http://hsc.house.gov/PDFs/InvestigationsSubcommitteereport.pdf (http://hsc.house.gov/PDFs/InvestigationsSubcommitteereport.pdf)


Yea, we have a problem alright..

I have an idea of how to stop the illegal aliens coming here. We can all quit our present jobs and get jobs as landscapers, trash haulers, cleaning people, dishwashers.

This will leave no employment for those illegals thereby causing a mass exodus back to the border because there will be no work for them.

You first.

There isnt a drug problem in the US because of seive like borders, there is problem at the borders because of a drug problem in the US.

While I agree we need to secure the borders, and even would support a real, effective fence, closing the border merely shifts the drug trafficing problem to somewhere else, and we need to be ready for that reality.

If you want some further info regarding the "invasion" of America, www.npg.org has some very informative articles, the top one being a very comprehensive look at the impact on the work force of teenage and young adult workers.

If the CIS article regarding the loss of native-born employment due to immigrant hiring could be condensed and made a bit more of an interesting read, and then carried by the major newspapers, I wonder how much more of a leading issue Immigration might be in this election.

Yeah, it's a big steaming pile of crap here (I live in Laredo, as most of you know). "Catch and release", especially of OTMs (other than Mexicans) has been commonplace; in addition, OTMs apprehended in other Texas cities were regularly released on our streets (in batches of 100 or so) in the 'hopes' that they would go back across into Mexico. It will be interesting to see if this practice *really* stops post this edict, or overcrowding and expediency will drive Homeland Security back into releasing folks onto the street (I expect the latter).

Nevertheless, despite the war-zone like conditions here and across, our city and county governments are both protesting the fence and... promoting tourism ;). They even commissioned a study of other Texas/Mexico border town pairs with repect to border violence, in order to try to provide evidence that the activity here was being blown out of proportion; but this was quickly scuttled when it was discovered that our murder rate is five *times* that of the other border cities of comparable size (36 murders in Matomoros Jan-July vs 168 in Nuevo Laredo, similar ratios for our side).

We have amusing nightly news here, of about equal proportions who got killed on both sides of the border/drug busts/shutdowns of money laundering operations, and 'Booming Business Reports' of how rosy things are here (as measured by how many new car washes and 'authentic' Mexican restaurants have opened up this week ;) ).

My personal feeling is that we are trying to do too little, too late, that the water has already burst the dam and we are now fighting a tide of anti-border control sentiment from factions who have no interest in border control because it conflicts with *their* particular economic interests (the enormous number of illegal immigrants already here on the one hand, who frequently want to bring additional family and friends across, and profiteering businesses, legal and illegal, on the other); as well as well-meaning, but misguided, folks who want to preserve the myth of America (and not I say 'myth' as we've not in recent history had completely unrestricted immigration to this country) as a place welcoming to everyone, and who don't want to appear racist.

Any measures that we take are going to have to be sweeping in scope and will 'feel' draconian if they are to have any effect. Not only do we need a real border fence (and not that laughable piece of crap Chertoff posed in front of for pictures, while Mexicans were heckling him from the river, last fall), but we need stiff sanctions against employers who hire illegal aliens and a quick, efficient, deportation policy. Truthfully, considering how much more some border towns (Laredo in particular) identify with Mexico, as opposed to the US, I sometimes wonder, in my more cynical moments, if we shouldn't just cede some of them back to Mexico and see how fabulous everyone who lives in those towns (and all the neighboring colonias) thinks it is *then* ;).

I also, despite and perhaps especially in light of the severity of the drug-related violence problem here, think that we should decriminalize, regulate, and tax shipments of narcotics into this country, as they're going in by the truckload (literally!) anyway, usually with the tacit knowledge and approval of paid-off or intimidated Customs and Border Patrol officials. At the very least, it'd be cheaper, in dollars, manpower, and lives, than the current model.

