What role has America played in the illegal immigration problem? Given our complicity, what is the solution?
402081
Legal vs Illegal...penalized or not. What it all comes down to. The good ole boys have moved there factories to Mexico. Its the cost of doing business. We have seen it time and time again. We can have a thousand laws on the books but they will never enforced. Why because its the cost of doing business. We could give things away medical,dental,food stamps, ect...The cost of doing business. Look at the profits of Campbell Soup, Pampers, Hughie's, Proctor and Gamble check the stock market. All the cost of doing business...We have all played a roll. We buy and support these companies....LOL
46245
Americans with communications skills like yours really can't blame anyone else for their employment troubles, and anyone who thinks this is washing away the American Dream doesn't have the faintest idea what it really means to be an American.\n\nThat being said, illegal immigration is a problem, and it's a problem for one simple reason. We have an system that turns immigration into a burden rather than an opportunity.\n\nThere's absolutely nothing wrong with the idea of someone leaving their homeland and coming to the US to make a new and/or improved life for themselves and their family. However, our government of the last several decades has created and perpetuated an entitlement society. By creating a 'safety net' that attempts to ensure the welfare of everyone (no matter how unproductive they choose to be), we have turned immigration into a burden that drags upon our nation.
910633
I know a lot of Mexicans and I have never heard one say that America was to blame for their problems, they put the blame where it belongs , on their corrupt government politicians,  but, they are the same as us here in America what can they do when there are only two parties to vote for and both are so crooked it doesn't make any difference which one wins,same as here had our forefathers not been dedicated statesmen and most honest, we would be in the same fix they are in now, and we certainly will be soon because our politicians are just as crooked as theirs are,but, we had a lot More ahead then they did,but, for how long can it last?
352471
I Cannot Elaborate Any More Than The Answers Of\nBLETSCH and THATWOULDBEGREAT-(Above)\n\nIgnorance IS The Problem Here\nIGNORANCE Is NOT STUPIDITY\nIt Is The State Of Being UNAWARE\n\nTha REASON So MANY Americans Are UNAWARE Is Because There Is A CORRUPT MAIN STREAM MEDIA In This Country That Is Being CONTROLLED By The Administration\n(At THIS Point In Time, The Administration Is The BUSH CRIME FAMILY)But The Corruption Did NOT Start With This Administration(It Is PART Of Our HISTORY)\n\n"Knowledge is power. Those who control information can control the masses; it's that simple." \n\nMany Americans Are SLOWLY Becoming ALERTED To This Corruption And Resorting To Getting Their FACTS About WORLD POLITICAL SITUATIONS From ALTERNATIVE News Sources, Which Are Proving To Be MORE RELIABLE To The Public For Answers To Questions They Have About Issues Like\nA:The "ATTACKS" On 9/11\nB:The Situation In Iraq\nC:The Current ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT Crisis In The US\n(Just To Name A Few)\nThe CORRUPT MSM Tends To Sugarcoat Or Whitewash Issues Such As These So The American Public Does Not Get All Bent Out Of Shape And Protest Because The Administration Wants Us All To THINK That Theyre Doing Everything They Can(AMNESTY PROPOSALS)And That Its ALL GOIN OUR WAY,(WERE GONNA SEAL THE BORDER) When In Fact,(Face It Folks)This Great Nation We Live In Is In GRAVE DANGER Of Falling Apart At ANY MOMENT\n\na:MORE NATIONS HATE The US Than At ANY OTHER TIME IN HISTORY\nAnd They ALL Want A Piece Of Us(NOW The Nation Of AZTLAN Has JOINED The RANKS Of NATIONS That Want The US To CRUMBLE)\nb:Our Nations TREASURE CHEST Is Being Tapped At An ALARMING Rate\nc:Our ARMED FORCES Are STRETCHED To The LIMIT And Georgie Wants To Go Fight In IRAN--And WITH Israel Against The Palestinians(Bet None Of You Knew THAT Did You???)\n\nAnd NOW We Have To Face The Possibility Of A CIVIL WAR On Our OWN SOIL (Yea...I Know You ALL Think Im Fulla S*IT)\n\nTheir agenda is not, and never has been to "Have a better life"\n\nSent: Wednesday, April 05, 2006 7:35 PM \nSubject: VIDEO: HISPANICS ADMIT THEY ARE ENGAGED IN "CIVIL WAR" WITHIN THE UNITED STATES\nSource: Immigration Watchdog \n\nhttp://www.immigrationwatchdog.com/...\n\nThey openly state they have "The armor, the infantry and the artillery" to wage war here.This video PROVES beyond any doubt, the people marching in our streets under Mexican and other foreign flags, over pending immigration legislation, are engaged in a WAR against our nation.The U.S. Government has failed its duty to protect this land from these invaders; invaders who are openly stating they intend to takeover a portion of this land and carve out their own "Mestizo nation of Aztlan."