Illegal Immigrants are nothing more than a political punching bag, and are here to stay

[NNguyenMD]

As a liberal streamlined Democrat, I don't see the value in not supporting the increase in port/border security. There are few Americans, liberal or conservative who would argue against improving our border and port security. What they would argue for is the humane treatment of illegal immigrants caught by the border patrol.

I think that at least for streamline Democrats, the mor challenging issue is whether you support amnesty for the illegals who currently reside in this county.

From a practical standpoint, I think amnesty for the workers who are already in this country is very reasonable especially in cities that are highly dependent on services of illegal immigrants. They should be allowed the same benefits and protections afforded to any other American citizen who is employed. Otherwise you are only inviting trouble from a educational, civic, and healthcare standpoint.

Principally, I still don't believe that people should be rewarded for breaking the law. However, while I am not well versed in the complex intricacies of Free Trade, I cannot help but feel that there is a huge population of illegal immigrants in the US primarily because our economic policies depend on their services.

We should all just come clean about it, Americans LOVE cheap labor. You can deny it all you'd like, but this economy is fueled by jobs that pay shit. From the slaves of West Africa at the birth of this nation, to the influx of Irish and Eastern block European countries after the Civil War, and the explosion of Asian immigrants in the last century, to the presence of Chicano Americans now, our national wealth has been cultivated off the backs of economically exploited slaves/immigrants.

Bottom line is like it or not, undocumented workers are here to stay. Their cheap services have always been welcomed here, because we have always needed them. What is different about the debate today is the issue of how we treat them. Do we welcome them the chance to integrate and flourish in the egalatarian society that benefitted the generations before us? Or do we continue to treat them as scapegoats for our societal failures such as in the case of healthcare and education.

[stillcool]

1. American Corporations Love Cheap Labor...

I don't believe there is any issue in this country that is framed correctly, nor has been for forever.

National News from The Associated Press
2 Executives of Company That Helped Build Border Fence Sentenced for Hiring Illegal Immigrants
03-28-2007 6:42 PM
By ELLIOT SPAGAT, Associated Press Writer

SAN DIEGO (Associated Press) -- Two executives at a company that once helped build a fence to keep illegal immigrants from crossing the Mexican border were sentenced Wednesday to six months of home confinement for hiring undocumented workers.

Mel Kay, founder, chairman and president of Golden State Fence Co., and manager Michael McLaughlin had pleaded guilty in federal court to knowingly hiring illegal aliens. U.S. District Judge Barry Ted Moskowitz ordered each to serve 1,040 hours of community service and spend three years on probation.

Kay was fined $200,000 as part of a plea agreement, and McLaughlin agreed to pay $100,000.
-----------------------------------------------------
Golden State, which has 750 employees, saw sales soar from $60 million in 1998 to $150 million in 2004, according to a biography of Kay provided by the company.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press

who says crime doesn't pay?redistributed.http://omaha.cox.net/cci/newsnational/national?_mode=view&_state=maximized&view=article&id=D8O5FR4O0&_action=validatearticle

[Jim Sagle]

2. Cheap labor, DLC hogwash!

[EFerrari]

3. Check out this study on Latinos and police contact in San Jose, CA

Report Examines Arrests of Blacks and Latinos in San Jose

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KCBS) -- Police are more likely to use force when arresting blacks and Latinos than other ethnic groups, according to a newly released study by the San Jose Police Department.

The first of its kind study found that San Jose police used force in less than five percent of all arrests last year, but officers were more likely to use force against black and Latino suspects.

Ten percent of the 34,000 arrested in the city in 2006 were African American, but blacks accounted for 17 percent of those arrested by force.

Latinos are 54 percent more likely to be arrested by force than whites, the report found.

http://kcbs.com/pages/312561.php?contentType=4&contentId=380884

The zenophobia is working.