Too often it is said that immigrants in this country are like leeches on the economy, that they come here illegally to reap all the great benefits that this nation offers, without giving anything back. There are pundits, elected officials and government officials that would like you to believe that immigration has had only negative effects on our nation, but that is too simplistic and completely ignores the facts. They use the issue of the day, “Homeland Security” as cause to “strengthen our borders” and revamp immigration laws. There is a need for change in our immigration policy, but the fact remains that this country was built on the backs of immigrants (and unfortunately slaves). This country will continue to move forward on the backs of immigrants who pick our fruits, build our homes, and fix our cars. As we move into a new time and territory where more and more immigrants are becoming college educated and owning their own businesses, they will also sell us our homes and goods, teach our children, fill our cavities, and give us our medical exams. So while there is a need to change our immigration policies, it needs to be inclusive, and not exclusive of the people who helped build this country and of the people who will continue to reside and better it for a great future.
Getting Past the Myths: Don’t Buy What They’re Selling
There are a few myths of the immigrant population in the United States, whether they are here legally or illegally. One is that they “steal our jobs”, and another, that they come here simply to leech off of our system. First things first, are those bastards really stealing our jobs?
If by “stealing” it is meant that immigrants run to the strawberry patches or orange groves and cut in line in front of high school kids or college students eager to work those jobs, then yes, they are stealing jobs. Reality is that there is no line of people trying to get these jobs, and now more than ever, citrus groves, vineyards, and strawberry fields are feeling the crunch of what some new immigration policies are doing to their economy. Simply put, there are less and less workers to pick their fruit. In a February 11, 2007 article from the L.A. Times titled “A Town That Wants Illegal Immigrants”, this issue was exposed:
“Some say that the current farm labor shortage — of as much as 50% — made the effects of last month's freeze worse than it otherwise would have been. The recent crackdown on the border is being felt in this corner of the Central Valley.
"If we had more workers, we could have picked up to 75% of the crop," said Lindsay-born labor contractor Alice Gutierrez. Growers had a week's notice that the freeze, which caused an estimated $418 million in damage in Tulare County alone, was imminent.”
Another fact to add to the claim that immigrants, illegal or legal, steal jobs is found in numerous studies highlighting the number of businesses owned by these immigrants. In an article titled “The New Immigrant Dream” from the New York Times in early February of this year it was stated that:
“In Los Angeles, at least 22 of the 100 fastest-growing companies in 2005 were created by first-generation immigrants. In Houston, a telecommunications company started by a Pakastani man topped the 2006 list of the city’s most successful small businesses.”
Another fact to add that is the list of immigrant-founded companies such as Google, Yahoo!, eBay, El Pollo Loco, Panda Express, and Forever 21. These are huge corporate companies that have thousands of employees that work for them. The immigrants that founded these companies not only give back as individuals, as they are more than likely in a very high tax bracket, but they also created hundreds of thousands of jobs with their companies. This doesn’t even take into account the thousands of “mom and pop” business we see everyday lining our streets. These “mom and pop” businesses line the streets of cities throughout the nation, and while they may not have hundreds of employees like the bigger companies mentioned, they do employ a small workforce between 5-20 people. These are jobs that didn’t exist before. Thus, not only are immigrants taking jobs that no one wants, but they contribute to society by creating businesses that create more jobs.
The other that immigrants come here to leech off our system has an incredible narrow view. While it is true, coming to this nation has its benefits from health care to getting a free education, there is so much more to it than that. Imagine being in a place where you have little or no chance for economic or political certainty…a place with no hope. You see a salvation of sorts by leaving this environment of no hope for a better life, a better place where it is said that dreams come true. It is well known that getting to this place is not easy, in fact, you can lose you life trying to reach it, but it is of little matter to you as reaching this dream place of hope is worth dying for. This is the plight of someone that wants to enter the United States. It is no secret that the United States is the place where dreams are made, and where there is hope. In an article from the Washington Post from August of 2006 the story of a young Guatamalan boy is told:
"My father was a policeman. He was shot to death when he was following a car that was smuggling cocaine," said Luis Santos, a short, almond-eyed 16-year-old. "After that, my mother couldn't have supported me even if she'd wanted to. . . . She sells vegetables in the market. She has no money."
For the last five years, Santos had been living and working on a cattle ranch, barely covering expenses with his $66-a-week paycheck and finding it increasingly tough to find time for schoolwork. He was drawn to the United States by the same hopes of higher wages that attract adults.
