http://nctimes.com/articles/2006/06/..._156_22_06.txt

Minuteman, Contreras debate illegal immigration

By: EDWARD SIFUENTES - Staff Writer

OCEANSIDE ---- Should there be an amnesty program, what is the size of the illegal immigrant population, and what are its effects on the country? Those were some of the questions debated Thursday night at a dinner sponsored by the Republican Club of North County.

To debate the topic, the club invited Raoul Lowery-Contreras, a newspaper columnist, and Jim Gilchrist, founder of the Minuteman Project, a group of anti-illegal immigrant activists. Gilchrist was unable to attend, but the group's executive director, Stephen Eichler, took his place.

Eichler said the millions of illegal immigrants in the country have stressed its resources by overcrowding roads, hospital emergency rooms and schools. Many in the audience applauded Eichler numerous times throughout the 90-minute debate.


On the other hand, Contreras said illegal immigrants pay about $7 billion each year into the nation's Social Security system, help produce cheaper crops and services, and should be allowed to work legally in the country if they return home and are sponsored by an employer.

"The very fact that the chicken that you ate here tonight was probably processed by an illegal alien is an important and positive impact," Contreras said. "We have positives and negatives. There is a drain on some public expenditures, but not what you think."

Eichler said the negative effects of illegal immigration far outweigh any potential positives.

"The price that everyone is really paying is the price that we pay when we get on our freeways and can't move but an inch every few minutes," he said. "I was glad to enjoy the day without illegal immigrants."

Illegal immigration has been a hotly debated issue in North County for years, but interest has heightened during recent political campaigns that have taken up the cause of more restrictive immigration enforcement efforts.

Recently Marie Waldron, an Escondido councilwoman running for the 74th State Assembly seat, received the endorsement of the San Diego Minutemen, an offshoot group of the Minutemen Project. She failed in her bid for the GOP nomination to the race. Her opponent, Republican Martin Garrick, who won the nomination, is also staunchly anti-illegal immigrant.

At Tuesday's debate, Eichler said the problems associated with illegal immigration are not restricted to any particular group, but include all who are in the country illegally. However, he criticized the predominantly Latino-led recent marches, saying that participants "thumbed their nose at the red, white and blue."

Eichler also decried the problem of "anchor babies," a pejorative term used to describe children born to illegal immigrant parents. He said those babies give their parents a "free pass" to collect benefits in the country.

Contreras said the term was offensive and that citizenship was a constitutional right awarded to all persons born in the country without qualifications.

"The term 'anchor baby' is a despicable term created by people who have no clue," Contreras said. "The 14th Amendment says, 'all persons born or naturalized in the United States of America.' That's not an interpretation .... That's not a misinterpretation. That's the 14th Amendment."

Contact staff writer Edward Sifuentes at (760) 740-3511 or esifuentes@nctimes.com.

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Comments On This Story

Note: Comments reflect the views of readers and not necessarily those of the North County Times or its staff.
RWC wrote on June 23, 2006 5:00 AM:"History is the best teacher of what should be done. Thomas Jefferson warned what would come if illegal immigration is not controlled. Illegal immigration jeprodizes our heritage, our government, our resources, our economics, our safety, our security, our very way of life. America was founded as a republic. We are now more socialist in practice. May God have mercy on America!"

Gordon wrote on June 23, 2006 6:36 AM:"My hat is off to Mr. C...but he should know you can't confuse people like the Minutemen with facts...they only believe what they want to believe..and smear everything else."

George wrote on June 23, 2006 7:48 AM:"The real invasion is not from the south. And I quote: "China has growing leverage over the U.S. economy. Like Japan in the 1980s, China's exporting prowess is leading it to buy more U.S. debt. And as China Inc. strengthens, its leverage will only grow. If China were to stop buying U.S. Treasury bonds - or suddenly dump its holdings - most Americans would feel it fast. U.S. interest rates would buck upward. Millions of homeowners with variable-rate mortgages or large debt would screech in discomfort." Etc. Source: Mercury News - May 31, 2006. "

Ray wrote on June 23, 2006 9:09 AM:"Sifuentes is back. Guess the job in Florida didn't work out. Just when the NCT was starting to tell the truth about illegal immigration, they bring back the neighborhood reconquista. By the way Mr. Contraras how can someone pay social security when here illegally? they use mine. Know how they do it? the employer get's a small checking account, goes on the internet and get's checks printed, fills out all the good stuff that makes it look legal, the employer keeps the money because he knows illegals will never file. Biggest scam going. The truth will set you free folks and illegals are a plague on the future of this country, truth."

GFN wrote on June 23, 2006 9:22 AM:"Sounds like Stephen Eichler won this debate hands down."

Peter wrote on June 23, 2006 10:03 AM:"Mr Contreras is way off base... Where does he get the 7 billion dollar SS figure? Most illegals are paid in cash and the employer doesn't pay the payroll taxes.. Illegals using forged papers to work are breaking the law and should NEVER be intitled to receive any government benefits, even SS. As for American legal workers, they receive no benefit from illegal immigration. The illegal worker in this country is what makes it possible for business to continue to pay sub-standard wages to workers while CEOs make $54,000 per hour in wages and benefits. As for the 14th Admendment, it doesn't say the parents of the child born in the USA shall be given citizenship... the parent being here illegally is breaking the law and Mr Contreras position is that they should be rewarded.. I say no way, never never should any individual be "rewarded" for breaking our laws."

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