\n\nClick below to play the video \n\n     http://tinyurl.com/pqzpe \n\nRead The Story-Watch The Video-You Decide\nAnd Make NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT-If I Perceive ANY THREAT To ME Or MINE...I WILL NOT HESITATE To SHOOT\n\nThey want to TAKE our country; they're already saying it's THEIRS Well... All I Got To Say Is That I HOPE You ALL WAKE UP And I Hope You All Wake Up In Time, And If You DO Get The Picture, You Should ALL ALERT You FAMILIES And NEIGHBORS To Stand UP And Think And Act Like US CITIZENS--We have both the RIGHT and the moral MORAL OBLIGATION  to DEFEND AMERICA , and  JUST SAY NO !!!\nIMMIGRATION REFORM And AMNESTY PROPOSALS Are Another Step Toward "The Liberation Of AZTLAN"\n\n"WE THE PEOPLE" MUST STOP THIS NOW\n\n"To announce that there must be No Criticism of  the president, Or that we are to stand by the president right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile,but is morally treasonable to the  American public."\n\n             — Theodore Roosevelt \n\nWAKE UP AMERICA-DEFEND YOURSELVES AGAINST TERRORISM\n \nTHIS IS ECONOMIC TERRORISM And Its JUST The BEGINNING\n\nDont Be FOOLED ANYMORE-FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHTS\nDONT TAKE THIS LYING FROM WASHINGTON ANYMORE-WE MUST DEFEND OUR C
801077
Illegal immigration's a crime, and there's better answers to dealing with global poverty than letting everybody move to the United States...
1009970
What other problems?...\n\nThe fact that we spend billions of dollars in foreign-aid while America is rotting morally and fighting among ourselves within our own borders?\n\nThe fact that the government has not clamped down on companies and businesses outsourcing their goods and jobs overseas?\n\nThe fact that we spend millions, if not billions of dollars in Social Security and welfare on individuals who refuse to work and instead rely on Government handouts?\n\nThe fact that the federal government continues to strip the powers of the American Individual, and yet ask for MORE power in the false attempt to solve the problems of society?\n\nThe fact that the Iraq War is starting to turn into Bush's version of Johnson's Vietnam War?\n\nThe fact that the USA is no longer the dominant super-power it once was, but is being bested by China, Japan, Brazil, and Finland????\n\nNo....i don't really think so.
1153001
The issue is illegal immigraiton. Read more. Everybody and their dog is trying to bum-rush the border these days, and americans don't want a France in their backyard. If you don't understand what that's all about, then sit down and read about all the immigration problems france has been having, the riots etc.\nWe don't want, nor do we need all of that garbage in america. Hence the need to uphold our immigration laws. We need a lot more law enforcement on the job. Do you want to see america tank? Honestly? What kind of country do you want YOUR kids to grow up in? Choose carefully...
642677
There is not a unique solution, there are many steps to take in this problem. (I'll talk about Mexican speacially, since i'm from Mexico, and i know my country is the main source of immigrants to the USA)\n\nAn important one is, in Mexico we need to find solutions to improve our country's Economy. That should be our objective, in order to stop the emigration of our people, use inside my country all of that power of labor. And reforce our identity, making our families to reunite and reintegrate to our comunity.\n\nAnother step is that the USA should recognize the need of that labor, and increase the amount of work permises they give to foraigners. \n\nAnd i really believe there is the need to create some programs to make legal the illegals, there must be some way to give those persons who have been living in the USA for years, a way to stay, they have already made a life, maybe have a house, or family, and there are millions of them. It wouldn't be human just to deporte them back to their origin countries.\n\nAnother important one is to increase the border security, and in that point the Mexican and American governments need to work togheter, because incresing the border security is not about killing the people who try to tresspass.\n\nAnd another one is that we need to stop the hates, and the names, and the confrontation. In fact, i would say you could have not said "except racist" - that encourage the confrontation, and that is something in this moment we must stop.\n\nAmericans, Mexicans, and all of the immigrants should stop the hating and start the talking.
898108
Fence is not the proper solution to curb immigration.  The US must give aid for development of its neighboring countries so that people will improve their standard of living in their home countries and will not come to America for greener pastures.
934574
most haven't done anything. however, america has its own problems. most people are protesting about darfur when they walk by homeless people out in the streets everyday that are cold and hungry too and people just walk by without a second thought. we have our own problems now that we need to fix. we dont need to police the world either. let the countries handle their own problems.
