General Discussions

**Chris41336** · 05-01-2006, 06:43 PM

I mean they arent even citizens! Feedback?

**ADAM Web Design** · 05-01-2006, 07:02 PM

Although I'm a Canadian, I am aware of the US immigrant situation since I have a client that is a not-for-profit and one of their programs is to help new immigrants find work and gain the appropriate accreditation (yeah, they've got a website, but I'm not self-promoting it and it's one of my older designs anyway).

So...I do have a bit of knowledge of the situation. And here are my thoughts:

When immigrants first gain immigrant status in Canada (or in your case, the States), they are in some serious uncharted territory. They've got no contacts, they've got no friends, they've got no family other than the relatives that came with them, and they've got no jobs. So they need to settle down, get their families fed and taken care of, find a home, find a job, and do all of that in short order.

It's pretty easy to spot one of these people. They're usually poorly dressed and have a look of desperation in their eyes that says "I'll stab my own mother for a quarter right about now."

And some of these people deserve some sympathy.

There are political reasons for people to leave their former countries and their families, and that I don't have a problem with personally. If you have to leave your native land because your country was taken over by some dictator and he's mass-executing your entire ethnic group, that's one thing. I think we have to allow some latitude for that sort of thing, as long as they don't bring the conflict to their adopted homeland.

But the ones who come over the border thinking that the US and Canada are the lands of opportunity without planning ahead first and finding that it's not the gravy train they thought it was? I haven't got an ounce of sympathy for those people. These are the ones who often "settle" for the low-paying jobs they're striking against because they didn't realize that they're in a situation where there are many other workers as skilled or moreso in the jobs they happen to be good at.

And I'm sorry, but how much did you really expect to get paid flipping burgers at McDonald's? That's not exactly an executive position. Shutting down a McDonald's isn't going to kill anyone: it could even do the opposite and save someone from a grease-induced artery-clogged heart attack.

The funny thing about the whole situation is that it caused more of a panic here than it probably did in the States. People were worried that their immigrant workers were going to go on strike...someone even asked me if I were an immigrant and going on strike in support.

"Hmmm...self-employed non-immigrant gun for hire...if I strike, I don't get paid and no one cares...HELL NO, I WON'T GO! HELL NO, I WON'T GO!"

This isn't going to accomplish anything at all.

**jyoz22** · 05-01-2006, 07:18 PM

Bothered?

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. - U.S. Constitution (1st Amendment)

**Village Idiot** · 05-01-2006, 08:37 PM

this applies to citizens of the US

**FutileSoul** · 05-02-2006, 12:04 AM

they should protest by going back to mexico

**JohnJ** · 05-02-2006, 09:52 AM

Yes - I'm bothered....

Not by immigrants (illegal or otherwise) but by Congress... They need to wake up and understand that the problem is not illegal immigrants - it is jobs!!!

Giving a job to an illegal should be a felony punishable by real jail time and a very big fine.

No jobs available in the US would mean that we don't have to worry about fences or illegal immigrants, then we could concentrate on terrorists (without having to sift through all the chaff of illegals).

**Village Idiot** · 05-02-2006, 10:28 AM

but people will take their chances and hire them because they will work for half min wage

**barbara** · 05-02-2006, 01:07 PM

yes, it bothered. i agree with JohnJ's statement. upper management should take it seriously and do something about it.

**stOx** · 05-02-2006, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FutileSoul

they should protest by going back to mexico

You could say that about anyone in america who wants to protest, you are all immigrants... Of course unless you are native american, and they don't seem to have a voice at all... How ironic.

**Galaxian** · 05-02-2006, 03:13 PM

What about us brits, we are plagued with Arabs and have incidents involving immigrants occur on the news quite often nowadays.

**etraffic** · 05-02-2006, 06:28 PM

Hello
I would have to agree with JohnJ..

**mcbeth59** · 05-03-2006, 05:35 PM

I think Congress needs to deal with this situation before it gets out of hand! I see the potential for a really big mess here.

I also think it isn't right for somebody who isn't even a US citizen to protest OUR laws! That is just WRONG. I have no problem with anybody becoming a US citizen but do it the correct way. We have laws, and they should be obeyed. We should not be making it easier to come into the country when we have crazy people out there who just want to kill us because we are American.

I think a solution could be for a work place to say, "I need XXX amount of workers." Then they are allowed to get the workers from Mexico if nobody else will do the job. These people need to be documented, and followed up on to see if they left when the job was done. I also think the Mexican workers should have to pay taxes on their wages, just like I do. If I have to pay outrageous taxes... let ALL the workers pay the taxes!

