Just as the legacy of bigotry and racism continues to pervade daily life (and this comments section) in the U.S. and shape the views of many Americans, the racist and bigoted policies of the U.S. government towards Latin America from the early 1800s until now has created tragic realities for people about whom the majority of U.S. citizens know nothing nor care to know nothing. Obama's plan is something, but I wish there was a positive solidarity discourse and action to secure the rights and dignity of all Americans, especially those to the south who were treated like slaves (or worse) and then discarded, forgotten, and subject to U.S.-sponsored dictators.
1
Instead of waging wars to destabilize the Middle East, the USA should be focusing its efforts on decreasing the instability and violence just south of our border in order to allow people to live and thrive in their own countries. This is not to say that immigrants are not welcome here - it's to say that there are better ways to address the underlying problems, instead of just opening up the floodgates to refugees.
5
Crazy.
Over-immigration is the one hot topic that the majority of main street Republicans and Democrats can agree on as a major problem plaguing America today. You would think that given Hillary's obvious likeability problems and resulting polling numbers, the current administration would put a hold on bringing more aliens in until after November. This issue alone will sway many voters towards Trump (myself included). Obama wake up!
Over-immigration is the one hot topic that the majority of main street Republicans and Democrats can agree on as a major problem plaguing America today. You would think that given Hillary's obvious likeability problems and resulting polling numbers, the current administration would put a hold on bringing more aliens in until after November. This issue alone will sway many voters towards Trump (myself included). Obama wake up!
15
Thank God for the administration's humane and logical approach to dealing with this refugee crisis.
2
The following information on the 100's of Billions it cost the American Tax payer for illegal aliens (and their extended families) is staggering. This article is from 2010. I am off to a Dental Apt paid for out of pocket (which they will receive care for along with eye and other medical, yet not American Vets, elderly or disabled on Medicaire which we all pay into along with housing, (look up your local Housing site, even with no income one can receive housing.) I am sure the amount is much higher currently.
"The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), a conservative advocacy group that favors tighter immigration laws, argues that the answer is clear: illegal aliens cost U.S. taxpayers more than $100 billion each year.
Jack Martin, director of special projects for FAIR....but believes undocumented workers leave taxpayers with a fat bill, considering that the government spends money on the workers, and they almost never pay income taxes.
"The study of the fiscal effects of illegal immigration clearly demonstrates that it is a burden on the American taxpayer," says Martin. More forceful implementation of immigration laws could save each U.S. household "in the neighborhood of a couple of thousand dollars a year."
Cost estimates usually only measure the fiscal cost, which weighs government spending (such as on public schools, medical care, incarceration and unemployment benefits) against government income (from income, property and sales taxes.)
"The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), a conservative advocacy group that favors tighter immigration laws, argues that the answer is clear: illegal aliens cost U.S. taxpayers more than $100 billion each year.
Jack Martin, director of special projects for FAIR....but believes undocumented workers leave taxpayers with a fat bill, considering that the government spends money on the workers, and they almost never pay income taxes.
"The study of the fiscal effects of illegal immigration clearly demonstrates that it is a burden on the American taxpayer," says Martin. More forceful implementation of immigration laws could save each U.S. household "in the neighborhood of a couple of thousand dollars a year."
Cost estimates usually only measure the fiscal cost, which weighs government spending (such as on public schools, medical care, incarceration and unemployment benefits) against government income (from income, property and sales taxes.)
11
Latin Americans are never going to learn to take responsibility for solving their own problems, force necessary progressive change toward honest non corrupt governance, stop endemic racism against the 90% indigenous and mixed race majorities there, and establish the rule of law if the descendants of Cortez that oppress that continent are going to be helped by democratic politicians like Obama and Clinton to use the USA as a "political escape valve" dumping ground for their dissatisfied and poverty stricken and fake "refugees" fed up with the violence of gangs. Those people ought to be out protesting in the streets, beating local drug gangs to a pulp with baseball bats and garden hoes, burning down the mansions of the vicious Latin monopolists, going on strike and paralyzing the money making of Latin American elites instead of running like cowards to the USA, and then protesting here waving around Mexican flags and demanding that they have a "right" to be here - when they are too cowardly to stand up and fight for their rights in their countries of origin.
