Is anyone else in here from California?- can you tell me about the immigration problems there?
920999
I have lived in so cal all of my life. Sitting Pretty must be well insulated form the problem or just doesn't open her eyes. I used to live in Santa Ana Ca. I had my house broken into and robbed on 5 different occasions. The last time was in plain view of two of my neighbors as this illegal kicked out my front window to carry out my TV. Yes I know he was illegal because he left fingerprints.\nI had to keep the battery to my pick up in the garage to keep it from being stolen (learned that one the hard way too) This was well over 20 years ago before the first amnesty. I finally had to move. Last time I visited that neighborhood everyone had steel bars on their windows and doors.\nWhere I live now the illegals have taken over a city block. So bad is the problem the Police had to put in a sub-station just to try and keep a lid on things. Cops walk a beat in that neighborhood to try to foster good community relations so that at least some of the residents will report crimes to them. Gangs from LA have been seen there trying to recruit the young kids. I see them everywhere now..especially the moms with their little anchor babies. Katsulove is absolutely correct on the costs. Remember Cali tried to pass prop 187 in 1994 because of the huge drain on our economy.\nI know many Americans with hispanic last names and I count them as close personal friends. Actually I married one and you should hear her talk. They don't like what they see any better than I do.
1080202
It's as bad here in Arizona. There are just WAY too many illegals in this country!!! That's why Arizona passed Prop200,and our WORTHLESS governor and her cronies, have done everything they can think of to make prop200 null and void!!!!  People here are P.O.'ed at her!! She is OUTTA HERE in NOVEMBER!!!!!\nI was just reading today,how  some of the mexican organizations are going to try to get a LOT of (mexican) people to sign up to vote! That means that WE are going to have to get TWICE as many signed up!!!!
297966
I personally have no issues with anyone living in America as long as they are pulling their weight.  I DO have issues with illegals coming into this country, having kids and getting government checks out of my pocket for housing and food while not having their income taxed like everyone else here.  I have issues with anyone living in this country and not learning the language.  That's just rude.  I don't expect someone to be as fluent as a natural born citizen, but damn, at least try.  I couldn't go to any other country i nthe world and expect them to cater to me like that.\nIt is not fair for the legal citizens of the USA to pay to support illegals.  That is nothing more than freeloading.  The government needs to find some way to get everyone legal so they can pay taxes into the system like the rest of us.\nOr maybe go with that Fair Tax that will make a national sales tax to replace the federal income tax.  Then everyone would pay into the system everytime they bought stuff even if they are reporting all of their income.\nEverybody pays -- problem solved
363148
Problem #1: Population \n\nThe first problem I see with the current state of the immigration laws is the significant rise in population that has, and will, continue to occur over the next fifty years. According to the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), an estimated 1.1 million immigrants, both legal and illegal, enter the United States every year. 700,000 of these are legal immigrants; 120,000 are refugees, and between 250,000 to 300,000 are undocumented or illegal “aliens” ( Baldwin, 1995). The United States population at the moment is roughly 288 million people. If this trend of aliens is not decreased, the population will reach 400 million by 2050. How many people can America hold? \n\nProblem #2: Benefits Illegal Aliens Recieve \n\nCurrently, under federal law, undocumented foreign citizens are eligible for emergency healthcare, free schooling from kindergarten through high school, and W.I.C. or Woman, Infants, and Children nutritional program ( Baldwin, 1995). This is important to note because there are currently between eight and ten million aliens currently living illegally in the United States. An estimated 2.5 million of these illegal aliens currently reside in the state of California alone, due to the agricultural jobs that are readily available for cheap labor (Kadetsky, 102). It should not be surprising then that the residents of California were outraged over the amount of money that they were being forced to spend, and the amount of resources that were being used to support aliens that are not “allowed” to be in the United States in the first place. \n\n \n\nProblem #3: Homeland Security\n\nIn the Fiscal year of 2002, which runs October 1 through September 30, the United States Coast Guard, which is the country’s primary maritime, or sea going, law enforcement agency, intercepted 4104 immigrants from various South American countries (USCG, Para 2). Since then, the numbers of immigrants intercepted by the Coast Guard, has continued to climb at an alarming rate; jumping to almost 11,000 in 2004, 9,500 in 2005, and currently with less than two months into the 2006 physical year, there have already been 1,000 migrants accounted for and processed through the Coast Guard (USCG, Para 1). Illegal immigration can potentially cost American tax payers billions of dollars a year. The United States Coast Guard, whose primary obligation is to prevent the loss of life at sea, can not stop this problem by its self, it is mearly the first line of defense. It is up to the rest of America to join the fight and help put an end to this awful practice.\n\n\nthanks cherokee rose i put my signature on  petition you rock
