Why's illegal immigration an issue NOW? Illegals have been crossing the border for years! Decades?! Did it

Final Frontier

This just isn't true. Immigration has always been a controversy in the U.S. Here are some of the Immigration Acts passed by Congress:

The Naturalization Act of 1790 established the rules for naturalized citizenship, as per Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution.

The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was the first (and only) explicitly race-based immigration act.

The Immigration Act of 1924 aimed at freezing the current ethnic distribution in response to rising immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe, as well as Asia.

The National Origins Formula was established in 1929. Total annual immigration was capped at 150,000. Asians were excluded but residents of nations in the Americas were not restricted.

The Immigration and Nationality Act (or McCarran-Walter Act) of 1952 somewhat liberalized immigration from Asia, but increased the power of the government to deport illegal immigrants suspected of Communist sympathies.

The Immigration Act of 1965 discontinued quotas based on national origin, while preference given to those who have U.S. relatives. For the first time Mexican immigration was restricted.

The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 granted amnesty to illegal immigrants who had been in the United States before 1982 but made it a crime to hire an illegal immigrant.

The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 made drastic changes to asylum law, immigration detention, criminal-based immigration, and many forms of immigration relief.

The Real ID Act of 2005 created more restrictions on political asylum, severely curtailed habeas corpus relief for immigrants, increased immigration enforcement mechanisms, altered judicial review, and imposed federal restrictions on the issuance of state driver's licenses to immigrants and others.

Black Sabbath

It has always been an issue.. Why do you think we employ a border patrol with mexico but not with canada?

SittinPretty!

Hmmm, I couldn't have said it better myself. Thanks for saving me the time.

Lucky

A few locust's in the corn won't do much damage but a swarm can destroy the entire crop. Besides, illegal immigration into the US has never been a small problem its just gotten much worse.

Mexicanisch

Since 1848

NiÃ±a Boniita

I totally agree with you!

Chee

Who allowed the numbers to go "insanely high" .. a lot of those so called "anchor babies" are adults now.. seal the borders and then deal with the mess that has been created in a humane and fair manner.

Its A GROWING Problem
And Its Growing Exponentially

Nearly 1/2 (some 9 Million)
Of All ILLEGAL ALIENS (More Than 20 Million)
Have Entered The USA Since Bush Took Office In 2000

Thats Nearly DOUBLE
The ILLEGAL ALIEN Population In The USA In 6 Years
http://www.limitstogrowth.org/WEB-text/aztlan.html

The PROBLEM Is
That MORE And MORE Are Coming Every Year

Add To That The TERRORIST Threat
And An OPEN BORDER
While The Nation Is AT WAR

Chavez Is A Growing Threat To National Security

one

Because the AmeriKan people need some body to blame right now, this usually does happen at war time..

PeaCe* = D

Heidi 4

How can it be the White House? Bush's proposal is to create a worker program for those already here so that is out.

It has become an issue because Mexicans have practically taken over California and Arizona. It is costing U.S. taxpayers billions each and every year and we are gaining nothing. Only the dishonest employers who can pay them less without paying any benefits or overtime.

They get free medical care. Our citizens w/o insurance have their credit ruined or lose their homes and assets. Our schools are overcrowded and our childrens' education is deteriorating, our jails house and we support 30% of illegals in our prisons, our legal system is burdened with illegals and the public defenders case load is so monumental no one is getting true representatilon. How many of them have approached you to paint your house, landscape your lawn, clean your house, babysit your children, etc. Of course you must pay them 'under the table'. This is an everyday occurrance in Florida and I'm sure many other states.

You seem to be one of those who want to blame the White House for everything and think the U.S. should support the world. Are you on welfare yourself? Mexico nor Mexicans had anything to do with 9/11. This is an entirely different issue and no thinking person would blame them for anything but using the U.S.A. and assuming they can use us w/o assimilating and becoming citizens. They don't want to learn our language, volunteer for our military, etc. They want us to make all concessions for them and contribute nothing.

We've been foolishly generous and forgiving long enough and it is not the White House or the Republicans that want to continue this practice but rather the liberals Democrats and believe me, they have their ways of registering illegals to vote. Gore was the first to open this door wide. Ah hah, it did him no good but I'm sure he will try again.

seek_fulfill

Can't believe that capturing Bin Laden will even put a dent on terrorism. Al-Zargawi was killed in Iraq, but violence is still increasing and the country is sliding towards a civil war. Islamic terrorism had its roots largely in the well-documented American role of implied support and encouragement of intolerant Islamic cults and movements in the 60's, 70's and 80's. So fighting terrorism now first takes a recognition of the facts and second of a global view on how to encourage a more peaceful and tolerant version of Islam.

The Gadfly

It's something the neocons brought up to distract you from the REAL problems and the things they are doing, to which they don't want you to pay attention.

If Americans are worried about crime, it's not these humble Mexican peasants who are the problem. Check out the Russian Mafia. The main difference is that the Russians have enough money to get into the USA legally.

I have said what you have said right from the get go. This administration is really trying hard to play dodge ball by placing obstacles in front of what really matters. Lets face it, this immigration things is about Mexicans. No fence going up along the Canadian border. What next, 100 ft barbed wire fences around Florida to keep the Haitians and Cubans out. This is a country founded by white people and this is also a feable attempt to keep America a white country but white is the minority now.

charles o

because the volume has gone up. and many more people do not speak english now

if it was a minor problem, with only 1-200,000 crossings, it would not be as big.