12
Whatever your political persuasion, this particular election, vote Trump. Obviously, the democrats have no interest in stopping this nonsense.
13
Well it appears Obama is trying to sabotage Hillary Clinton behind the scenes with this despicable and treacherous act and similar other actions despite publicly supporting her. How can these Latinos be genuine refugees when there are no civil or other wars currently raging in Central America? Refugees from crime? Well what about our own poor Whites and Blacks who are native born, law abiding citizens living in inner cities where murder, assault, robbery and rapes are common place, every day occurrences? Why doesn't Obama relocate them to the nearby suburbs for their health and safety? What about our millions of unemployed native born Americans? Why does not the Obama administration have a WPA type program to give them gainful employment and/or increase their public assistance instead of squandering these scarce resources on foreigners? We need to put our own people first and take care of them first. Any assistance to these co called "refugees" needs to be to help them re-settle temporarily in nearby similar nations until they can safely return home. Why are these people not being relocated to other Latin American nations where the language, culture, socio-economic conditions, etc. are very similar and familiar to their homelands? We are already swamped and overrun with millions of legal and illegal immigrants. Sorry America is already overcrowded with poor and unemployed, we just don't need any more people period. Charity begins at home Mr. Obama.
14
Stop this nonsense now! Hold it up for 5 months and then it will be over.
11
And yet more fodder for Donald Trump...
This is the reason overpopulation is a problem in the world.
This is the reason overpopulation is a problem in the world.
14
Once again the elites know whats best for us peasants.The administration knows they'll be no place in our economy in the coming decades as technology advances for these ''refugees.'' They also know the peasantry will have to pay the tab to clothe,house,educate,etc.these new arrivals from cradle to grave,let us eat cake.They also know one other thing,once made legal these new citizens will be loyal democrat party voters.
26
Emma Lazarus' poem about "huddled masses yearning to breathe free" though moving, does not contemplate the daunting task of assimilating these huddled masses.
We now have large foreign cities in the middle of our American cities. Our federal and state governments publish official documents in other languages. We have elected officials who are barely functional in English. These are only a few of the side effects of inadequate assimilation.
The current state of affairs is such that many immigrants no longer feel the need to assimilate or even have the desire to do so. Why should they? They can have everything they want by remaining separate and apart. This is not healthy for our country or any country.
Before we start trying to solve problems of other countries that are unwilling to help themselves, we should do a better job making sure our black population participates more fully in our society and that those unassimilated people who are already here are properly assimilated.
We now have large foreign cities in the middle of our American cities. Our federal and state governments publish official documents in other languages. We have elected officials who are barely functional in English. These are only a few of the side effects of inadequate assimilation.
The current state of affairs is such that many immigrants no longer feel the need to assimilate or even have the desire to do so. Why should they? They can have everything they want by remaining separate and apart. This is not healthy for our country or any country.
Before we start trying to solve problems of other countries that are unwilling to help themselves, we should do a better job making sure our black population participates more fully in our society and that those unassimilated people who are already here are properly assimilated.
22
And is Mexico, the country they usually pass through taking any of these refugees? Or any other South or Central American country doing anything to take them? They share a common language and have similar cultures making assimilation much easier. Probably not. Instead of coming here and demanding "their rights" like those groups similar to La Raza. It isn't our culture and freedoms they desire it's our social safety network that in places like California are at a breaking point they want.
25
Today Donald Trump and the republican party must be saying "Thank you Lord".
Even if they don't believe.
The democratic party at it's best organizing, circular firing squads.
Because East St. Louis, Ferguson, and Baltimore are now forgotten.
Suppressing black voter turn out.
Next stop, one of the two ethically challenged democratic nominees has another bombshell exploded on the public stage,
Hello President Trump.
Even if they don't believe.
The democratic party at it's best organizing, circular firing squads.
Because East St. Louis, Ferguson, and Baltimore are now forgotten.
