Letter writers unhappy with Bush immigration plan
http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cct ... 059490.htm
Posted on Sat, Mar. 05, 2005
Forum letters writers unhappy with immigration idea
Bush blind
The voices of freedom and democracy are sounding loudly and clearly in the Middle East. Afghanistan and Iraq are free. Palestine is clamoring for peace and liberty. President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt hears the wind and declares he is supportive of free elections. Lebanon has dissolved its government and is demonstrating for a truly democratic nation. Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states are reacting to the cry for freedom. The mullahs are quaking under their turbans in Iran.
All of this is happening because of the vision, determination, and leadership of one man -- President George W. Bush. Why then is he blind to the influx of illegals across our southern border? Does he not realize that this exposes our country to terrorists? Do he and the Congress believe that a worker permit program will curb the danger to our national security? Will it relieve the economic strain on the states that must provide infrastructure to illegals?
Our only hope of security is to close our southern border, with troops, if necessary. Then we can consider work permits. Anything else is to deny the reality of the threat of terrorist attack and the collapse of the economies of the several states.
Ernest Hampson
Pittsburg
Financial impact
My question to the president regarding his temporary work plan would be what is to prevent illegal immigrants from taking jobs away from Americans by working for less pay?
Also, under the president's plan, what financial impact would any additional people allowed to enter the United States have on our bankrupt schools, insolvent hospitals, housing assistance, welfare and prison incarceration?
Rich Berkery
Martinez
Pile of hogwash
Having read President Bush's proposal for the illegal immigrant amnesty -- I mean guest worker program -- I'm pretty certain I've never read such a large pile of hogwash rhetoric in my life.
In a recent speech Bush actually claimed that with regard to border security that "the federal government is fulfilling its duty." Apparently the president has a different definition of " fulfilling duty" than anyone I know. Our border is wide open and local agencies have no authority to do anything to crack down on illegal immigration.
Basically he's throwing up his hands and telling Vicente Fox and the rest down in Latin America that it's OK to keep sending their people north and the United States will take care of them.
As a nation we obviously have a need for immigrant labor. However, as citizens, we all have a right to know who is coming to our country. While most immigrants are coming to work and better their lives, some are criminals or carry disease and all need to be checked in order to weed out the undesirable ones. The guest worker program is not going to accomplish this for us. There are just far too many illegal immigrants here already.
Thadd Curry
Pinole
Deport illegals
What part of illegal is not understood here? The only thing that needs to happen here is deport illegal immigrants back to wherever they came from.
The burden on the U.S. system to care for these people is ridiculous. If you want to get a temporary work permit, apply for it legally! Since when does illegal activity deserve rewards?
Why should American benefits support these illegals?
Multilingual road signs, drivers licenses to non-English-speaking people, Social Security, medical care ... to speak in English, press 1 now (try calling your bank), etc. Can you afford this funding?
If you support illegals working here, then perhaps you support giving gun permits to convicted felons, promoting illegal drugs, selling alcohol to minors and letting noncitizens vote.
Then you might as well change the definition of illegal. What's next? Retirement benefits for gang members?
Laurence Ellam
El Cerrito
Wrong plan
I think that President Bush's plan to grant work permits to illegal immigrants is very wrong. Rewarding people who break U.S. immigration laws has never been a good idea.
It will be a way to encourage more illegal immigration. Some members of Congress advocate cracking down on illegal immigration and also limiting legal immigration.
I think that Bush will have a very hard time getting this passed into law.
Al Carstenson
Concord
Enforce laws
It is the responsibility of the president of the United States to strictly enforce the laws passed by Congress. For President Bush, or any citizen, to knowingly provide any aid to illegal immigrants who are violating federal laws is a federal crime in itself.
It is the sworn duty of the president and the Immigration and Naturalization Service to protect our borders; and seek, identify and deport all persons who are in the United States without proper documentation.
Illegal immigrants, who by definition have violated federal law, are not entitled to temporary work permits, driver's licenses or any services provided to naturalized citizens or legal immigrants.
To do otherwise makes a mockery of our legal system and the laws of the United States. Either the United States has an immigration policy or we don't.
Dennis Myrick
Moraga
One-way trip home
I don't think that people who are in this country illegally should be given work permits, driver's licenses or anything other than a one-way trip back home.
The Times wrote an article about an illegal who came here and was held hostage at gun-point until ransomed by his brother. At the end of the article it was noted that he was the youngest of 17 children all of whom had to leave their impoverished village.
