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Wednesday, July 6, 2011 | 2 a.m.
The federal immigration court in Las Vegas is swamped. The caseload has more than doubled since May 2009, and that has created a tremendous backlog of cases, as the Las Vegas Sun’s Karoun Demirjian reported this week. In May 2009, it took about 6 1/2 months on average for a case to be resolved. Two years later, it took 9 1/2 months.
Las Vegas isn’t alone in seeing higher caseloads. Immigration courts across the country have been flooded, a spike that has been attributed to the Obama administration’s increased enforcement efforts and issues with judicial staffing.
The situation in the courts is only a symptom of the larger problem with the nation’s immigration policy. That’s no secret — Congress has been confronted with that issue time and again. Republican leaders have blocked any progress by taking a hard-line approach: They have refused to discuss any serious reforms to the law until, they say, the nation’s borders are secure. They have pushed for more fences along the Mexican border and more enforcement, meaning jailing and deporting people.
Such a position has been inflamed by the anti-illegal immigration crowd that wrongly claims that illegal immigration has led to higher unemployment, a drastic increase in crime and billions of dollars in costs to the government. That is not the consensus of the credible research on the issue, which suggests that any negative effect caused by illegal immigrants is relatively modest. As the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office and others have noted, that includes the cost to the government because — despite popular belief — illegal immigrants pay a variety of taxes.
The vitriol over the issue is baffling, and the fixation with the Mexican border is simplistic. A recent report to Congress suggested that about half of those people came here legally but overstayed their visas.
Illegal immigration is far more complex than Republican leaders in Congress have made it out to be. Certainly, the nation needs to secure its borders and enforce its laws, but Congress should be able to do that and fix its broken immigration law.
The way the country has approached immigration has been shameful. Consider the many stories about children who were brought to the United States illegally as infants to grow up here and then, as they reach adulthood, face deportation to a country foreign to them. Punishing the children for the sins of the parents doesn’t seem to be American, yet there are people who clamor for such action because it’s “the law.”
Democrats have proposed changing the law with the Dream Act, legislation that would revamp the nation’s policy and give people here illegally a way to gain legal status. The bill has been derailed by many false accusations, including that it would provide “amnesty” for illegal immigrants.
Ironically, the Republican “solution” is to throw more money at building larger walls and deporting more people. But years of doing that hasn’t solved the problem.
It is time for Congress to have an open and honest debate on the issue and fix the problem.
> credible research on the issue, which suggests that any negative effect caused by illegal immigrants is relatively modest.
Sure, a few dead people here and there, some people made dependent on drugs, some unemployment - that's just modest effect.
> illegal immigrants pay a variety of taxes
Yeah, right, except federal income taxes. I know plenty of illegal immigrants and none of them pays those taxes.
I am myself a legal immigrant, appalled at having to wait years in line to come to this country, while others are just gaming the system. Why not allow illegal immigrants to jump the line at DMV and supermarket checkouts? Or why not allow Mexico to simply take over US and hang Mexican flag on The White House? What's the difference between them taking over our country in war vs taking over our country peacefully? Did I become a citizen of a non-sovereign country that doesn't care about its values, culture, and people? And a country that unfairly treats people who want to immigrate here legally, while instantly allowing in people who don't care about any rules? Illegal aliens only laugh: "hey stupid, why you waiting in line like an idiot when I just sneaked through the border".
They should be deported outta here instantly, without any courts.
The more America accepts illegal immigrants from Mexico the more America becomes like Mexico. Anyone visit there lately? Dilapidated housing, crime and corrupt government officials are just a few issues down there....and we want that standard of living here? Does anyone really believe that there is no negative impact to accepting illegal immigrants in mass? Won't more be encouraged to come here illegally? Read the article in the link below and decide for yourself.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news...
The immigrant demographic does not favor Repubs (except Cubans). Many Chinese and Vietnamese Americans are now Democratic as well.
It doesn't make that much difference where people live. In California, 75% of the AG workers are legal, so this issue is a big deal for people affected by it, that is it.
The Dream act is wrong because it picks and choses which illegal Immigrant childrens are allowed to stay.
How can Democrats say which illegals are good enough to stay.
Just because the courts are slow is no reason to change the law. Obama needs to enforce the law and staff the courts
Streamline the process. This is the same thing as large numbers of them rushing border patrols knowing some will get past.
