I am an American born citizen, retired Soldier, and taxpayer. I’m Irish, Scots, German, and Cherokee. Those of my ancestors who arrived on boats went through Ellis Island. They were laborers, factory workers and farmers. They adopted the traditions, principles, and language of their new country. And they did it LEGALLY. None of them were wealthy. There was no welfare system or government dole to help them when they got here. They endured ethnic discrimination, lived in their own working-class enclaves, and became productive members of American society.
What is happening now is not “immigration”. It’s an invasion. They came across the border, first in a trickle, and now in droves. “Guest worker” policies will not work. All that does is encourage the illegals already here to stay without actually becoming legal citizens. “Guests” are invited and I didn’t send out any invitations.
Along with the so-called “hard working” illegals, we have involuntarily absorbed some of Central and South America’s worst dredges of humanity. Rapists, pedophiles, thieves, murderers, MS-13 gangs and other assorted felons have embedded themselves into the country to continue their crime sprees at our expense.
Illegals don’t intend to become American citizens and assimilate into the culture by learning English and adopting the traditions inherent to American history and society.
There are also radical anarchist groups such as MEChA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán), who have openly stated the intent to cede the Southwestern U.S. to Mexico. That’s not an exageration.
The cliché that “foreign workers fill the jobs that Americans don’t want” is patently false. Corrupt employers hire them because it’s cheap labor, they don’t have to pay worker’s compensation, and there’s no Social Security tax to worry about. The employers are finally starting to feel the pinch. GOOD. They need to pay fines and do some jail time for violating the U.S. Codes.
In Alabama, 70 American citizens were sent home from a construction site in support of Hurricane Katrina relief and replaced with illegals that were transported to the area. The employers announced that “the Mexicans had arrived” and unceremoniously fired the Americans the same day. What you have here is violation of Federal Law and international smuggling of illegals for the purpose of displacing American workers. This type of criminal activity is taking place all over the country.
When Senator John McCain makes the fatuous claim that “illegals take jobs Americans don’t want”, he hasn’t bothered to speak with the thousands of displaced Americans who supposedly “didn’t want” the jobs to begin with. The employers who abet these criminals had better be careful of what they wish for. If even a third of them become legal here’s what will happen: The unearned rights and benefits they were handed will be mitigated by responsibilities like taxes, liability for the loans they got, paying for health care, and being subject to the laws and regulations that go with being a citizen; something that will come as a shock, no doubt. In addition, you can bet those falsified IDs, that they will also demand higher wages and join unions. Employers will be forced to account for all the illegals they hired (hopefully, retroactively) and pay back taxes and worker’s compensation. The financial burden will finally be distributed to the employers as it was with the citizens who have been footing the bill along. Bye-bye cheap labor, heeeeeeelllloooooo obligation. What will the employers do then? Recruit more illegals to dodge the system….again? None of these scenarios paint a pretty economic picture.
Regardless of what happens with the proposed illegal immigration reform, the border must be secured. There is no choice in this matter, as our survival and national security depend on it. Terrorists have also used the sieve that pretends to be a boundary as easy access to American soil. It will take another 3000 lives before President Bush and the comatose members of Congress and Senate get a clue.
This is the solution: Secure the border with a wall, supplemented with guard towers, high-powered rifles with scopes, night-vision equipment, roving patrols, tracking dogs, and motion sensors. Give the Border Patrol the weaponry they need to do their job. Have the Army Corps of Engineers on hand to seek and destroy the underground tunnels already in existence or currently being dug by South-of the Border thugs. This is not an extreme suggestion, considering that illegal aliens and terrorists, with the support of the Mexican government, have been able to infiltrate at will. The Mexican Army has contributed to this crime by crossing into U.S. territory and shooting at the U.S. Border Patrol. I don’t know what they call that in the Senate, but in my Army we call it an act of war. The Mexican government, headed by yet another of string of corrupt politicians, has yet to fix their country or stem the tide of illegals. They in fact, encourage them. It should not be the duty of the United States and our tax-paying legal residents to pick up the slack for a country that refuses to economically haul itself into the 21st century.