If the cultures who oppose women's access to contraception had to live with the full implications of their policy, instead of shipping the results of their excess pregnancies here, perhaps two wrongs could be righted: abuse of women and girls and abject poverty.
Once women get to this country and have access to birth control, their birthrate drops to that of American women. It would be better if the president reinstated funding for the United Nations Population Fund. Contraception is better than illegal immigration and also better than war.
Connie Tolleson
Bay Point
Plan won't work
The president's plan to grant work permits to illegal immigrants is only a way to legitimize the illegals living here. It will do nothing to stop the continuing influx, but will only encourage more to come in, which should please Mexico's President Vicente Fox.
It is a way of the federal government turning its back on the problem, one it does not seem to be interested in.
R.H. Porterfield
Walnut Creek
Don't aid criminals
Illegal immigration: anyone who enters any country by means other than designated by the law.
Anti-illegal immigration: racists, "rednecks."
Pro-illegal immigration: kind, opened.
Replace the word immigration with voter registration, rape, child molestation, and we have a country that would soon not exist.
A teacher does not give cheaters passing grades. Do not reward criminals.
D.C. Rentz
Martinez
Fine employers
The illegal temporary work permit program might work if it is strictly enforced by the businesses and employers. Also they should face a heavy fine if they do not comply.
I also think the permits should be limited to the illegals who have been here before 9/11, with the new three-year permits starting at the time the new permit law is enacted. All newer arrivals should return to their countries to request a permit.
Mary B. Valens
Castro Valley
Plan won't help
President Bush's plan will hurt illegal immigrants working here and not help them. It's common sense that working "off the books" and being paid "under the table" is a large part of the national economy.
This underground economy, as it works now, enriches both the illegals and the employers that hire them. The worker reduces deductions by avoiding income tax and avoids the time and expense of licensing, for example, a driver's license or professional certifications required for work.
Employers don't have to keep payroll records; they pay no taxes, no unemployment and have no worries about safety or labor laws.
If you legalize people who broke the law by being here, you will encourage more to break the law to come here and not change the situation for the better.
Jimmie Currier
Berkeley
Letter writers unhappy with Bush immigration plan
http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cct ... 059490.htm
Posted on Sat, Mar. 05, 2005
Forum letters writers unhappy with immigration idea
Bush blind
The voices of freedom and democracy are sounding loudly and clearly in the Middle East. Afghanistan and Iraq are free. Palestine is clamoring for peace and liberty. President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt hears the wind and declares he is supportive of free elections. Lebanon has dissolved its government and is demonstrating for a truly democratic nation. Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states are reacting to the cry for freedom. The mullahs are quaking under their turbans in Iran.
All of this is happening because of the vision, determination, and leadership of one man -- President George W. Bush. Why then is he blind to the influx of illegals across our southern border? Does he not realize that this exposes our country to terrorists? Do he and the Congress believe that a worker permit program will curb the danger to our national security? Will it relieve the economic strain on the states that must provide infrastructure to illegals?
Our only hope of security is to close our southern border, with troops, if necessary. Then we can consider work permits. Anything else is to deny the reality of the threat of terrorist attack and the collapse of the economies of the several states.
Ernest Hampson
Pittsburg
Financial impact
My question to the president regarding his temporary work plan would be what is to prevent illegal immigrants from taking jobs away from Americans by working for less pay?
Also, under the president's plan, what financial impact would any additional people allowed to enter the United States have on our bankrupt schools, insolvent hospitals, housing assistance, welfare and prison incarceration?
Rich Berkery
Martinez
Pile of hogwash
Having read President Bush's proposal for the illegal immigrant amnesty -- I mean guest worker program -- I'm pretty certain I've never read such a large pile of hogwash rhetoric in my life.
In a recent speech Bush actually claimed that with regard to border security that "the federal government is fulfilling its duty." Apparently the president has a different definition of " fulfilling duty" than anyone I know. Our border is wide open and local agencies have no authority to do anything to crack down on illegal immigration.
Basically he's throwing up his hands and telling Vicente Fox and the rest down in Latin America that it's OK to keep sending their people north and the United States will take care of them.
As a nation we obviously have a need for immigrant labor. However, as citizens, we all have a right to know who is coming to our country. While most immigrants are coming to work and better their lives, some are criminals or carry disease and all need to be checked in order to weed out the undesirable ones. The guest worker program is not going to accomplish this for us. There are just far too many illegal immigrants here already.
