An addition to my Implications Post

Read this article!!!!! I am serious, it is pretty short, but it really explains what the future holds for us as Americans if our government does not change our immigration system.

Will it take another 9-11 attack to fix our borders? (The entire article is posted below.)

The next time the illegal immigration advocates start whining about the poor Mexican workers coming into the United States to “do jobs we won’t do” and to “make a better life for their families,” please inform them that the porous borders between lawless Mexico and the U.S. are also letting in drugs at a scale almost beyond description and that Atlanta is a major distribution hub for the hombres.

I talked to Justin Farmer, the able young anchor at WSB-TV in Atlanta about the situation there. Farmer, along with Brad Stone, the station’s executive specials producer and cameraman Oscar Carrillo returned recently from their second trip to the Arizona- Mexico border to see first-hand what is happening there.

What they saw — and reported — is chilling.

As bad as the drug issue is, the Mexican drug trade is secondary to the threat to our national security. The Mexican drug lords are smuggling terrorists here, too.

When Farmer and crew visited a federal detention center near Tucson, he requested a list of current detainees, including their nation of origin. The list contained the usual suspects from Mexico and surrounding areas. But, there were also some 30 or so names on the list from such places as Afghanistan, Yemen, Iraq, Iran, Sudan and Pakistan.

“I was stunned,” he says.

What are so many bad guys doing in a detention center in Tucson? And just how many of them have we missed that are already in the U.S. and plotting the next 9/11? Digging deeper, Farmer found documents filed in federal court in San Antonio that shows a federal indictment against a known terrorist suspect for allegedly smuggling hundreds of people into the U.S from Brazil through Mexico, including Somalis from the terrorist group Al Shabob, which has participated in terrorist attacks and suicide bombings worldwide. It is thought that at least 300 of those Somalis may still be running loose in the U.S.

Exporting terrorists is a lucrative business for the Mexican drug trade, Farmer says. Terrorists come into Mexico with plenty of money and you can use the same routes whether you are smuggling in cocaine, a chicken plucker or a cuckoo from the Middle East.

Texas Republican Congressman Mike McCaul told him, “The minute another Sept. 11 happens and we find out that they came across the Mexico-US border — unfortunately that may be what it takes to get people’s attention to the issue.”

Of course, the federal government seems unwilling to do anything about the situation except lick the boots of the illegal immigration crowd.

The Homeland Security Department listed among its goals in a recent Government Accounting Office report to “detect and apprehend 30 percent of the major illegal activity and criminals at ports of entry.” Let’s see — that means the other 70 percent can expect to walk right in. Terrific.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano also told CNN in an interview that, “crossing the border is not a crime per say. It is civil.” Excuse me, but even Sheila the Family Wonderdog knows that Title 1325 of the U.S. code says clearly that those who enter the country illegally are committing a crime punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine.

Our government winks at illegal immigrants because they are sources of cheap labor and may even vote one day if the spirit ever moves them to apply for citizenship. But as they pour across our borders, so do people with the intention of doing us great harm.

Justin Farmer has done a terrific reporting job on an issue that is not getting enough debate in the country. We have a major security problem on our borders. Incidentally, since his reports the federal government has become even less willing to discuss what is being done to keep us safe from the bad guys coming in from Mexico. This much I do know. The feds couldn’t catch Olympic Park bomber Eric Rudolph. It took a rookie policeman in North Carolina who spotted Rudolph in a garbage dump seven years later. Why do we think they can stop a group of terrorists from coming into our country disguised as illegal immigrants?

Write this down: Nothing will be done — nothing — to solve the problem of illegal immigration until we experience another terrorist attack on the scale of 9/11. If this doesn’t scare the hell out of you, then continue to stick your head firmly in the sand — until some terrorist blows it off.
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The last line is quite dramatic in a sense, but it also explained to me how serious this discussion is. Not only are illegals imposing financial costs on the United States, but violence and drug trade has increased around our borders. By not enforcing the border, Homeland Security is unable to control who comes into our nation. This has become much more than just a political issue, but also a situation of protecting the American people and having national security. It would be quite different if the borders were highly secured, but since people tend to come and go as they please, anyone can enter whether or not he or she intends to cause violence or be involved in drug trades.

Republicans take control!!!!!

Because Republicans have taken control of the House and many seats in the Senate, this coming year will entail some very drastic changes in terms of illegal immigration. Changes will come at the state level and at the federal level because this party has the majority. We will see drastic changes, not only in Tennessee, but across America. Although the debate was discussed in 2005 and 2006, experts anticipate people to get quite riled up in 2011. Both parties, Democrats and Republicans, believe that border enforcement and illegal immigration "to be on the forefront of American politics." Republican Lamar Smith from San Antonio believes that "the enforcement of our immigration laws is critical to both our national security and economic prosperity because we need to know who is entering our country."

