Immigration Reform and its impact on the Republican Party.
First off, the Tea Party these days seems almost as if it is a separate entity. As far as immigration reform, it seems that all conversations with them about this always leads to securing our southern border. No mention of the northern border at all, even though that is probably where any potential terrorists would probably come in from for that very reason. And when you say "illegals", their minds automatically translate to "Mexicans", regardless of whether or not they are actually from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador or any of the other Latin American countries.
Facts:
- The numbers of illegals who are of Hispanic descent has been steadily declining since 2007. This is not due to any political policy or "self deportation" attempts. It is pure economics. There are fewer jobs here, money is tight, so they decide to go back home. Unless a party wants to take credit for the poor economy, they can't step forward and take credit for this.
- The fastest growing group of illegals is not from Latin America. They are from Asian India. Their numbers have grown by 125% in the last 10 years, and yet are largely ignored. They come over here with H-1B visas, authorized to work in the US for a period of time, and never go back. These are the illegal immigrants who are taking the jobs that Americans want to do, and are educated and qualified to do. High paying jobs in Information Technology and Engineering. Hispanics are by and large relegated to unskilled labor, such as hospitality services, farm work, landscaping and food service. Those jobs that pay minimum wage that Americans really do not want to do (and can not afford to work at, if they want to have a decent standard of living).
- Illegals in the US DO pay taxes, regardless of what you hear. They obtain an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) from the IRS to use. They pay an estimated $11.2 billion dollars per year. Included in this is Social Security, which they will never collect. These funds are helping keep Social Security solvent.
- Illegals DO pay for educating their children in the US. For those of you who don't understand how the education system gets their money to pay for schooling at the local level, it comes from property taxes. Even if you rent, you are paying property taxes, as they are incorporated in your rent.
- Illegals can NOT receive welfare or any form of public assistance whatsoever. In order to do so, they must have a government issued ID and Social Security number (not an ITIN). As a matter of fact, they can not even get assistance from the Salvation Army, as they have the same requirements.
- If you wanted to apprehend, detain and deport every illegal in the US right now, it would cost an estimated $258,302,000,000. This is based on a Homeland Security study showing that it costs an average of $23,482 per person. On top of the, the net loss to the US GDP is an estimated $2.5 trillion.
- Of the 5 traditional "gateway" states where illegals enter and settle, only 2 are actually on the southern border. Two of the others are actually northern states by Canada. This defies the notion that simply putting up a fence on the southern border (See the Berlin Wall) would have any real impact.
The main problem a lot of Republicans-and especially the Tea Party-have with immigrants from Latin America is the fact that they are brown. There can be no other reason. It is not an economical or security issue, and never has been, It is simply a racial issue, and is biased against "those Mexicans". As a mater of fact, in many states that have been passing "Arizona" type bills, during the reading of the debate minutes you will find disbursed all throughout references to "Mexicans" and not to "illegal aliens". Now, if we were to change that language throughout the whole Tea Party and Republican Party to "blacks", or "Irish" we would see a great outrage, correct?
If the Republican part EVER wants to receive the Hispanic vote (which they need to win the White House) they must recognize a few things. First, a vast majority of Hispanic voters have family members who came here illegally. If you are threatening to throw out their parents and grandparents, do you really think they will support you? If you keep referring to them in a derogatory manner, do you think they will ever listen? They share many of the same values that the Republican party claims to possess. The vast majority are religious, mainly Catholic. Being Catholic, they are pro life. Everyone knows Hispanics are known for hard work and making their own way. Hispanics are also financial conservatives. These are all of the things Republicans "claim" to stand for...but maybe not if you are brown?
Democrats at least have been giving this issue a half-hearted try. I say half-hearted because it seems they have always been willing to quietly sell the issue out for the chance to save a few trees, get approval for something green, or trade it for one of their other pet projects. As an issue, it comes up, is given publicity, and is quietly traded off and pushed aside instead of being pursued. Whenever a country is in the middle of a civil war, the neighboring countries have always been supportive. Look what is happening in the middle east? Jordan was just awarded billions to assist them with refugee aid. And yet Mexico has been engaged in a virtual civil war for almost a decade, with no real recognition or aid. (There have been in excess of 60,000 innocent civilians killed there so far-more than the total of US troops lost in Vietnam.) Instead of the Left giving them recognition, aid and accepting their people here at least with Temporary Protected Status (the way we do with many peoples coming from countries with similar conditions), they use them as a bargaining tool, dangling a carrot in front of them for votes (Obama with the promises which were not delivered on).
OK, it's started. Some thoughts? Try to research and post facts, see things from a neutral point of view (if you can). |