One more thing, and then I am off my high-horse! The mexican resturants that closed to support the march, and show how their money affects the economy... well, I am going to show how my money affects THEIR economy. I will not be going to those restuarants anymore... and one of them was my favorite. The ones that didnt close, I will still go to. (What can I say... I love Mexican food!

)

**jyoz22** · 05-03-2006, 06:29 PM

Truely this is all of Mexico's falt. Because even though they have Oil, and other natural resources they aren't doing anything to improve the economy or lives for their people.

The irony is that mexico actually started ENFORCING its southern border so people woudn't enter Mexico illegaly.

I think the U.S. should FINE mexico for every mexican that comes to the U.S. that way Mexico will make sure no one comes over.

but no, i am not annoyed. It's freedom of speech, and assembly. FOR Legal, and illegal immigrant.s

**KML9870** · 05-03-2006, 06:41 PM

The problem is not the legal immigrants. Let's face it, as Stox said, everyone in the US is an immigrant or descendant of an immigrant unless you are Native American. And where I live the NY state government is constantly trying to breach the treaties with the Native Americans.

Lower wages are not the only reason that employers hire illegal immigrants either, they save on taxes, workman's comp, disability insurance, unemployment insurance and benefits too. Many of us know it's expensive to run a business when you start involving employees other than yourself.

There are laws in place to prosecute illegal immigrants and some are prosecuted and sent back to their native countries. There are systems in place for foreigners to come to the US to work (get a green card). The border laws are soon to change so that, although all of my 35 years crossing into Canada has been a 5 minute or less process and half of my family is Canadian, next year if I want to go to Canada or Mexico I will have to purchase (for about $100) a passport like document. All of my life getting back into the US from Canada was a joke - border patrol says "Citizenship?" you say "US", border patrol says "Where do you live?" you say "Buffalo", border patrol says "How long where you out of the country?" you say "A few hours", border patrol says "What where you doing in Canada?" you say "Sightseeing" or "Visiting family" or any number of other things, border patrol says "Okay, have a good night." and you are on your way. Out of literally thousands of border crossings there have been less than 10 times (and all withing the last 5 years) have I been asked for any identification when re-entering the US.

US homeland security laws have already tightened so much that recently when I applied for a job with the FBI I was rejected....not because I wasn't qualified or had a criminal record, but because my father is a foreigner (Canadian). When I was filling out the paperwork it never occurred to me that my father being Canadian would be an issue and before 9/11 it wouldn't have been.

I don't think that tougher immigration laws are the answer. I think better border control with Mexico and Canada (mostly Mexico) as well as more stringent follow up on the legal immigrants working in the US is what is needed.

**bunny2088** · 05-04-2006, 09:42 AM

i have nothing against this. but i had a problem with the school in cali that hung the mexican flag above the american flag and then hung the american flag upside down

**ego74** · 05-06-2006, 05:58 PM

Here's my gripe with the whole illegal immigration deal:

They crowd the welfare offices,emergency rooms.
They are illegal and don't pay taxes but their kids get a free education.
They force us to learn spanish to accomedate them not them learning english since this IS America.
They get more things done for them now then the black people ever did.
You don't see all the other illegal people protesting and holding marches, they wait the tens years it takes to become a citizen.
Mexico doesn't learn english for the american tourist why should we learn spanish for the illegal mexicans.

**Minaki** · 05-06-2006, 08:57 PM

Quote:

They force us to learn spanish to accomedate them not them learning english since this IS America.

Americans don't speak proper English anyway so does it really matter? lol

(Colour and Flavour are both spelt with a U!)

**jyoz22** · 05-10-2006, 04:00 PM

ego74 beleive it or not English is a requiered course in Mexico. The problem is that most of the children live in such poverty that they have to help around the house or family that they do not go to school and get an education. The whole government is corrupt. Also a large group of illegal immigrants do pay taxes.

I do agree with you that they should learn English. (Even though NOT all U.S. Citizens speak English, a large number of Hawaiian, Puerto Rican, and I think Alaskan citizens don't speak English.)

**Village Idiot** · 05-10-2006, 04:13 PM

when I was in puerto rico on a missions trip, most of the kids could speak enough to get the drift of a conversation, any educated adult there is expected to know english. but there are no public schools there so few get proper schooling.

**denone** · 05-11-2006, 02:12 PM

Chris41336 Is that mean demonstrate? I'm not sure what the thread is about?