"I just wanted to finally have something of my own," Santos said as tears began to roll down his cheeks. "To show everyone in my family that I can do this. That I can have things, too."
This is but one of the stories in this article, and this article is only one of thousands that could be written covering the same topic. Leeching off of this system may be true for some, but they are the minority. Most immigrants do not come for that purpose. They come here wanting what is viewed as the simple pleasures of life: a place to live, a meal on their table, a job, and being able to support their family. More often than not, they want better for their children than what they had as children themselves.
Solution: Inclusion
In a country based on family values it is incredible that the current immigration policies allow for families to literally be ripped apart. Literally TODAY, from immigrant founded website Yahoo!, a story off the AP newswire read: “Children Stranded After Immigration Raid”. It read:
“Dozens of young children were stranded at schools and with baby-sitters after their parents were rounded up by federal authorities who raided a leather goods maker suspected of hiring illegal immigrants, authorities said Wednesday.
About two-thirds of the 500 employees of Michael Bianco Inc., mostly women, were detained Tuesday by immigration officials for possible deportation as illegal aliens.
As a result, about 100 children were stuck with baby sitters, caretakers and others, said Corinn Williams, director of the Community Economic Development Center of Southeastern Massachusetts.
"We're continuing to get stories today about infants that were left behind," she said. "It's been a widespread humanitarian crisis here in New Bedford."
From an administration that prides itself on family values, there seems to be something missing here. Mothers being ripped away from their children is appalling. There has got to be a better way. There is. Currently there is legislation being authored by various elected officials, and one piece that caught my eye was one authored by Presidential Candidate Barack Obama (D – IL) and Luis Gutierrez (D – IL). It is titled the “Citizen Promotion Act of 2007”. In it, there would be a freeze on the rising cost to the fees to start the naturalization process, there would be thorough background checks on the individuals applying to start the process of becoming a citizen, and there would be the creation of a new organization called New American Initiative (NAI) that according to the website of the National Association of Elected Officials (NALEO) would:
“develop outreach materials to encourage legal permanent residents to apply for naturalization, and must disseminate those materials through public service announcements and other media. The NAI also establishes a program that makes resources available for community organizations with experience and expertise in working with newcomers to provide a broad range of U.S. citizenship services. These services include English and civics classes, legal services, outreach and education activities, and application assistance.”
This inclusive proposal is due to be released soon, if it hasn’t been already, and is a step in the right direction towards inclusion of the people who have helped our country get to where it is today. Taking it a step further to protect the rights of immigrants that have lived in this nation for years, and have established families (with background checks of course) is an addition that would further help the stabilization of the immigration policy of this nation.
Getting Past the Myths: Don’t Buy What They’re Selling
There are a few myths of the immigrant population in the United States, whether they are here legally or illegally. One is that they “steal our jobs”, and another, that they come here simply to leech off of our system. First things first, are those bastards really stealing our jobs?
If by “stealing” it is meant that immigrants run to the strawberry patches or orange groves and cut in line in front of high school kids or college students eager to work those jobs, then yes, they are stealing jobs. Reality is that there is no line of people trying to get these jobs, and now more than ever, citrus groves, vineyards, and strawberry fields are feeling the crunch of what some new immigration policies are doing to their economy. Simply put, there are less and less workers to pick their fruit. In a February 11, 2007 article from the L.A. Times titled “A Town That Wants Illegal Immigrants”, this issue was exposed:
“Some say that the current farm labor shortage — of as much as 50% — made the effects of last month's freeze worse than it otherwise would have been. The recent crackdown on the border is being felt in this corner of the Central Valley.
"If we had more workers, we could have picked up to 75% of the crop," said Lindsay-born labor contractor Alice Gutierrez. Growers had a week's notice that the freeze, which caused an estimated $418 million in damage in Tulare County alone, was imminent.”
Another fact to add to the claim that immigrants, illegal or legal, steal jobs is found in numerous studies highlighting the number of businesses owned by these immigrants. In an article titled “The New Immigrant Dream” from the New York Times in early February of this year it was stated that:
“In Los Angeles, at least 22 of the 100 fastest-growing companies in 2005 were created by first-generation immigrants. In Houston, a telecommunications company started by a Pakastani man topped the 2006 list of the city’s most successful small businesses.”
