Opinion Talk

By Linda

April 10, 2006 07:27 PM | Link to this

I wish people could understand something: This is not JUST about illegals doing jobs that no one else will do. The point here is that there is a process to gain citizenship to this country. Individuals from other countries (Africa, Kosovo, Haiti, etc.) must follow this protocol, so I am trying to understand why some seem to think that just because they take minimum wage for performing a job that it makes it okay to illegally be here? And then to add insult to injury, you are mad because you will not be able to receive state funded benefits? Are you kidding? YOU ARE IN THIS COUNTRY ILLEGALLY AND YOU DO NOT PAY TAXES! State funded benefits are just that: benefits funded by the taxpayers of the state. I am still trying to understand why this concept is so hard to understand.

By Jay

April 10, 2006 08:05 PM | Link to this

Dear President Bush:

I’m about to plan a little trip with my family and extended family, and I would like to ask you to assist me. I’m going to walk across the border from the U.S. into Mexico, and I need to make a few arrangements. I know you can help with this.

I plan to skip all the legal stuff like visas, passports, immigration quotas and laws. I’m sure they handle those things the same way you do here.

So, would you mind telling your buddy, President Vicente Fox, that I’m on my way over? Please let him know that I will be expecting the following:

I know this is an easy request because you already do all these things for all the people who come to the U.S. from Mexico. I am sure that Pres. Fox won’t mind returning the favor if you ask him nicely.

However, if he gives you any trouble, just invite him to go quail hunting with your Vice President. Thank you so much for your kind help.

Sincerely,

David M. Bresnahan

2006 David M. Bresnahan - All Rights Reserved

David M. Bresnahan has over 30 years of experience as an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, radio station owner, talk show host, and business owner. David has been a prominent writer for many Internet newspapers.

By Rob

April 10, 2006 08:06 PM | Link to this

Ok, thousands of people lay out of work or skip school to protest, most of which are legal immigrants to support illegal immigrands. They want us to turn our back on the same laws that grant people freedom just to allow them to work and get paid in our country and not pay taxes. If they didn’t know Illegal means not legal. So if it is ok for you to break one law, how many other laws are you willing to break?? Apply for Citizenship like everyone else does. If I was a legal immigrant it would anger me to see so many illegals breaking the same law that I followed. Employers, if they quit on you to protest then find someone else to do the job. A citizen obeys the laws not break them or rally for a cause that ignores the law.

By FRANK

April 10, 2006 10:02 PM | Link to this

Are government does not need to make new immigration laws just enforce the laws we have.

Send your voters registration card to Your US Senator. To remind him that the border needs closed now and to enforce laws that are on the books now.

By FRANK

April 10, 2006 10:08 PM | Link to this

legal americans please send your voters registration card to your US Senator

Just a reminder we vote now

By Nikole

April 10, 2006 10:33 PM | Link to this

I don’t care about illegals being here or not, but to answer the question, no, there are not jobs that people in America won’t do, that is a myth.

By Jason

April 11, 2006 12:54 AM | Link to this

While working my way through college in the early 90s, I worked the night shift stocking groceries. It was miserable work but it paid the bills. At the store I worked were three African-American brothers all in their early 50s who made up the floor cleaning crew. They weren’t the brightest guys around but they were hard working and good natured. They also knew all about floors since it was all the worked at for the past twenty or thirty years.

A few years ago I was in that town and went back by the grocery store. While most of the employees had changed, the store management was still the same. I asked about the guys on the floor crew and was told the company had stopped employing janitors directly. Instead they contracted the work out to a company using laborers who didn’t speak a word of English. I don’t know if they were here legally or not but I don’t see how the contracting company could have offered the service for less if their employees were getting paid a legal wage.

The sad thing is that the three brothers in their 50s were put out of work. They were experts at cleaning, waxing, buffing and maintaining floors but didn’t know how to do much else. But now that their jobs have been given to someone who doesn’t even speak English, we will be told that there is no American who wants to clean floors when the truth is that they’re not even given the chance. I don’t know what ultimately happened to the brothers but I hope they found new jobs. They certainly couldn’t have been expect to “go back to school and retrain”. At least karma got the best of that grocery chain when they had to file for bankrupcy last year.

By rob

April 11, 2006 06:40 AM | Link to this

There are no jobs americans will not do. This is a sterotypical myth to promote the belief that americans are lazy when we actually work more hours than most workers around the world (those of us who work). America has one of the lowest unemployment rates of any sovreign country so obviously we will do jobs other will not. Pew Hispanic Center states that only 5% of illegal aliens from Mexico were unemployed before entering illegally. Coming here because they can’t find work in thier home country is another myth to make you feel false pity.

By Cynthia

April 11, 2006 07:41 AM | Link to this

Americans will work at any job they can make a living at, no matter what it is. They have families to support, bills to pay, healthcare costs, etc.

By LB

April 11, 2006 07:42 AM | Link to this

I agree with other comments made. I don’t know who started the rumor but it needs to stop that illegals do the work Americans will not do. I tried for 7 months to find a job “any job” with no luck.

I now work part time at a school where I see numerous people who come to class and disrupt others. No teaching takes place because the entire time is spent trying to control the ring leaders of disruption. I learned this week that one of the main trouble maker’s parents are not legal. I guess if the adults don’t have to follow rules then neither do the kids. What a poor state of affairs this country is in if we allow this type of nonsense to continue.

Americans have the right to a hassle free education and jobs without interferrance from people who have a don’t care attitude. We want our jobs “even minimum wage jobs” back so we can go to college. We want our education back with no “don’t care type illegals” hold backs.