Bucky Ruckus

It became an issue with ME when I realized they are raping Medicare and jeopardizing the future of my 3-year old daughter with developmental and other disabilities. It's simple: if you don't pay in, you don't draw out. At least that's how it's SUPPOSED to work.

dakota29575

Illegals have always been a problem but our cry was only heard now because of 9/11 if you live in a place with a heavy illegal population you suffer for it, especially if you are not very wealthy. If you can't afford insurance it is $1000 for an emergency room visit just to find out you have a sprained ankle, because illegals run up the cost of medicine that they don't pay for. In Minnesota there are very high paying jobs that only Mexicans can't get. they are only during harvest but when my husband tried to get hired on he was told that they only hire Spanish speaking folks. you don't need to be able to speak English but you have to speak Spanish.

gokart121

Um, actually, no, the american public made this one an issue, and it's a problem NOW because the numbers are so insanely high...I don't know who gave Mexico the 'green light' to try to move into the United States at will, but it certainly wasn't the majority of citizens OF our country...'bush this, bush that', I'm extremely satisfied with the fact that the states have chosen to take some independent action on this issue in the absence of any quick response from Washington...there's a lot of states that've chosen their own direction on this, in favor of crackdowns and getting the ICE to give their states help with the issue.

When all 50 states are working together on this problem, it'll cease to be a problem. If Washington can see fit to go ahead and keep doing what they said they'd do for the Border Patrol, you'll really see it diminish. The sooner, the better, in my view.
Mexico's long-overdue to take issue with and responsibility for its' own domestic problems instead of expecting our country to continue to play host to their crap forever...

Support the US Border Patrol!

Nameless

'brown people' eh? you are an ignorant woman, it has always been an issue.its just now being enforced because the immigrants are demanding rights they dont have because they are here illegally. if they would wait and pay, just as my mothers parents did, then they would get those rights!!!!!!! its not that bush is targeting 'brown people' its that this issue is exposing its head more then it was before so he is taking action.

Brian S

Had I been alive and aware at the time, I would have debated and discussed it.

Bob G

Yes, You are wrong. This has been an issue for a LONG time in the border states. California passed prop 187 back in 1994 by a LANDSLIDE. Illegals were placing a huge burden on the taxpayers of California and they wanted it stopped. Unfortunately the commies from the ACLU stepped in to take the side of non-citizens because the Constitution clearly states that all illegal immigrants must be given the key to the treasury. You read that didn't you?

It is NOW a problem because it is affecting every state in the union. It is now a problem because of the sheer numbers. In the 80's when we granted amnesty there were 3 million. Now there is 20 million and growing every day.

In short illegal immigration was a problem long before 9/11 you are just now becoming aware of it.

truckman

because enough is enough already why does everybody think that we Americans are responsible for the mistakes of there governments.BUSH WANTS TO GIVE MEXICANS AMNESTY IDIOT,THE ISSUE IS WE AMERICAN TAXPAYERS CAN NO LONGER SUPPORT SO MANY UNEDUCATED,WELFARE DRAINING,HEALTH CARE SWAPPING PEOPLE,THEY ARE BEGINNING TO TAKE FROM ARE OWN POOR CITIZENS,ELDERLY,AND DISABLED,MEXICO IS JUST DUMPING THERE PROBLEMS ON US,TO KEEP ATTENTION AWAY FROM THEIR CORRUPT GOV.!

Lelani

What Don and JD said.

sciencegeek+

i thought it was that they were demandinmg rights that belong to Americans and jobs as well.

de bizzle

u could b ryt or maybe de effects of illgal immigration are being felt most accutley now.

Don M

They cost too much NOW!!!

1. $11 Billion to $22 billion is spent on welfare to illegal aliens each year.

http://www.fairus.org/site/PageServer?pagename=iic_immigrationissuecenters7fd8

2. $2.2 Billion dollars a year is spent on food assistance programs such as food stamps, WIC, and free school lunches for illegal aliens.

http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html

3. $2.5 Billion dollars a year is spent on Medicaid for illegal aliens.

http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html

4. $12 Billion dollars a year is spent on primary and secondary school education for children here illegally.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

5. $17 Billion dollars a year is spent for education for the American-born children of illegal aliens, known as anchor babies.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

6. $3 Million Dollars a DAY is spent to incarcerate illegal aliens.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

7. 30% percent of all federal prison inmates are illegal aliens.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

8. $90 Billion Dollars a year is spent on illegal aliens for social services by American taxpayers.

http://premium.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0610/29/ldt.01.html

9. $200 Billion Dollars a year in suppressed American wages.
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

10. Illegal aliens in the United States have a crime rate that's two and a half times that of white non-illegal aliens. In particular, their children, are going to make a huge additional crime problem in the United States.
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0606/12/ldt.01.html

Kay

WRONG
You know good and well that this immigration issue is serious business. Illegal Mexicans are a big problem! And you brought that up, I didn't!!!!!

Sway 26

It has always bothered me. When I was in high school and was working at a local fast food chain, I could not stand the illegals that would come there and ask "Speaka Spanish?" dang it, even though i could carry a conversation in Spanish then, normally I would say no, just because thats messed up.

EL-JEFE

you just answered your own question.

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