Thread: Immigration Panel Provokes Questions

Immigration panel provokes questions

Dallas: Participants agree that the hot-button issue is a complex one


12:00 AM CDT on Friday, April 13, 2007

By DIANNE SOLÍS / The Dallas Morning News
dsolis@dallasnews.com

Immigrants in the U.S. sent a record $23 billion back to Mexico last year. So why does Parkland Memorial Hospital have unpaid bills, asked the Dallas president of the Urban League at an immigration panel Thursday sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Dallas.

"If people are able to send that type of money back, why can't they pay at Parkland?" said Beverly Mitchell-Brooks, the president and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Dallas.

The provocative but civil panel explored issues ranging from jobs that require bilingualism to proposals to repeal birthright citizenship under the U.S. Constitution. The standing-room-only event at Catholic Charities of Dallas illustrated that immigration – legal and illegal – bubbles to the top of many public-policy debates in North Texas, where immigration has soared since 1990.

Among the panelists was Jennifer Cutrer, Parkland hospital's executive director of legislative affairs. Dr. Cutrer acknowledged that Dr. Mitchell-Brooks asked a "very legitimate question" about the Dallas public hospital she represents.

But Dr. Cutrer also called the immigration debate "complicated," and one that couldn't be dismissed with statements by some politicians that "it is either illegal or legal."

"They don't get it because all they see is black and white. They are illegal ... they don't see the contributions these people make," she said.

The cost of illegal-immigrant health care has been a contentious issue in Dallas County. Parkland Memorial Hospital estimated last year that it provided illegal immigrants about $22.4 million worth of nonemergency medical care. And Dallas County officials went so far as to send a bill to Mexico and other countries.

José Angel Gutiérrez, a political-science professor at the University of Texas at Arlington, touched the same theme of the complexity of immigration.

"You know fully well that we would not have a League of Women Voters if they didn't break the law," said Dr. Gutiérrez, referring to the women who led the effort for the right to vote.

Blacks also broke laws in order to gain equal rights, he said.

Dr. Mitchell-Brooks stressed that she sees a distinction between legal and illegal immigration.

"Whether we like the laws or don't like the laws, they are the laws," she said.

Dr. Mitchell-Brooks also said she has an immigrant friend who likened illegal immigration to standing in a grocery line for those with 15 items or less and then suddenly, 20 people jump in front of you with 20 items or more.

"There are people here who are still waiting for that living wage ... still waiting in that check-out counter patiently for their turn," Dr. Mitchell-Brooks said.

She also questioned whether it was discrimination when a job description called for "bilingual-only" applicants. "Would it be discrimination to put in a job description: English only?" she asked.

The moderator raised the issue of the Farmers Branch ordinance on the May 12 ballot that would fine apartment owners who rent to illegal immigrants.

"How can we deal with their fear?" asked the moderator, Roger Kallenberg, who added that the Farmers Branch City Council members had been invited but declined the invitation.

"The first illegals were those people on the Mayflower," said Dr. Gutiérrez, as the audience erupted in laughter.

Anne Marie Weiss-Armush, the founder of DFW-International, said other cities, such as Houston, operate an Office of Immigration Affairs. In some cities, the office helps immigrants assimilate by providing information on services and English and citizenship lessons. A member of the Dallas City Council launched a discussion of opening a similar office, she said. That office was never funded.



http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/n ... 407db.html

Yep, yep, all that money flying out of our community. We had a recent article in our paper about the Latino Mall stating that;

http://www.waukegan.org/Forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6790


"They sell everything there," Pech said.

Other retailers have blamed the closure of the mall's laundromat and movie theater for the drop in customer traffic which peaks at a few hundred on the weekends. For Pech, stalled bills that would give a path to citizenship for the nation's illegal immigrant population has affected sales since 2001 because many customers are new immigrants.

"They don't want to spend. They prefer to send the money to Mexico than to spend it here," Pech said.

For that reason, some of the Latino business owners pooled money together to rent buses and vans for the mall to take people to the marches in support of legalization for undocumented immigrants in Chicago last year.

"The people will spend and not be afraid that they will be deported," he said.

Immigrants in the U.S. sent a record $23 billion back to Mexico last year. So why does Parkland Memorial Hospital have unpaid bills,
"If people are able to send that type of money back, why can't they pay at Parkland?"

Its called stick it to you and hurray for me!! just one of the many public benefits they take advantage of,

Of course the special interest groups will tell you they don't qualify for these benefits. Right!!!

Blacks also broke laws in order to gain equal rights, he said.

These pro-illegal alien activists are always trying to climb on the back of the Black civil rights movement. Anything to appear legitimate.

Originally Posted by pjr40

Blacks also broke laws in order to gain equal rights, he said.

These pro-illegal alien activists are always trying to climb on the back of the Black civil rights movement. Anything to appear legitimate.

Yeah, I caught that too, what a cheap shot that has nothing to do with illegals, the black people were at least citizens and had a right to protest for what they deserved.
What makes illegals think they even have any rights here? It's not their country!

MountainDog wrote:

Yeah, I caught that too, what a cheap shot that has nothing to do with illegals, the black people were at least citizens and had a right to protest for what they deserved.
What makes illegals think they even have any rights here? It's not their country!

These "supposed" rights Illegals claim they have were actually rights that were intruduced during the "Civil Rights movment" and were intended for slaves, who were not here by choice.
That includes the automatic citizenship for anchor babies.