Comments on: Illegal immigrants: Treat them humanely or make their lives miserable?

By: Ethics Bob

Ethics Bob — Wed, 12 May 2010 06:27:48 +0000

The Phoenix chief of police opposed the new law just because he thinks it will make illegals very unlikely to report any crime for fear of being deported.

By: Political Junkie

Political Junkie — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 21:31:36 +0000

The law is designed to protect the citizen of Arizona as well as the undocumented immigrants. If an illegal reports a crime or requests police help they will not be prosecuted under this law.

By: Funny Guy

Funny Guy — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 18:32:15 +0000

As an Arizona resident, I am really getting tired of being portrayed as a racist because I am in favor of SB1070. I hope this legislation leads to reform on the current immigration laws. It’s a travesty that more illegals aren’t even given an option to enter the country legally. However this law isn’t going to “legalize profiling.” The law is going to require officers to obtain proof of citizenship only in situations where a crime has taken place.

By: Ethics Bob

Ethics Bob — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 19:24:12 +0000

That’s welcome reassurance from a center moderate.

By: James Haynes

James Haynes — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 18:55:44 +0000

I no longer work in the construction industry, yet my experience there revealed contractors wanting less expensive labor. Where they could, unscrupulous employers paid workers cash under the table. Many however take out social security and taxes. I hope that this is the rule rather than the exception.
But again, most of the general contractors and contractors that hired illegals were some of the most vociferous protesters of illegal immigration. At work they entertained illegals, but at home and church they were totally anti-immigration. They were good enough to work 12 hours a day but not good enough to be given an opportunity to attain citizenship.
Ethics and logic are absent from our culture. We cannot persuade someone to look at an issue from a different perspective.
The problem that rears its ugly head is that most of us Anglo-Saxons are xenophobic when it comes to immigrants. I can see how some wish to close our borders. Jobs immigrants take are the same jobs that the proponents of immigration control would not themselves take. This debate of us versus them is only fueled by certain media outlets.
I too am glad that the restrictions on immigration were laxer in the past. Because my family would have a lot of explaining to do to the Native Americans. My ancestors have been in North America since the 1600′s, both Scotch-Irish and German.
If the first Americans, also my ancestors, had their way none of these outsiders would have come in.

By: Jack Marshall

Jack Marshall — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 16:49:47 +0000

Bob, if there’s a good trap to be trapped in, the compassion trap is it.

By: Ethics Bob

Ethics Bob — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 16:34:56 +0000

I admit to being trapped in the compassion trap. Your last paragraph is just right, it seems to me. Border enforcement will relieve us of complicity in illegal immigration, and a path to legality will enable compassion to those already here. Bush was right, and I hope it’s not too late for such a solution.

By: Jack Marshall

Jack Marshall — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 16:22:10 +0000

There has to be a national policy, that’s all there is to it. The unholy alliance of businesses that want to exploit cheap labor and unscrupulous politicians who want to gain electoral power through demographics has created a problem that isn’t going to be solved by one state getting tough. Still—an illegal alien is illegal, and like a poor man who robs a bank to buy medicine and food, still cannot be the beneficiary of compassion over justice. I don’t believe we should be making life comfortable by those who cheated to get here (keeping those who play by the rules out). Bob’s ancestors weren’t breaking the law: using cocaine was legal then, too, but that doesn’t mean I like crack dealers any more. The children? That’s a compassion trap…the children of felons and killers suffer too, and that doesn’t justify not sending criminals to prison. I’d favor laws that made the children born of illegals exceptions to the citizenship rules.

But the fact is that until 1) we chart a way for current illegals to become legal and 2) enforce the borders, nothing will be completely fair or make sense. Bush’s plan was correct, and should have prevailed.

By: Ethics Bob

Ethics Bob — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 16:02:54 +0000

I’m not sure you’re right about that. My impression is that they pay more than their own way, through withholding and SSA tax, and they are reluctant to apply for benefits because of their illegal status.

By: Ethics Bob

Ethics Bob — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 16:00:50 +0000

Most of them want nothing more than to assimilate. And you didn’t say what you’d do with the small children of illegals (and their parents).