Suppressing black voter turn out.
Next stop, one of the two ethically challenged democratic nominees has another bombshell exploded on the public stage,
Hello President Trump.
15
Costa Rica better be careful. It doesn't take much thought to figure out how being a several week long, midway stop for those from El Salvador and Honduras could easily introduce this mostly peaceful nation to the extremely violent gang warfare and crime. CR has been lucky thus far. They are playing with fire.
6
Whaty happens to those migrants who aren't granted refugee/asylee status? Are they deported?
5
The White House stacking the deck for Hillary's election. Remember, large fences and photo ID required for the Democratic Convention, not for the rest of the nation.
10
“Once again, the Obama administration has decided to blow wide open any small discretion it has in order to reward individuals who have no lawful presence in the United States with the ability to bring their family members here"
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that any immigrant that asks for asylum for their family is no longer "undocumented" and is hence no longer an "illegal".
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that any immigrant that asks for asylum for their family is no longer "undocumented" and is hence no longer an "illegal".
2
The United States admits over one million foreign nationals as permanent residents each and every year. That's more than any other country on earth. As a sovereign nation the first question our "representatives of the people" should ask about these Central American Refugees is "is this good for America?"
What skills will these people bring to our nation that will improve our society? If we are doing this only to be altruistic then subtract these numbers from the yearly numbers of "relatives" of Americans that are given residence. I'm sure the Americans will understand, wait a bit longer and be grateful for our national altruism.
What skills will these people bring to our nation that will improve our society? If we are doing this only to be altruistic then subtract these numbers from the yearly numbers of "relatives" of Americans that are given residence. I'm sure the Americans will understand, wait a bit longer and be grateful for our national altruism.
16
Governments that cannot protect their own citizens from internal terrorists can no longer call themselves legitimate. When citizens of these countries begin to flee, and cross the borders of neighboring nations that DO have legitimate governments, it becomes a call to action. Part of that action might be considered an invasion by some, but I warrant many of the refugees would welcome a consortium of international soldiers who could bring peace to their countryside so they could go home.
6
Sad, but true - most are not refugees and do not desire to go home. They don't necessarily want to be citizens either. They want money, homes, health, and education. They want these freebies while coming here uneducated and, often, resentful if you tell them no. Just look at the Pew institute and all of the 'non-profit' lobbying groups telling us how bad we are if we don't just open our doors.
Enough! Now who am I going to vote for? :-(
Enough! Now who am I going to vote for? :-(
8
I think this is the right decision. We need to help people who are fleeing horrible violence.
2
Malgosia - "I think this is the right decision. We need to help people who are fleeing horrible violence."
How about first helping those US citizens who can't flee the horrible violence of their inner-city neighborhoods before spending our limited resources helping people in other countries? What do you "think" of that?
How about first helping those US citizens who can't flee the horrible violence of their inner-city neighborhoods before spending our limited resources helping people in other countries? What do you "think" of that?
10
To Mr. Trump: This is THE issue for you to hammer on again and again.
Immigration is part of the quid pro quo offered ethnic minorities in exchange for Democratic votes.
"In other words the U.S. must, in the name of diversity, abandon its particularity while the very groups making that demand shall hold on to theirs." Lawrence Auster
"We are turning America into a gargantuan replica of the U.N. General Assembly. . .who will have no common faith, no common moral code, no common language and no common culture. What, then, will hold us together?" Pat Buchanon
"Multiculturalism is incompatible with Western democracy and can only be held together through state coercion." Byron Roth The Perils of Diversity: Immigration and Human Nature,
People in diverse communities "don't trust other people and they don't trust institutions. . .The effect of diversity is worse than had been imagined." Robert Putnam, Professor of Political Science, Harvard University
Americans, in giving up their national identity "place themselves in a position of enormous vulnerability in which their destinies will be determined by other peoples, many of whom hold deep historically conditioned hatreds toward them. . .promotion of their own displacement is the ultimate foolishness—an historical mistake of catastrophic proportions." Kevin B. MacDonald, professor of Psychology, California state University, Long Beach
Immigration is part of the quid pro quo offered ethnic minorities in exchange for Democratic votes.