Just because they have successfully sneaked into the country doesn't mean it should be like passing a kidney stone to get rid of them.
Legally, but overstayed their visas.
.
Wouldn't that be illegal?
Of course immigration "reform" as defined by liberals like the ones that write for the LVSun means "amnesty" and the quicker the better before the upcoming presidential election.
Republican hero Ronald Raygun,s most memorable quote " Mr Gorbachev tear down that wall !" yet they want to copy the model in Germany . Is that America ? 12 million new applicants to social security will make it solvent for many years with no change to eligibility age's . It will put all of them on the tax role . that will raise allot of revenue . We will spend allot less on enforcement. The only people jumping the fence will be smugglers and terrorists .All we need is a line for the pilgrims to get in without a 20 year wait to get in . Think how much money a 5000.00 fine for each immigrant will raise . That is not amnesty it is punishment . Let the punishment fit the crime . Be realistic what will work . Mass deportation will never work .
No matter how the immigration story is written, the FACT remains that, if a person comes into the USA ILLEGALLY, they are a ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT and they are doing a CRIMINAL ACT.
And just like so much of our so called "justice system" albeit extremely slow,it will process them according to the LAW of the land!
The actual immigration process needs to be revised to fit current 21st Century technology and be streamlined. The standards should remain.
Again, the DREAM ACT, as currently written, has too many problematic and unacceptable loopholes, is poorly written, and should not be passed, although we need a path for innocent children to have towards citizenship.
It does not remove the fact that anyone staying in this country ILLEGALLY is a criminal and should be deported, even if it is their parent(s), who SHOULD have the decency to become naturalized citizens and be role models! "Do as I say, and NOT as I do!" is the usual conversation with our American 2 party political system, and a gigantic reason why nothing appropriate ever seems to get resolved.
just crack down on the employers that knowingly employ illegal aliens...
problem solved...
period...
end of story...
no need for chinese walls...
no need for military operations along the borders...
very very simple problem...
complicated by republicans pathetic need for showing their might...
but...
but...
we must be compassionate toward those that are already here...
Oh, Saint Reagan, signed an amnesty bill, didn't he.
Reagan gave amnesty to 2,700,000 illegal immigrants and the Conservative business community that has become ever so fixated on their greedy bottom line have successfully pressured their radical extremist republican politicians/government to have border patrol turn a blind eye at the borders so they could drive American workers wages down and increase their profits.
The radical extremist so-called republicans never consider the consequences of their acts or accept liability for same.
Don't bash the invited immigrants, put the blame where it lies--around the necks of the radical extremist so-called republicans and the greedily mad Conservative business community.
I believe that immigration of both skilled and unskilled is good for business. And what is good for business is good for us. That is what our forefathers said when they wrote the constitution. The key in this global economy is: where will the big corporations go. And I am afraid that with huge emerging middle class of India and China, we will loose our edge to the emerging economies IF we donot have a way to attract new and existing businesses to grow here and stay here.
If we will remain the magnet to big businesses, we will keep our prosperity and our way of life as we know it. That will also keep our children and grand children employed for long times to come.
My guess is that it is time to change the immigration policy to encourage skilled workforce, but at the same time meet the demands of the businesses and keep the unskilled workforce for reasons explained above. Because COLD HARD TRUTH IS businesses need to compete globally and we got to keep'em here.
The lasvegassun.com does a disservice to it's readers and it's own reputation when it boldly and wrongly states that illegal immigration has NOT led to higher unemployment, when the reality is the exact opposite.
What exactly is "broken" with our immigration laws? What needs to be "reformed?" We have laws that describe the process and define the procedures one must take to become a U.S. citizen or be in the country legally.
Enforce the laws we have, and put some real teeth in the employment laws and employer sanctions.
The problem of illegal immigration would solve itself almost overnight if there was no work available for those try that path.
LET ME SEE IF I GOT THIS RIGHT!!!
IF YOU CROSS THE NORTH KOREAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET 12 YEARS HARD LABOR
IF YOU CROSS THE IRANIAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU ARE DETAINED INDEFINITELY.
IF YOU CROSS THE AFGHAN BORDER ILLEGALLY, YOU GET SHOT.
IF YOU CROSS THE SAUDI ARABIAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU WILL BE JAILED.
IF YOU CROSS THE CHINESE BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU MAY NEVER BE HEARD FROM AGAIN.
IF YOU CROSS THE VENEZUELAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU WILL BE BRANDED A SPY AND YOUR FATE WILL BE SEALED.
