Mexican Immigration Trends
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2011-07-07/mexican-immigration-trends
For decades people from Mexico and Central America found a way into this country, some legally but many more illegally. In recent years there’s been a dramatic shift: the numbers of legal immigrants have risen, but illegal immigration rates have dropped precipitously. Diminished job prospects here in the U.S., a somewhat improved economic picture in Mexico, and the many risks associated with illegal border crossings may explain the shift, at least in part. Join us for a discussion of what’s behind the declining numbers of illegal immigrants in to this country from Mexico and Central America and political and economic implications
Guests
Steven Camarota
director of research, Center for Immigration Studies.
Frank Sharry
founder and executive director of America's Voice, former executive director of the National Immigration Forum.
Francisco Gonzalez
the Riordan Roett Chair in Latin American Studies at Johns Hopkins' graduate school, SAIS, in Washington D.C.
Comments
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My name is Jeff Killian and I have a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and a Masters in Administration of Justice and Security. I follow political and homeland security issues closely and have some comments that I wish to share.
I am curious as to why the American government fails to address illegal immigration as a serious crime. If in fact it is a crime to migrate from Mexico to the United States without seeking a valid visa or citizenship through a legal means then these people must be dealt with seriously as criminals. Their actions are criminal in the same sense that any other infraction of the law is to be considered.
States that fail to enforce stricter immigration laws enable these criminals to continue breaking the law, which makes Americans appear ignorant and incompetent to enforce their own laws. Our borders will never be safe from terrorist regimes until we can secure them from illegal immigrants. I stress the word "illegal", which is defined as "an action that is not according to or authorized by law."
If the American government chooses to remain lax in enforcing such laws, then we the people should vote to remove them to prevent the appearance of indifference and apathy.
I welcome any comments or replies.
My name is Jeff Killian and I have a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and a Masters in Administration of Justice and Security. I follow political and homeland security issues closely and have some comments that I wish to share.
I am curious as to why the American government fails to address illegal immigration as a serious crime. If in fact it is a crime to migrate from Mexico to the United States without seeking a valid visa or citizenship through a legal means then these people must be dealt with seriously as criminals. Their actions are criminal in the same sense that any other infraction of the law is to be considered.
States that fail to enforce stricter immigration laws enable these criminals to continue breaking the law, which makes Americans appear ignorant and incompetent to enforce their own laws. Our borders will never be safe from terrorist regimes until we can secure them from illegal immigrants. I stress the word "illegal", which is defined as "an action that is not according to or authorized by law."
If the American government chooses to remain lax in enforcing such laws, then we the people should vote to remove them to prevent the appearance of indifference and apathy.
I welcome any comments or replies.
Poly comic- I heard you the first time.
With ten foot fences people make and sell 12 foot ladders. People are naturally devious.
Laws are meant to discourage this tendency. Luckily we do not get all the gment we pay for... and most laws and regulations ignored and with current budget priorities the last decades officers added are being laid off... previous regulations NOT enforced(Bush Jr).
Berlin had a border control problem. Barbed wire, machine guns, and landmines. Like laws they discouraged some...
and yet they came. The cowards never started(lawabiding?), the weak died along the way, and here we are.
17th generation American(and vet) and I never tell people to go back to their own country as am aware of earlier settlers than our own family.
The fear is directed at poor desperate 'aliens'. I am more afraid of 'free' educated 'aliens' taking our few good jobs.
Not of the people, but of policies($$$) which discourages higher education, I fear for our future(and it is here).
Your papers please(papers for sale next door).
Generations of illegals have been pouring over the boarder for decades. Children of illegals born here are instant citizens and now vote, have formed political action organizations like La Raza. It is no wonder that these people want amnesty in order to get their parents on the dole of Social Security and Medicare for starters. Of course once made citizens we will have another tsunami of family members petitioned into the U.S. Personally I think the cat is out of the bag because of the lack of law enforcement over all these years. Democrats who have no shame in doing and saying anything to get votes will do just that. Republicans have not done anything of any significance to stem the flow either. The 1986 amnesty did nothing it was claimed it would do except increase illegal immigration. Another amnesty no matter what it's called, dream act, comprehensive reform or whatever will only set the stage for the next amnesty. Illegal immigration has only declined because the state of the economy, but certainly has not stopped. As far as the eye can see the condition of economics south of the boarder will always lag behind the U.S. we can only expect illegal immigration in mass to not stop. Most Americans these days seem to be born with some form of PTSD's so maybe we should be the new conquered people.