"In other words the U.S. must, in the name of diversity, abandon its particularity while the very groups making that demand shall hold on to theirs." Lawrence Auster
"We are turning America into a gargantuan replica of the U.N. General Assembly. . .who will have no common faith, no common moral code, no common language and no common culture. What, then, will hold us together?" Pat Buchanon
"Multiculturalism is incompatible with Western democracy and can only be held together through state coercion." Byron Roth The Perils of Diversity: Immigration and Human Nature,
People in diverse communities "don't trust other people and they don't trust institutions. . .The effect of diversity is worse than had been imagined." Robert Putnam, Professor of Political Science, Harvard University
Americans, in giving up their national identity "place themselves in a position of enormous vulnerability in which their destinies will be determined by other peoples, many of whom hold deep historically conditioned hatreds toward them. . .promotion of their own displacement is the ultimate foolishness—an historical mistake of catastrophic proportions." Kevin B. MacDonald, professor of Psychology, California state University, Long Beach
18
I am left speechless after reading this article. Everybody who has worked with these migrants knows that few if any are truly fleeing or are bonafide unaccompanied minors. The vast majority have paid and paid well to be smuggled in and most if not all so called unaccompanied minors have patrons in the USA who paid their way or have at least one parent here.
Our laws, made to help minors with no parental support, are being bent and used in a way to allow any minor from a family missing one parent to legally qualify for designation as unaccompanied. And now they can bring their siblings, parents etc...as a refugee and have the USA pay your way? I thought they were unaccompanied?
Most migrants from Central America know that if you come with a child you'll get in and be able to stay. Few are deported and most never show up for court. In immigrant communities people talk of the road to the USA based on what is currently happening once you get here. So since few are deported and few are returned why not try to come? .
When it comes to immigration the right had doesn't know what the let hand is doing
Our laws, made to help minors with no parental support, are being bent and used in a way to allow any minor from a family missing one parent to legally qualify for designation as unaccompanied. And now they can bring their siblings, parents etc...as a refugee and have the USA pay your way? I thought they were unaccompanied?
Most migrants from Central America know that if you come with a child you'll get in and be able to stay. Few are deported and most never show up for court. In immigrant communities people talk of the road to the USA based on what is currently happening once you get here. So since few are deported and few are returned why not try to come? .
When it comes to immigration the right had doesn't know what the let hand is doing
20
Tony - "When it comes to immigration the right had doesn't know what the let hand is doing"
The "LEFT" hand certainly knows what it is doing.
The "LEFT" hand certainly knows what it is doing.
7
Are the Democrats really trying to throw the election to Trump?
In Maryland we are facing huge property tax increases to pay for the schools and ESOL teachers needed to accommodate our new "guests".
Retired people on fixed incomes are doomed.
In Maryland we are facing huge property tax increases to pay for the schools and ESOL teachers needed to accommodate our new "guests".
Retired people on fixed incomes are doomed.
20
The debt we Americans owe Central America is enormous but largely unknown.
There is a fine study by an academic with a flare for strong titles that lays out that story in a calm manner layer by layer. Read Michael Hogan, Savage Capitalism and the Myth of Democracy: Latin American in the Third Millennium.
If no time for such remember NAFTA brutalized those below the boarder by sending subsidized Mid-West corn south to undersell maize and displace traditional native culture sending unemployed to seek drug dealing as an alternative necessity.
Long unhappy story. Help those children. Please.
There is a fine study by an academic with a flare for strong titles that lays out that story in a calm manner layer by layer. Read Michael Hogan, Savage Capitalism and the Myth of Democracy: Latin American in the Third Millennium.
If no time for such remember NAFTA brutalized those below the boarder by sending subsidized Mid-West corn south to undersell maize and displace traditional native culture sending unemployed to seek drug dealing as an alternative necessity.
Long unhappy story. Help those children. Please.
4
There is no debt from the U.S. to them. The only debt is from the U.S. to them. They had no industrialization, no government, and no reason to participate in the world.
