Right to Vote?

Voting is a right that all citizens over the age of 18 get to enjoy. We can vote for local and federal government officials, vote on bonds, or vote to build a new school. We get at the very least put our two cents in and impact our communities. But what if you were living in these communities where you governed by men you didn't elect, passing bonds you can't vote on, or building a school you would never have encouraged. There are millions of legal non-citizens who live and work and pay taxes. Their kids go to the schools legally and they benefit from some other public services. These non-citizens can't vote but are allowed to go to war for the U.S. 

These people should at least get to vote on a local level. They have needs and they want change for the better but if they can only sit back and watch the world pass them by they are helpless. Like Bedolla writes about the East LA immigrant and 2nd generation Mexicans. They came together and made positive changes with their voting turnout. Give the non-citizens the right to vote and they can make similar positive changes. 

However, I do feel they should have some sort of screening test. The immigrants should have to know something about the U.S. before they can start voting. And I think this article shows that the time to change the law is long since past. Too many people are going unaccounted for. We have got to work on this. 

www.migrationinformation.org/Feature/display.cfm?ID=265

Canada Calling

According to this article (http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0503canada03.html
Canada needs immigrants. They need labor, they need growth, they need Mexicans.

Well, as everyone knows America is in what is being called a immigration crisis. As mentioned in the above article, there's a growing number of programs, both federal AND civilian, attempting to deter Mexicans from crossing the boarder. The minute men of Arizona is being openly criticized in Mexico. Mexicans are also taking the minute men message as "we don't want you here."

If this is the case (which it is most certainly is in some cases) than the U.S. government needs to accept this change in Mexican migration patterns. The U.S. could work together with Canada, a country in need, with us, a country in surplus. The U.S. doesn't need to encourage immigration any more than it is going to happen anyway. To cut down on illegal immigrantion we should just move Mexico's focus to Canada RIGHT?

WRONG! Canada is calling for "skilled" labor. Educated professionals from Mexico. Educated professionals aren't coming into the U.S. at problem numbers like the uneducated crowd. Canada and the U.S. are dealing with two different kinds of immigrants. So even though the article sounds like the answer to everyones prayers is sitting right in front of us, it's not. I hope this kind of idea doesn't get into the minds of the American public because this is not a solution. I encourage Canada to continue its mission to up its immigration but I don't want this mission to seem like a possible answer to the U.S. problem.

The search continues.

Taxes for Illegals

Earlier in class this week we were talking about the tax issues illegal immigrants face. They work hard and pay taxes but never receive government help or tax returns. Millions, possibly billions, of dollars are being pumped into the U.S. government by people who technically don't exist. These phantom tax payers never collect social security, Medicare, or even apply for their income tax returns. Well there is good new for supporters of illegal immigrants receiving benefits.

Under new House rules, which can be read about in the link below, illegal immigrants will be able to benefit from an economic stimulus plan which may grant illegals up to $1200 just for being here. With the new plan anyone with a Tax Identification Number will be eligible. The reason being that once a TIN is obtained then a person is in the IRS's system. No other identification is required and illegal immigrants get on the fast track to collecting returns.

So, what does this mean for immigration and border control? Mentioned in the article, this will probably increase immigration. It will also most likely encourage illegal immigrants to stay here all year instead of going back to Mexico in off-seasons. Obviously if you are an opponent of the current immigration issues and solutions this will just fuel your fire. It seems this is a massive loop-hole that somehow our government dug itself into. How can we try to stop illegal immigration if we are essentially sending a message of welcomeness and support?

Is this really a back-door way of covering up the U.S. support of cheap migrant labor? Maybe the government realized that we need agriculture workers and we need to start treating them like humans. Who knows? Whatever the case this new House proposal may actually be an immigration stimulus along with an economic stimulus. It will be interesting to see if illegal immigrants start literally cashing in on this new opportunity.

Just more mixed messages from our friends in Washington.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,326346,00.html

Border Patrol

Today, just like in the past, border issues are hot debate items in all walks of life. Most people feel strongly, one way or the other, about what should be done to manage a nearly 2000 mile border. Some suggest building a wall, similar to what the Chinese did centuries ago. Some people want to dig a trench and have 24 hour surveillance along the entire line. And some individuals feel we need to deport millions of immigrants and slow the growing population problems.

I don't know the right answer, however, I do know that if the border patrol remains corrupt we don't stand a chance of solving anything. I'm not saying every border patrol officer is corrupt but read the case about Jose Olivas Jr. He accepted payments for assisting illegal border crossings. We must get control of these kinds of actions before we can begin to close the borders. If the people monitoring the borders can't be trusted then we're in big trouble.

The problem is that money kind make people do uncharacteristic things. Many people would have acted the same way as Olivas had they been given the chance. Like David Gutierrez illustrated in Walls and Mirrors, the countries opinion on the immigration question is often split and ever changing. So, if Olivas has no personal reason not to let illegal aliens in and he personally wants money, then the money will always win.

In the Olivas article it mentions that he would inform his crossing customers when a check point was closed. To me this reveals an even greater issue. We don't even employ enough border patrol officers to keep our check points continuously open; and people want a 24 hour sentry system? Overall I need to keep looking into the border crossing issue to learn a bit more about possible solutions. However, I do know that if the border patrol officers can't be properly monitored than there is no reason to expect a properly managed border.

check out the article by clicking on the yahoo link