Thread: Immigration reform

Immigration reform
Joseph Di Marco Jr., Greer

"Illegal immigrant" is a popular but wrongheaded term when applied to hardworking undocumented Mexican laborers in this country. These workers are mainly decent and honorable people drawn to our country because our government has known about the porous border and looked the other way for decades.

Is it wrong for people encouraged by the Mexican government to cross our Southern border to stay and claim services taxpaying citizens must provide? Perhaps. But when was that explained to these people unfamiliar with our language and laws? Actions speak to them more loudly than words.

States like California have mandated health and education services for such Mexicans. President Carter welcomed 125,000 Cubans into the United States in 1980, including some directly from Fidel Castro's jails. The violent offenders among them eventually went into our prisons at taxpayer expense. President Reagan later granted amnesty to resident illegal immigrants.

Word naturally got back to Mexico that the United States has a lax attitude toward casual (de facto) immigration. Some prospective U.S. employers have even paid bus fare to bring loads of legal Mexican guest-workers into America.

Finally awakened, many of us agree there must now be limits to this casual immigration. The real culprits, however, are not most of these decent Mexicans but our own government as well as we voters who have abided by the government's de facto immigration policy (porous borders, non-enforcement of the law, health and educational benefits, etc.) for so long.

Demeaning protests of these workers is un-American. Instead our federal, state and local culprits must be held to account for serious immigration reform. I would rather have hardworking undocumented Mexican workers in my lifeboat than most fast-talking U.S. politicians any day.

"Illegal immigrant" is a popular but wrongheaded term

You couldn't be more right. There is no such legal term as illegal immigrant. The USA immigration code clearly states illegal alien. There are no INS documents that state illegal immigrant...only illegal alien. You cannot be illegal and an immigrant at the same time. Legal immigrants on the other hand are hard working honest people that love this country and worked hard to gain citizenship.

Thanks for pointing out the wrong term.

I would rather have hardworking undocumented Mexican workers in my lifeboat than most fast-talking U.S. politicians any day.

Wow, now that is what I call a hard choice. How about we take hard working honest American workers that are the backbone of this country in our life boat? Just and idea.

I just hope not to wind up in a lifeboat. But if I did I'd want an oceanographer , a sail maker and the gingerbread man.
Having spoken my piece on the lifeboat thing I'd like to say that these hard working people were not waved past the border check point by INS. THEY SNUCK IN!!

This person also posted the pro illegal flyer on this forum the other day. They are associated with pro illegal groups. The one i ended up in a email debate over when they left the email address for contacting a lady. The "spy" returned.

Illegal alien trolls should be deported.

Actions speak to them more loudly than words.

Then a fence ought to say it all.

Demeaning protests of these workers is un-American.

If they are workers, why are they out there protesting? Why aren't they at work? Why are they demanding things that aren't theirs? Give me a break!