By Lyrazel

April 11, 2006 07:43 AM | Link to this

There are no jobs Americans will not do. However nothing can be done about illegal immigration until EMPLOYERS OF ILLEGALS are penalized for their practice of hiring illegals. Until those poultry farm barons, home builders, government contracted businesses and the host of employers living off the fat of Dont Ask Dont Tell American Immigration are financially inconvenienced and put under threat of jail NOTHING will happen except another blanket amnesty. Will the Employers be taken to task? Never! Agra-business, housing, etc. are STILL RECEIVING GVT. SUBSIDIES despite high profits made. There is no way groups with so much political clout will ACCEPT BEING FINED—maybe small guys like Joe with 50 acres, and Maureen with a roofing business will get fined but NEVER will major business surrender cheap labor—unless they leave the USA completely— PS if Americans ever looked beyond its obsession of racial profiling it would be aware of the millions of undocumented immigrants of other races beyond hispanic, that there are illegals here from ALL NATIONS and many came into GA not through Mexico but Hartsfield-Jackson.

By Brian Curtis

April 11, 2006 07:51 AM | Link to this

Lyrazel’s got it right: the problem is not the immigrants, it’s the employers who rely on them and exploit them.

Sure, the illegals are breaking the law—and they’re screwing over American workers, legal immigrants, and themselves in the process. The fault lies with the corporations that don’t want to pay even minimum wage, let alone deal with benefits and workers who actually have the right to stand up for themselves when they’re abused.

The only thing “American workers won’t do” is put up with the sweatshop treatment that corporations would love to impose on us all. Sadly, they can only get away with doing it to un-persons like the illegal immigrants… for now.

By Cody

April 11, 2006 08:05 AM | Link to this

Who started the STUPID rumor that illegals do the work that Americans will not do? The problem is that employers will pay illegals minimum wage (or lower) under the table to work. Personally, I agree with signing the bill in congress and send them all back to mexico. These Illegals in OUR country pay no taxes, and are living on our dime. they protest because our government put a 5% charge on all wire transfers leaving the country when we pay around 30% for taxes. Allowing them to stay here is doing nothing but further weaken our economy.

By NotMyProblem

April 11, 2006 08:32 AM | Link to this

Does it not occur to anyone that if these people are granted amnesty, they are going to expect to be paid at least minimum wage, which will then eliminate the edge they have on REAL Americans? Employers who hire illegals have a harsh reality coming when they’re granted amnesty and they start demanding to be paid minimum wage or higher, rather than the below minimum wage under the table payments they’re getting now. I haven’t heard anyone even address that.

Besides, illegal aliens don’t do work Americans don’t want. They do work for ridiculously low wages that Americans can’t and won’t survive on. There’s a big difference.

By Van

April 11, 2006 08:36 AM | Link to this

Interesting, in the AJC this morning, there was a quote, “I am not an illegal, I am an electrician” - I guess that was a job no american wanted.

This myth that there are jobs americans won’t do is just media propaganda. Yes, there is stoop labor in the fields, but the illegals are not ALL in the fields.

In the Washington Times there was an article about american workers being let go once the mexican workers arrived in the aftermath of Katrina. I guess these were more jobs americans won’t do.

I do have a question for the crowd. Who authorized this march? Who issued the permit? Why was a rally called to support criminals.

Maybe it is time for us to stop eating once a week at Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants. In the vent didn’t someone say - “fajita free fridays”.

By KS

April 11, 2006 09:11 AM | Link to this

Looking into the future….. I wonder how Corporate America will “welcome” all the illegal workers they presently employee once they become legal residents and begin protesting and demanding higher pay, benefits, etc….. and I wonder how those who now have no tax responsibility will enjoy watching a large portion of thier paycheck go to the government because they will be legally required to pay taxes ….

Watch for what you wish, march and protest for…… it may come true.

By Janelle

April 11, 2006 09:19 AM | Link to this

I agree with all comments posted here. Money talks in America and Americans need to utilize theirs by withholding it. Do NOT do business with companies that use immigrant labor. I’m looking for another business to service my car because the owner has gotten rid of all his American mechanics and replaced them with hispanics. I’m sure their wages don’t match his prior American workers’ wages. And making illegals “legal” will not solve this minimum wage problem because they will always work for whatever wage they can get thus bringing down wages for everyone in this country. I give them credit for coming out in numbers supporting their cause..a cause I do NOT support. Can we do that? Will Americans come out and march in numbers and allow their voices to be heard? Pay taxes, speak English, Get legal…….

By White People Unite

April 11, 2006 09:21 AM | Link to this

We need to kick the unclean masses out of our pure country - WHITE POWER!

Next we need to put preference towards whites for cushy jobs that pay too much for too little work - WHITE POWER!

Then we’ll send all the blacks back to Africa, since they didn’t come from here - WHITE POWER!

Oh, wait, I guess we’ll have to go back to Europe since we didn’t come here legally either - WHITE POWER!

I guess this country isn’t really America since the indigenous people had their own name for it. You know, the people we slaughtered and cheated out of everything.

By White People Unite

April 11, 2006 09:22 AM | Link to this

KS- yeah, i wunder how they survive on dem low pay jobs!? Idiot.

By White People Unite

April 11, 2006 09:24 AM | Link to this

It’s funny how politicians use xenophobia to distract away from real issues, like the war we can’t afford.

By Manda

April 11, 2006 09:57 AM | Link to this

Hey there. I work at a Mexican restraunt. I am legal. I have terrible spelling skills. My adopted father comes from Cuba, he came here when he was 7. I was adopted from Peru and loving America. My Tia was a wet back, went to Canada became a citizen there, THEN applied for two years to become a citizen here in US, then lived the rest of her life out in a trailer with her son in FLordia.

The Mexicans I work with are some of the greatest people I know. They are all eager to learn english, and I’m teaching them as much as I can, also BASIC math and some spelling. But I don’t speak much spanish so there is a languge barrier. I don’t get paid any hourly fee. None of us do.

