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View Full Version : The Untold Truth About Immigration


RedWine
04-04-2006, 05:58 AM
This is an appeal to all loyal Americans especially the immigrants of all kind-naturalized citizens, legal and even illegal. Let us save America from falsehood that is destroying it. After all, one of this great country's claim to fame is, "The truth made us free." I wonder how many of you have been following what is one of the hot issues being discussed all over America. I have, and here are some of what I have seen and heard; The government is seriously considering erecting a wall along some 700- mile along U.S.-Mexico border! Can you imagine President Fox yelling at President Bush "Mr. Bush, turn down that wall! One radio talk show host that sounded like a neo-con was suggesting that a wall is not effective enough, we should plant land mines along our borders! A lady calling c-span said we should change the word Immigration with Invasion. Another lady calling c-span was wondering why the American taxpayers should foot the bill for education and health care of Mexican workers. Even John McLaughlin of the McLaughlin Group, otherwise one of my favorite gurus was wondering why we should support the immigrants with no opposition among his group! Here we are. Ignorance galore!

One would ask oneself what is really going on in a Nation of Immigrants and what happened to the claim that "truth that made us free." Let us explore this issue a bit.
Immigration from one place on earth to another goes back to the beginning of human history and millions of otherwise decent and law-abiding people have migrated from one place to another where their basic and universal human rights such as life, liberty and pursuit of happiness are more guaranteed. People have always yearned for these rights. The great founders of America were knowledgeable and intelligent enough to make these rights the pillars of American government. Add to that the era of industrialization and shortage of labor in America and you have all the answers for migration of the people of all colors and creed to America. Those Americans who think this trend can be reversed are simply ignorant of not only the world history, but that of their own and the American Ideals. They still hold the pre-1776 mentality and do not remember the American Revolution or, are reinventing the wheel. Why such mentality thrives in the most technological country, is an important question about which we can never address too much.

In our constructive criticism of America, we should admit that the recently intensified anti-immigrant sentiment may look bad in America, but it is even worse in other industrial nations-mostly G-8 nations who have even relatively less immigrants than America. This is a complicated issue that should be discussed in the light of politics, economics, religion, race, etc. One thing is clear in speaking of immigration. And that is, given a choice, almost all people have the most affinity to remain in their homelands unless they leave it at a very young age and ignorant of their own culture. All in all, most people prefer to leave their homeland temporarily that includes business, tour, education purposes.

The untold truth about immigration is that the migration of most people to the U.S. or other industrial countries on permanent basis has its roots in deprivation their basic rights in their homeland that is fueled by the superpowers in competing for the natural and human resources of these nations. Such interference by superpowers in internal affairs of less developed nations could be disastrous especially when it is conducted by people who have little or no knowledge of the culture, religion, history and even geography of the target countries. In this pecking order all lesser powers are fair game for the bigger ones. Sadly in recent years America has been known to conduct the best misguided foreign policies in the developing world. Alas, the American public that foots the bill for such overt or covert operations is the least informed and educated in this area and ironically so are their leaders. My long exposure to the American public have proven that, given the facts they are outraged to no end. These decent people include thousands of Americans including religious, sectarian and humanitarian groups that harbor and support and defend the immigrants including the illegal ones. I proudly take the side of the immigrants of all kinds in their struggle to make a living in this chaotic situation. Of course on the opposite end of the scale are those who willingly utilize the immigrants for cheap or cooly labor and do little or nothing to understand their plight and defend them in order to be politically correct. They go with the flow, if you will.
I often worry about the future of America and the world that follows it. I worry that these disenchanted immigrants who, through no fault of their own are denied their basic rights, those in other countries who never migrate but their loved ones are killed during ill-planned invasions of their homeland and even those Americans whose loved ones are killed during those senseless conflicts. By the way these exploitations and venturing into other countries are expressly prohibited by great leaders such as Washington and Jefferson.

I am a U.S. naturalized citizen and I love this country but I would love it even more if I did not have to move here permanently. Why don't I go backs as the red necks ask? -"love it or leave it?" The reason is that senseless America invasion and interference in my homeland in recent decades have made that homeland an unpredictable place for my safety and that of my family. So, I say, I love it but can't leave it! How would anyone feel if they were compelled to leave their homeland and deprive their children the culture, values and language of their homeland? How do I cope with it? I mention these words-forgive them for they do not know what they do.

The details of my reasons to leave my homeland is the subject of a book that I hope to publish someday. I have been compelled to leave my homeland not once, but three times, only the last of which I mention briefly to save time. And, that is when America threw its full support behind Saddam Hussein during his eight-year war with Iran-my homeland. The war that killed, maimed about a million people and created a lot of anti-American resentment. Yes, you read it right. You may even not believe that I am talking mean the same Saddam who is on trial for his war crimes and threatening his neighbors with the arms and poison gas we gave him! For Heaven's sake, haven't we better things to spend our money on? Education, health care, substance abuse and infrastructures that are crumpling? Even after that what is the sense of so called "war on terror" in the name of exporting democracy and freedom while we are gradually denying it to the people inside of America? It seems like America is no longer the country whose Thomas Jefferson said, "An empire collapses more from within than from without."This reminds me of an American song that inspires me so much-When will we ever learn?

What is the sense of being the only superpower to invade other countries when the most recent dictatorships have long since they abandoned invading other countries? Why are we, during the twenty-first century, stepping in the footsteps of the same colonial powers that were defeated by the founders of America? Ignorance, arrogance, hypocrisy, greed, or all of these? Are we re-inventing the wheel and repeating the history because we do not read it or what? Are we self-destructing and proving Erich Fromm's opinion that "The world is graveyard of empires that did not make the challenge of their time?" And finally, why do we amass stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction enough to annihilate the mankind 100 times and not spend some on effective education the cost of which would be a pittance relative to our weaponry. Is this the country whose Thomas Jefferson said, "Those who expect to be ignorant and free, expect what there never was and never will be?"

