Illegal immigration?

[milefile]

I live near the U.S. / Mexico border. Because of that, illegal immigration is a constant issue. In the summer not a day goes by that I don't hear about more dehydrated Mexicans found dead in the desert.

Recently "militias" have sprung up along the border, mostly ranchers and land owners who think the immigrants should die by their guns instead of the elements.

Most of the workers in the factory / warehouse section of where I work are illegal Mexican immigrants. I've seen their social security cards... I didn't know people still used bubble jet printers. They also tend to change their names a lot. Occasionaly the Social Security Administration calls to find out why 85 year old Helen Miller's social security number is being used by 22 year old Juana Salmerone. This is the case with any manufacturiing, landscaping, or resturaunt endeavor in Arizona.

Some people are just so wacked out about it, talking about killing them all, etc. Psycho hick trash.

The "illegals" pay taxes every time they work (unless they work for cash, rent-a-bum type jobs) or buy anything. And they are much less likely to use any of the services offered by government for fear of getting caught and deported. Maybe they're a benefit to the U.S.

Conversely, they drive around in unsafe vehicles with no license or insurance.

What's you opinion on this. Let's keep it limited to immigrants from Central and South America and the Carribean.

 

[Pupik]

Same goes here in South Florida. Plenty of Haitians, Cubans, and people of other nations (not quite as many as the first two) come on over here. Some make it by plane (quite dangerous, in fact), others float on over here in a boat (usually even more dangerously!).

I'm one of the rare American national citizens around here whom isn't against immigrants, so as long as they become natural citizens. Pay your taxes, vote, get a license, picked for jury duty, etc. When you're here for other reasons, I feel you'd better have a darned good reason (ambassador, work visa, travel, etc.) I can't just stroll into some countries and automatically gain the same rights and acceptance, why should anyone else do so by illegal means?

There are a lot of people here who don't remember how and why they/or their ancestors came into the US: floating in on a boat or flying in to look for the American Dream. I don't see how that's any different. My ancestors came from Russia in the 1880's to Ellis Island because the political pressure was getting too tough for them; they couldn't have a nice picnic outside in a park in the middle of the day, I was told. That did it. They left almost everything behind, and a few families and relatives came to the US (not sure exactly if they were "stowaways" or legitimately boarded a ship, though). My distant relatives came here for freedom, and that's why so many others have arrived.

Conditions in many Caribbean countries are horrendous if you're in the poorest class, and the middle class finds themselves squeezed out into the lower classes, a situation they probably don't want. Others have little to nothing to lose.

One thing that does bug me is some people really give you an attitude because you don't speak Spanish, and that's a piss-poor attitude to have. And it's not just the poor, it's middle class folk whom ask me a question, and I can't give a reply because my Spanish skills haven't been used for a while; I remember the basics, but not much after the 4th week of class, sadly! My family ditched Russian for English in a hurry. Granted, I may be a little harsh (maybe it took my ancestors years to learn...), but it bugs me when I couldn't get certain jobs I was well qualified for except they wanted "bilingual applicants only!"

 

[1X83Z]

Originally posted by milefile

Conversely, they drive around in unsafe vehicles with no license or insurance.

Directing only the comment above: The INS is unable to enforce US government laws. They're understaffed, underpaid, and in one case on the Arizona/Mexico border in southwest Arizona, they're not allowed on the Indian Reservation that backs up to the Mexico border, which is where many Illegals cross due to this loophone.

Illegal immigrants are scared about getting caught. So rather than get a drivers' licence because they would be arrested when they show up at the MVB, they find a way to get a licence plate (fortunately for the illegals, Arizona and New Mexico require just one. ) and drive on it.

My beef is that this puts us all at enormous risk. Half of all drivers in New Mexico have no insurance. And you can't get insurance for a car without a drivers' licence. Since illegals can't get drivers' licences, they also can't get insurance. This increases the likelihood for a hit and run accident, and certainly for a non-paying motorist when in an accident.

So why can't we just let them get drivers' licences and stop putting our own people in danger because the INS won't do its job?

