by Jack
You will never lose betting on the popularity of immigration control! Studies have show that a great majority of citizens in Germany, Italy, Sweden, England, France and of course America, support a well controlled immigration and secure borders.
Not surprisingly Greece had the highest approval (82%) for immigration control and reform. Greece has been among the hardest hit by legal and illegal immigrants fleeing war zones in the middle east. Their socialist economy with lavish [safety nets] does not tolerate a sudden surge in demands. Too many takers – not enough givers.
When it comes to a secure border, even Mexico has a border fence with armed guards. In fact, I have yet to discover a nation that is against controlled immigration. 
Illegal immigration is costing us about 135 billion a year, according to the most authoritative report to date.
The report posted in the Washington Examiner said State and local governments are getting ravaged by the costs, at over $88 billion a year. The federal government, by comparison, is getting off easy at $45 billion in costs for illegals. This creating a huge hole in our budget.
Another source, the Federation for American Immigration Reform report, tallied another $19 billion. These are huge numbers and it doesn’t seem to matter what study you use, they are all saying essentially the same thing. Illegal immigration is a huge drain on the economy and has altered the demographics to the point of creating powerful subcultures, separate and apart from our own.
When Trump talks about building a border wall and that he needs funding now or he will shut down the government, he’s playing into the illegal immigration fears of the majority. But, he’s also losing most of that rightwing support because the wall isn’t the answer and we wish he would get off that subject pronto. The wall isn’t going to stop the root problem.
What we should be focused on is providing technical assistance to Mexico to overcome crime, corruption and poverty. If they reject our help – hey, we tried! Then we absolutely need to reduce the incentives that draw illegal immigrants here.
Stop gap measures like hiring more border patrol agents, passing laws against hiring illegals, selective use of fences and walls, high tech monitors, seasonal migrant work permits, are all reasonable tools. However, the ultimate fix is, we must stop giving people reasons to come here illegally. Mexico can and should help too, they desperately need to clean up their act by reducing poverty, corruption and crime. I know…good luck with that! In the past they have rejected our help on crime and corruption, mostly tied to the drug cartels. Of course they love to take our money…see corruption above. So throwing money their way is not going to do much except make some bureaucrats rich. Unfortunately, that leaves us with only controlling our side of the border. Trump is all for that part and I support, except for this silly wall business.
Speaking of what we do… California is a prime example of doing it all wrong. We are one of two States that provides expensive Medical benefits to all “financially qualified” persons regardless of citizenship. Hey, that’s a costly entitlement! CA also provides other benefits like education, food stamps and housing. These things all cost big bucks. If you are broke living down Mexico way, that’s one huge incentive to move to California!
Then there is the criminal justice costs illegal immigration. Crime committed by illegals cost us billions and it has a direct impact on our quality of life. Some of that cost stems from very low level incidents that could be easily avoided with controlled immigration. I’m talking now about when our cultural values collide with the illegal’s. Example: CA Fish and Games says, cock fighting/gambling is a big problem now, but only among illegals and their pals. Game poaching is another, like snagging salmon. Hunting deer without a license and out of season is still another. There’s a long list of minor crimes and rules that get violated every day because of cultural clashes. It all takes a toll on our society and quality of
life and much of this is preventable with sensible, controlled immigration.
Just recently my son investigated the case of an illegal Hispanic mom. She hit her daughter on the arm with a wooden spoon, to “get her attention”. The kid went to school and complained to the teacher how she was being beaten! Oh boy, did that start a whole series of unfortunate events. Illegals often times don’t see that coming and are shocked to find out swatting a hysterical, foul mouthed, teen is illegal.
The obvious point is, some cultures have religious, cultural and generational differences with our culture and if you just plop them down in America there’s going to be trouble. Sometimes their ways of raising children and our laws don’t always agree, like the spoon incident above.
If they (illegals) are uninformed about our law, bad things can happen to them unintentionally with no ill intent on their part. That’s unfair to all involved. Family skirmishes among migrants occur a hundred times a day in CA and they cost tax dollars every time the school calls the cops or CPS. Of course I do not endorse beating a child, so don’t go there. I am only saying culture clashes happen more frequently with illegal than legal immigrants.
$135 billion a year is not chump change folks. We must insist on real change to immigration and border control. It’s time to use all the tools and get past that ill conceived campaign promise of building a wall that Mexico is going to pay for…pffft. It ain’t happening Donald, let it go and lets move on to real solutions.
Worth your time to take a 16 minute and 38 second break and watch this, since the Lunatic Leftie Media Presstitutes are taking snippets and trying to make TheDonald the bad guy here.
https://video.foxnews.com/v/5978210691001/?#sp=show-clips
Nancy and Chuckie seemed particularly concerned about having cameras there . . . . . TheDonald’s response: “It’s called transparency, Nancy.”
Update on Wednesday morning:
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/caravan-migrants-in-mexico-demand-trump-either-let-them-in-u-s-or-pay-them-50000-each-to-go-back-home
And why am I NOT surprised?
“You will never lose betting on the popularity of immigration control!”
Yes, you will:
https://news.gallup.com/poll/235775/americans-oppose-border-walls-favor-dealing-daca.aspx
You wanna make some money? Bet on the hypocrisy of people who tout immigration control:
https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/immigration-reform/trump-s-new-jersey-golf-club-employs-undocumented-immigrants-women-n945056
https://newrepublic.com/minutes/136447/trumps-modeling-agency-virtual-sweatshop-hired-undocumented-immigrants
Glad we agree on the ridiculousness of the wall, Jack.