1097460
Hey gokart.  The reason why America is expected to solve Mexico's and everybody else's problems is simply because, for better or worse,  we've been sending economic aid to nations throughout the globe since the end of WWII and the world has become dependent on us to continue to do so because they have neither the ability or desire to solve the problems of their own citizens. Also, since the US has always been so generous by allowing tens/hundreds of thousands of people to immigrate here legally each year, leaders of other nations have relied (and continue to rely on)on the US as a convenient way to rid themselves of many of their most economically and politically desperate citizens who, often, would become the greatest threat to the control and power enjoyed by these leaders. While the US was left largely unscathed at the end of the war, and emerged as the great economic and political superpower and as a beacon of freedom and prosperity, the economies of both our former enemies and allies alike were left crippled.  Rather than allow the economies of other nations to suffer as they had after the first world war, America felt it was politically, morally and economically critical to help both former friend and foe to rebuild (just look at Japan and Germany) in order to break the cycle of global economic depression which helped push the Germans to support Hitler and into war.  In addition, when the Soviet Union rose as a political/economic/military rival following the war, the US(and their democratic allies) also thought it critical to provide economic support to various third world nations that preached democracy (although many of these nations were, in fact, ruled as dictatorships) in order to fight the spread of communism/socialism which was pereived as a grave threat to democratically elected governments.  Since the Soviet Union disintegrated and left the US as the only (current) superpower remaining, many of our former allies who depended on us for military and economic support now regard us as imperialistic bullies now that the Soviet political threat has vanished; with the current political vacuum of no American rival (although China is clearly getting there quickly), it is now almost universally en vogue to claim American imperialism and to be anti-American even among many of our closest former allies who were dependent on us to help them re-build their countries (France? Germany?).  Even now, though we certainly aren't required to and many of our political motivations for doing so are gone,and despite hostility abroad, the US still tries to be a beacon of morality by offering economic aid to nations across the globe and we are rewarded with increasing anti-American sentiment.  Latin American nations and Mexico, in particular, present a unique set of relationships.  As said previously, the US supported many third world Latin American nations(Panama, Nicaragua) militarily, economically and politically without any accountability by the leaders we aided following WWII due to the great fear Americans had that communism would spread to their hemisphere and their backdoor (look at Cuba); many of the nations/leaders we supported in third world countries across the world were nothing more than military strong men/dictators who took our aid and did nothing to benefit their people and these nations are still suffering and blame the US as a result.  Mexico, on the other hand, never was involved in WWII and, like the US, emerged unscathed - however decades of corruption and mismanagement by their political leaders and wealthy elite has also put economic pressure on the average Mexican citizen.  Rather than demand and fight for political and economic reform in their homelands, many Latinos simply found it easier to go to the US-whether its through legal immigration channels or not-for better economic, political and social conditions.  The people trying to come to the US have no will or ability to demand changes at home;
624224
You said it! I agree with you completely. There is not enough room in this world for hate- It has caused too many problems already. Illegal immigrants are only trying to improve their lives, their children's lives. I'm not going into a debate on the issue, but the hate and anger need to stop. What happened to America that we act like this?
