The only thing the talking heads on conservative radio are talking about is immigration reform. Especially Hugh Hewitt. I don't really know where I sit with this thing yet. I do know that I'm not for amnesty for the 10 million plus that are already here in the United States. I have a problem with all of those people, last year especially, who were protesting and waving flags of their native countries. I know a good amount of that was fueled by a pro-socialist group and when I get time to post a source on that, I will.
Some personal experience with this...yesterday I did a new hire orientation for a guy from Burma. Really, really nice guy. Warm laugh, good worker it seems like. He is in his late 30s and I asked him what he missed most about Burma, and he said his girlfriend. Then I asked him what he has appreciated the most about being in the United States and he said, "opportunities abound". He told me about his aunt who has been here for about 30 years and it took him 8 years to get legal authorization to enter the US. And on top of that, nobody would accept any of his educational credentials from Burma so he is now about 1 year away from getting a degree in engineering from Cal Poly Pomona. *I'm listening to the Strung Out album and I LOVE IT. My favorite since Twisted By Design.* But he talked to me about how it's never too late here. People who are well into 50s and 60s are in his classes also working on their degrees. He says it's unbelievable the possibilities that exist here. He mentioned that the only thing you have to worry about is how you use your time. I got a lot more insight out of talking with him for 20 minutes than I was expecting. This conversation made me think about my own family and how they came over to the United States.
My dad had saved up about $30,000 before he came to open up a store and rent a place. They went through all of the legal gesturing you have to do, and now my mom and brother are citizens. But I wonder what people like my parents and Eugene think of all of those people who entered the country illegally and are now burdens rather than helps to the system. I wish I could remember the figure I heard the other night about how much it costs to have an illegal immigrant here for a year, but it's absurdly high.
This is ad hoc, but I would hypothesize that those who submit to all of the requirements to legally enter the country are more likely to be law-abiding citizens, have a higher level of economic and personal success, and are more likely to eventually become naturalized citizens of the United States. That is a good idea for a thesis or dissertation. I need to see if much research has been done in the way of looking into how divergent groups of legal and illegal immigrants are.
I know many of these people are escaping bad situations in their native countries, but maybe enforcing immigration laws will force the countries to step up and find their own solutions. This would be a lot better than counting on remittances from citizens who have left to find greener pastures. Again, I wish I could remember the figure, but I know it's in the billions with the amount of dollars that go to Mexico each year.
Anyway...just something I was thinking about.
No comments:
Post a Comment