Why the Protests Against Enforcing Illegal Immigration Laws?
Carlos Estrella
November 13, 2006
Picture this scenario… thousands of people flock to purchase dogs and cats for sacrificial rites and rituals, while thousands more protest in the street to vilify those who would stop these purchases and rites, simply because those who perform those rites are fish lovers. Ridiculous, right? Well, in this country that permits open, free (yet nonviolent) protests, we have a significant part of the population fighting for the rights of LAWBREAKERS, saying that the reason enforcement of the law is taking place is because the lawbreakers tend to be of a certain ethnic group. Unfortunately, even if the law is being applied unevenly toward a certain ethnic group, it IS the law and arguably not an unjust one. The protection of our borders is a significant task and important responsibility, and both the United States and its neighbors need to ensure that those borders deny illegal immigration while facilitating and even encouraging legal immigration.
History shows us the results of forced (through economic, social, political, religious, etc. circumstance) emigration and immigration. The good of it can be seen in the founding of the settlements that would eventually become the United States of America. The bad of it can ALSO be seen in that founding, since there was already an indigenous population that would ultimately be consumed by the immigration of the thousands upon thousands of “illegal aliens” that turned up to take over this country. Was it racist when the Native peoples of the Americas tried to deal with then force away the White settlers? Of course not! It was a matter of survival and the fact of the matter is that when the “illegals” won, the indigenous population was nearly destroyed.
Legal immigration is a fact of life and actually a sound National policy. Though there will always be naysayers and racists that vilify the immigrant, legal immigrants help stabilize the economy and provide important knowledge and experiences to build upon. Without the side by side efforts of people born in the US and those who choose to legally call it home, this Great Nation would eventually collapse due to many factors that I don’t have time to list here. Unfortunately, while illegal immigrants do provide important services to our society, we have to ask “at what cost?”
Medical, educational, social and other costs (not including law enforcement, security, military and other related costs) go into the billions annually in regard to the existence of illegal immigrants into the US. Though the individuals themselves may indeed be better off here vs. their country of origin, the fact of the matter is that America cannot sustain the entire world in spite of its best wishes. Decreased tax revenue, increased use of social services, promoting generations of illegality by permitting illegals to bring more illegals into the US costs this Nation a far greater amount than the taxes, products and services than they actually produce or provide. Worse, the animosity created by their existence as “legitimized lawbreakers” is a moral buster that this Nation can ill afford.
A suggestion to the new powerbrokers in Washington would be to find ways to work with countries with large groups within their societies who want to come to America for a chance at the “good life.” We’ve spent billions on unpopular wars… why not spend that money on helping build a better global economy where people want to stay where they are. Why not help build the global society as a more peaceful, benevolent one where there is less fear forcing people to leave their countries. A strong National defense is important as are social and economic programs at home, but helping our neighbors help themselves gives them a chance to develop or redevelop pride in one’s country that keeps them home or at least gives them time and a chance for legal emigration to the US.
Admittedly, this only scratches the surface and many will think of me as naïve. However, as the descendant of those who faced this land’s first illegal immigration problem, I can tell you with certainty that unless you find a way to work with it or stop it, you WILL lose your country to it. Whether that’s good or bad… history will decide.
History shows us the results of forced (through economic, social, political, religious, etc. circumstance) emigration and immigration. The good of it can be seen in the founding of the settlements that would eventually become the United States of America. The bad of it can ALSO be seen in that founding, since there was already an indigenous population that would ultimately be consumed by the immigration of the thousands upon thousands of “illegal aliens” that turned up to take over this country. Was it racist when the Native peoples of the Americas tried to deal with then force away the White settlers? Of course not! It was a matter of survival and the fact of the matter is that when the “illegals” won, the indigenous population was nearly destroyed.
Legal immigration is a fact of life and actually a sound National policy. Though there will always be naysayers and racists that vilify the immigrant, legal immigrants help stabilize the economy and provide important knowledge and experiences to build upon. Without the side by side efforts of people born in the US and those who choose to legally call it home, this Great Nation would eventually collapse due to many factors that I don’t have time to list here. Unfortunately, while illegal immigrants do provide important services to our society, we have to ask “at what cost?”
Medical, educational, social and other costs (not including law enforcement, security, military and other related costs) go into the billions annually in regard to the existence of illegal immigrants into the US. Though the individuals themselves may indeed be better off here vs. their country of origin, the fact of the matter is that America cannot sustain the entire world in spite of its best wishes. Decreased tax revenue, increased use of social services, promoting generations of illegality by permitting illegals to bring more illegals into the US costs this Nation a far greater amount than the taxes, products and services than they actually produce or provide. Worse, the animosity created by their existence as “legitimized lawbreakers” is a moral buster that this Nation can ill afford.
A suggestion to the new powerbrokers in Washington would be to find ways to work with countries with large groups within their societies who want to come to America for a chance at the “good life.” We’ve spent billions on unpopular wars… why not spend that money on helping build a better global economy where people want to stay where they are. Why not help build the global society as a more peaceful, benevolent one where there is less fear forcing people to leave their countries. A strong National defense is important as are social and economic programs at home, but helping our neighbors help themselves gives them a chance to develop or redevelop pride in one’s country that keeps them home or at least gives them time and a chance for legal emigration to the US.
Admittedly, this only scratches the surface and many will think of me as naïve. However, as the descendant of those who faced this land’s first illegal immigration problem, I can tell you with certainty that unless you find a way to work with it or stop it, you WILL lose your country to it. Whether that’s good or bad… history will decide.
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