1
You are correct in that the trade agreements, starting with NAFTA that former President Bill Clinton signed, harms not only Americans but the people (often poor) as well. I learned of this long ago when I learned that people who raised aquarium fish in x country (small breeders) were harmed due to these trade agreements. I researched from there and it is as you said a global tragedy save for the Corporations that make money from both sides of the agreement. Farmland in America is even being driven up by Wall Street speculators and Hedge funds and the list goes on.
To heal any issue it has to be done so at the core, mho.
To heal any issue it has to be done so at the core, mho.
2
The defenders of immigration at this point in history are completely illogical. The reason for so many messed up countries on the planet is that they are vastly overpopulated, and have ridiculous, unsustainable birth rates, so filling up our countries with millions of migrants who will need more services than citizens do, will mean a horrific drop in our standard of living, massive crime increases, and the expansion of authoritative rule. Close the borders now!!!!
21
Why simply not open all the borders and let hundreds of millions of people just walking in.
I hate Donald Trump, I will vote for him on the single issue of immigration. Enough is enough. When are these people going to learn to take responsibility for their homeland. I don't like where I live. I don't like my parents, I'm going to move to your house. Really, this is insanity. This is breathtaking lack of judgment. Who is going to pay for the excessive burden on healthcare, education, housing, social services, law enforcement etc., which are already bankrupt.
Our government is supposed to take care of its citizens. Not meddle around with other nations and their unsolvable problems.
I hate Donald Trump, I will vote for him on the single issue of immigration. Enough is enough. When are these people going to learn to take responsibility for their homeland. I don't like where I live. I don't like my parents, I'm going to move to your house. Really, this is insanity. This is breathtaking lack of judgment. Who is going to pay for the excessive burden on healthcare, education, housing, social services, law enforcement etc., which are already bankrupt.
Our government is supposed to take care of its citizens. Not meddle around with other nations and their unsolvable problems.
19
America must begin to take care of its own problems before we try to solve everyone else's. African Americans in inner cities are killing each other in record numbers for one simple reason jobs disappeared. Poor white American kids are experiencing a drug epidemic for one simple reason no jobs unless you are clever enough or come from a family that can send you to college and then they have to hope they walk in the right door in Silicon Valley or they end up as baristas with degrees and tens of thousands of dollars in debt. We lost our way when we allowed the elite to take over America and send once good paying jobs abroad so that a clothing designer can become a billionaire. Everyone can't be a Dr. Or computer programmer but they still deserve to lead a decent life. I feel sorry for Central American families but they should face up to the reality that Europeans and many Americans did long ago, don't have children you can't take care of. Our middle class has been hollowed out we cannot continue to give the few remaining jobs away, no matter how wrenching the situation. There are some of the richest people in the world in Mexico and South America it's time they share the bounty just as its time to share the wealth here . We can't continue to be an escape valve for nations so they don't have revolutions, we had better worry about not having one in our own country. Americans have been the most generous people on earth but we have been ripped off by the 1% and are tapped out.
20
The GOP calls for a system to set up better screening of immigrants and refugees, but when that is done suddenly they don't like it. Clearly the GOP is the party of "stick to your own kind." Their vision is a country where the "huddled masses yearning to breathe free" are actually not welcome, even with careful vetting. That's sad.
5
These "huddled masses yearning to breathe free" need to learn how to struggle against the forces in their own countries that keep them in bondage.
The US is not the guardian of the world. It's first responsibility is to its citizens who are being forced to see social benefits and jobs go to people from outside the nation while our own people are ignored.
There is now a 500,000 case backlog of these people awaiting adjudication of their status claims. 70% of those paroled do not show up in court and cannot be found. Despite those statistics the Obama administration continues to clog the system with more cases. It continues to dump these people in cities and counties without so much as a notice that they are coming. We are the expected to pick up the cost of educating them. The various social service organizations like food banks are experiencing shortages and the clothing banks are picked clean.
