for a supposed rise in crime. Yet, Hazleton's own crime statistics taken from the Pennsylvania State Police show that overall crime in the city has decreased and is now less than half of the national average.45
MYTH: Most immigrants are undocumented and have crossed the border illegally.
FACT: Two thirds of immigrants are here lawfully—either as naturalized citizens or in some other lawful status. Moreover, almost half of all undocumented immigrants entered the United States legally.
According to the Pew Hispanic Center, one third of all immigrants are undocumented, one third have some form of legal status and one third are naturalized citizens. This applies to immigrants from Latin America as well as others.46
Almost half of all undocumented immigrants entered the United States on visas that allowed them to reside here temporarily—either as tourists, students, or temporary workers. This means they were subject to inspection by immigration officials before entering the country,47 and became undocumented only when their visas expired and they didn't leave the country.
MYTH: Weak border enforcement has led to high rates of undocumented immigration. We should increase enforcement and build a wall around our border.
FACT: Increased border security and the construction of border fences have done little to curb the flow of immigrants across the United States border. Instead, these policies have only succeeded in pushing border crossers into dangerous and less-patrolled regions, and increased the undocumented population by creating an incentive for immigrants not to leave.
Building a wall along the entire 2000-mile southern U.S. border would be prohibitively expensive. According to a study by the Cato Institute, rather than acting as a deterrent to those attempting to cross the border, increased enforcement has only succeeded in pushing immigration flows into more remote, less patrolled regions, resulting in a tripling of the death rate at the border and decreased apprehensions, and creating a dramatic increase in taxpayer money spent on making arrests along the border (from $300 per arrest in 1992 to $1,200 per arrest in 2002).48
Furthermore, increased border enforcement has actually increased the number of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. at any one time. The increased risk and cost to immigrants of crossing the border has resulted in fewer undocumented immigrants returning to their home countries for periods of time as part of the decades-long circular migration patterns that characterize undocumented immigration from Mexico up until the 1990s. Instead, immigrants stay in the United States for longer periods of time, often choosing to immigrate their families to avoid longer periods of separation.49
The Secure Fence Act of 2006 directed the Department of Homeland Security to construct 850 miles of additional border fencing. According to a report by Congressional Research Services, the San Diego fence, combined with increased border patrol agents in the area, succeeded in decreasing border crossing in that region, but at the same time there is considerable evidence that the flow of illegal immigration has shifted to the more remote areas of the Arizona desert, decreasing the number of apprehensions and increasing the cost.50
aclu.org/immigrants-rights/immigration-myths-and-facts
Hey guys let me tell u guys one thing i played by the rule and am stilla waiting the green card 13 years in already paid taxes owe my on house have 2 daughters born here and american citizen so dont give tht play by rule shit. An america is a land of immigrants hello look at the history. We need to get this pepole legal including and clearing the legal path for pepole waiting before them and lift the per country cap which restricts pepole like me to wait for years and years of agony to get green card. I bet i have paid more taxes then some of those red necks out here and live and will continue to pay taxes more then them.
obama has to act on this now then never. This pepole can go back in line pay taxes which in turn will reduce our deficit hello. Also there should be a process to expedite green cards for pepole who play by rule for a fee which will again reduce deficit. If the president is reading this u honestly in my opinion are doing a wonderful job in office .
I wish Louis "I Love the Mexicans" Gutierrez woulds resign already, as he is a traitor and an insult to America and the State of Illinois. He should just move to Mexico and help them since he panders to the illegals enough to make you want to puke. CIR will NEVER pass as Americans do not feel that millions of criminals who break so many laws daily should be rewarded for the crimes. Enforce the darn laws already and punish those who have break them. AZ is right to enforce the laws since the Feds refuse. Whats the point of having immigration laws if no one has the stones to enforce them. Our gov't should be ashamed for letting this problem get so out of hand. Deport all illegals !
deb growup and ask ur ancestors where they are from . If u even remeber who ur dad is or how many u have lol. cRIMINALS MY ASS LOOK AND SEE WHO DOES UR LAWN if u have one or if u leaving in a ghetto area which i believe u are. This pepole work hard even thou im not frm there i know this are hard workign pepole. Criminal theres more white and black criminals then illegals hello.
@bobby, hey dink, guess what i have Latins in my family but they ALL went through the process, they ALL speak perfect English, it is pronounced JOB not YOB, i mow my own damned lawn, i work with CBE and i can and do report any one i suspect of being illegal, the last time i reported an illegal you want to know what they found when they knocked on his door? a freaking meth lab!!! now tell me they aren't criminals. it is really very simply fill out the papers, take the classes, learn English, and get the card, i know dozens of people who have been in country less than 2 years and have theirs, you never even tried for your did you, 13 years my foot. ILLEGAL GO HOME, LEGAL WELCOME HOME!!!
Please do it already!!! Arent all the sufferings frm years enough for them? Most of them dint even broke any law. Our poor immigration policies made them illegal. Humanity demands amnesty now. PLEASE its the time now. At least they dint marry our mothers and sisters to get the green card. I know many illegals, they are here frm 12 to 13 years and they all do pay taxes and follow the rules. PLEASE SHOW SOME MERCY TO THEM. PLEASE.
IMMIGRATION REFORM.... THE TIME IS NOW!
Unfair treatment by a country championing civil rights all over the world is not acceptable. ONLY by passing comprehnesive immigration reform that shows human dignity will this country ever be able to talk about violation of human rights anywhere else on the planet.
PASS the comprehensive immigration reform NOW. JESUS SAID YOU ARE SINNERS. REDEEM YOURDSELF NOW!!!!!
who ever was threatning to call authorities go on bitch and do it. I have been here legally and am still legal haha. I know better English then or ur entire family and am from India hello. Also have a Masters degree in business and i bet u pay more taxes then ur entire family ever has. N i have been here legally ok get a life and look at the legal immigration line for pepole u redneck unknowledgable fool
america haha i was in a hurry u ass anyway only an uneducated fool can write what u wrote. Shows how knowledgable u are and i bet u, u live on social security at least i dont .