Today is May Day, historically when immigration supporters rally and march in support of lessening restrictions on immigration. It appears as though those numbers are dwindling:
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Demonstrators demanding a path to citizenship for an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants rallied around the nation Tuesday, hoping to spur Congress to act before the looming presidential primaries take over the political landscape.Hundreds? Dozens? Those numbers are really small. The AP piece is typical open borders, give them citizenship fluff, but those numbers speak volumes (note this Reuters headline that can't deny the truth). The climate in America has changed and this is one issue the Republican's own. Everyone in America comes from immigrants, that's true. But most came here legally and not only waited for their citizenship, but assimilated into the fabric of our nation.From Phoenix to Detroit, hundreds of people carried American flags in the streets.
...Hours before the march was set to begin in Chicago, dozens of demonstrators began arriving carrying American flags, signs and placards, including one that read "We may not have it all together, but together we can have it all."
With the exception of Tom Tancredo and Duncan Hunter, the GOP field has been wary of entering into this very important debate. President Bush himself has hedged and has lost support of a lot Republican's because of it.
We need real immigration reform and we need it now. Real reform does not offer amnesty nor reward those who've broken the law. It does provide funding for real border security and it provides for consequences if you cross illegally. Reform also requires the U.S. to take a firmer stance with Mexico and calling for economic sanctions if they don't stem the flow.
I know they are just seeking a better life and money to support their families. I feel for them and wish their own leaders would provide them more opportunity. I believe in immigration if it's legal imigration where taxes are paid for services provided. I'm 100% against illegal immigration.
Previously on 'The Stump':· Will Farm Bill Increase Illegal Immigration?
· Bush Pushes Immigration Again
· Bush Finally Getting Serious About Illegal Immigration?
Reader Comments ( Page 3 of 6)
31. Bring the jobs back here from the foreign companies
and when the jobs are filled by citizens of the United States, let the foreigners qualify for citizenship to the United States and the job they are looking for, and enough of the English language to make a certifiable effort while they are in their own country, then they should be allowed to take the citizenship test. If as a citizen for 10 years they are convicted of a felony they should be sent back to their country of origin and never allowed back into the states on any type of visa, work or otherwise.
George at 2:42PM on May 2nd 2007
32. In our local news, one mexican girl said "I just want the illegals to be treated right." Ok, then, here's what the right way should be. They came here illegally, which means they broke the law, acquired jobs they weren't entitled to have, because they weren't citizens or here legally, which breaks another law -- so they should be PROSECUTED.
My family immigrated to this country LEGALLY. They studied and took their citizenship test and LEARNED THE LANGUAGE instead of being lazy and expecting everyone to cater to them and learn their language instead.
Gina at 2:49PM on May 2nd 2007
33. Why were the Police in riot gear to begin with? There was no riot going on! We are becoming more and more a police state everyday. While the goverment gets more privacy, the public loses more and more of there rights. It is up to the people to stand up and demand are freedoms.
Joseph at 2:46PM on May 2nd 2007
34. I have to agree with my fellow americans, about the mexicans infiltrating our borders every day...It has become a crying shame when they come here and commit crimes,and can run back to mexico, and a few months later come back again, If you are an american, and you use someone elses identity you will be prosecuted, but everyday countless of so called good individuals from mexico purchase or steal these documents and knowingly use them, and dont seem to care,So they should not get upset when they are called criminals, Another thing HOW DARE YOU COME HERE AND DEMAND ANYTHING FROM OUR GOVERNMENT!!!!!!, You need to go to CALDERON, in your own country and demand, so you can stay there...Also now that it is going to cost to become a citizen you dont want to pay...But I can tell you for a fact that most illegals live better than me....Go to any neighbor hood where they live and you will see brand new suv,s, and trucks, and there homes are all nice brick 150,000,Me and my husband decided not to have any more children but we both have to work 40+ hours to pay for all the services these walking roach motel mothers are receiving every day...and any time there is something free, they are always the first in line...And I think its time we as Americans start marching, or we will be having to move to Canada...In closing stop giving free bees and they will stop comming, its the old fashion "Supply and Demand" we need to stop supplying, But they are not going to stop demanding...and as for the cooment made by LYNN, they do commit juast as bad a crimes as any other race...you just have to research a little harder,,,we had the mexican train serial killer who killed, quite a few people.