Since its getting around tax season, everone has been talking about how they have to pay taxes, and ask me how to do them, because of course I know taxes. -_-‘

Anywho. Please, don’t use blanket statements. Because how many of you have taken the time to get to know them. I’m glad they are there because I wouldn’t be able to find a job. AS for the not learnign how to drive, yes they would probably want to learn since, they don’t want to get pulled over by the police. Alright sorry if I stepped on anytoes.

By dg

April 11, 2006 10:00 AM | Link to this

I am sick to death of hearing from middle aged house framers and landscapers that are mad because they can’t pull in $100K a year driving nails and throwing pinestraw anymore. I work in technology and I would be out of a job too if I was relying on the same set of skills today that I had even as recently as 10 years ago. The era of the $20.00 per hour landscaper has gone the way of the $30.00 per hour baggage handler. News Flash!!! We’re not going back.

There is plenty of opportunity out there, like night school, for those that will get off of their dead behinds and look for it. Don’t blame immigrants, legal or illegal for your inability to see a trend.

By E. Lewis

April 11, 2006 10:03 AM | Link to this

I don’t think there is any job that an American won’t do, but we are smart enough to figure out that if you are paying minimum wage or less we can’t support ourselves.

Americans are also smart enough to realize that if you pay $5.15 an hour for a back braking job, you shouldn’t expect to get them same amount of work that you would if you were paying $10 an hour.

By Robert

April 11, 2006 10:04 AM | Link to this

Rounding up 11 million illegals and deporting them on television would delite conservatives. Watching all those brown, mostly short people get handcuffed, the familys screaming, ahh, what entertainment. Those gated communities have paid off, isolating you from the real world. What would you do if you couldnt go to your favorite ethnic restaruant where most employees cannot speak english? Are you concerned that your children will never be dishwashers,fruitpickers,day laborers,caretakers,etc?? The irony is if these people crossing the desert to come here were white, with blues eyes you would not be compalining about anything.Thats just the sad reality of racism and xenophobia.

By John

April 11, 2006 10:08 AM | Link to this

When I was a teenager, I worked to pay for a car, “cool” clothes and for dates. I earned minimum wage. Would I have worked in landscaping and painted houses for twice minimum wage? You better believe I would have! What about health care or workman’s comp? Tell me what teenager ever got health care on a part time job OR attempted to file workman’s comp complaint!

I have hired day laborers in the past. They won’t work for less than $10/hour. Minimum wage is just over $5/hour. I’ve paid for their meals and insist they take breaks. I never got any of that when I was working as an unskilled laboreer.

By Poor PutUpon Whitey

April 11, 2006 10:15 AM | Link to this

There is a difference between the immigrants who come here to work and many “legal” workers. American citizens often don’t want to work hard, because they have had it good for a long time. The immigrants who come here come from places where there were little if any opportunities to work at all. That’s why they work as hard as they do.

When was the last time you saw an American teenager working hard? When you were giving them your order at McDonalds and they were looking up at the ceiling?

By John

April 11, 2006 10:16 AM | Link to this

I’m apalled that no one…not the AJC - or any of the printed media or the television media….none of them has called these protesters on their bluff when they say they pay taxes.

As illegals, sure, they pay sales tax on what they purchase…but what about income taxes?

What about Social Security taxes and Medicare taxes? These are taxes that all legal U.S. citizens must pay. The arguement that they pay taxes is disgusting!

As illegals they are stealing medical care and education benefits from tax paying citizens!

I’m all for legalizing many of the Hispanics who are here, but I think they should be required to learn to read and write English before that takes place. Further, they need to integrate into our society instead of going against it.

If an American attempts to get citizenship in most other nations on this planet, they are required to read and write in that country’s language. Why should we require any less?

By Van

April 11, 2006 10:22 AM | Link to this

Robert, I can only guess that you think all Mexicans are brown skinned.

That might be true for the Mexicans of Indian(oops, native american? native mexican?) descent, but the Mexicans of European stock look alot like us.

By John

April 11, 2006 10:23 AM | Link to this

Robert, this is not xenophobia and it certainly isn’t racist. The fact is that those here illegally (of any race, not just Hispanic) are putting their hands in my pockets and taking money from me.

How?

Because part of my paycheck goes to pay for Social Security, Medicare, education taxes, and income taxes at both the federal and state levels. Illegals pay none of that. Sure they pay sales taxes, but so do all of us. But the other taxes are the real issue for me.

Illegals by law are allowed to take advantage of medical care and education at the expense of the American taxpayer. As the illegals age, the citizens of this country will be required to pay for their livlihoods as well, in the form of Welfare.

So, no, this isn’t about brown skin, white skin, black skin, red skin, or purple skin or poka dot skin. This is about someone taking money out of my pocket to pay for services they don’t pay for.

By test

April 11, 2006 10:29 AM | Link to this

when you goto hospital have you seen this statement?

If I am not mistaken, this applies to all federnally funded/receiving hospitals a majority but not all.

Yes, when one can’t afford, the money has to come from somewhere, probably tax payers. This also applies to legal residents/us citizens who are uninsured. The hospital should be in the business of saving lives, not in making money.

What we need is a universal health insurance for all Americans .

By dg

April 11, 2006 10:33 AM | Link to this

Thank you, Poor PutUpon Whitey! I couldn’t agree with you more. Let me tell you what I observed with my own two blue eyes last Saturday morning at the McDonald’s where I normally eat breakfast. At 9:00am the average, 19 year-old white guy drives up to the establishment, runs over the curb, backs up and parks. I noticed when he got out of the car that he is wearing a McDonald’s employee shirt and thought, “oh, here comes the employee of the month.” He took a ridiculously long time outside his car gathering his cigarettes, etc, before entering the establishment presumably to clock in. The next thing I see is average, 19 year-old white guy walking out to the dumpster area where his manager was breaking down a pile of boxes and discarding them in the dumpster. So you think that the average 19 year-old white guy would have pitched in and helped with this task? Absolutely not! He spent 10 minutes smoking a cigarette while his manager proceeded to finish the work at hand. Then the average 19 year-old white guy returned to the building to begin taking customer orders. And you think that we are all going to be just fine without immigrants????