The U.S. should really address the problem of guns and assault weapons being sent to Mexico. I would think that one factor in economic growth would be to have safer communities for their families to live in. It's irresponsible to say that the violence in Mexico is their problem alone. The drug war has been an absolute failure for more than 30 years because America's answer to the drug use problem is incarceration in the prison industrial complex.
To Whom It May Concern:
Please correct the caption of the photo date. Thanks.
The answer to all of your immigrant problems is to eliminate borders. These are political constructs and are used to exploit wage workers.
Perhaps you should try discussing borders on your program.
Tom
Washington, IL
Perhaps the word is getting to would-be migrants that the US is not the place of opportunity, after all. Many US citizens are beginning to think this way ...
(PS: the photo above is dated incorrectly.)
The one thing that Lou Dobbs used to do on his former news program was not only hammer away at illegal immigrants. He would shed the light on how few employers of illegal immigrants were fined, jailed or suffered any consequences for hiring immigrants and were profiting in huge ways off of cheaper and illegal labor.
Can your guest please tell us how many employers suffer any measurable consequences for hiring and taking advantage of illegal immigrants?
When are you folks going to start talking about how few employers suffer any consequences for breaking the law and hiring illegal immigrants?
Can your guest please discuss how those that hire illegal immigrants and profit in huge ways are seldom fined, jailed or suffer any consequences.
$90 Is The Cost Of Hiring Illegal Aliens .
http://federaleagent86.blogspot.com/2011/03/90-is-cost-of-hiring-illegal...
Mexico has the lowest PISA scores in the OECD and Mexico's federal education budget ($1.9 bn) is smaller than the US DEA budget ($2.3bn). Although immigration reform is undoable in the the current Congress, investment in upgrading Mexican education offers an excellent opportunity to exercise good policy and could achieve at least as big an effect on immigration flows as building fences.
my family is one of the oldest and most established in the South.
my original ancestor was sent over here on a prison ship in the 1780s ("exiled to the colonies") according to the sentence. North Carolina and Georgia were British prison colonies; the British Isles were evidently too small to hold a debtor's prison.
how on earth are we more legitimate than the gentleman making his way over the fence in the photograph.
we are all mutts in this country. it's just a matter of perspective.
I am an attorney with nearly 30 years of working with immigrant clients. It is unfortunate that immigrants are being scapegoated rather than appreciated. There is a great deal of sacrifice and hardship involved with relocating to a new country and loss of extended family support.
What about the amount of money earned in the US that is sent to Mexico to support families there. Does this not hurt our economy?
If those who are so terribly vitriolic about "illegals" knew how difficult, expensive, and humiliating the process of becoming a legal immigrant is, perhaps they would change their tone. As an educated woman, I understand the arguments on both sides of the immigration debate, but I absolutely despise the hatred that is now so permissible in anti-immigration rhetoric. My example: I am a legal immigrant, and after 9 years of paperwork, fingerprinting, deciphering fine print on a ton of documents, and other obstacles, I am now a citizen. Had I known that I would be sexually abused by an immigration doctor in the process, I would have stayed away from the U.S. That guy is still working and abusing women with no consequences because he holds absolute power over any applicant. The application and verification process to become legal is deeply flawed. Politicians and legislators should start channeling their energy to fix that first instead of fueling racist and alarmist rhetoric.
I agree with Kathleen. Heavily fining the employers/industries that continue to illegally hire these illegal immigrants. The hospitality, farming, construction industries are all guilty and will continue to hire illegals as long as they can because it is cheap labor. Illegals will do the work that no one else wants to do. I know firsthand as I see it everyday. There is a familial network where brothers, sisters, cousins, etc are all hired with no background check or proof of visa, citizenship, etc. Put a system in place of verification ala an ID card that has to be swiped when you are applying for a job to determine legal hiring eligiblity or soemsuch method will go a long way to rooting out illegals. I am all for immigration as long as it is done legally.
Mr. Killian,
Just my opinion- I don't think illegal immigration is prosecuted because business wants cheap labor and business gets what it wants in this country.
I doubt it is because the politicians want Hispanic votes. Politicians don't really seem to care how people vote anymore. D or R they are basically the same. Politicians, however, do care about whether or not the get contributions from business.
