Thomas Sowell points out another problem with any amnesty program:
There is another aspect of the immigration issue that has received little or no attention but can have a serious impact anyway. Amnesty would mean, for many illegal immigrants, that they would not merely have the same rights as American citizens, but special privileges as well.
Affirmative action laws and policies already apply to some immigrants. Members of a multimillionaire Cuban family have already received government contracts set aside for minority businesses. During one period, an absolute majority of the money paid to construction companies in Washington, D.C., went to Portuguese businessmen under the same preferences.
Immigrant members of Latino, Asian, or other minority groups are legally entitled to the same preferential benefits accorded native-born members of minority groups.
The moment they set foot on American soil, they are entitled to receive benefits created originally with the rationale that these benefits were to compensate for the injustices minorities had suffered in this country.
The illegal status of many "undocumented workers" can at least make them reluctant to claim these privileges. But, take away the illegality and they become not only equal to American citizens, but more than equal.
This is true - an illegal immigrant would receive affirmative action benefits because of the horrific racial oppression...he never suffered, but gets because his last name is correct. This is both an argument against amnesty and affirmative action.
Posted by Mark Noonan at April 21, 2006 03:19 PM
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On the topic of immigration reform, it may be a good idea to make citizens of those already here because it doesn't appear to be what the U.N. and Communists want. Even the loudest "Yankee get out of California" screamers assume States will become Aztland or some other mythical empire populated only by one race...now that's NOT wanting to be a citizen of the United States, is it?
This would option immigrants to either leave, or have a stake in the interest of our security as a sovereign nation...and increase the number of U.S. citizens for whom greater access to Chinese and global markets are needed.Those coming illegally after a certain date could henceforth be deemed felons, just as e.g. Mexico operates, to prevent repeats of today's problem, build up Latin America from within its own turf, and cut odds of terrorists pretending to be Balkan waifs who don't want the government to know they're here.
If President Bush can sign onto something like that or its near nature, so should we all; and watch what kind of guff we'd get from the U.N. and probably other nations if we increased the size of our citizenry.
Posted by: Daniel C. Arendt at April 22, 2006 01:53 PM
I've had a change of opinion in the past few days.
I now think that no one who entered illegally, if of legal age at the time, should EVER be granted citizenship. I would not have a problem with permanent residency, but citizenship is, or should be, special and earned. I think that the difference between permanent residency and citizenship would make that clear.
Children brought to this country by adults could be eligible, if they did not break the law while here. But any adult who came here illegally should not be rewarded with citizenship. If what they really want is the ability to live and work here, to "make a better life" then a green card would do that. But I am increasingly against rewarding lawbreaking and disrespect of this country, and the full protection and benefit of citizebsguo would simply be overlooking those actions. Or rewarding them.
Also, citizenship would then be an incentive to follow the laws, for those coming in later, as opposed to the opposite effect of making illegal entry easier and cheaper, with no down side.
Posted by: Almiranta at April 22, 2006 07:46 PM
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On the topic of immigration reform, it may be a good idea to make citizens of those already here because it doesn't appear to be what the U.N. and Communists want. Even the loudest "Yankee get out of California" screamers assume States will become Aztland or some other mythical empire populated only by one race...now that's NOT wanting to be a citizen of the United States, is it?
This would option immigrants to either leave, or have a stake in the interest of our security as a sovereign nation...and increase the number of U.S. citizens for whom greater access to Chinese and global markets are needed.Those coming illegally after a certain date could henceforth be deemed felons, just as e.g. Mexico operates, to prevent repeats of today's problem, build up Latin America from within its own turf, and cut odds of terrorists pretending to be Balkan waifs who don't want the government to know they're here.
If President Bush can sign onto something like that or its near nature, so should we all; and watch what kind of guff we'd get from the U.N. and probably other nations if we increased the size of our citizenry.
I've had a change of opinion in the past few days.
I now think that no one who entered illegally, if of legal age at the time, should EVER be granted citizenship. I would not have a problem with permanent residency, but citizenship is, or should be, special and earned. I think that the difference between permanent residency and citizenship would make that clear.
Children brought to this country by adults could be eligible, if they did not break the law while here. But any adult who came here illegally should not be rewarded with citizenship. If what they really want is the ability to live and work here, to "make a better life" then a green card would do that. But I am increasingly against rewarding lawbreaking and disrespect of this country, and the full protection and benefit of citizebsguo would simply be overlooking those actions. Or rewarding them.
Also, citizenship would then be an incentive to follow the laws, for those coming in later, as opposed to the opposite effect of making illegal entry easier and cheaper, with no down side.