By john

April 11, 2006 10:35 AM | Link to this

There is one point i feel everyone is over looking, and that is the profit that big business is reaping from the use of illegals

By E. Lewis

April 11, 2006 10:41 AM | Link to this

According to Stephen C. Goss, Social Security’s chief actuary, 3/4 of illegal immigrant pay Social Security and Medicare taxes and receive no retirement benefits. That means yearly an extra $6 billion to $7 billion in Social Security tax revenue and about $1.5 billion in Medicare taxes.

They may not own homes, but they certainly do pay rent and through their landlord support property taxes. They spend money here and pay sales taxes.

Illegals don’t get government benefits like welfare. If you see an immigrant or Hispanic American with a government check, they are here legally and considering how many non-Hispanics are living off the government dime this is more of a poverty problem not an illegal immigrant one.

You can rightfully argue that illegal immigrants drive down wages to levels where Americans have a difficult time supporting themselves, but to argue that they don’t pay taxes and abuse our government funded services would be off the mark.

By John

April 11, 2006 10:44 AM | Link to this

What I want to do know is what is going on in Mexico? Why do they want to come here? If the economy is so bad there it seems like a land of opportunity for Americans…

Bush and Fox seem to love to cuddle together…what’s in it for us?

The US deserves more of the Mexican frito-pie.

By JohnF

April 11, 2006 10:50 AM | Link to this

I hired two white guys to do some brick work on my house, which they assured me they had experience doing. They showed up at the crack of noon, went to lunch, came back two hours later, smoked cigarettes, mixed a little cement and did two or three crappy layers of brick laying, which was so bad I had to tear it down. I hired a company owned by a legal immigrant from Mexico. His crew which consisted of him and two other workers showed up at 7:00 am, worked their butts off all day and finished the work by that afternoon.

It’s not just the wages that make the immigrants more competitive…American blue-collar labor in his country is horrible…that is if they show up at all.

By k

April 11, 2006 11:24 AM | Link to this

As long as there is widespread, mud-hut, starvation-level poverty in the countries south of here, there will be people willing to risk and endure anything to get into the US to earn [what for them is] a livable wage. The Mexican government encourages its poor to come here for money to send back there. Until these issues are addressed in the diplomatic and economic realms, there will be no end to the poverty they suffer, nor the solution they seek here. Look at the big picture, people! Shouting “Go away!” or “Keep out!” solves nothing.

By Van

April 11, 2006 11:28 AM | Link to this

By k,

How do you suggest WE solve their problems? By letting in everyone they encourage to leave? That does not help Mexico with its problems. It only hides the problem.

BTW, we will never erase poverty, it will always be with us.

By time for the truth

April 11, 2006 11:30 AM | Link to this

The lefties/liberals are still emptily demonising and demagoguing anyone who simply wants long standing immigration law enforced. Leftist hypocrites ignore Mexican hypocrisy and corruption and criminality. Mexico is corrupt to the core at all levels, cracks down very hard on illegals and cynically exports criminality, drugs, gangs, violence, health problems etc to the USA. The pathetic gatherings yesterday were cynically told to hide their mexican flags and only wave US flags. Yet the racist, anti-gringo flyers and chants still persist. They are demanding the ‘return’ of much of the south west - land the spanish brutally conquered and settled. Funny how hypocritical mexican types ignore that bit of history. Yet they endlessly screech about ‘gringos’ and imperialism. Mexicans and their liberal facilitators ignore the crime wave they have brought with them and the huge ever growing burden they impose on public services. All these selfish illegals care about is that their illegal behaviour is rewarded with the repugnant “amnesty” being imposed by washington elites in the senate who are sellingbtheir country out for illegal votes and a shameless leftist media which despicably demonizes anyone who opposes shortsighted liberal demands to forget the rule of law and secure borders.

30 million or so mostly poorly educated hispanic types from cental america will have a massive negative impact on make up of this country and impose huge economic and social burdens. Dont forget most Mexicans leave school at 14. And the US picks up the tab for all that entails. Columbians and other south Americans are generally far better educated and are nothing like the collective burden the mexicans are.

Any economic downturn and these 30 million or so illegals and their extended families who dont forget will be allowed to come here on a fast track with NO legal blocks will have their snouts even deeper in the federal and state trough than they do now. Even worse - fast forward another 5 - 10 years and the whole sorry scenario will be repeated again with many more millions mexican types clamouring to be made legal.

Already at least 10% of mexicans born in mexico live in the US. When does it stop??????

BUILD A 2000 MILE WALL NOW!!

By pat

April 11, 2006 11:31 AM | Link to this

There is one way to find out. Ship out all the illegals and see if the job gets done. If it does, the the question is answered. I am 100% for LEGAL immigration. SHUT DOWN ALL COMAPNIES WHO KNOWNINGLY HIRE ILLEGALS! SEND THE OWNERS TO PRISON! BUS THE ILLEGALS BACK!

By J & J Ranch

April 11, 2006 11:32 AM | Link to this

Maybe one day, the people in the Great State of Georgia and this Great United States will realize….

This BS about illegals protesting in America, I say there should have been someone at the protests picking up the ILLEGALS and sending their butts back to where they came from!

What would happen if all the ILLEGAL drug dealers got together to protest in the street? What would happen if all the murderers gathered in the street to protest?

Hell, we treat ILLEGAL immigrants better than we do the American criminals. WHY ARE THE ILLEGAL IMIIGRANTS STILL HERE AND WHAT RIGHT DO THEY HAVE PROTESTING?

They have no rights in this country, when will America enforce the laws?

By time for the truth

April 11, 2006 11:41 AM | Link to this

Mexico has huge oil and natural gas resources which are being frittered away. They have a large tourism industry plus a sizeable agricultural industry and a good deal of US industry has set up cheaper (assembly) plants down there. They can easily seal their border, deal with the drugs, violence and corruption but they refuse to do so. And they blame the US for most of their ills. It’s difficult to imagine a worse neighbour.