That is my take. Just look at the states where they do try to go after illegal immigrants- business groups immediately talk about how much money they are losing and how no Americans will work long hours, in dangerous jobs, for less than minimum wage.
Legal Mexican, I came to this country as expatriate, since then my responsibility as a legal resident is to continue preparing educationally to fairly compete with the Americans. They deserve all my respect and have been a model for me to follow.
My point:
If my next door friend , in Mexico or in the USA, has a nicer house than mine, there is NO way I will "trespass" use his home and hide so he cannot see me. Needing labor on not, no one should enter this county or any other without permission. It is wrong. Worse is that new born are and will create more economical issues. The level of education of people from LA is very low, this is the root of the problem as the US employers don't care if they have a high school diploma. However, Americans must have , at minimum, a HS diploma to work in most places. What is wrong.
Big Problem:
The Mexicans coming to this country illegally are not the only problem. i.e., People from India come here with a tourist visa, lie on their school credentials, get hired; it takes ONLY a "change of status" to obtain an H1 visa. Ask how many people from India are taking jobs that Americans are fully competent to take. Check layoffs in Fidelity in Mass, they terminated most of the Americans and hired Indians at lower rates. What is wrong?
Suggestion:
Do not give citizenship to new born of parents without a legal status.
Stop all government help.
Have the employers do their job. If they can hire people from India and other countries and ask for H or L visas, create one non skill labor temporary visa that the employer sponsors.
.
How can the ag industry make these jobs more attractive to a broader population? Pay is not everything and is proven to be a short lasting motivator. The military is able to attract citizens to put thier families on hold and their life on the line using a significant amount of marketing, opportunity for further education and pride. Ag should look at changing its image instead of using/abusing illegal workers, and spending significant funds om lobbyists to remain outside the law when other industries must obey the law.
monte,
Every Democrat I know is opposed to illegal immigration. Every Democrat I know is opposed to amnesty.
It is Republican businessmen who support illegal immigration. It is Republican businessmen who support amnesty.
Children born here are instant citizens. It is in the Constitution. People are free to form political action organizations in this country- it is in the Constitution.
You want illegal immigration to end? Make the fine $1,000,000 per illegal worker and one year in jail- for employers. Don't just apply it to supervisors- apply it to owners.
Please don't get mad, however, when there are no republican business owners anymore.
Exporting jobs and importing workers keeps cost down, and profits high, the goal of employers and corporations, citizen loyalty notwithstanding. Individuals are dispensable, the American way. This will change.
Good Morning, Diane!
I urge you and your guests and listeners to read Farm Hands by Tom Rivers. Tom is a reporter for the Batavia (NY) Daily News who worked temporarily in a variety of farm jobs and wrote first articles and then the following book about his experiences. Readers will understand the realities of these jobs which require long hours and much stamina and get to know some of the people Tom worked with. It will be time well spent and add much to everyones' understanding of this very important way of life.
Thank you for your program
Betty
FARM HANDS BY TOM RIVERS (ISBN 10: 0-9845656-0-4) (ISBN 13: 978-0-9845656-0-3)
Agricultural reporter Tom Rivers "gets his hands dirty" and describes his farm work experiences.
Did I just hear this guest correctly (the Mexican gentleman)? Did he actually imply that the small price of illegal immigration should be weighed against all the benefits “entitlements” as he said, going to “baby boomers”? That is a pretty gutsy assertion.
I am a very politically liberal, but I will spare you my justification and get to the point. I part with my liberal friends on illegal immigration. Everyone should be like me: I am accountable to the community for my actions. I don’t like it, but I currently need to show photo ID to use the public library, rent a video or drive a car (none of which has any security implications). I do not advocate identity papers for all, but there should be accountability. It is that simple.
I consider this a national and personal security issue. I avoid situations where my neighbors are unknown, unknowable and unaccountable and I believe no one else should be asked to do so. Anyone who thinks that unaccountable persons in their community don’t pose a threat is a hopeless romantic, and a danger themselves.
Such romantics should open up their homes and checkbooks to persons who want to immigrate and take personal responsibility for them, as currently only family members or employers can do. Meanwhile, they can advocate for changes to the US system that allows more persons to immigrate legally and non-family sponsorship.