430862
I'm here in Southern california...\nYou can IM or email if you want a friend:)
877611
If this doesn't open your eyes... nothing will!\n \nFrom the L.A. Times\n  \n1. 40% of all workers in L.A. County ( L.A. County has 10.2 million people) are working for cash and not paying taxes. This was because they are predominantly illegal immigrants, working without a green card. \n  \n2. 95% of warrants for murder in Los Angeles are for illegal aliens. \n  \n3. 75% of people on the most wanted list in Los Angeles are illegal aliens. \n  \n4. Over 2/3 of all births in Los Angeles County are to illegal alien \nMexicans on Medi-Cal, whose births were paid for by taxpayers. \n  \n5. Nearly 25% of all inmates in California detention centers are Mexican nationals here illegally. \n  \n6. Over 300,000 illegal aliens in Los Angeles County are living in garages. \n  \n7. The FBI reports half of all gang members in Los Angeles are most likely illegal aliens from south of the border. \n  \n8. Nearly 60% of all occupants of HUD properties are illegal. \n  \n9. 21 radio stations in L.A. are Spanish speaking. \n \n10. In L.A. County 5.1 million people speak English. \n3.9 million speak Spanish.\n(There are 10.2 million people in L.A. County). \n \n (All the above from the Los Angeles Times) \n \n \n Less than 2% of illegal aliens are picking our crops, \nbut 29% are on welfare. \n \nOver 70% of the United States' annual population growth\n (and over 90% of California , Florida , and New York )\nresults from immigration. \n \nThe cost of immigration to the American taxpayer in 1997 was, (after subtracting taxes immigrants pay), a NET $70 BILLION year, [Professor Donald Huddle, Rice University ]. The lifetime fiscal impact (taxes paid minus services used) for the average adult Mexican immigrant is a NEGATIVE number. \n \n29% of inmates in federal prisons are illegal aliens. \n  \nIf they can come to this country to raise Hell and demonstrate by the thousands, WHY can't they take charge over the corruption in their own country? \n \nWe are a bunch of fools for letting this continue. \n \n THE U.S. VS MEXICO\n \nOn February 15, 1998, the U.S. and Mexican soccer teams met at the Los Angeles Coliseum. The crowd was overwhelmingly pro-Mexican even though most lived \nin this country. They booed during the National Anthem and U.S. flags were held upside down. As the match progressed, supporters of the U.S. team were insulted, \npelted with projectiles, punched and spat upon. Beer and trash were thrown at the U.S. players before and after the match. The coach of the U.S. team, Steve Sampson said, "This was the most painful experience I have ever had in this profession." \n \nDid you know that immigrants from Mexico and other non-European countries can come to this country and get preferences in jobs, education, and government \ncontracts. It's called affirmative action or racial privilege. The Emperor of Japan or the President of Mexico could migrate here and immediately be eligible for \nspecial rights unavailable for Americans of European descent. \n \nCorporate America has signed on to the idea that minorities and third world immigrants should get special, privileged status. Some examples are Exxon, Texaco, Merrill Lynch, Boeing, Paine Weber, Starbucks and many more. \n \n DID YOU KNOW?\n \nDid you know that Mexico regularly intercedes on the side of the defense in criminal cases involving Mexican nationals? \n \nDid you know that Mexico has NEVER extradited a Mexican national accused of murder in the U.S. in spite of agreements to do so? \nAccording to the L.A. Times, Orange County , California is home to 275 gangs with 17,000 members, 98% of which are Mexican and Asian. How's your county doing? \n \nAccording to a New York Times article dated May 19, 1994, 20 years after the great influx of legal immigrants from Southeast Asia, 30% are still on welfare compared to 8% of households nationwide. A Wall Street Journal \neditorial dated December 5, 1994 quotes law enforcement officials as stating that Asian mobste
935004
Bravo Patriot... I have noticed this (particularly "defender of the hated") here and in almost all forums.\n\nDid you see the CNN town meeting on "Broken Borders"... the woman defending illegals wouldn't answer a question... she merely ran on in her prepared manifesto covering the standard points: the border crossed us, it's our land, your economy can't survive without our work... blah blah blah.\n\nI'm a Californian, and honestly have had no KNOWN contact with ILLEGAL immigrants of OTHER than Hispanic origin.  My Indian, Fijian, and Russian co-workers all have work-visa's (I'm their supervisor and have to know).  My comments are based on first-hand observation.\n\nYet while in the Navy I lived right on the border in San Ysidro... watched lllegal crossings night and day.  I couldn't report them... HONEST !!  My reports were REQUIRED to be ignored by INS /Border Patrol because my reporting would violate the illegals' rights due to "posse comitatus".\n\nI pay my high California taxes, and while in San Ysidro, my daughter had to go to a school 5 miles away because the school NEXT DOOR was reserved for ESL students !!  An investigation in 1992 found that 85% of those students had PO boxes or false addresses... and further investigation found that those students crossed the border back to mexico each day. On falsely obtained student ID !!\n\n230 students... and at the time, the State said it cost $30,000 per student per year... So that's 6.9 MILLION stolen from the tax-payers from ONE school.