Another fact to add that is the list of immigrant-founded companies such as Google, Yahoo!, eBay, El Pollo Loco, Panda Express, and Forever 21. These are huge corporate companies that have thousands of employees that work for them. The immigrants that founded these companies not only give back as individuals, as they are more than likely in a very high tax bracket, but they also created hundreds of thousands of jobs with their companies. This doesn’t even take into account the thousands of “mom and pop” business we see everyday lining our streets. These “mom and pop” businesses line the streets of cities throughout the nation, and while they may not have hundreds of employees like the bigger companies mentioned, they do employ a small workforce between 5-20 people. These are jobs that didn’t exist before. Thus, not only are immigrants taking jobs that no one wants, but they contribute to society by creating businesses that create more jobs.
The other that immigrants come here to leech off our system has an incredible narrow view. While it is true, coming to this nation has its benefits from health care to getting a free education, there is so much more to it than that. Imagine being in a place where you have little or no chance for economic or political certainty…a place with no hope. You see a salvation of sorts by leaving this environment of no hope for a better life, a better place where it is said that dreams come true. It is well known that getting to this place is not easy, in fact, you can lose you life trying to reach it, but it is of little matter to you as reaching this dream place of hope is worth dying for. This is the plight of someone that wants to enter the United States. It is no secret that the United States is the place where dreams are made, and where there is hope. In an article from the Washington Post from August of 2006 the story of a young Guatamalan boy is told:
"My father was a policeman. He was shot to death when he was following a car that was smuggling cocaine," said Luis Santos, a short, almond-eyed 16-year-old. "After that, my mother couldn't have supported me even if she'd wanted to. . . . She sells vegetables in the market. She has no money."
For the last five years, Santos had been living and working on a cattle ranch, barely covering expenses with his $66-a-week paycheck and finding it increasingly tough to find time for schoolwork. He was drawn to the United States by the same hopes of higher wages that attract adults.
"I just wanted to finally have something of my own," Santos said as tears began to roll down his cheeks. "To show everyone in my family that I can do this. That I can have things, too."
This is but one of the stories in this article, and this article is only one of thousands that could be written covering the same topic. Leeching off of this system may be true for some, but they are the minority. Most immigrants do not come for that purpose. They come here wanting what is viewed as the simple pleasures of life: a place to live, a meal on their table, a job, and being able to support their family. More often than not, they want better for their children than what they had as children themselves.
Solution: Inclusion
In a country based on family values it is incredible that the current immigration policies allow for families to literally be ripped apart. Literally TODAY, from immigrant founded website Yahoo!, a story off the AP newswire read: “Children Stranded After Immigration Raid”. It read:
“Dozens of young children were stranded at schools and with baby-sitters after their parents were rounded up by federal authorities who raided a leather goods maker suspected of hiring illegal immigrants, authorities said Wednesday.
About two-thirds of the 500 employees of Michael Bianco Inc., mostly women, were detained Tuesday by immigration officials for possible deportation as illegal aliens.
As a result, about 100 children were stuck with baby sitters, caretakers and others, said Corinn Williams, director of the Community Economic Development Center of Southeastern Massachusetts.
"We're continuing to get stories today about infants that were left behind," she said. "It's been a widespread humanitarian crisis here in New Bedford."
From an administration that prides itself on family values, there seems to be something missing here. Mothers being ripped away from their children is appalling. There has got to be a better way. There is. Currently there is legislation being authored by various elected officials, and one piece that caught my eye was one authored by Presidential Candidate Barack Obama (D – IL) and Luis Gutierrez (D – IL). It is titled the “Citizen Promotion Act of 2007”. In it, there would be a freeze on the rising cost to the fees to start the naturalization process, there would be thorough background checks on the individuals applying to start the process of becoming a citizen, and there would be the creation of a new organization called New American Initiative (NAI) that according to the website of the National Association of Elected Officials (NALEO) would:
“develop outreach materials to encourage legal permanent residents to apply for naturalization, and must disseminate those materials through public service announcements and other media. The NAI also establishes a program that makes resources available for community organizations with experience and expertise in working with newcomers to provide a broad range of U.S. citizenship services. These services include English and civics classes, legal services, outreach and education activities, and application assistance.”
This inclusive proposal is due to be released soon, if it hasn’t been already, and is a step in the right direction towards inclusion of the people who have helped our country get to where it is today. Taking it a step further to protect the rights of immigrants that have lived in this nation for years, and have established families (with background checks of course) is an addition that would further help the stabilization of the immigration policy of this nation.
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