Comments on: RGV Gets That Loving Feeling for Hilaria

By: Joaquin

Joaquin — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 18:41:04 +0000

All excellent points, Valley Newcomer, thanks for the post.
Most Americans, I believe, would agree to the following on immigration:
1. Continue to recruit, hire, train, and retain more Border Patrol agents, Customs officers and other federal law enforcement officers to help patrol and protect our borders.
2. Use the best technology available to assist in protecting our borders and use physical obstructions such as fencing and other barriers only in concentrated areas where it makes sense and will be effective.
3. Improve tracking/monitoring of those immigrants who enter the country legally via visas, but then overstay their visas and become illegal immigrants. Nearly 50 percent of all illegal immigrants here are people who overstayed their visas, which is rarely mentioned by righties.
4. Increase legal immigration by increasing the number of slots in the different employment categories, so more folks can come in legally to work in sectors of our U.S. economy where their labor and services is needed.
In that way, BP agents can spend more time chasing bad guys and not hotel cleaning ladies and sheetrockers.
5. Provide a lengthy and conditioned path to citizenship/legal status for immigrants here illegally, if they qualify.

By: Valley Newcomer

Valley Newcomer — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 20:21:32 +0000

Taxpayer, I’m not sure what you’re talking about, but I didn’t make any personal attacks. I made the point, which anti-Mexican immigrant crusaders rarely acknowledge, that there is not real legal alternative for 99.9% of the Mexican laborers who want to come across to work. It is absolutely false that Mexicans have an easier time getting citizenship. Legally, an immigrant can get citizenship through family reunification, marriage, or employment. Employment-based citizenship includes three categories. First, immigrants with extraordinary ability in sciences, arts, education, business or athletics demonstrated by sustained national or international acclaim (think Yao Ming/an executive with Shell or BP, a preeminent research scientist). Second, members of the professions holding advanced degrees and immigrants with exception ability in the scienes, arts or business. This second class of employment-based citizenship requires a labor certificate from the Department of Labor ensuring that there is a shortage of US citizens in that profession such that the job cannot be done by an American. The last type of emplyment-based citzenship is for skilled laborers for which U.S. workers are not available and also requires a certificate that there are no USC’s who have applied for the job. However, there is a quota of 10,000 per year for the third class of employment-based citizenship.

So, the only way that getting citizenship ship is “easier” for a Mexican national than someone from Europe is because the mothers can swin the river and give birth on U.S. soil. That doesn’t really sound like a benefit to me. And, in fact, immigrants from China, India, Mexico and the Phillipines are subject to per-country quotas for family reunification (which requires a direct relative that is a US citizen) and skilled laborers that immigrants from Europe are not subject to. So, in fact, it is almost certainly more difficult for a Mexican national to get citizenship or lawful permanent residency than a European or Australian.

The problem is that our laws don’t give Mexican immigrants any viable legal options, and their economy will continue to give them incentive to come illegally. We can’t fix the Mexican economy. But, we CAN regulate immigration from Mexico by creating legal methods for laborers to get across and work over here in industries where their labor is sorely needed. And, if we did this, we’d be a lot safer and have more tax revenue.

By: George Lopez

George Lopez — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 17:08:39 +0000

I thought the column/article was about Hillary Clinton visiting the Valley - but as usual immigration-crazy, nativist types have to try to steer the conversation to their immigration obsessions.
Gee, Taxpayer, such strong opinions from someone who can’t put his or her name to those views.
Also, to Jose, the figures you cite are from a right-wing think tank, so that stats cited are suspect since they come from an ideological standpoint. Any stats coming the FAIR, Numbers USA, etc., crowd are nothing more than right-wing propaganda.
Sorry to say for some of you righties, but children born in the United States are Americans, whether their parents are here legally or illegally, and so those children are entitled to all rights and privileges therein. You righty nativists need to get the Constitution changed in order for Americans not to be Americans even when they’re born here.
And maybe, for once, could you people stick to the subject at hand instead of veering off to your prejudicies. I know it’s hard to contain yourselves.