Rosemary at 2:54PM on May 2nd 2007
35. I am 56 and a Viet Nam vet, I was there for everyones freedom even though I feel that some must earn it in other ways. I have picked cotton, apricots,peaches, and potatos, and I am white. When you are little and there is a depression you do what you have to. If a farmer has a crop he should give first choice to Americans and be able to confirm citizenship via a registry that already exists, and then he should have to register any and all illegal alies (from anywhere) I am not just referring to any ethnic group, but any one. They should have the same taxes removed from their checks and be reported as a working illegal alien and given a temporary (note temporary) for the actual length of that one job or field, and sent back his/her country of origin @ their own expense. If they are willing to learn the language or take the citizenship test in their own language and qualify for a job, and actually obtain that job, they should be able to come here and work and become a citizen. but if an American qualifies @ the same level or higher, the American should get the job if he will accept it.
George at 2:55PM on May 2nd 2007
36. I think it is very cruel how everyone is making a big deal about illegal people. First off if you go back in history, the US is not a place for only certain races. The indians were the first to own this land. Just remember that. People make think illegal people do not deserve to get citizenship or residence here but I believe Congress should PASS something to help our people. TO MAKE ANOTHER FACT TO EVERYONE. ILLEGAL PEOPLE ARE THE MAIN PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY MAKING IT BETTER. WHEN DO YOU HARDLY EVER SEE A WHITE MAN OR BLACK MAN DO THE JOBS MANY HISPANIC PEOPLE DO? I was born here. My husband is illegal and I have a 4 year old child. I support all illegal people and I do not think it is fair or right to take parents away from their children. People who believe different are really cruel and cold hearted. For the want to be smart people saying hispanics get all this help from government. I laugh at that. In reality that is the other way around. I think if you deserve the help, you should get it. My mother is from here and she has to pay for all her medicines and my father is disabled. He doesn't get help and he is a resident here in the US. You don't see me crying. Some people deserve it and some don't. Half of the production around this country is made by illegal people and YES they do deserve government help. Its not like they get paid as much as white or black person. Its not like they get taxes back like they should. They get no retirement plans and have no benefits. So really should anyone be making a big deal? NO. If you say it is about people bringing drugs over here and this and that. The drugs are already here and that is not only from hispanic people. Illegal substances are basically being used everyday in this country by everyone. Should everyone get thrown out of this country just for that. It is a mistake alot of people choose to do and it is not only about hispanic people. I think this country is becoming more corrupt every year. What I hope is that people keep coming here because that is the only way most the work will get done. That is what this country needs is hard working people. Also to clear the word AMERICANS up. This is AMERICA and that is not only referring to the United States. That is for every country.
KG at 10:53AM on May 3rd 2007
37. Hate to break it to you Mike but Mexican is not a race. Neither is Hispanic. You're a Caucasian of Hispanic descent just like I'm a Caucasian of Anglo descent. I know it's convienent to just cry racism instead of constructing a coherent argument but you're just coming off as a clown.
I think the laws should apply to everyone regardless of race, color, creed, religion and sexual orientation. You think the laws that apply to whites, blacks and asians don't apply or shou be changed to accomodate Hispanics. That deosn't make you a racist but it does make you a bigot.
I can see why the illegals are losing support. The people on their side can't articulate any sort of rational arguement. It's either cry racism (which is fast becoming synonymous with "Cry Wolf") or say they're doing the jobs that whitey won't do. I mean someone on this thread actually said white people won't get up at 3 in the morning?!?!
I have some sympathy for the illegals plight but it's faded a lot over the last year.
Phillip at 2:59PM on May 2nd 2007
38. I came to this country when I was 1 year old. My mother brought me here to give me a better future. Now I am a pre-med college student, but I am still an illegal immigrant. My mother and I have to pay all my tuition on our own without any help from the federal government. I am not, as many say, a leech on the American society. I am merely trying to achieve the AMERICAN DREAM and build a future for myself. On the plaque at the base of the Statue of Liberty it reads, "Give me your tired, your poor,/Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free." It is a call to immigrants past and present to have helped make this country what it is. People who are against immigration reform should remember that.
Alex at 3:02PM on May 2nd 2007
39. KG, you're a bigot.
So no homes ever got built, hotel rooms cleaned, or crops harvested before the huge influx of illegal aliens over the last few decades? Besides it's been estimated that only 2% of the illegals actually work picking crops.
It's people like you that have eroded my support of a pathway to citizenship. "My people"? Screw you. I'm loyal to people who share the same ideals I do regardless of their ethnic group not people who believe in ethnic loyalty. Americans of all colors, genders, religions and sexual orientations who believe in equal treatment under the law are "my people".