Cynical US employers are to blame, along with willie clinton and bush who both refused to seal the border and allowed the mass invasion of illegals.

By dg

April 11, 2006 11:43 AM | Link to this

When there is no work they will stop coming. Historically immigration decreases when the economy of the US declines, and increases when the economy of the US expands. We have been enjoying close to 10 years of economic expansion in the US.

Immigration policy needs to change so that we can allow the laborers that we need to be in compliance with our laws. It’s unrealistic to think that we should make all unskilled laborers wait 5-8 years to come to the US to fill a job that is available now.

By dg

April 11, 2006 11:48 AM | Link to this

time for the truth, Columbians are from South Carolina, Colombians are from South America. Somehow I don’t think that was a typo.

By Immig_solution

April 11, 2006 11:53 AM | Link to this

Here is a solution: 1. Charge each illegal immigrant $500 to register them in an USCIS labor pool database. 2. Once registered, give each individual who registered an immigration interview (much like what legal immigrants go thru today) in the US consulate office in their respective home country. 3. After the interview, background check and additional filing fees, issue re-entry labor visa and status to the now legal workers. Keep the # of visas issued under the quota based on domestic needs. Run the sys under a first-come, first-serve basis to create an incentive for all illegals to return home and return to work in the US legally ASAP. 4. Once the system is up and running, deport all illegals captured and send their home country a bill for the cost of detention and deportation. Increase import tariff for goods from the worst offending countries.

By time for the truth

April 11, 2006 12:06 PM | Link to this

it was a typo!! I note as ever you predictably completely ignore the point about poorly educated mexicans, contrasted with south americans. I note AS EVER you also ignore all the other points!!

Its utterly unacceptable that mexicans rent houses with up to 20+ people living in a small 2-3 bedroom house in residential neighbourhoods, driving down property prices and breaking countless local laws? I have heard from landlords in Cobb County that mexicans who dont have baths and bathrooms in their often earthen houses back home use the bath to sleep in. This is NOT a joke.

This chronic overcrowding happens in Cobb County, Gwinnett County and all over the US.

Most illegal mexicans/hispanics refuse to learn/speak English, which again shows they have no interest in becoming intergrated. There are now nearly 2.5 million illegals in CA alone. The drain on that state’s finances/resources is unbelievable. Why should Californians (and the rest of us) have to pay billions and billions for illegals?

I assume you are a mexican/hispanic given your intellectual dishonesty on the subject :)

By Eric Deming

April 11, 2006 12:06 PM | Link to this

Immig_solution- #1, #2, and #3. ARE the current crappy system.

By JShattlesJr

April 11, 2006 12:10 PM | Link to this

I am not a political activist by nature, and generally permit my choice of leaders make the decisions they deem appropriate. However, I now fear the loudest voices may carry the day as we approach the polling season. As everyone loudly proclaims “…we are an open arms country, built upon the combination of embracing legal immigration, and welcoming cultural diversity and change”. I fear, however, that people are neglecting the footing upon which our great nation has been built, and upon which it stands: the great body of considered laws that lead us forward even after the lawmakers are gone. For generations our immigration laws have permitted a measured control of the influx of new people into our society. Often these have seemed overzealous, but somehow they have worked. It seems for the past 15 to 20 years we have quietly ignored these laws as they should apply to Mexico certain other countries, and permitted vast numbers of illegal emigrants to cross our borders, slowly and sadly inundating our cultural and educational systems, not to mention welfare and other benefits programs. It is wrong to ignore our laws: they were enacted for a purpose. Please reconcile the energetic proclamations for legalizing lawbreakers with the wisdom of past lawmakers who correctly discerned that we can only absorb a defined number of new citizens in a given time. And, it is totally erroneous to assume AMERICANs will not do particular jobs. They may want, and expect, a minimum subsistence level of pay, but that is what we have conditioned them to expect. Creating illegal slave labor by turning a blind eye to illegal emigrants is not a good way to level the playing field, and will continue to degrade systems that are already in dire need of shoring up. HELP.

By JL

April 11, 2006 12:12 PM | Link to this

This is not about RACE, there are immigrants here from all over the world. Mexicans and Latinos have easier access to getting into American without documentation. Other immigrants have to show documentation or they are detained and deported.

This is about the jobs Americans are losing to illegal immigrants. Illegals are not taking the back-breaking jobs we will not do – they are being given jobs that Americans are being displaced from for less than or equal to minimum wage. Over 85% of the companies that employ illegals pay them in lump sums so they don’t have to report their exact wages and taxes.

The other issue is the money we shell out to pay for them to have access to the same services we have to pay for through taxes. Illegals receive medical benefits, education, food, and shelter out of our taxes. I’d love for my child’s education through college and my family’s medical expenses to be free – can someone arrange this.

If they can come together and assemble to fight for their rights to be illegal here, why not go home and fight for the jobs that American companies are sending there. Immigration laws will have no effect on the immigrants until the government start punishing the companies that employ them. This will never happen because money hungry politicians and CEO’s will lose money. Immigrants come here for freedom and opportunities – the freedom to work and the opportunity NOT to pay for anything they need.

PERDUE SIGN THE BILL THEN GO AFTER THE COMPANIES (they owe a lot of back taxes) THAT HIRE ILLEGALS .

By Van

April 11, 2006 12:15 PM | Link to this

Immigration is a process of someone coming to this country, fitting in, pledging allegiance to the new country and becoming part of the melting pot.

Colonization is a process where people come to this country, settle in, work, send money home, do not learn the language, keep to themselves, demand rights that they don’t deserve and keep their allegiance to their home land.

We are being colonized by Mexico with 11+ million people. Soon, the Mexican military will help these folks get here - oh, wait, they already are helping the coyotes and drug smugglers.

