Thread: Illegal immigrant issue not just border-state problem

Illegal immigrant issue not just border-state problem

Editorial: The Oakland Press

The argument that the federal government should deal with the illegal immigration problem because it's a national dilemma is basically true.

But new statistics show that the problem is filtering down to the local level and affects communities throughout the United States, even in Oakland County. It's not just a problem for the border states with Mexico.

Michigan's illegal immigrant population was about 124,000 in 2005, ranking the state 16th nationally, according to estimates by the Federation for American Immigration Reform, also called FAIR.

Undocumented residents coming to Oakland County are joining an already diverse community -- nearly 10 percent of the county's population is made up of legal immigrants, according to the 2000 census. This population saw a 57.2 percent increase from the 1997 census.

But the migration does not come without social challenges. The cost associated with educating the children of illegal residents, emergency medical care and incarceration is estimated to be more than $300 million, FAIR estimated in 2005.

Admittedly, undocumented workers remain an integral part of the national and state economy.

According to the Michigan Farm Bureau, not including guest worker provisions, immigration reform could cost the state's agricultural industry $270 million in production losses and $150 million in net farm income losses annually.

Immigrants involved in the agricultural work force in Michigan, along with other industries, also pay millions of dollars in taxes. The Immigration Policy Center has reported that between one-half and three-quarters of undocumented immigrants pay federal and state income taxes, Social Security taxes and Medicare taxes.

The center estimates they provide $7 billion a year alone to the Social Security Trust Fund.

But logically and from the standpoint of what's right, something needs to be done, definitely nationally and maybe even in tandem with local efforts.

The illegal immigrant problem isn't faced only by the border states of California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. It's affecting everyone in the United States. Overall, it's a drain on our economy and a drain on our tax dollars.

Sure, you can argue that the immigrants are providing valuable farm labor, but "legal" immigrants could do the same and it wouldn't be breaking the law.

Employers wouldn't have to worry about a sudden visit from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the workers wouldn't have to be constantly looking over their shoulders or hiding in dark rooms of old, abandoned or deteriorating buildings.

In defense of the immigrants, America is a nation of immigrants. A more accurate statement is that America is a nation built by immigrants and inhabited by their descendants. These immigrants, it must stressed, generally respected the law and tried to obey it.

Despite all our economic woes and social problems, America still seems to be a magnet for those from other countries.

That's fine, but the new arrivals should be here legally. The best citizens are those who work hard and obey the laws.

It took some 20 years for the problem to get as bad as it is. If it takes another 10 to 20 years to clear up, then so be it. However, doing nothing and just letting the already horrible situation get worse should not be an option.

Doing the right thing usually means following the law. And if a law needs changing, there are procedures to follow.
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Lower levels of available farm labor lead to greater use of labor savings devices. These farm labor savings devices are often either automotive or semi automotive. In fact the state of Michigan attracted the automotive industry because it already ad a tractor industry. Given the greater demand for automotive products Michigan could benefit more from a shortage than from an uninterupted supply.

It's definately NOT just a border issue and the same exact problems happen across the board, across the nation. I mean every section of the country is known good or bad by certain things......different personalities and cultural influences....some warm and welcoming, some cold and distant or whatever. I don't care if it's big city or down on the farm, extreemly diverse or not......same issues are going on across the board. I don't care if it's been communities bending over backwards to help them or just indifference......not a one is better or without serious problems that tear the entire communities apart. Not a one has seen them come and settle into a community.....it's been an invasion and a take-over with the full intent of being the "majority" right down to language and everything else to cause division at every level. Nothing like I have ever seen before and the only group complaining.

In defense of the immigrants, America is a nation of immigrants. A more accurate statement is that America is a nation built by immigrants and inhabited by their descendants. These immigrants, it must stressed, generally respected the law and tried to obey it.

Despite all our economic woes and social problems, America still seems to be a magnet for those from other countries.

That's fine, but the new arrivals should be here legally. The best citizens are those who work hard and obey the laws.

It took some 20 years for the problem to get as bad as it is. If it takes another 10 to 20 years to clear up, then so be it. However, doing nothing and just letting the already horrible situation get worse should not be an option.

That's right the best citizens ARE those who work hard AND obey the laws. The ones that have come illegally for the last 30 years are the worst immigrants this nation has ever seen. They won't assimilate, they won't obey the laws, they use document fraud and steal ID's (including our chidren's) they drive without licenses or false licenses, no insurance, use our health system without a qualm of conscience that I'm paying for it, the same goes for our schools. Then when they are caught or called on it they cry and scream discrimination. Well, discrimination works both ways. I'm discriminated every day they are here in my country using my tax dollars for their benefit without so much as a GRACIAS. It's always GIVE ME MORE.