Your allegiance to ethnic group over all else, your pitting brown against, black, white and yellow is sickening.
Phillip at 3:09PM on May 2nd 2007
40. First of all I would like to say that I disagree with the majority here. It interesting how immigrants weren’t a problem when this county was first taken over and invaded for immigrants and stolen from the Native Americans and immigrants weren’t a problem when African Americans were taken from their country and brought to America to be made slaves, be traded like livestock, beaten raped and murdered for the amusement of Caucasians and immigration still wasn’t a problem when the MAJORITY of these illegal ALIENS work their butts off pay taxes, social security and Medicare and receive NO benefit from it. However now that immigrants are voicing their opinions and are demanding respect and fair treatment and a possibility to become U.S Citizens now they are a problem now we need to get rid of them. That is BS! for the record immigrants or illegal aliens are NOT the only ones that receive government assistance African Americans and White Americans and others also receive government assistance and they too lie to receive additional benefits people make it sound like illegal aliens are the only ones here that do that. The reason the majority of people migrate here is to work and support their families in hope of giving there children a better education. There are bad people as well which are illegal aliens but that doesn’t make them all bad and that goes for the whole human race you can judge all of them because of the bad ones ( THAT’S JUST PLAIN IGNORANT). I hope that a fair decision is made regarding immigration which allows people to stay and work and gives them an opportunity to become U.S Citizens. I also believe that if you are here illegally and do not obey our laws then they need to be sent back to their country.
Alexandra at 3:25PM on May 2nd 2007
41. Throughout history people with power have abused people without power regardless of race. African tribes enslaved each other. The Asian peoples have enslaved and slaughtered each other as well as Caucasians (Ghengis Kahn anyone?). And the Aztecs were basically the Nazis of Meso-America.
If this neo-60's rhetoric, if whitey stole this land from the indians (funny how these people never mention that Mexico was "stolen" by Europeans) so we should give the illegals amnesty is all the pro-illegal side can manage...the illegals are doomed.
Phillip at 3:41PM on May 2nd 2007
42. I am not against people of any race or creed coming to this country, but there must be a control or regulations on the amount of people coming into the country. If millions of Americans started jumping the fence to live in Mexico they would close the border and eventually not allow anyone into the country. I know this because apparently Mexico cant support its own people. Thats not America's problem. When taxes are raised to support illegal immigrants that came to this country as an easy way out of their problems I have an issue. I am not a racist I am a realist. I was raised that no matter the obstical you face your problem and you fight it until you cant fight anymore. To that point that stands for any problem. If you dont have water you find it, if you dont have food you grow it, if you can't grow it to feed your family you do what you have to do. What I feel is 50% of the current population of Illegals, no matter the nationality, is stealing from the current populace of America. Guess what, you get citizenship you pay taxes, so once you your wife, mother, father, grandfather starts to pay for people taking a free ride maybe you'll understand the level of aggrivation I feel.
xldamiendevantlx at 4:05PM on May 2nd 2007
43. I pick my grandson who is in pre school up at school everyday, recently I was told by the teacher, that she had some concerns about his social skills, because unfortunately most of the boys in her class spoke spanish and there was a lanuage barrier, that he praticially had no one to communicate with. I thought this was odd living in America an English speaking Country I guess.
reidclreid45@aol.com at 4:07PM on May 2nd 2007
44. If people want us to support what's fair and equitable, then all the illegal immigrants would have to wait in line along with the rest of the immigrants who are going through the 'LEGAL' process to become a US citizen. That privilege should not be granted to you just because you crossed the border illegally, and DEMAND it because you have the opportunity to march and express your opinion. I will have no respect for you, just as you have no respect for the immigration laws of this country. If you don't like it, then go back to your country and change things there.
pulu at 4:13PM on May 2nd 2007
45. I have members of my family (philippines) who are waiting for their petitions. Some were petiotioned 6 yrs. ago and still have 5 yrs. to wait. Mind you, these individuals are College graduates, speak fluent english ( english being the medium of instructions in our country)and highly skilled. Such potential good assets to this country. They wait,wait and wait!!! Everybody has to follow the rules. These illegals claim they pay taxes. Nope!! Majority of them gets paid in cash and therefore don't pay taxes. They come here to have babies to collect money on. Don't work, instead collect food stamps. Me and my family work so hard, pay taxes, pay health insurance. We don't work hard to pay for illegals dues!!! who don't even try to learn to speak english. ILLEGAL IS ILLEGAL!!!
Maria at 4:14PM on May 2nd 2007