Folks, this is an invasion, no two ways about it.

By k

April 11, 2006 12:19 PM | Link to this

Van, I didn’t say “we should solve their problems.” Why do you misquote people? Certainly, I would never suggest that YOU get off YOUR comfortable backside to give a darn about other human beings! What I said was: Until these issues are addressed in the diplomatic and economic realms, there will be no end to the poverty they suffer, nor the solution they seek here. Their land and resourcers should be able to yield a way to survive and create products and exports. If that isn’t happening, WHY? Let’s ask the people who control those resources and people. Can thinking, reasoning humans possibly come up with and implement alternatives to such poverty? Only if they care.

By test

April 11, 2006 12:20 PM | Link to this

<>

Who says one has to speak English to intergrate. Are we a Borg?. yeah maybe that’s what we need. We should all assimilate no matter what, and those who refuse “resistance is futile”

Instead of telling illegals to speak English, teacg our own legal childen to learn to write, and do some basic math.

By RWH

April 11, 2006 12:34 PM | Link to this

Yes, there are jobs Americans will not do. And those are jobs that requires Licenses; such as Doctors, Lawyers, Funeral Directors, etc. However, Americans will do routine labors jobs…taking the fair-wages into consideration. Home building/laborers, landscaping, etc., are never far from businesses asking them to do so. What we are seeing is a negative report on america labor force..not withstanding the labor totally occupied by our counterparts. Labor jobs are not unskilled jobs…you have to have some skills in being a labor worker as well. So we tend to think that labor is just labor without having skills in doing so. How we best described jobs that Americans will not take is a general statement toward americans who have worked in those jobs long before now. Jobs are being done for a price far above the minimum wages. Don’t be fooled by the 6.00 to 7.00 dollars per hours. Think of 10-15 dollars per hours and add that up for a whole week. With no taxes, then you are really in business!

By time for the truth

April 11, 2006 12:36 PM | Link to this

The USA owes Mexico nothing - other than payment for goods/services rendered. The US sure as hell doesn’t owe them then right to allow their citizens to illegally/continuously violate US sovereignty, swamp the schools, jails and hospitals etc and invade the SW USA - and beyond - in a pretty thinly disguised attempt to recolonize many areas.

In most respects I could care less about poverty in Mexico, it is entirely self inflicted by a century of corrupt, often despotic rule, but now the USA is overwhelmingly suffering the consequences of mexican corruption and incompetence etc. The US is not responsible for the policies and actions of another corrupt country. The mexicans need a very harsh lesson in this matter. Unfortunately the cowardly, pandering politicos in DC wont deliver it!!

By J Shattles Jr

April 11, 2006 12:37 PM | Link to this

Legal Immigration versus Illegal emigrants

I am not a political activist by nature, and generally permit my choice of leaders make the decisions they deem appropriate. However, I now fear the loudest voices may carry the day as we approach the polling season. As everyone loudly proclaims “…we are an open arms country, built upon the combination of embracing legal immigration, and welcoming cultural diversity and change”. I fear, however, that people are neglecting the footing upon which our great nation has been built, and upon which it stands: the great body of considered laws that lead us forward even after the lawmakers are gone. For generations our immigration laws have permitted a measured control of the influx of new people into our society. Often these have seemed overzealous, but somehow they have worked. It seems for the past 15 to 20 years we have quietly ignored these laws as they should apply to Mexico certain other countries, and permitted vast numbers of illegal emigrants to cross our borders, slowly and sadly inundating our cultural and educational systems, not to mention welfare and other benefits programs. It is wrong to ignore our laws: they were enacted for a purpose. Please reconcile the energetic proclamations for legalizing lawbreakers with the wisdom of past lawmakers who correctly discerned that we can only absorb a defined number of new citizens in a given time. And, it is totally erroneous to assume AMERICANs will not do particular jobs. They may want, and expect, a minimum subsistence level of pay, but that is what we have conditioned them to expect. Creating illegal slave labor by turning a blind eye to illegal emigrants is not a good way to level the playing field, and will continue to degrade systems that are already in dire need of shoring up.

By J Shattles Jr

April 11, 2006 12:44 PM | Link to this

A Sad Note

The really sad part of all this is the fact that a majority of the recent legal immigrants, as well as illegal emigrants, I’ve had an opportunity to meet have all been excellent workers, and excellent citizen-material. Unfortunately, the illegal emigrants are breaking in front of thousands, if not millions, of other would-be immigrants who have gone through the legal process and many of which are waiting for acceptance. Our society can only acceptably absorb and assimilate a certain number of new people per year, and that is what immigration law is all about. *Why aren’t our republican lawmakers supporting the laws already on the books? Why aren’t our democratic lawmakers trying to enforce the laws already on the books? * Why indeed.

By time for the truth

April 11, 2006 12:50 PM | Link to this

The ‘legal’ US kids who are semi-literate today are victims of poor/incompetent liberal teachers who care more for job tenure than actually teaching. Otherwise the tenure issue would not prevent bad teachers from being fired. Although lack of discipline is hampering their presumably well intentioned efforts.

The pathetic obsession with inculcating self esteem and political correctness is also a huge problem in liberal public schools. Resulting in dumber kids who have serious problems when asked to think, write and analyze. Hence many university kiddies are being taught the basics in first year university classes. And those not bright enough to get into even the micky mouse colleges are left to wallow uncritically in the afterwash of what passes for today’s popular kulture.

Also too many moronic parents who unwittingly follow moral relativism as their familial religion and parrot “my kid would never do that” even if the face of blatant evidence that their kid did in fact “do that” have much to blame themselves for. But self absorption and general ignorance of the wider world is sadly much too widespread today everywhere.

By J Shattles Jr

April 11, 2006 12:51 PM | Link to this

Why Indeed?

Because Mr. Bush chose to woo a particular demographic in order to insure election and relection. And how are you? Muy bien, gracias. Mr. Bush needs to learn respect for some of our laws, and put away his mexican flag.

