[Winona Online Democracy]
Answers below
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On
Behalf Of Susan Brown
Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2007 1:32 PM
I would agree with Jamie, I also think the analogy stinks. First of all,
people who make these statements also tend to overlook the fact that:
--According to the 2000 Census, there are over 30 million immigrants in the
U.S., representing 11 percent of the total population.
It seems to me you know something the federal government doesn't know as the
last reported figure was 10 million "illegal" immigrants.
--One in five children in the U.S. is the native- or foreign-born child of
an immigrant.
Again what does that have to do with "illegal" immigrants?
--Immigrants and citizens live together in families: 85 percent of immigrant
families with children are mixed status families (families in which at least
one parent is a non-U.S.citizen and one child is a U.S. citizen).
It is my understanding that children currently born in the United States
have citizenship rights and that if one spouse in a marriage is a U.S.
citizen the other has legal rights via the marriage.
Immigrants contribute significantly to the U.S. economy.
---According to the National Academy of Sciences, the total net benefit to
the Social Security system if immigration levels remain constant will be
nearly $500 billion for the 1998-2022 period, and nearly $2 trillion through
2072.6
Again what does that have to do with "illegal" immigrants?
---In New York, also in 1997, $13.3 billion (69 percent) of the $19.3
billion in taxes paid by immigrants went to the federal government in the
form of income taxes, Social Security taxes, and unemployment insurance.
Again what does that have to do with "illegal" immigrants?
---In 2000, the foreign-born population accounted for nearly 15 percent of
the total civilian labor force.
Again what does that have to do with "illegal" immigrants?
---In 2000 foreign-born men 16 years old and older had a higher labor force
participation rate (80 percent) than native-born men (74 percent).
Again what does that have to do with "illegal" immigrants?
Immigrant families use benefits at lower rates than citizen families, and
benefits are not a factor in decisions to migrate to the U.S.
---Use of public benefits by lawfully present immigrant families with
children who earn less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level fell
sharply between 1994 and 1999.
Again what does that have to do with "illegal" immigrants?
---Nearly 33 percent of low-income native citizens used Medicaid in 2001,
compared with only 13.2 percent of low-income noncitizens.
Again what does that have to do with "illegal" immigrants?
---Low-income immigrant families with children have lower TANF-use rates
than low-income citizen families with children (8.7 percent versus 11.6
percent).15 (TANF is the acronym for Temporary Assistance for Needy
Families.)
Again what does that have to do with "illegal" immigrants?
---Welfare does not drive migration patterns. Between 1995 and 2000, the
number of immigrant families with children grew four times faster in states
with the least generous "safety nets" for immigrants (such as Arkansas and
Texas) than it did in states with more generous safety nets (such as
California and Massachusetts).
Again what does that have to do with "illegal" immigrants?
Illegal immigrants contribute nearly $7 billion per year to Social Security,
benefits that they will not be able to access. They pay into Federal and
State Income taxes, also dollars that they are unable to recoup a portion
of, unlike us.
Thanks for the fact as it related to the subject of "illegal" immigrants.
The question that begs to be answered is that if the feds and other
officials know this "fact" then why are the not nailing the employers who
are collecting payroll taxes illegally from illegal workers? And if they
are willing to do this how many are paying sub standard wages, engaging in
unsafe and illegal practices or breaking other employment rules since they
cost money?
There are so many more facts out there that contradict the sewage of many of
these politically based immigrant bashing emails that some are fond of
passing on (I'm assuming that was what Paul shared, I've seen similar via
email).
I'm not sure how many foreigners or immigrants you have all met but the ones
I have, are trying to learn our language, trying to become legal citizens,
work hard for little pay, contribute to our economy, our schools, and the
workplace, are very respectful and teach their children to be very
respectful also.
Most of the "legal" immigrants I have met work hard, are willing to fight
and sometimes die for "their new county" , pay, contribute to our economy,
our schools, and the workplace, are very respectful and teach their children
to be very respectful also.
We are probably the only country in the world that thinks we should only
speak one language. From what I've seen, people from other countries
typically speak 3 different languages if not more.
There is a distinct difference between the ability to speak more than one
language, the education system to provide and one language being the common
language for a nation. Other nations also use the metric system.
Let's not forget either the history of our country. We stormed in and took
over with nothing more than promises of maybe a few bags of flour and food
to the Native Americans(by the way, I'm not referring to the Europeans), we
fought a war that was centered around the "right" to have slaves. We have
notoriously kept anyone who is not a white male from voting, owning
property, and owning business for most of our history-
And lets not forget the Native American history as well "For it is some 8
years since the Iroquois did assemble themselves to the number of 8,000 men,
and discomfited all their enemies, whom they surprised in their enclosures;"
and "by such surprises the
<http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/tribes/iroquioi/iroquoishist.htm>
Iroquois, being in number 8,000 men, have heretofore exterminated the
Algoumequins, them of Hochelaga, and others bordering upon the great river."
--I could go on.
So would I
I think the real point here is the fact that we don't want anyone who is
non-white to come into our country anymore, whether legally or illegally. I
wonder if there would be the same uproar if it were Canadians?
Only the French Canadians should be excluded:-)
Paul Double
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