This blog features my research on Northern Virginia's dynamic and diverse communities.
Friday, September 22, 2006
Impotent Immigration Reform
If you're wondering what the major problems are with the 109th Congress's immigration package, I would recommend this L.A. Times article, which outlines the major features, as well as this editorial from today's Washington Post.
2 comments:
Anonymous
said...
If it fair to make a communitee pay for the illegal immigrant presence, then it is fair to allow the enforcement authorities to enforce the laws. Federal laws are enforced by all police in every other case, why not this one?
The problem with the immigration reform package is not that locals may be able to enforce the laws, but that the measures are not going to solve the problem, which is clearly argued in the WP article.
As for communities "paying" for immigrants, it is simply not true. What are communities allegedly paying for? Immigrants are not using the social welfare system, they pay taxes, and they work for substandard wages and typically under poor conditions. Immigrants, particularly the undocumented, artifically lower the costs of services and goods (particularly our food prices). The net gain here is substantial, and if you don't believe me, go grocery shopping in Germany or France (where there is no undocumented workforce to supply farm labor). You'll see the difference.
2 comments:
If it fair to make a communitee pay for the illegal immigrant presence, then it is fair to allow the enforcement authorities to enforce the laws. Federal laws are enforced by all police in every other case, why not this one?
The problem with the immigration reform package is not that locals may be able to enforce the laws, but that the measures are not going to solve the problem, which is clearly argued in the WP article.
As for communities "paying" for immigrants, it is simply not true. What are communities allegedly paying for? Immigrants are not using the social welfare system, they pay taxes, and they work for substandard wages and typically under poor conditions. Immigrants, particularly the undocumented, artifically lower the costs of services and goods (particularly our food prices). The net gain here is substantial, and if you don't believe me, go grocery shopping in Germany or France (where there is no undocumented workforce to supply farm labor). You'll see the difference.
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