Thread: Iowa DMR Resist pandering on immigration

Resist pandering on immigration
REGISTER EDITORIAL • December 30, 2007

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Riled up by the broadcast marathon last week in Des Moines on the contentious topic of illegal immigration? Ready to take your ire to this week's caucuses?

That seemed to be the aim of the two-day event at the Marriott downtown sponsored by the Federation for American Immigration Reform Congressional Task Force. The Washington-based organization drew radio talk-show hosts from around the country and released a new report claiming illegal immigration costs Iowans more than $200 million annually.


It's bad enough that the report is misleading. The group's calculations include U.S.-born children of illegal immigrants - who are U.S. citizens - as if they don't have the right to live in Iowa.

It will be worse if Iowans fall for this ruse and give their support on Thursday night to presidential candidates who play to people's fears.

Instead, Iowans should support candidates who favor stronger border security combined with practical, humane reform of the broken U.S. immigration system.

Iowa and the nation need immigrant workers. For the country's sake, Congress and President Bush should resolve in the new year to forge an agreement on immigration reform, though that appears unlikely. Otherwise, until election of a new president and Congress or beyond, the issue will continue to stir distrust of government and harden the nation's heart.

Battle over numbers...

The Federation for American Immigration Reform's $211.6 million figure for the net annual cost of illegal immigration in Iowa contrasts with a February report by the Iowa Legislative Services Agency that estimated the cost of undocumented immigrants to the state's general fund in fiscal 2004 at $107.4 million. That translated to an estimated $37 cost per legal resident for the fiscal year, the report said. Costs are partially offset by taxes illegal immigrants pay. An October study by the liberal-oriented Iowa Policy Project estimated that illegal immigrants pay $40 million or more in taxes each year.

Regardless of differences over numbers, the truth remains that a large number of undocumented people reside in this state, and it is unacceptable to leave them in limbo. The federation puts the number at 55,000, a fraction of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants nationwide.

As a practical matter, wholesale deportation of workers and their families is not going to happen - despite stepped-up federal enforcement - so lawmakers must come up with a way to grant legal status to undocumented immigrants with good records otherwise. And future immigration quotas must be raised to meet U.S. employment needs and reunify families.

...and over words

Until that occurs, foes of that type of comprehensive approach to immigration reform will fan flames of resentment.

At the Thursday press conference promoting the new cost report, U.S. Rep. Steve King, a Republican who represents Iowa's 5th District, underscored the importance of having empirical data to evaluate the impact of illegal immigration on the economy and culture. He claimed Democrats cite only heart-tugging anecdotes.

"We cannot be the relief valve for all the poverty in the world," King said.

But he also tossed out figures that Mexico is three times more violent than the United States, and Honduras is nine time more violent and so on, though he did note that he wasn't alleging all immigrants are criminals.

"What kind of society do we want to live in?" King suggested people ask themselves.

Let's hope the answer is: Not one in which elected officials and special-interest groups pander to xenophobic instincts.

The Southern Poverty Law Center recently added the Federation for American Immigration Reform to its list of hate groups operating in the United States, a charge the group flatly rejects.

Costs that pay off

The federation's report for Iowa looks at education, health care and incarceration. The group says the bill for schools is by far the biggest share of the tab - $175.3 million a year. It covers an estimated 8,645 illegal-immigrant children and 12,000 U.S.-born children of illegal immigrants.

The report ignores, however, that investing in the education of all young people benefits their communities as well as the state and the nation. With education, they become part of the social fabric of America and contribute fully to the globally competitive work force this nation needs.

A new census estimate for our slow-growing state shows why this matters so much here: Iowa's population is inching up and could reach 3 million by mid-2008 - boosted by international migration.

Iowans should pressure national leaders to allow more legal immigration and make illegal immigration a problem of the past.

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/p ... /OPINION01

The Federation for American Immigration Reform's $211.6 million figure for the net annual cost of illegal immigration in Iowa contrasts with a February report by the Iowa Legislative Services Agency that estimated the cost of undocumented immigrants to the state's general fund in fiscal 2004 at $107.4 million. That translated to an estimated $37 cost per legal resident for the fiscal year, the report said. Costs are partially offset by taxes illegal immigrants pay. An October study by the liberal-oriented Iowa Policy Project estimated that illegal immigrants pay $40 million or more in taxes each year.

The Des Moines Register must think Iowa has a census of the illegals, copies of their expenses for services and tax forms for them to arrive at a cost of $37/illegal which is offset by taxes. WHAT A JOKE. DMR only accounted for 107.4 million from the GENERAL FUND. 107.4 million general fund minus 40 million in taxes equals 67.4 million. What about other fundings to illegals? The article didn't mention the HUGE ILLEGAL DRUG PROBLEM IOWA HAS and HOW THAT IS CONNECTED TO THE ILLEGALS NOR IT'S COST.

Iowa funding is at:
http://staffweb.legis.state.ia.us/lfb/d ... _notes.pdf

Fences make good neighbors.

I predict in the next year we will see more studies producing different numbers to try and deter us from our enforcement of the Laws we have now. They will sight many controversial studies and numbers as a reason to change the laws in favor of the criminals staying.

The fact is and history has proven it all over the world sending back the criminals cant help but solve many economic problems all over the states over the states that are highly populated and over tax by the crime these illegal soon to be dearly deported criminals and their family have caused. Just the social and employment changed benefits reaped already have proven positive changes.
Americans come first in America then when there is some thing left over we can help, but to demand that help is as much of a crime as stealing it.

Dang.....I looked at their paper earlier, and did not see this article.

I made LOTS of comments!! However, they will end up deleting all of them!!

And we just had an "immigrant" here in Vegas chop up a woman
and little girl with a machete in a drunken rage

Yup, we sure want more of those people here