[Click2Houston] "Ike" Students Skip School To Protest Immigration Plan (w/video)

but its not like walking right across the border. and not only are we right on the border, our border is pretty extensive. remember when those hatian immigrants were trying to get here, they weren't hop skipping and jumping. they were risking their lives on rafts. same things with cubans.

 

also, I don't know if the jobs that are available to immigrants here are available to western european countries. the situations are really not comparable. those european countries already have high rates of unemployment.

 

Spain has possessions in Northern Africa (Ceuta & Melilla) that are fenced off but overwhelmed with fence jumpers who basically come at them in human waves.

Anyway, the size of the body of water is immaterial - the fact that the mediterranean sea doesn't prevent thousands of illegal immigrants from Africa & from getting into Europe each year, where there is much less of an immigrant-accepting tradition, should tell you something. Jobs or no jobs, life in Spain or Italy is perceived as a lot better than life in Chad or Ethiopia or whererever.

 

but over here we have established a culture for immigrants that this is where the jobs are. I just don't think you can blame it on lack of gov't intervention, there are large issues at play. we still have an economy that supporsts immigrants, our large homes, our farms, our overall construction, we are still a growing country.

what does an immigrant in europe have to look forward to?

 

even europeans are leaving europe for here. we are the destination.

 

Well, if they're lucky, asylum and a generous helping of state aid. Anyway Europe also needs manual workers in a lot of places given the low birth-rate and resulting demographic crunches- though those jobs are now being given to eastern bloc-ers with EU enlargement . The Scandanavian countires, with small populations, ahve traditionally had a lot of guest worker immigrants from beyond.

 

It's much, much harder legally for europeans to come here than it is for latin americans due to the 'family reunification' laws. The poorer class mexican community has huge families. And when one family member makes it over illegally and grabs a foothold (usually by dropping an "Hecho en Mexico" baby on U.S soil) and converts to legal status, our wonderful government makes it possible for them to bring the whole clan over.

When I visited the UK I met someone who had tried for years, going through all the paperwork to get the opportunity. She sees how easy it is for the unskilled & uneducated from latin america to come over here. She was so frustrated and she told me "I guess i'm the wrong colour, or I speak English too well, or I am too educated."

She's got a point. Our immigration policy is crazy.

It's just not right. Not culturally, and not economically.

 

We don't have immigration quotas on immigrants from EU nations.

 

Quotas are irrelevant in this discussion. You have missed the point.

 

You're using anecdotal evidence to make your point. I'm questioning the validity of your anecdotal evidence.

Please enlighten me on your "point".

 

The "Hecho en Mexico baby" concept is a popular myth. However, factually, it is not accurate. You do not become legal in the United States by having a baby here.

 

JsianNYC1 and Aceshigh7 have now made me think that we should abolish legal immigration and only have illegal immigration..

Legal immigration may have a tendency to attract the types of immigrants who are hostile toward the traditional American way of being open and welcoming to immigrants and new customs.

 

Interesting idea. Lets take is a step further and deport any American who is hateful. We can start with the President and VP, by sending them back to their ancestoral home country.

 

i hate this nonsense. people who come here without documentation commit crimes and dont pay taxes? says who?

and pray tell have you ever gotten a ticket? perhaps downloaded a song? pasted an article from a subscription service on a message board? those are all crimes. everyone commits crimes.

 

When you get a ticket, you pay a fine. When you download songs illegally and get caught, you pay a fine. There are consequences for breaking the law. American citizens face these consequences so I don't see why illegal immigrants shouldn't face the consequences, as well.

 

i agree.... start means testing the illegals, and those that aren't pulling their weight, ship them back. the ones that are, maybe we can let them stay, but force the employers to pay a fair wage, bring competition back to the pay structure.

i find it interesting that the unemployment rate, around 5%, equals 12million US citizens. also, the number of illegals that are in the country is assumed to be 11-13million.... ship them out, pay fair wages, and unemployment could drop to <1%.

**** outsourcing too.

 

they have to live in crappy conditions knowing they can be deported anytime. they are scared to go to the authorities for legitimate reasons because of being 'illegal'. their mental stress im sure beats my worry of getting a ticket wehn i speed.

 

1% unemployment is not a desirable rate. Anywhere from 4-6% is considered optimal and is an indication of a "healthy" job situation. 1% is too small and will make for an inflexible labor market.

We do not have a problem with unemployment at the levels that we have today (4.8% currently).

 

to the dems, that rate is out of control.
see: 2004 presidental campaign.

you also must admit that it's an interesting correlation that the numbers are nearly identical.

 

If they think the rate is "out of control", then the democrats are just trying to rabble rouse. They're ignorant and wrong. Both are highly possible.