I found this particularly interesting. An activist for an anti-illegal immigration group in California explained that this idea will only be publicized and people will only care about illegal immigrations if they frame the debate on jobs. He also believes that if they propose a bill purely about jobs, Obama may be more inclined to sign it if Republicans propose a solution to the lack of American jobs.

Another question was proposed in The Orange County Register, a California newspaper. If Republicans make Democrats choose between unemployed Americans and illegal aliens who have jobs, Democrats might change their opinion on reinforcement of our southern border. If it is a question of who will get the jobs, many will stand up and give their opinion which will hopefully encourage discussion in politics.

I found this chart and it really puts into health insurance into perspective!

HOW COVERAGE VARIES Illegal immigrants are less likely to have health coverage than others: Adults Type Uninsured U.S. citizens 14% Legal immigrants 25% Illegal immigrants 59% Children Type Uninsured U.S. citizens 9% Citizens whose parents are legal immigrants 13% Foreign-born children of legal immigrants 25% Citizens with illegal immigrant parents 25% Foreign-born children of illegal immigrants 53% Source: Pew Hispanic Center, 2005

Video considering my Tennessee post

Tennessee Republicans fight back

An Update in Tennessee

Since the elections in early November, Republicans gain control of the state government and are now able to pass their laws regarding immigration. Many quote that they "will crack down on the problem of illegal immigration like never before." One of the ways they will "crack down" will be to require photo identification when a person registers to vote. Even though this should have already been a requirement to register, the government has become lax about this rule. So now, Republicans plan to reinstate this requirement to prevent illegals from voting in the elections. They have also plan to punish companies that employ illegal aliens. Also, because Tennessee is "part of a coalition of states...that will uphold" the Arizona law that "penalizes employers of illegal immigrants." In January, when the state government meets again, Republicans anticipate passing a law similar to the one passed in Arizona earlier this year. (Tennessee Republicans Vow To Fight Illegal Immigration)

Not only has Arizona made an effort to prevent illegal immigration, but the Carolinas are hoping to pass laws that prevent illegals from having the same benefits as U.S. citizens. Now, Tennessee's government is planning do the same thing as they continue to think about immigration reform and aliens' effect on their businesses and state economy.

My Self Analysis

When Dr. Frost first told me that I had to write a blog, I freaked out because I didn’t have a topic in which to write. After I chose illegal immigration and I started to organize my thoughts, I felt very uneducated and ill-informed about any and all aspects of the United States’ immigration system. I knew that we have had problems controlling our southern border, but I had no clue that about 4 million illegal aliens are now living in America! Now that I know that millions of people are here without documentation, I am aware that this issue is quite critical for our government to address.

Since the start of my blog, I have done extensive research by reading many factual and opinionated articles. By doing lots of reading, I have been able to identify the two sides of this debate: amnesty or no amnesty. I still have the same opinion that I had when I started writing, but now I feel familiar with both opinions. Securing our border will dramatically decrease the amount of undocumented immigrants, but now I also know that making visas easier to obtain will also help to resolve the problem. Beforehand, I didn’t know that obtaining a visa was such a long process that contributes to the reason why many Mexicans move to America without paperwork. The two components (visas and securing the Texas-Mexico border) together will help prevent the United States’ finances, businesses, and health providers from being strained from illegal aliens. Also, I had never considered that granting amnesty could boost our economy. This idea had never crossed my mind until I was writing my theory post.

As this issue continues to unfold in the November elections, I am curious to see how President Obama, Congress, and the House solve or avoid the issue of illegal immigration. I will leave you with one final quote; Jon Kyl once said, “Illegal immigration is a genuinely national issue, and resolving it requires a national commitment not just on health care but also border control, law enforcement and other resources.”

Thank you so much for reading my blog! =)

What will we do in the future, as Americans, to reduce illegal immigration?

I just read an article that gave me new perspective on illegal immigration. A reporter stated “The responsibility for illegal immigration lies on both sides of the border; in Mexico, the lack of jobs and poverty that forces the Mexicans to enter America seeking employment, and in the U.S. the illegal hiring of illegal immigrants that encourages illegal immigration.” (Illegal Immigration – The people suffer while politicians squabble) While we cannot blame Mexicans for coming to America, we need to take more responsibility for what our businesses do. Even though our businesses are employing illegal aliens, it isn’t just our fault! Mexico has a low per capita income of about $4,000; therefore people want to immigrate to the United States to make money. Either way, I am not here to determine whose fault this is, but I am here to say that both countries have responsibilities in order to improve this situation. When it comes down to it, we want to welcome Mexicans into our country, but we need to require everyone to become citizens before taking residency. Most importantly, we do not need to upset Mexico because they provide us with large amounts of oil, car parts and electronics that we wouldn’t have otherwise. (Mexico's exports to the United States)