IF YOU CROSS THE CUBAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU WILL BE THROWN INTO POLITICAL PRISON TO ROT.
IF YOU CROSS THE U.S. BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET
1 - A JOB,
2 - A DRIVERS LICENSE,
3 - SOCIAL SECURITY CARD,
4 - WELFARE,
5 - FOOD STAMPS,
6 - CREDIT CARDS,
7 - SUBSIDIZED RENT OR A LOAN TO BUY A HOUSE,
8 - FREE EDUCATION,
9 - FREE HEALTH CARE,
10 - A LOBBYIST IN WASHINGTON
11 - BILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF PUBLIC DOCUMENTS PRINTED IN YOUR LANGUAGE
12 - AND THE RIGHT TO CARRY YOUR COUNTRY'S FLAG WHILE YOU PROTEST THAT YOU DON'T GET ENOUGH RESPECT.
13. And now you can SQUAT, too. Ain't America great?
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I HAD A FIRM GRASP ON THE SITUATION
Help them out, buy more rubber stamps with " to be deported" on them.
Why should some kid be allowed to stay here if they are here illegal? The argument is trying to make 2 wrongs a right.
Go back to Mexico and get in the correct line.
NO more amnesty deals. You get caught you get deported.
The Republicans are spot on with this one, I hope they hold their ground.
Dream Act? Dream ON!
It's quite simple folks. They ran their own country into the ground so now they are all coming here for the free, illegal handout.
They are looking for a 2nd, newer version of mexico (as well as other south american countries,) to run into the ground because once apparantly wasn't enough.
And the U.S. govt is equally to blame for allowing it.
with a democrat president...house controlled by democrat majority...and harry reid having a fillerbuster proof 60 democrat votes in the senate...the democrats could have passed anything they wanted to...
So why didn't the democrats pass immigration reform>??????
and the hispanic community still supports the democrats....pretty stupid..
The radical extemist so-called republicans and their greedy business cronies that only care about profits/greedy bottom line created the so-called illegal immigration problem.
Now they are trying to blame someone else for the problems they created.
Who have the radical extremist so-called republicans not demonized?
They demonize various groups, illegal immigrants are just one, so they can radicalize the voter base that has to be fed bones of hate so they can be herded to the polls and vote for them-the same people that created the problem in the first place.
Place the blame where it lies--around the neck of the radical extremist so-called republicans and the conservative business community that pressured the government to turn a blind eye at the borders so they could have cheap labor. All for their greedy bottom line but not "We the People."
If you want to bash someone then do it to the "things" and not to the invited immigrants.
America does not have an IMMIGRATION Problem.....America has an ENFORCEMENT Problem.....that is what needs "reformed" not our Immigration Policies.
Help stop illegal immigration. YOU can make a difference. HERE'S HOW:
http://www.numbersusa.com/content/about-...
America does not have an IMMIGRATION Problem.....America has an ENFORCEMENT Problem.....that is what needs "reformed" not our Immigration Policies.
Help stop illegal immigration. YOU can make a difference. HERE'S HOW:
http://www.numbersusa.com
The editorial is false. Illegal immigration increases the population of the country and doesn't contract when the boom and bust business cycles occur. You need a guest worker program, not permanent immigration. Wages decrease as a result of an increase in the worker/labor supply. That is simple supply and demand.
Use CA for example. It is a top destination for illegal immigrants to locate, especially the Los Angeles area. CA has 12% of the population but 30% of the USA's welfare recipients. LA County is nearly bankrupt. Tax revenues are not increasing with illegal immigrants paying token share of (token drop in the can) sales axes.
Illegal immigrants cost the taxpayer when you add the fact that they give more births then natives. When you add their anchor babies they are forced on welfare, food stamps and Medicaid off the taxpayer due to the fact that their salaries cannot support their families.
I can go on and on.
Taxpayers are subsidizing cheap labor. Dems pandering for cheap hispanic votes and big business Republicans looking for cheap labor brought us here. I blame Dems most because the 1965 immigration act got the USA focused on family reunification rather than immigrant skills. Now a cousin of a cousin leads to endless chain migration into the USA. We need more entrepreneur immigrants and high skills that will increase FEDERAL INCOME tax revenue. We need to change the focus like Canada and Australia and other countries back to worker skills. End anchor babies. NO western country allows that nonsense scam on the taxpayer.