Thadd Curry
Pinole
Deport illegals
What part of illegal is not understood here? The only thing that needs to happen here is deport illegal immigrants back to wherever they came from.
The burden on the U.S. system to care for these people is ridiculous. If you want to get a temporary work permit, apply for it legally! Since when does illegal activity deserve rewards?
Why should American benefits support these illegals?
Multilingual road signs, drivers licenses to non-English-speaking people, Social Security, medical care ... to speak in English, press 1 now (try calling your bank), etc. Can you afford this funding?
If you support illegals working here, then perhaps you support giving gun permits to convicted felons, promoting illegal drugs, selling alcohol to minors and letting noncitizens vote.
Then you might as well change the definition of illegal. What's next? Retirement benefits for gang members?
Laurence Ellam
El Cerrito
Wrong plan
I think that President Bush's plan to grant work permits to illegal immigrants is very wrong. Rewarding people who break U.S. immigration laws has never been a good idea.
It will be a way to encourage more illegal immigration. Some members of Congress advocate cracking down on illegal immigration and also limiting legal immigration.
I think that Bush will have a very hard time getting this passed into law.
Al Carstenson
Concord
Enforce laws
It is the responsibility of the president of the United States to strictly enforce the laws passed by Congress. For President Bush, or any citizen, to knowingly provide any aid to illegal immigrants who are violating federal laws is a federal crime in itself.
It is the sworn duty of the president and the Immigration and Naturalization Service to protect our borders; and seek, identify and deport all persons who are in the United States without proper documentation.
Illegal immigrants, who by definition have violated federal law, are not entitled to temporary work permits, driver's licenses or any services provided to naturalized citizens or legal immigrants.
To do otherwise makes a mockery of our legal system and the laws of the United States. Either the United States has an immigration policy or we don't.
Dennis Myrick
Moraga
One-way trip home
I don't think that people who are in this country illegally should be given work permits, driver's licenses or anything other than a one-way trip back home.
The Times wrote an article about an illegal who came here and was held hostage at gun-point until ransomed by his brother. At the end of the article it was noted that he was the youngest of 17 children all of whom had to leave their impoverished village.
If the cultures who oppose women's access to contraception had to live with the full implications of their policy, instead of shipping the results of their excess pregnancies here, perhaps two wrongs could be righted: abuse of women and girls and abject poverty.
Once women get to this country and have access to birth control, their birthrate drops to that of American women. It would be better if the president reinstated funding for the United Nations Population Fund. Contraception is better than illegal immigration and also better than war.
Connie Tolleson
Bay Point
Plan won't work
The president's plan to grant work permits to illegal immigrants is only a way to legitimize the illegals living here. It will do nothing to stop the continuing influx, but will only encourage more to come in, which should please Mexico's President Vicente Fox.
It is a way of the federal government turning its back on the problem, one it does not seem to be interested in.
R.H. Porterfield
Walnut Creek
Don't aid criminals
Illegal immigration: anyone who enters any country by means other than designated by the law.
Anti-illegal immigration: racists, "rednecks."
Pro-illegal immigration: kind, opened.
Replace the word immigration with voter registration, rape, child molestation, and we have a country that would soon not exist.
A teacher does not give cheaters passing grades. Do not reward criminals.
D.C. Rentz
Martinez
Fine employers
The illegal temporary work permit program might work if it is strictly enforced by the businesses and employers. Also they should face a heavy fine if they do not comply.
I also think the permits should be limited to the illegals who have been here before 9/11, with the new three-year permits starting at the time the new permit law is enacted. All newer arrivals should return to their countries to request a permit.
Mary B. Valens
Castro Valley
Plan won't help
President Bush's plan will hurt illegal immigrants working here and not help them. It's common sense that working "off the books" and being paid "under the table" is a large part of the national economy.
This underground economy, as it works now, enriches both the illegals and the employers that hire them. The worker reduces deductions by avoiding income tax and avoids the time and expense of licensing, for example, a driver's license or professional certifications required for work.
Employers don't have to keep payroll records; they pay no taxes, no unemployment and have no worries about safety or labor laws.
If you legalize people who broke the law by being here, you will encourage more to break the law to come here and not change the situation for the better.
Jimmie Currier
Berkeley