Regards,
Nydia

P.S. Population growth is, of course, the 'elephant in the living room' with regard to immigration pressure on us from Latin American countries; however, not only are folks reluctant to talk about it, but I know with absolute certainty that I would be fired if I made my opinions known on population growth, despite the fact that I *teach* population biology as part of the required freshman sequence here. It is, in fact, the starter topic for another thread, but I am functioning on almost no sleep and am preparing to hit the road for the weekend, so it will have to wait.

And I just read the report from the Center for Immigration Studies that Bylimet linked. Their data is impressive, although it simply confirms what many of us in border states know well already; that entire sectors of the economy are being 'contracted out', off-books, to illegal immigrants, while the native born youth here cannot find jobs and frequently have to leave the area for work (unless they go to work in law enforcement or health care, both booming industries here).

Regards,
Nydia

P.S. I'd also like to add that my last two posts in no way, shape or form, indicate a turn in my direction politically towards the right; however, it is my opinion that we as a soverign nation have both the right and the duty to our citizens to protect our borders, our integrity as a nation, and to support and protect the social contract that we have devised for ourselves.

As Nydia hinted, those of us living in these areas already know how many jobs illegals hold. Ever work in a restaurant, or stockhouse, or construction? How about the government quick goofing around and actually punish employers who knowing and intentionally hire illegals?

How about the government quick goofing around and actually punish employers who knowing and intentionally hire illegals?

Because they are afraid to. For several reasons.

One, ALL politicians, regrdless of party, recieve they're power and money from corporate interests who pay them well not to do anything like that.

Also, it would be hard to guage the economic impact of a policy that essential curtailed the hiring of these people.

In addition, the cost of enforcing that policy would be substaintial.

...not that I don't agree with the sentiment.

This problem doesn't have easy solutions, and no single solution will work.

Yes, we do need to make it more difficult to cross the border.

We need to also put in a system where employers can check the vailidity of SS numbers and other IDs to verify citisenship.

We need to give people who are hard workers, have roots in this country and want to be Americans a path to do so.

We need to enforce our laws on those who violate them, regardless of citisenship. No more free passes because our law enforcement doesn't want to deal with illegals. No more, dumping these criminals back in Mexico, only to see them come back the US over and over to commit crimes.

We need to put in a system for those who want to come here to work, but do not want to be citisens. So they, and their employer, can pay their share of the infrastructure needed to support them in this country.

Problem is...all of this costs big bucks, and those in power, and their supporters, reep the benefits and see none of the problems the status quo creates. That's why you'll only see lip service and political grandstanding solutions to the problem....most likely for any foreseeable future.

We need to also put in a system where employers can check the vailidity of SS numbers and other IDs to verify citisenship.
I think employers have the ability to verify citizenship as is, at least to a reasonable degree. It's not lack of ability to confirm citizenship that lies at the heart of businesses employing illegals, it's willingness to employ cheap labor.

it's not lack of ability to confirm citizenship that lies at the heart of businesses employing illegals

I've heard things saying both. One gentleman I've talked to, mentioned how difficult it was to verify SS numbers and other IDs when he managed a Pizza Hut, beyond that I'm don't know how difficult it actually is. In his situation, by the time he could get any verification of anything, months later, the person had left and gone back to Mexico. But at least if you had a system that was could give citisenship info in a timely fashion, they couldn't use that as an excuse...as they are doing today.

Catch an illegal>sentence to 1 year labor>transfer to fence construction camp>illegal serves one year as prison labor constructing fence, receiving food, shelter and clothing>at the end of one year, immediate deportation to country of origin>if second offense, 2 years labor, and so on.

They are criminals. They have broken the law. There needs to be a consequence. And after the southern border has been fenced, they can go to the Canada-U.S. border and construct a wall because, as Lewis Black has pointed out, "That is where the cold air comes from".

Good plan Bly.
I also think we should bill their country of origin for the cost of the food, shelter and clothing...