“Illegal immigration is costing us about 135 billion a year, according to the most authoritative report to date.”
Why not link to it, so your readers can determine whether or not it is actually “authoritative?” Did the report factor in the economic benefits as well, or did they only consider the costs?
“However, the ultimate fix is, we must stop giving people reasons to come here illegally.”
The reason people come here illegally is because the government makes it too hard to come here legally. We could easily legislate the misdemeanor “illegal immigration” nearly out of existence if we simply let more people in who wanted to come here, barring a good reason (provided by the government) why they, on an individual basis, should not be allowed in.
Keep in mind that most of the people in the caravan were immigrating legally–showing up to the border and declaring a request for asylum is perfectly legal. Trump and Republicans have conflated them with “illegal immigration.” They have also taken other steps to make it harder to immigrate here legally. This does nothing but create more illegal immigrants.
Great report Jack.
Journalists at NPR and the NYT say agents don’t want the wall. That may be true in some areas but it isn;t true generally.
Repirts from journalists at ABC and the Western Journal-Jan 2017 don’t think the wall is, “ill conceived.” One border Patrol chief has said, “‘If we do it right’ the wall will be ‘important’ and ‘effective.'”
The leader of America’s largest Border Patrol union locals agrees (Western Journal link):
One of the benefits of putting a wall in some areas along the border is that it will help the border patrol by limiting the miles of open spaces Drones are great but you still have to drive or ride to where they are! Some of the agents on the ground say they just need more agents. But one of the benefits of building the wall(s) is that they will lessen the need for more agents. A one time cost is superior to extra never ending staff costs, including long term healthcare and pensions.
Trump is a problem solver. He consulted with those who actually do the work involved. The wall isn’t the only thing his administration is doing. The budget bill passed at the beginning of the year included money earmarked for border security enhancements, including high-tech surveillance systems and other items requested by agents in different areas along the border.
Libby: “Keep in mind that most of the people in the caravan were immigrating legally–showing up to the border and declaring a request for asylum is perfectly legal.”
You keep in mind that Trump told them to do that!!!
The World Economic Forum reports this year that “14% of the world’s adults – nearly 710 million people – said they want to permanently migrate to another country, according to analytics company Gallup. … And where do they want to go? The US primarily: one in five potential migrants named the country as their preferred destination.”
The left attacks Trump for saying that world leaders have an obligation to put the needs of their people first, called him a “nationalist,” as if it were a crime, and yet that’s exactly what needs to happen to make each country a place where people can work to provide for themselves and their families and feel safe. The US cannot possibly take in 147 million, year after year, and survive. So, we need to improve our immigration laws but we also need to be able to control our borders. Immigrants entering illegally is not the only border problem, criminals, drug and human traffickers, and terrorists are a huge national security and safety issue!
This political fight is disturbing and it IS political. Stopping Trump is all that matters to Nancy and Chuck. They could give a rip about the people living along the border who have dangerous people moving across their land all the time…the trash…the dead To them preventing Trump from building the wall is more important to their political egos/power. It’s petty. Refusing to negotiate earnestly does not impress.
Yes, we need the wall and yes, it will be built in areas where it will serve to help law enforcement officials do their jobs.
Trump is a problem solver.
Hilarious. He’s a problem creator. He intentionally closed ports of entry to legal applicants and has reduced the number of immigration agents. He didn’t want to make it easier to process those applying for either acceptance or rejection. He just wants to cage and pepper spray them.
What problem did the travel ban solve? None. What problems did it create the night it was passed, in haste, without consulting the Pentagon?
You keep in mind that Trump told them to do that!!!
What the hell does this mean? Trump told people to come and apply for asylum legally? No, he didn’t. And I literally just explained to you how he’s made it harder for them to do that, so even if had said that, how would that help him?
The US cannot possibly take in 147 million, year after year, and survive.
Where on earth are you getting this ridiculous number? We take in nothing like that. Your hysteria is based on a totally baseless view of the facts.
Nov 1, 2018, 9News, “Trump: Asylum seekers must go to ports of entry”
The World Economic Forum report information, linked to in my comment, has two charts showing that 147 million is the number that want to come to the U.S. The United States has always been a magnate. I don’t see that ending any time soon. If we decide to open our borders that number will surely increase.
The following are facts gleaned from MigrationPolicy.org and it’s links:
Nov 1, 2018, 9News, “Trump: Asylum seekers must go to ports of entry”
Ok. He also…closed ports of entry. So again, how do you think this makes him look any better?
https://www.texastribune.org/2018/07/05/migrants-seeking-asylum-legally-ports-entry-turned-away-separated-fami/
The World Economic Forum report information, linked to in my comment, has two charts showing that 147 million is the number that want to come to the U.S.
People want to do all sorts of things they can’t do, Tina. This in no way supports your hysterical hypothetical that that’s how many immigrants we would actually take in if we loosened immigration restrictions slightly.
I’m not privy to security information that might have led Trump to want a temporary travel ban…nor are you…that stuff is kept under wraps. Your question is impossible to answer.
Ridiculous on a lot of levels.
Again, the administration did not even inform the Pentagon about the travel ban before implementing the order. You and I may not be privy to classified national security information, but I’m pretty sure the Pentagon is, and tons of experts who are spoke out against the ban as unjustified and counterproductive.
Second, it’s really cute how you–a self-identified “small government conservative”–are making the argument that the government doesn’t need to justify a restriction in freedom. As long as they’re restricting the freedom of people you don’t particularly care for–in this case, Muslim immigrants–they can do whatever they want in the name of national security. That’s because you’re an authoritarian.