Illegal Immigrant Births - At U.S Taxpayer's Expense

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Best parts of that urban legends page...

"The Parkland staff does not ask maternity patients whether they are illegal immigrants, so the preponderance of illegal aliens among this group has to be inferred through other means."

In other words, nobody knows because no actual data is collected. Someone just guesses. I'm betting the people doing the guessing want the number to be high. So the 300,000 guess (which is <1% of the US population) is just that...a guess.

"Administrators from both hospital systems indicated that some of the common assumptions made about immigrants who seek medical care at those facilities (and at other Texas hospitals) are misconceptions:

While Texas border hospitals often get "anchor babies" — children of Mexican women who dart across the border to give birth to an American citizen — most illegal immigrants who go to major hospitals in Texas can show that they have been living here for years, said Ernie Schmid, policy director at the Texas Hospital Association. Many immigrant families have mixed status; often a patient with no documents has a spouse or children who are legal.

Most immigrant patients have jobs and pay taxes, through paycheck deductions or property taxes included in their rent, administrators at the Dallas and Fort Worth hospitals said. At both institutions, they have a better record of paying their bills than low-income Americans do, the administrators said."

So maybe the illegal aliens who are good about paying their bills are covering for some of the costs that go unpaid by low-income americans?

Just guessing here...

[Notmuchlonger]

There is nothing wrong with knowing who is coming in and out of your country.

[youbet]

Originally Posted by chinaco

A zero tolerance law such as, the owner will go to jail and massive fines on the business will stop it immediately.

That is the way to control it.

Yep. I find it strange that the proponents of illegal immigration don't seem to want the rules changed to reflect the current status of things but rather prefer that we continue to "wink-wink" at the situation leaving the unenforced laws on the books. Why?

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Because (again) the loss of cheap labor that nobody else will do, or do economically, will cause 1,000 times more damage than the illegals do.

Why else would the government and law enforcement give it a lot of lip service and then do nearly nothing? Because a few of them have a brain in their heads and realize that it'd cripple a portion of the economy.

As an aside, i'm not a "proponent" of illegal immigration. I simply realize that its a function of a wealthy free society with thousands of miles of oceanfront and thousands of miles of borders. People want to come here to share in the success and the fruits of a wealthy society and we're willing to use them for **** work at below market wages.

If you want to stop illegal immigration, start a campaign to eliminate roofers, landscapers and nanny's and stop buying fruits and vegetables.

[Brat]

Those willing to 'wink-wink' don't see a solution that is both economically and politically do-able.

[Notmuchlonger]

Set it up right. Document who comes in and out. So we pay a bit more. Obviously the population doesnt care much as we are paying for a war in Iraq. Wink wink but do it the right way.

[chinaco]

Originally Posted by cute fuzzy bunny

Because (again) the loss of cheap labor that nobody else will do, or do economically, will cause 1,000 times more damage than the illegals do.

I agree that low wages is the issue. However, I believe the congress could pass a law to allow immigrant farm workers (temporary work permits) to work at a lower wage (for certain low level jobs like farm labor). We do that for restaurant workers, they work for less than minimum wage they hope to make tips... tips are gratuities.

The practical problem with what I stated above is that there are some constituencies that would be against it... most notably Unions.

But still... it is against the law. Our congressional representatives need to grow a backbone.


As an aside... most of the Mexicans want to leave because Mexico is not prosperous. The country is not prosperous (in part) because of corruption and incompetence.

[BarbaraAnne]

The question is what will happen if and when comprehensive immigration is passed and the 12-20 million illegals are now legal.

They won't work for those low wages anymore since they are no longer in the "shadows". What will happen to the low labor costs of roofing,landscaping and agriculture, etc. that US business and consumers supposedly enjoy now? The new American laborers will most likely demand (and rightly so) a living wage. So much for cheap immigrant labor...

Food for thought....

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Makes you wonder how much actual inflation is muted by cheap immigrant labor, outsourcing, and product and service quality cutting. There is a bottom limit to cutting costs, and there is a cost associated to the buyer of inferior quality products and services...hopefully we dont hit the end of that rubber band right around the time we're knee deep in recession...they'll have to replace fed meetings with an interest rate joystick right next to Bernankes right hand.

[youbet]

Originally Posted by BarbaraAnne

The question is what will happen if and when comprehensive immigration is passed and the 12-20 million illegals are now legal.

When the the 12-20 million current illegals are made legal, they will be quickly replace by 12-20 million fresh illegals.

[youbet]

Originally Posted by cute fuzzy bunny

Because (again) the loss of cheap labor that nobody else will do, or do economically, will cause 1,000 times more damage than the illegals do.