 

[milefile]

Originally posted by M5Power


So why can't we just let them get drivers' licences and stop putting our own people in danger because the INS won't do its job?

Well, some people say that's just caving in. It's been proposed, but people freaked about it.

 

[1X83Z]

Originally posted by milefile
Well, some people say that's just caving in. It's been proposed, but people freaked about it.

I'd rather 'cave in' than put myself in danger. Or, I'd rather stand tall. Unfortunately, the INS is unable to do either admit defeat or do its job.

 

[milefile]

Originally posted by M5Power
I'd rather 'cave in' than put myself in danger. Or, I'd rather stand tall. Unfortunately, the INS is unable to do either admit defeat or do its job.

You've never driven in Phoenix, have you? I don't know how much difference it'd make.

Seriously though. Being white, I feel like a minority here... like I can't speak the language.

 

[1X83Z]

Originally posted by milefile
You've never driven in Phoenix, have you? I don't know how much difference it'd make.

Not too long ago on a business trip in Phoenix, I was in a rental car with license plates from some state on the east coast (so everyone thought I was a tourist) and I got honked at by a fellow behind me because I didn't make a left turn after the light had turned red (because the intersection was really big!!). So we're sitting at the double-turn as the light was red, waiting for the turn arrow, and I'm making hand motions about an unrelated issue to a passenger in my car when suddenly a young hispanic fellow in an older Impala rolls down his window and starts cursing at me. "Yo, don't point at me, yo! I wasn't the one who honked at you you mother ****er!! **** that!!"

Needless to say, I don't drive in Phoenix anymore....

 

[milefile]

Originally posted by M5Power
Not too long ago on a business trip in Phoenix, I was in a rental car with license plates from some state on the east coast (so everyone thought I was a tourist) and I got honked at by a fellow behind me because I didn't make a left turn after the light had turned red (because the intersection was really big!!). So we're sitting at the double-turn as the light was red, waiting for the turn arrow, and I'm making hand motions about an unrelated issue to a passenger in my car when suddenly a young hispanic fellow in an older Impala rolls down his window and starts cursing at me. "Yo, don't point at me, yo! I wasn't the one who honked at you you mother ****er!! **** that!!"

Needless to say, I don't drive in Phoenix anymore....

Sounds about right.

 

[sn00pie]

Originally posted by M5Power
Not too long ago on a business trip in Phoenix, I was in a rental car with license plates from some state on the east coast (so everyone thought I was a tourist) and I got honked at by a fellow behind me because I didn't make a left turn after the light had turned red (because the intersection was really big!!). So we're sitting at the double-turn as the light was red, waiting for the turn arrow, and I'm making hand motions about an unrelated issue to a passenger in my car when suddenly a young hispanic fellow in an older Impala rolls down his window and starts cursing at me. "Yo, don't point at me, yo! I wasn't the one who honked at you you mother ****er!! **** that!!"

Needless to say, I don't drive in Phoenix anymore....

Haha, did he really say "Yo"?

 

[Sage]

I'd just like to squeeze in this semi-related note:

Some of you may be aware of the fact that the Immigration Services in the U.S. has been found to shred papers when their back log gets too big.

When my mom came to the U.S., my dad filed the papers to make her legal right away, and mailed them in. For a long time he never got a response, so he went to the INS office to go figure out what the heck was going on. When he walked in, there was a big sign stating something like "Mail in Your Forms-- It's Fast and Easy!"... my dad walked over to the guy at the counter, and told him how he had mailed in my mom's papers. The guy said, "Mailing them in was your first mistake".

So, anyway, he ended up having to re-do all of the papers, and so for a long time my mom was an illegal immigrant, because our Immigration services shredded (or conveniently "lost") her documents.

 

[1X83Z]

Originally posted by rufrgt_sn00pie2001
Haha, did he really say "Yo"?

Yes. It scared me.

 

[milefile]

Originally posted by M5Power
Yes. It scared me.

Yeah. Ghetto talk is scary.