306625
America would be a trashed slum from coast to coast. Mexico would be fairly empty of the poor, they'd be up here, living on the streets and selling drugs to get food. Our welfare system would have ran out long ago. The rich in Mexico would have beautiful homes with perfectly kept lawns that are maintained by the former poor Mexicans that stuck it out and stayed, and now get nice wages.  American citizens will probably band together and organize, to try and get a handle on the situation. \n \nThe issue is ILLEGAL immigrants. Mexicans and other Latinos are 65%+ of the illegal immigrants coming into the USA. It's the southern border at Mexico that is the problem of such a glut in illegals coming into the USA. We might refer to them as Mexican, but I guess that is wrong, because there ARE people from Central and S. America coming to the USA via the Mexican-American border. We don't want all immigrants to leave. We want illegal immigrants to leave, of any origin. Want to know why??\n\n***The protesters want to take over this land of ours****\n\n***************America better wake up********************\n\n****GET YOUR HEADS OUT OF YOUR A$$E$ AND PAY ATTENTION*** \n\n- Illegally crossing the border is a FEDERAL offense, a felony. - The issue is ILLEGAL immigrants, not LEGAL immigrants -They are hired by businesses in our country, the businesses should be prosecuted for hiring illegals \n-They pay lower wages to the illegal immigrants than they once paid the American worker, thus American worker wages fall -Americans would do the jobs at the fair wage the businesses formerly paid them. -There is no job they do that Americans won't do. When they say they work harder than Americans, that is a racist remark. Plus, Americans worked to build and keep this land, we didn't run to another country crying with our hand held out. We have stamina and PRIDE. -Illegal immigrants abuse our govrnment assistance programs that were meant for the citizens of the USA when they fall on hard times, not illegal immigrants\n-They can't afford doctors so they glut the ER of hospitals to seek medical care -Our forefathers built this country. Some were illegal, that was then, this is now. We now have immigration laws that are to be abided by, we didn't then\n-Our country fought the Mexican-American war and WON, then paid $15 million dollars for that land and for the privilege of whooping the Mexicans a$$e$ -The illegal immigrant worker is only a tip of the iceberg of problems to come, brought by the illegals coming across the border. They want "conquista" (reconquor), they'll tell you that. They want that land we whooped their butts for, they can't accept defeat. -They flew their flags in protest of the USA, the very country that has been filling up their outstretched hands. -they bring in their drugs and gangs.\n-They disrespect the people of the USA and our leaders. They should be deported and the sooner the better. Our borders should be tightened up and patrolled with armed guards. America needs to wake up. You may or may not agree with me, but be sure you know ALL the reasons for wanting the illegals OUT. I'm not finished but I'll stop for now--whew!!-----CherokeeRose
652166
Whatever it was it probably needed sinking.We all need to made aware of Illegal Immigration.I think you can place Illegal Immigration on the same level as Pearl Harbor.  Talked about it for years and then Boom.We've been talking about it for years. Everyone knows what happens when you awake a sleeping giant.It's history people.
910524
the money we spend on "illegal immigrants" healthcare education etc. is a sliver of a fraction compared to what we spend in Iraq... acheiving nothing.... \n\nIf it's jobs everybody is worried about, perhaps they should focus on the real problem... which is proper enforcement of labor laws... and ending loopholes for the megacorps. profitting (and donating to  politicians) from using (exploiting) a cheap labor force.\n\nI read somewhere that every new imigrant population tries to rewrite what an immigrant is... to look down on the next person coming in... well if this is thee land of opportunity built on the wealth of ideas and richness of culture that a true melting pot would thrive on, move on, move up... \n\nbefore "we" blamed Mexicans, "we" blamed outsourcing to asia and india, "we've" blamed African Americans for hundreds of years, and before that "we" blamed eastern europeans, before that "we" blamed the jews, before that "we" blamed the Irish, before that "we" blamed the Germans, Before that "we" blamed the catholics, before that "we" blamed colonialist England, before that "we" didn't exist. \n\n"we" as in the collective group of illegal immigrants that have come to this continent in the last 350 some years.. The only people who ever got really screwed by Illegal imigrants were/ are the native americans.\n\nSo next, we'll probably b***** about all the middle-eastern refugees who are going to be fleeing that mess when it's all over, or whoever else comes to the land of opportunity to try to improve their lives.... or rather, whoever just makes a good scapegoat....
226296
You can pick almost any issue and someone will feel that it is the top issue and the country is divided on it.  I believe that most people are in agreement that the Issue of Illegal Aliens is out of hand.  There are many things wrong with the way we handle this sitation and many of the problems are our governments doing.  \n\nWhen things are running smoothly in this country, people all working and no foreign issues on the top of our governments list of things to do such as fighting a war or negotiating a peace for someone else.  We all get along fairly well.  However we now see that people that are here illegally can hurt us as the hijackers of 9/11 did.  Many jobs have moved out of the country and replacement jobs are not as good as what you had and boom the Illegal Aliens are taking all of our jobs.  Well yes many American Jobs are performed by Illegal Aliens, however they get paid less than minimum wage, work long hours without overtime and if they did not perform these jobs the jobs themselves would cease to exist as Americans do not want those jobs.  I have noticed that on this forum at Yahoo Answers there seems to be a leaning to the fact that all foreigner's are Illegal as many people refer to either being Illegal or being a Citizens.  There is another category and that is being a Resident Alien and there are a lot of those out there.  Just because you are foreign does not make you an Illegal Alien.  I see a wave of mistrust of foreigners in this country that could in fact be very dangerous.  I also realize that because of things that happened 9/11 we may never trust as we once did.  While this issue looks to be all black and white it isn't and a lot of it is the governments fault for following antique laws instead of updating them to meet the needs of todays world. Our leaders need to figure this issue out and get something happening before it all boils over and makes one hell of a mess.
820132
Where is this fact located?\nIf you're talking about illegal aliens, then nothing really needs to be done.