Last, but not least in response to the woman who suggested to replace the word Immigration with Invasion, I say, what would a "nation of immigrants" be without immigrants? Just a nation like any other that abandons the American Ideals? And, since Mexicans make up most of the immigrants to America-about 60%, we should admit that any discomfort we suffer under their "invasion" is the price we are paying for the treatment of Mexico and the so called "banana republics" in the past. Is it dishonest for these people to take low paying jobs in America rather than killing and maiming the Americans and claiming reparation for the losses their forefathers suffered in defending their homelands? If these countries were educated they would never be willing to take up the lowest paid jobs in America. I think they should be credited to do what the Americans refuse to do in order to support their families.

In conclusion, America needs to reconsider a Middle Eastern saying, "you cannot plant thornbush and expect to harvest dates." Or, in a more universal saying, "you reap what you sow."

Private enterprise and free competition are the best part of America if the conducted by educated and informed people. The capitalism the founders of America proposed was one with "human face" and not corporations that beat other countries to submission in order to feed the unsatiable appetite of America with the resources of other nations. As an example, just what is wrong with conducting free enterprise like Bill Gates who is doing everything humanly possible to serve this country and the world?

RedWine
04-04-2006, 01:20 PM
Jorge Santos has dreamed for years of becoming a US citizen - like his wife, son, and stepdaughter. He speaks English well, owns a home, and finished fine furniture for a living - until a deportation a few years ago flagged the fact that he was using a false Social Security number.
He's back in the US now, watching Washington wrangle over immigration - especially what to do about those already here illegally. Under the US House bill, he'd become a felon; a Senate bill offers a path to US citizenship, but Mr. Santos doubts he'd be eligible. His earlier run-in with immigration law may disqualify him.

Though many immigrants prefer the Senate's more open-armed bill, it can't yet answer their most urgent question: Who'd get to stay and who'd be sent home? How senators would resolve Santos's case, and others with similar complications, may be what determines whether most undocumented immigrants living and working in the US step forward to be counted - a major goal of the legislation - or remain in the shadows.

"You want to make it as open as possible," says Angela Kelley, deputy director of the National Immigration Forum, which supports the bill drafted by the Senate Judiciary Committee. "The point is to bring people out of shadows. You want to have reasonable requirements [for residency], but you can't try to trip them up."

The Senate is slated to vote this week on the part of the bill that spells out how the US would regard the 11 million to 12 million undocumented immigrants already in the country. To that end, senators are debating what waivers to include for people like Santos, who have previous immigration violations.

Critics denounce the Senate bill as a virtual amnesty that will reward criminal behavior and threaten Americans' jobs. In its current form, they add, it is far too embracing of those who entered the country illegally - and is unfair to immigrants who followed the law.

"It rewards people who have broken the law, and puts at a disadvantage people who have been playing by rules," say Ira Mehlman of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, a group that advocates a crackdown on illegal immigration. He isn't buying the argument that illegals will be at the back of the line to obtain permanent residency, noting that "they'll do their waiting here, and others will be waiting somewhere else."

Mr. Mehlman and other critics cite the 1986 amnesty law, which permitted all undocumented immigrants who had been in the United States since January 1982 to apply for permanent residency, and more than 3 million did so. Many consider the legislation a failure, because illegal immigration increased afterward. "We've been down this road before," says Mehlman.

Supporters of the Judiciary bill emphasize that things are different this time. Not only are the requirements for residency tougher, but the guest-worker program and the increased number of visas give an outlet for future immigration pressures.

"As long as our laws don't allow for that continued flow, our laws will be circumvented," says Deborah Meyers at the Migration Policy Institute. "This is trying to have our policies be a better match with realities on the ground."

RedWine
04-04-2006, 01:20 PM
A path to permanent residency and citizenship is just one piece of a three-part package whose elements - more resources for enforcement and a guest-worker program - work together, say Ms. Meyers and others. Without a way to identify and register current undocumented workers, they say, and a legal way for future guest workers to fill unmet job needs, border patrol and immigration agents can't succeed.

"Nobody should think that the current status quo - or going with an enforcement-only approach - will ever secure the borders," says Stewart Verdery, former assistant secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. "For the first time, this will give the border patrol an honest chance to find the true bad actors."

The issue elicits divided and deeply held reactions from Americans, who seem split over illegal immigration. Poll results vary widely. About 60 percent of Americans oppose allowing illegal immigrants to apply for legal, temporary-worker status, according to an NBC News-Wall Street Journal poll. But a Time magazine poll found that 78 percent say illegal immigrants who learn English, pay taxes, and have a job should have a shot at legal status.

Immigrants and their supporters, meanwhile, have taken to the streets in waves, trying to rally opposition to the tough House bill. Many also cheered the Senate Judiciary bill.

Santos, who has lived mostly in the US since he was 16, says he feels like an American. When he returned to Mexico to visit his ailing mother four years ago, he was caught reentering the US and was deported. He knew he was breaking the law when he sneaked in a few months later, he says, but felt he had no choice. "When you love your son, you just want to be with him," he says.

Like many illegal immigrants, Santos has always paid taxes and would gladly pay a fine if it meant he could stay here.

The Judiciary bill is not an automatic path to citizenship, say immigrant-rights advocates. In fact, some worry that the English-language requirement, in particular, will be an obstacle, because ESL (English as a Second Language) courses already are too few to meet demand.