No, definitely not it. The laws don't have to be changed to keep folks out. They can be changed to let them in! Legally! Set up processing points all along our borders where folks can fill out a simple index card size form, receive an ID card on the spot and proceed on to job locations to legally work for pennies. Minimum wage laws could be quickly changed so that people with these "quick border cards" don't have to be paid at the minimum. Etc. Plenty of cheap labor but now not illegal. The new rules/laws would simply reflect what is more or less the reality of what's actually happening today.

I think Brat and Chinaco have the answer. Our pansy politicians don't have the fortitude to change the laws to reflect reality.

[Surfdaddy]

Originally Posted by cute fuzzy bunny

I guess many of us need to pack our bags then, since a lot of current US citizens can trace their roots back to people who came here without a visa and didnt obtain proper citizenship agreements from the original owners of the country.

So are you saying that now that there are laws in this area where none existed in the past, we should ignore them?

[outtarentals]

Where are these $4 an hour workers ? Can anyone support these figures with some facts?

How does $90-$100 plus lunch for 8 hours of house cleaning sound? Or $30 for one hour of lawn mowing and blowing? That's the going rate for these jobs in middle class Southern California. No one asks for proof that anyone is in the country legally - it's against the law to ask about immigration status in this area - but it's common knowledge that many of these workers are here illegally and many are quite upfront about it.

[Tadpole]

All babies born in the US are US citizens. I think it is far better that US citizens be born healthy than not.

[Wags]

ABC News - Safety and Practicality, or Government Intrusion?
Fence Along the U.S.-Mexico Border Divides South Texas Residents

ABC News: Do Good Fences Make Good Neighbors?

It appears that the building of the fence is not being recieved well by some Texans. The article was an interesting read.

GOD BLESS US ALL

[poboy]

Link

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) — A southeast Alabama roadbuilding firm has lost its low bid in Madison County because it failed to fill out a new form on illegal immigrant employment.

$3 million contract lost. This may be a wakeup call.

[FUEGO]

Originally Posted by poboy

Link

$3 million contract lost. This may be a wakeup call.

Hey, Madison County, your taxes are going up to pay for the legal workers of the next higher bidder!

[Walt34]

Originally Posted by BarbaraAnne

The Dallas schools are terribly overburdened as well because we are a "sanctuary city" and welcome all. It is hard to keep test scores high when so many need so much help.

A good friend is a teacher working on a grant deriving from the No Child Left Behind Act and is paid well over six figures annually. That's your tax dollars at work. NONE of the children in her classroom speak English as a first language. That's one of the costs and I'll admit I have conflicting thoughts about it. It offends me that taxpayers should have to pay the costs of other's unlawful acts.

But the fact remains that they're here, and like the old tagline says "If you think education is expensive, try the cost of ignorance."

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Must have been a real PITA dealing with those kids who only spoke italian, french and german. Plus even though they speak english, who could understand the scots?

So what happens if in 20 years the primary language spoken in the US is spanish? Will all of the incompatible english speakers have to learn spanish or else?

I guess we'll all feel pretty silly if the guy who invents a high efficiency energy solution or high speed space travel ends up in mexico because we kicked his parents out. Or never does it at all because he didnt get an education.

Nah, thats ridiculous. Our fat xbox playing kids will take up the slack. As soon as they finish this text message...

[Independent]

Originally Posted by cute fuzzy bunny

Because (again) the loss of cheap labor that nobody else will do, or do economically, will cause 1,000 times more damage than the illegals do.

Why else would the government and law enforcement give it a lot of lip service and then do nearly nothing? Because a few of them have a brain in their heads and realize that it'd cripple a portion of the economy.

As an aside, i'm not a "proponent" of illegal immigration. I simply realize that its a function of a wealthy free society with thousands of miles of oceanfront and thousands of miles of borders. People want to come here to share in the success and the fruits of a wealthy society and we're willing to use them for **** work at below market wages.

If you want to stop illegal immigration, start a campaign to eliminate roofers, landscapers and nanny's and stop buying fruits and vegetables.

I can't agree with your economic theory here.

IMO, if we are talking about an alternate world in which there are many fewer illegal workers in the US, I'd say thses things:

Many fewer illegal workers would not "cripple" any important sector of the economy.

Real incomes for people like you and me would go down slightly. We'd cut back on the things that strike us as most expendable.

Real wages for low-skilled american born workers will go up quite a bit more (on a percentage basis, because there are fewer of them and their starting point is lower).

The total US GDP would go down.
The GDP per capita would go up.
The number of low income workers who can't afford ____ (fill in your favorite basic economic good) will go down.
People who are currently illegal workers in the US will have poorer lives in their home countries.

People can differ on the value judgement about whether the impacts above are "good" or "bad", but I'm pretty sure that these are the economic impacts.