By Nel

April 11, 2006 01:11 PM | Link to this

E. Lewis, thank you for raising the point about taxes and SS paid by illegal workers. These people are hired with documents that are mostly fake but many times real ones the have paid pay major money to get. It has been reported on numerous occasions that the government has all these money and not exactly telling everyone about it. Illegal immigrantion has been going on way before Clinton so the person who mentioned him as being partly responsible obviously has not been looking at this country during their lifetime. Anyone who has spent time in any major US city is surrounded by illegals all the time, just because they don’t “look” like people assume them to look, doesn’t mean anything. There are thousands of very educated people here illegally who you’d never know because they don’t advertise it. The vast majority of illegals don’t go looking for social services because they fear being found out. So please don’t believe all the rhetoric that is beign used to incite you so they get your votes in the fall. This is the topic of the moment and everyone is an expert. Most of the middle class jobs have already gone overseas but this is an easy topic because people can see “the enemy”. All those thousands of political refugees from the former Soviet Union who have been feeding at the govenment trough for years aren’t getting any attention althought many of them are living better than most of us. If you want reform, reform across the board because the problem is bigger then you people even understand since you are only looking at one group. In the end, govenment graft and corporate greed will win because people seem to go where the powers that be lead them.

A litte information for those who think getting citizenship is a piece of cake. You have to become a resident first which can take up to 10 years depending on which country you are from and the annual visa allottment for your particular country which varies greatly. It’s an expensive and long process, unless of course you have the money to grease the right palms. Corruption is rampant in this area. Once you get your visa and get here, you have to then wait at least 5 years to apply for citizenship, which currently in some states can take couple of years at least from application to swearing in. Of course that process alone. None of this happens right away. It’s all about wanting to live the life you’ve been lead to belive on TV that all Americans live…the streets are paved with gold and everyone is rich! It’s not going away.

By time for the truth

April 11, 2006 01:29 PM | Link to this

Go into almost any Wal-Mart in GA and every week you will see loads of mexican types with their food stamps. Legal immigrants are not allowed to apply for govt assistance, if they do so they will ultimately have their case denied. Legal immigrants have their sponsors sign an INS affidavit of support.

It is utterly irrelevant how easy citizenship is!! They should NOT even be considered for citizenship. And education and (wiful) ignorance of English is a major factor, because of the obvious long term social and economic impact.

The welfare trough was instigated by the vote grabbing demoncrats, Newt and the lads manged to force clinton, kicking and screaming into renouncing some welfare largesse - just not enough. I will admit that as a SECULAR Reagan Republican Reagan (PBUH) made a huge mistake allowing his 1985 amnesty. But that is long past. clinton allowed another one and now Bush looks likes signing a third one - if its passed.

Mexicans and other illegals indulge in blatant indentity fraud with SS etc and nothing is done about this systematic fraud!! The pandering and turning a blind eye is disgraceful.

It is because that mexicans constitue such an overwhelming majority of illegals that they are rightly singled out - but all illegals, including canadians, brits, germans, aussies, russians etc should be dealt with equally firmly. Otherwise why have any laws if you just pick and choose which to enforce.

By Immig_solution

April 11, 2006 01:32 PM | Link to this

Hey Eric Deming: You are right, #1,2,3 resemble the current system that LEGAL immigrants go through. Its somewhat long and painful, but doable. Illegal immigrants dont go through that. Granting amesty to people who knowingly broke the law (illegal immigrants) is a slap in the face to all legal immigrants and citizens.
I am simply proposing that illegal immigrants go through the same route. Illegals are not “too good” to be going through the current system. I do live in the real world. I have all the sympathies for LEGAL immigrants. The last time benefits were handed out to illegals (LIFE ACT), it caused a 1+ yr long backlogs for LEGAL immigrants. Handing amesty to 12 million people will effectively break the LEGAL immigration system as we know it today. Eric, to achieve #4 is simple. 1. Temporary suspend NAFTA agreement with MX, 2. Double the tariff on everything imported from MX (sorry, corona’s price is going up). 3. lift both 1/2 when MX either pay the bill of their citizen, or get serious about border enforcement.

By Nel

April 11, 2006 01:53 PM | Link to this

Frankly, the US has to do something sooner rather than later and deporting everyone as some has said is impossible. There is so much money tied up in the immigration process that too many powerful people have too much to lose. Europe is going through major problems right now and we need to do something before we go down their path.

Don’t hold your breath for the Mexican govenment in particular to do anything because they need the billion sent home to support them. They are in the cat bird seat because it you pressure corporations too much, they will just send more jobs to Mexico to the cheaper labor. They won’t care because the only thing driving them are profits. Lower wages more profits. Until the electorate gets smart enought not to be lead by rhetoric, they won’t get the respect of their elected officials in the US. Mexico doesn’t care whether their people live or starve. We don’t want to become what France has become either with their guest worker program and the problems that erupted last year.

By Bob

April 11, 2006 02:27 PM | Link to this

Nel, I actually looked up the Social security matter and taxes paid for by ILLEGAL immigrants. Let me say that again because it is the reason for such an uproar. ILLEGAL immigrants. The taxes being paid for by the ILLEGAL immigrants is not something done voluntarily. It is the price you they pay for work. Why? Because they purchase fake SSN and Greencards so that they can get work. The employer withholds taxes from the ILLEGAL’S and it is given to the IRS. The problem. This money is not used, it sits there in hopes that if someone claims it and corrects the SSN they can give it back. Granted it is estimated that most of the money comes from ILLEGAL immigrants who lie and use fake SSN to gain employment. I am not a lawyer or cop, but I am just guessing that using a fake SSN or Greencard is not legal. And by reading E. Lewis post… People on vacation in this country also deserve free medical care and schooling. They do pay for their hotel rooms, which pay for the property taxes for that hotel. They also pay sales tax on anything they buy here. Yes it takes a long time to get a US citizenship, but they are the laws. The laws that we have to abide by as citizens of this country. What are you telling us, if it takes a long time then we should not follow the laws? In the state of New York it may take up to 3 years to get a handgun permit. That’s along time. Is it okay for me to go out on the street and buy one from a stranger in a dark alley? Am I not breaking the law by doing that? I am an immigrant. I was born in Costa Rica. My parents came here from Costa Rica but they went through what they needed too to get a permanent resident card. We are legal, here legally. This matter is not about letting people into the country. It is about breaking the law. If I break the law, I will be punished. I’ve seen people carrying signs that read we are not criminals. Let me define criminal… One that has committed or been legally convicted of a crime. Yes they are criminals and if they do not want to be addresses that way, they should follow and not breaks our laws.