1068920
I have a friend who used to live in California...\n\nI looked at his Government and Ethics textbook once, and that figure was around 95% or so! O_O
1132726
Yes, and kindly start in the Los Angeles County area of California. They are committing an illegal act and as any American citizen can tell you, if I were committing an illegal act I'd be arrested, prosecuted and jailed. ALL ILLEGALS NEED TO BE SHIPPED HOME AT THEIR COUNTRIES EXPENSE.
1128866
I'm from California too, Orange County. I'm half Mexican. I don't feel comfortable with some white people because of comments I hear and their stereotypes about Mexicans. I look white so they talk to me in ways I know they wouldn't if they knew half my family is Mexican. Now at my work most people know so they don't say these things anymore. Now OC has so many more stereotypes with the tv show. The people here don't all look like the ones in that show. (Where are the Mexicans anyway? None are allowed in Newport after 7 pm. Only gardeners are allowed in the day time).  Another stereotype is that every Latino here is from Mexico and that El Salvador is IN Mexico. My students think it's the same place and so do the adults!!! My students also think that Santa Ana is dirty (if you watch Arrested Development, that's the city where the housekeeper's family lives). There are million dollar residences in Santa Ana though. I could go on and on :-P
418164
Read the following facts and you will understand the threat.\n\nApril 26, 2006\n\nhttp://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_3751199\n\nLos Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich said Tuesday that he will tell Congress that close to 100,000 children of illegal immigrants in the county collect $276 million in annual welfare benefits.\n\nAntonovich, who is in Washington with the Board of Supervisors, will meet with congressional representatives and provide information about the impact of illegal immigration on county services. \n\nAntonovich said 98,703 children of 57,458 undocumented parents received Cal-WORKS welfare checks in January, or a total of 156,161 recipients. \n\n\nFrom the  Los Angeles Times. \n\n1. 40% of all workers in L.A. County (L.A. County has 10 million people) are working for cash and not paying taxes. This was because they are predominantly illegal immigrants, working without a green card. \n\n2. 95% of warrants for murder in Los Angeles are for illegal aliens. \n\n3. 75% of people on the most wanted list in Los Angeles are illegal aliens. \n\n4. Over 2/3's of all births in Los Angeles County are to illegal alien Mexicans on Medi-Cal whose births were paid for by taxpayers. \n\n5. Nearly 25% of all inmates in California detention centers are Mexican nationals here illegally. \n\n6. Over 300,000 illegal aliens in Los Angeles County are living in garages. \n\n7. The FBI reports half of all gang members in Los Angeles are most likely illegal aliens from south of the border.\n\n8. Nearly 60% of all occupants of HUD properties are illegal. \n\n9. 21 radio stations in L.A. are Spanish speaking.\n\n10. In L.A.County 5.1 million people speak English. 3.9 million speak Spanish (10.2 million people in L.A.County).\n\n\nFrom the Center for Immigration Studies \n\nLess than 2% of illegal aliens are picking our crops but 29% are on welfare. \n\nOver 70% of the United States annual population growth (and over 90% of California, Florida, and New York) results from immigration. \n\nThe cost of illegal immigration to the American taxpayer in 1997 was a NET (after subtracting taxes immigrants pay) $70 BILLION a year [Professor Donald Huddle, Rice University]. \n\nThe lifetime fiscal impact (taxes paid minus services used) for the average adult Mexican immigrant is a NEGATIVE \n\n29% of inmates in federal prisons are illegal aliens.