By: otimio vasquez

otimio vasquez — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 13:42:33 +0000

while we americans beat each other up about immigration the rich ruling class mexicans in mexico and rotten corrupt mexican government officals just laugh at us its mexico fault that they wont provide for there mexican citizens that abandon mexico by the millions if mexicans are such hard dedicated workers then stay in mexico and built your own mexico lind up throw out those corrupt mexican politicians it wont be easy but it can be done

By: Taxpayer

Taxpayer — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 18:47:52 +0000

Typical LEFT WING attack - you can’t counter the arguement so you start the personal attacks. You make great Democrats, you should be proud. My motivation is to have a lawful, fair immigration policy, and a immigrant workforce that will pay taxes and be a minimum drag on society. Period. I have no doubt that most of these folks who, as you say, swim the river, are good, hard working people, but why do they get first shot at citizenship over someone from Europe, Asia, or Africa, who are also good hard working people, but can’t swim over to America. You can call me what ever names you want, but I simply do not want people who are breaking the law to get priority over people who are following the law and coming here legally. Unforturately for you, most of America does have respect for the law, and they have a problem with people here illegally getting Aminesty, and first dibs on citizenship.

By: r.mary

r.mary — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 23:27:26 +0000

Google: Larry Sinclair and Obama
Obama and Cult
Check the chicago sun times and tribune “Obama and Rezko

By: George Lopez

George Lopez — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 23:18:35 +0000

Valley Newcomer: The reason immigration talk from the nativists is hateful is because they’re generally hateful people. Look, the column above just makes brief mention of immigration, and the knucklehead has to go on his typical rant about immigrants.
Wow, we’re impressed, dude, that you know how to use THE UPPER CASE KEY. Real smart guy, obviously.

By: Valley Newcomer

Valley Newcomer — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 20:12:57 +0000

Why does the anti-immigrant rhetoric have to be so hateful? Isn’t there a way to express those sentiments that doesn’t come across as bigoted and rude? Why the sarcasm and gross over-generalizations? Really, every immigrant wants housing assistance, increased food stamps and free medical care? I think you’re forgetting about the HUGE amount of immigrants that swim the river (and will climb the Wall/Fence) every day just to come over here to WORK an 8 hour day so they can buy housing and food and healthcare for their families. Many, many immigrants are very proud people with incredibly strong work ethics—all they want is a legal way to WORK, not handouts from the government. The problem is there is no legal way for laborers from Mexico to work here except marriage. And, as long as the wages they can make on this side dwarf those they can make in Mexico, they will risk federal prison to come. So, we can waste money on walls that won’t work, imprison more immigrants for crossing (also expensive), and make the laws even more impossible for them to legally work here, OR we can actually create legal programs, tax them!!!, and give them opportunity to work for the things they want. They want to work, but if we continue to not let them, they will continue to swim across 9 months pregnant so their children can be born on American soil. I KNOW Taxpayer doesn’t like that. Amnesty is not a dirty word, but now it has become one thanks to Lou Dobbs and the Republicans. But, without a legal way for laborers to work in our country, our borders will remain porous and unsecure and our industries will continue to face labor shortages.

Taxpayer, why don’t you try a less hateful way of making your point. Amazingly, I have heard similar points made in a thoughtful and respectful way. Try it.

By: Joaquin

Joaquin — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 17:21:25 +0000

But, oh my friend, as your favorite Republican John McCain would say, the next president, be it McCain or Obama or Clinton, will during their tenure likely push for some sort of legalization for some of the undocumented immigrants in this country. And with likely more Democrats to be elected to the House and Senate, there’s a reasonable chance it will get through.
Sorry to say, my friend, that your virulent anit-immigrant/nativist views didn’t have much currency in presidential politics this year, in fact, none at all to speak of.
So, you and your ilk whine on, but are getting not much of anywhere if this season’s presidential politics are any gauge.

By: Taxpayer

Taxpayer — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 22:43:29 +0000

It seems that we have a contest going here to see which one of the two Democrats can promise the most. I don’t think you will ever see many of the things promised actually delivered, including the VA facility, but there is one promise that you can take to the bank. As soon as a Democrat comes into power there will be an AMINESTY BILL for all the illegals here in America. Let’s see here…how did you put it…would bring humanity for the undocumented. Yes, a huge underclass to vote Democrat for the next three to four generations. They will need increased housing assistance, food stamps and of course, free health care and medicine. After all, its the right thing to do. Let’s not forget that we will have to increase bi-lingual education nationwide to keep this underclass down as long as we possibly can, because as soon as they become educated taxpayers, they will start voting Republican. The only thing I have not heard from these two Democrats is how we ae going to pay for all this humanity.