By Van

April 11, 2006 02:51 PM | Link to this

If the SSA knows which SSN’s are fake and is sitting on these funds, waiting for correct info(not being used), collected form the fake SSN’s, why does the government do NOTHING about it! Does this not constitute some kind of fraud.

If there is wages reported to SSA using a fake SSN, then there should be a matching fake SSN on file with the IRS, for witholding taxes paid.

I know Congress will do nothing, but we are dealing with real money here, where is the IRS? If I make an error on my tax form, they will come down hard on me. Maybe I should use a fake SSN, then I will get a free pass.

By Nel

April 11, 2006 03:11 PM | Link to this

Van, problem is if you use a fake SSN you won’t get anything back, but illegals don’t look at it the way we do.

By Todd

April 11, 2006 03:50 PM | Link to this

If all the people here that are worried about illegal immigration, get off your butts and do something about it. We are having a Stop the Illegal Immigration March on April 17th at the Ga. Capital. Listen to your radio stations for further updates. This is NO joke, April 17th at Noon. This has been orchestrated by D.A. King. Please come and let your represenatives and senators KNOW you do NOT like illegal immigration. It will be a crying shame if we can’t get at least as many people as the immigrants had.

By Nel

April 11, 2006 03:51 PM | Link to this

Bob, I too am an immigrant and have been an immigrant in just about every country I have lived during my adulthood. I don’t think anyone in their right mind would condones illegal immigration. But the fact remains, poor people always wanted what they consider the “haves” have. It happens everywhere and illegal immigration has been an ongoing problem in this country for longer than I have been here. The only reason it is front and center is because politicians are talking about it. People are too eager to get that quick fix and believeing that making a new law or building a wall will make it all go away. Cheap labor has become addictive in this country and the corporations will fight to keep it that way.

I have seen first hand what happens when jobs get scarce and the population turns their frustration towards those they are convinced took their jobs, and it’s always the immigrants, regardless of their nationality, but especially those who look the least like them. They need to blame somebody. This is a politically charged situation and hopefully it doesn’t escalate into hatred of all who sound or look different. Our government is quite spineless at the moment and seem to hope it all goes away so they don’t have to explain their decisions, furthermore, the Hispanic vote is one that they all want. Power corrupts and they will do what they feel is in their best interst.

Illegal is illegal, but villifying them as some form of disgusting animals as some people do, is wrong. As a first generation immigrant I suppose I have seen the desperation in people, so I can’t sit back and point my finger because there but for the grace of God go I, and that illegal family could have been yours or mine under different circumstances.

By E. Lewis

April 11, 2006 04:52 PM | Link to this

SSA likes all that $$$ that is sitting in the suspense files. It earns interest, becomes part of the surplus and the government knows it will never have to pay out claims on it.

By C.

April 15, 2006 06:48 PM | Link to this

Its about greed, if companies did not hire illegals and then they would have to pay decent wages to American citizens and lets face it they won’t if they don’t have to. They get desperate people at reduced wages to do the same work Americans would be glad to do only that the jobs are already taken. Companies who hire illegals not only exploit and use illegals but also the American taxpayer.

By C.

April 15, 2006 06:54 PM | Link to this

This is from first hand knowledge as I work at a certain resort in Brasleton where the amount of employees that are illegal are about 85%, they are ‘employeed’ by another one time illegal who houses, pays them off the record, taking ‘taxes’ out of their pay checks and transports them in vans to and fro the resort. He makes hundreds of thousands a year off these illegals who pay goes to him and his company and all with the full knowledge of this popular and famous resort. The owners are fully aware of whats going on and by paying this ‘business man’ they can claim ignorance. The point? its the businesses and companies that are making incredible profits while they use illegals as slave labor and deny American citizens decent wages to pay their families. Its these companies/businesses that need to be held accountable.

By C.

April 15, 2006 06:54 PM | Link to this

This is from first hand knowledge as I work at a certain resort in Brasleton where the amount of employees that are illegal are about 85%, they are ‘employeed’ by another one time illegal who houses, pays them off the record, taking ‘taxes’ out of their pay checks and transports them in vans to and fro the resort. He makes hundreds of thousands a year off these illegals who pay goes to him and his company and all with the full knowledge of this popular and famous resort. The owners are fully aware of whats going on and by paying this ‘business man’ they can claim ignorance. The point? its the businesses and companies that are making incredible profits while they use illegals as slave labor and deny American citizens decent wages to pay their families. Its these companies/businesses that need to be held accountable.

By Twinkie

April 16, 2006 10:51 PM | Link to this

I have seen two recent headlines recently. The first one said, “Bush Lied” The second one said, “Bush Lied Again”. Over and Over, Bush has said, “Jobs Americans won’t Do”. That is another of his lies. Americans will do the jobs but they expect to get paid a fair wage. People from South of the Border, have made this a debate about them so I say: If the border patrol incinerates fruits and vegetables coming into the U.S. to prevent disease, Why do we allow 12 million illegal aliens to come into the country without being checked for disease? Tuberculosis was eradicated in the U.S. Now it’s back.