309532
This was an answer left by "Hayleylov" on a question I had posted regarding President Theodore Roosevelt's thoughts on immigration back in 1907.  \nHayleylov....answered it all!!\n\nProblem #1: Population \n\nThe first problem I see with the current state of the immigration laws is the significant rise in population that has, and will, continue to occur over the next fifty years. According to the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), an estimated 1.1 million immigrants, both legal and illegal, enter the United States every year. 700,000 of these are legal immigrants; 120,000 are refugees, and between 250,000 to 300,000 are undocumented or illegal “aliens” ( Baldwin, 1995). The United States population at the moment is roughly 288 million people. If this trend of aliens is not decreased, the population will reach 400 million by 2050. How many people can America hold? \n\nProblem #2: Benefits Illegal Aliens Recieve \n\nCurrently, under federal law, undocumented foreign citizens are eligible for emergency healthcare, free schooling from kindergarten through high school, and W.I.C. or Woman, Infants, and Children nutritional program ( Baldwin, 1995). This is important to note because there are currently between eight and ten million aliens currently living illegally in the United States. An estimated 2.5 million of these illegal aliens currently reside in the state of California alone, due to the agricultural jobs that are readily available for cheap labor (Kadetsky, 102). It should not be surprising then that the residents of California were outraged over the amount of money that they were being forced to spend, and the amount of resources that were being used to support aliens that are not “allowed” to be in the United States in the first place. \n\n\n\nProblem #3: Homeland Security\n\nIn the Fiscal year of 2002, which runs October 1 through September 30, the United States Coast Guard, which is the country’s primary maritime, or sea going, law enforcement agency, intercepted 4104 immigrants from various South American countries (USCG, Para 2). Since then, the numbers of immigrants intercepted by the Coast Guard, has continued to climb at an alarming rate; jumping to almost 11,000 in 2004, 9,500 in 2005, and currently with less than two months into the 2006 physical year, there have already been 1,000 migrants accounted for and processed through the Coast Guard (USCG, Para 1). Illegal immigration can potentially cost American tax payers billions of dollars a year. The United States Coast Guard, whose primary obligation is to prevent the loss of life at sea, can not stop this problem by its self, it is mearly the first line of defense. It is up to the rest of America to join the fight and help put an end to this awful practice.\ni couldnt agree more they should learn our language
59529
I live in southern cali, and the north cali people act a little wierd around us. I think that us people from the south cant be trusted. We all a little crazy.
441913
If you want additional info on this IM me.  I know about this as well as some about immigration to the USA.
330527
Unfortunately, most people have become too forgiving here in the good ole' USA. I'm angry about all the illegals here taking over. Look what happened in Miami when they allowed Cubans to come on over for a while.  You would be hard pressed to find anyone who speak Engish there anymore. And the drugs are apparently running rapant! It's happening again with our Mexican border.  \n\nI have been asking everyone to contact their congressman/ senators and any other legislative persons to let them know how we feel about these issues.  \n\nWe can become one voice again, but everyone has to get off their duff and speak up!!!  If we don't, I, too, am afraid our forefathers efforts will have been in vane.  \n\nScary stuff!!
262277
I have *NO* problems with the immigrants if they come here legally.  My issue is when they don't, and we 'fly them home' and house them in our 'jails until their flight' and they turn around and do it again.  Not to metnion heath care costs.  \n\nI so believe we rely and NEED their labor and all that, but I'm very tired of them getting a free ride in the jails/healthcare system as that burdens us all.. and where 2/3rds of American's don' have health insurance it is a bit troubling.  \n\nGo home, come back and do it legally and I have ZERO problems with it :)  GL\n\n** The only TRUE NATIVES are The Native Indians (Aborinals) of North America which includes Mexico, USA and Canada.. America does not have the sole 'Native' population and that is blatantly wrong according to history.\n\nWe are NATIVE because we were born here - whether we are 2nd, 3rd or 5th generation, whether we have Native Aboriginal blood or not, we are not considered 'illegal' by today's standards and whether our anscenstors did right or wrong, does not change 'our' birth right.  Those of us born here, OR that come here legally, have the right to stay.  Excusing "Illegal behavior' only encourages MORE Illegal behavior - as President Reagen showed us when he 'excused' the process of other Illegal's into this nation.  If we do not have rules, and processes, where do we all end up?  I guess because we are born here or came here legally, our rights are not as important as the those that broke the law to come?  Hummmm I don't think so.  Do they pay taxes?  They can't without a Social Security Card (oh and breaking the law using ILLEGAL SS#'s? That's very enlightening) and if you are illegal they don't give those out.  Oh you mean sales tax?  That doesn't cover what is used in 'social services' between when they get caught - their medical, their jail time nor their plane ticket home.  That's my 2 copper and while this is a hot debate, and many do not agree, I find this a troubling trend and to 'excuse' 11 million Illegals keeps encouraging them to come illegally in hopes we will 'pardon them again'.  They need to go home and apply like the rest of those that came legally, and quit getting a free ride because 'there are so many'.  ARGH! One last question.. ok, so because there are so many rapists in jail, does that mean we 'just let them out because there are so many and they protest'?  They broke the law too!!  Of course not, but illegal aliens, undocumented workers have more rights than the citizens in our own jails do these days.
433027
it's wrong\nI am from Los Angeles, native American about 1/8 as well as welsh, polish, Russian. I am almost sure that the state of California has some sort of land use agreement with Mexico. \nJust remember it's the United STATES of America \n\nnot the United Federal Government of America\n\nso the feds can do whatever they want good luck getting the states to enforce\n\nthis is all a distraction from the real issue of the messed up middle east. Israel and Ha mas - Iran and nukes, Iraq and civil war, Osama's whereabouts, the rising cost of the war\n\nJUST A DISTRACTION for all the simple minded fools out there\n\nall the protesters are playing into their hands allowing them to distract the rest of America