Thread: (OK.) Immigration law not as bad as it seems

Immigration law not as bad as it seems
November 9, 2007
OCOLLY.COM
By Aaron Crespo
Opinion Columnist

I’m Hispanic and I agree with the state’s new immigration law. I believe it has the potential to do a lot of good for citizens. I’m not an immigrant; I was born in this country. I have been the subject of racial profiling.

This past summer I was asked for identification while working in Edmond. I was downtown in a business suit doing interviews for the Edmond Sun. Of everyone in downtown Edmond that afternoon, a local police officer called over to check my ID.

Fortunately, my case was minor, but I knew why he went after me. I can sympathize with the fears that it will increase racial profiling in the state, because, frankly, it probably will. Those fears are completely justified.

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I like what this law is doing. The only thing that would make it perfect would be if it could somehow make the naturalization process more streamlined and simple, but last I checked, it wasn’t in the realm of the state government to do so.

It’s not because of some perception that illegal immigrants are all the scum of the globe. That’s far from the truth, many are hard working and otherwise upstanding members of society.

No, this law isn’t there to prevent illegal immigrants from being exploited. How that reasoning even came to exist, I don’t know, but if you think preventing someone from getting any job is saving them from being underpaid at a job, you’re a fool.

You won’t persuade me by claiming that the immigrants are taking jobs legal citizens don’t want to do. Many times, employers use them not because there is no other choice, but because they can get by paying them less, and often under the table.

What does persuade me are numbers, Harvard economics professor George Borjas showed in a study that illegal aliens displaced other workers at a cost of $133 billion last year with $56 billion sent to their home countries.

The Center for Immigration Studies, which admittedly has a stated purpose of lowering immigration, reports that more that $20 billion will be spent on welfare payments for illegal immigrants above and beyond the taxes they pay.

In this state, the Federation of American Immigration Reform reports $200 million in public benefits, law enforcement costs and other resources. With this amount on his desk, combined with the fact that it an override was likely if he vetoed it, Governor Henry reluctantly signed the bill.

The League of United Latin American Citizens is reportedly leading the challenge in the courts, claiming it’s the job of the federal government to regulate immigration.

But as the federal government has stalled on addressing the issue, this Hispanic is happy to see the state taking the first step. It’s not a perfect step, but it’s still a good one.

http://www.ocolly.com/2007/11/09/immigr ... -it-seems/

Thank you for your views....I have 4 really close friends that are Hispanic and I told them about the website..."you don't speak for me" they are getting as involved as I am...we all want to protect the U.S. for our kids and grandkids...My parents were immigrants (legal) and they always talked about how PROUD they were about being citizens....they even Framed their citizenship papers....We need to fight to get our country back....I wish Nevada cared...We are all proud of Ok....