Secondly, the existing immigration system needs an overhaul. A probationary period prior to granting citizenship should be enforced with the following stipulations: Demand that the country of origin provide information including criminal records. NO information, NO entrance. Require immigrant prospective citizens to register with State and local authorities, submit the proper forms when applying for jobs, and attend mandatory English and civics classes. Those who do not comply will be arrested and sent packing with a Federal Marshal escort on the first plane smoking out of the country.
The following are excerpts from the Federal Statute known as Title 8 of the U.S. Code. It’s a must read for the illegal alien apologists and the ACLU:
US law on illegal entry:
US Code Title 8 Section 1325.
(a) Improper time or place; avoidance of examination or inspection; Misrepresentation and concealment of facts:
Any alien who (1) enters or attempts to enter the United States at any time or place other than as designated by immigration officers, or (2) eludes examination or inspection by immigration officers, or (3) attempts to enter or obtains entry to the United States by a willfully false or misleading representation or the
willful concealment of a material fact, shall, for the first commission of any such offense, be fined under title 18 or imprisoned not more than 6 months, or both, and, for a subsequent commission of any such offense, be fined under title 18, or imprisoned not more than 2 years, or both. Any alien who is apprehended while entering (or attempting to enter) the United States at a time or place other than as designated by immigration officers shall be subject to a civil penalty of –
(1) at least $50 and not more than $250 for each such entry (or attempted entry); or (2) twice the amount specified in paragraph (1) in the case of an alien who has been previously subject to a civil penalty under this subsection.
Civil penalties under this subsection are in addition to, and not in lieu of, any criminal or other civil penalties that may be imposed.Federal Law regarding the hiring of illegals:
Section 274 felonies under the federal Immigration and Nationality Act, INA 274A(a)(1)(A): “A person (including a group of persons, business, organization, or local government) commits a federal felony when she or he:
Assists an illegal alien s/he should reasonably know is illegally in the U.S. or who lacks employment authorization, by transporting, sheltering, or assisting him or her to obtain employment, or encourages that illegal alien to remain in the U.S. by referring him or her to an employer or by acting as employer or agent for an employer in any way, or knowingly assists illegal aliens due to personal convictions. Penalties upon conviction include criminal fines, imprisonment, and forfeiture of vehicles and real property used to commit the crime. Anyone employing or contracting with an illegal alien without verifying his or her work authorization status is guilty of a misdemeanor. Aliens and employers violating immigration laws are subject to arrest, detention, and seizure of their vehicles or property. In addition, individuals or entities who engage in racketeering enterprises that commit (or conspire to commit) immigration-related felonies are subject to private civil suits for treble damages and injunctive relief.”
Those who aid and abet:
Federal Immigration and Nationality Act
Section 8 USC 1324(a)(1)(A)(iv)( b )(iii)
Which states, in part,
“Any person who . . . encourages or induces an illegal alien to . . . reside . . . knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that such . . . residence is . . . in violation of law, shall be punished as provided . . . for each illegal alien in respect to whom such a violation occurs . . . fined under title 18 . . . imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.”
“It is a violation of law for any person to conceal, harbor, or shield from detection in any place, including any building or means of transportation, any alien who is in the United States in violation of law. Harboring means any conduct that tends to substantially facilitate an alien to remain in the U.S. illegally. This provision includes harboring an alien who entered the U.S. legally but has since lost his legal status.”
And last but certainly not least, make it understood that service to this country in the form of enlisting in the Armed Forces would be an excellent opportunity for them to prove how sincere they are about really being an American.
I keep hearing about the “complexities” of immigration enforcement when all it really is laziness and complacency on the part of the U.S. government, which allowed illegal immigration to grow to menacing proportions. We all know that the reality of the government enforcing immigration laws is about as likely as the illegal human sewage making an effort to become legalized citizens.
The time to take action was about 25 million illegals ago, but better late than never.