I have worked with illegals for years and I know that they are hard working folks who are seeking a better life. Even so, I believe that breaking the law to get here is wrong and should be stopped or the current legislation should be altered. Some of my relatives have been in America since the Mayflower (nearly 400 years ago). Yet when I want to build a house on my land, the county charges me an impact fee of $ 12,000. When my children were born, I paid the hospital bill myself (or with insurance). New illegals to this country- despite significant benefits to society- cost local, state and federal governments far more than I do by merely erecting a house. If it is so desireable to live in America, surely this opportunity should have some monetary value to a perspective immigrant. Why do we continue to give away something so dear?
Please remember the purpose of the Declaration of Independence. We established our own country, constitution, government, and laws. Are you suggesting that the U.S. should abandon all agencies and laws relating to immigration? Are you aware of a corporation that legally arranges foreign citizens to enter the U.S. to be trained by the U.S. job holder? When the foreigner is fully trained, the U.S. citizen is discharged. The foreigner works for less. and eventually becomes a citizen.
@Anon99:
"Everyone should be like me"
That's where I (and I suspect many others) stopped reading your pretentious comment.
Robin Shoulders , your right Mexican gun laws should mirror U.S. laws on guns and allow the Mexican people to arm themselves for their own personal protection. Thank you for pointing out how Mexico's gun ban has left it's citizens helpless against the criminals who will always find ways to get guns.
I process 6-7 applications for welfare benefits every day. Of these 6-7 daily applications I receive 2-3 applications for families who only have one to two citizens that are eligible benefits. The SNAP benefits received by these household do not go strictily to the citizens in the household. Often the citizens are children that were born in America as anchor babies. I have two applications on my desk at this time that have false social security numbers being used by the applicants. I cannot turn in any of these people due to the risk of losing my job. I frequently process applications of hispanic households of 8 or more people where the only eligible citizen is one anchor baby. Many of these people are not employed and are using the medicaid system for their children without contributing to it. Many of them have been on the welfare system for years with no expectation of leaving it anytime soon. Your speakers need to be in the trenches with workers like me that see the drain on the welfare system from the illegals every day.
Yes, some politicians exaggerate the problems on the border. But there is truth behind the allegations.
Shortly after Jan Brewer talked about decapitated bodies, two heads were found stuck into the iron fence of a cemetery in Nogales, Sonora - a short walk from Nogales, Arizona. And about 100-150 dead bodies are pulled out of the Arizona desert every year. Some have been murdered, some have died of disease or from exposure.
The Wallow Fire was started by a campfire, which may or may not have been set by illegal immigrants. The Monument Fire, however, was most likely started by illegal immigrants or drug smugglers. It was human caused, started in an area that is off limits, and was spotted by a border agent while he was looking for signs of illegal border crossing.
Of the illegal border crossers arrested by the border patrol, about 20% already have criminal records in the United States and have been previously deported. The border patrol blotter published online is fairly illuminating. Expand that 20% figure to 500,000 others who DO get across the border, and that's 100,000 known criminals entering the country.
The Bureau of Land Management has estimated that illegal immigrants crossing the desert drop an average of 8 pounds of trash per person per day. It's understandable - people will drop what they can't continue to carry. The deserts and mountains in Southern Arizona are strewn with tons of trash including clothing, medical waste, diapers, plastic bags and containers, and pornography and other publications. It's an ecological nightmare that kills and sickens wildlife and livestock.
Finally, there's the related issue of disease. Immigrants who are visibly sick are left behind on the trails, or set out on the road by the smugglers. They are treated by the small hospitals and clinics in the rural areas who can't recover the costs.
So it's a welcome relief to some of us to know that the numbers of illegal crossers is getting smaller.
Diane, I am a immigrant, I arrived legally but stay here after I meet who is my wife for 11 years, she was coming in and out of this country legally for years but she didn't have residency.We stay hoping for a better future, we were young. (there were not manny options that we could try to legally stay because of owr situation, and very expensive just to try), Well, I am here because I got to like this country and because It is were I found love. We are paying taxes of which I don't get manny benefits directly, or for my future but we do it because is the right thing to do.I can say more, but,the situation here is now bad economically, politically,etc.. to the point that we are ready to move out of these country, because there is not a option to prove that we are good people and that we can be good citizens too, the sad part is owr kids have to leave their own country. We speak the lenguage, pay taxes, know and respect the culture,etc.., we just hope for that chance too prove that we can be usefull too society, and pay owr fine.