The DREAM Act is not a solution at all. This yet another inane editorial written by someone who really doesn't know how the immigration process works and wants to lay the burden of the problems at the Republican doorstep.
In many years I have only ever heard one conversation regarding this topic address the need to increase the number of visas issued. I like that idea. We have a good system of rules and requirements to immigrate here. There is the demand so why don't the two houses of the Congress increase the number of visas allowed?
The DREAM act rewards bad behavior. I'm sympathetic to a degree but the blame need to be laid at the parents feet. They should have planned for the future of their child. Now it's suddenly all our problem? I'd be for giving them a express line pass to getting a visa but of course they would have to go back to their native country for a time.
We desperately need to increase the number of visas issued. We have a good system and good people will do it the right way as long as it doesn't take 5-10 years to go through the process.
@PGelsman...How about you pick the system you like best and chose that country as your home. Something tells me you will be staying put.
We NEED TO DEPORT ANCHOR BABIES, parents, extended families. OUR ECONOMY AND CULTURE DEMANDS IT. Rude illegals who treat us indignantly and commit crime for cash have saturated our local government functions and BANKRUPTED California, now Nevada, many other areas. ARREST AND DEPORT--enough due process. They are NOT citizens and NOT entitled to extensive recourse. CONFISCATE ASSETS to defray costs. We do NOT NEED MORE VISAS. Many IT jobs in Nevada are given to foreigners with Visas while Americans IT 99ers can't find work. Guest workers for agricultural areas are welcomed EXCEPT when Americans need the work.
Frau roseanrose -
You articulate the final solution to the immigrant problem that threatens our Aryan race and white man culture very well. The immigrants mock our white man values of NASCAR, pork rinds, FOX News and "Reverend" Pat Robertson. You understand the threat posed by the MEXI-MUSLIM-HOMO-HEBREW-LIBERAL-LESBOs to our single wide mobile homes and trailer parks.
Frau roseanrose knows we need to detain the immigrants in GITMO-like slave labor camps where they can work for Krupp, I.G. Farben, Koch Brothers, Halliburton, Enron and other major contributors to the white Republican-Fascist party. We need to appoint Barbara Lee Woollen as camp comandant. Once we've worked these immigrants for our corporate masters, we can deport them back to where they came from; Ireland, Italy, England, Scotland, Scandinavia, etc..
Yours in Christ,
Rob Whitetrash
Pahrump Deluxe Trailer Park - home of the white American
I agree with brianlv, and in fact he is correct. If all the illegals left there would be demand for workers and citizens so the quotas would be changed to reflect this. It is win win
Why does it just have to be the Mexicians??? What about the Illegal Immigrants from other countries??? BoliBlingBling is crazy, it is not Mexico that is ruining this country, it is the passive American that allows certain changes to happen. We respect freedom of religion, but because a Christmas Tree is offensive to a Jewish Priest at an Airport the tree is removed. The Pledge Of Allegiance is offensive to certain races it is dropped in our schools. Just because certain faiths do not recognize certain Holidays these Holidays are no longer around in many places. Where I live every year there was a massive Easter Day Egg Hunt in a park, lots of kids, but some minority group felt that it was offensive and now that tradition is gone.
I do think that there needs to be reform and allow people to immigrate here easier
@lyfsaver- As ideal as it may sound, the fact is mass amnesty does not lead to multiculturalism in mass, it doesn't assimilate new immigrants into our society, especially immigrants from Mexico who come here, don't learn our language who then find a section of town in which to live then turns it in to "little Mexico". The 1986 Amnesty brought 2.7 million immigrants from Mexico who settled in America and, under the dominating "family reunification" policy, were able immediately to sponsor almost any number of relatives, some bringing in 80 or 90 persons. I for one don't want America to turn into Mexico. Multiculturalism doesn't work. Read the article below, it explains why multiculturalism doesn't work. Now if those in Mexico want to come here, get a work visa then fine. If they like it here then they can go through the process of gaining a U.S. citizenship. To allow 8 million from Mexico to gain citizenship through amnesty then they turn around and sponsor up to 80-90 more Mexicans to be here is just bad policy. Groups that come here must promote our countries values and show a willingness to assimilate into our culture, not create a bunch of "little Mexico" sections in our cities. If you want to come here, assimilate to our culture. Don't assimilate your culture.
http://donthategcdaz.wordpress.com/2011/...