The administration's immigration policies are the number one point of contention with citizens and it doesn't care. We will fight tooth and nail to ensure these people are not made citizens ahead of those who have applied legally and waited for years to enter this country. We don't need more illiterate unskilled people. We have more than enough of our natives to fill that position. And we don't need to be importing more people to be taken care of by government when we have a budget deficit every year and are borrowing to fill the gap.
The US is not the guardian of the world. It's first responsibility is to its citizens who are being forced to see social benefits and jobs go to people from outside the nation while our own people are ignored.
There is now a 500,000 case backlog of these people awaiting adjudication of their status claims. 70% of those paroled do not show up in court and cannot be found. Despite those statistics the Obama administration continues to clog the system with more cases. It continues to dump these people in cities and counties without so much as a notice that they are coming. We are the expected to pick up the cost of educating them. The various social service organizations like food banks are experiencing shortages and the clothing banks are picked clean.
The administration's immigration policies are the number one point of contention with citizens and it doesn't care. We will fight tooth and nail to ensure these people are not made citizens ahead of those who have applied legally and waited for years to enter this country. We don't need more illiterate unskilled people. We have more than enough of our natives to fill that position. And we don't need to be importing more people to be taken care of by government when we have a budget deficit every year and are borrowing to fill the gap.
18
Anne-Marie Hislop - "Clearly the GOP is the party of "stick to your own kind."
Especially when your own kind are Americans. Who do you want to spend our very limited resources on, inner-city Black and Hispanic Americans or foreigners? The Democratic Party has been fighting a war of poverty for over fifty years and trillions of dollars and there is more poor now than when they started and now they want to import MORE POOR.
This is one time that the GOP is absolutely right, take care of Americans first and foremost.
Especially when your own kind are Americans. Who do you want to spend our very limited resources on, inner-city Black and Hispanic Americans or foreigners? The Democratic Party has been fighting a war of poverty for over fifty years and trillions of dollars and there is more poor now than when they started and now they want to import MORE POOR.
This is one time that the GOP is absolutely right, take care of Americans first and foremost.
8
My family came to the US in the 80s from Central America. We are political asylees. We never took goverment assistance and my parents worked multiple jobs tirelessly. Today, all the kids have graduate degrees and are all middle and upper middle class. We pay a ton to Uncle Sam and spend time volunteering and assisting veterans in our communities. We were saved from misery and danger, and feel indebted to the country that embraced and saved us. Most immigrant families we know work hard. Very very hard, and they make sacrifices that most are not brave enough to endure. We love the US especially because we know first hand what a privilege it is to be American. May America never shut its doors to those in need. We are a nation of immigrants. In all likelihood, your ancestors were likely as scared and needy as us when we arrived -- most people commenting with hateful and ignorant messages, have forgotten or simply do not understand the struggles of their predecessors. Otherwise, how do they justify the blanket stereotypes and scapegoating?
7
One word: legal
8
Refugees and asylees are legal immigrants. Get off your xenophobic soap box.
Proud US Asylee - "Get off your xenophobic soap box."
How's this for a FAIR compromise. Remove ILLEGALS and then bring in LEGAL asylees and it's NOT xenophobia, it's Scelerophobia (from Latin scelero, meaning "wickedness or crime"). Replace that stupid and meaningless word xenophobia with the proper word the fear of criminals, including robbers, burglars and those who enter and remain in a country in violation of that country’s laws.
How's this for a FAIR compromise. Remove ILLEGALS and then bring in LEGAL asylees and it's NOT xenophobia, it's Scelerophobia (from Latin scelero, meaning "wickedness or crime"). Replace that stupid and meaningless word xenophobia with the proper word the fear of criminals, including robbers, burglars and those who enter and remain in a country in violation of that country’s laws.
4
I applaud President Obama for this wise decision based on on alleviating the suffering of so many in Central America. I applaud him for living up to the words on our Statue of Liberty that say "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door! " If we do not abide by those words it is time to scratch them off the Statue as they will have no meaning.
It must be remembered that much of the turmoil today in Central America is a result of the Reagan administration's policies where the US propped up far right military governments, supported death squads in El Salvador and Guatemala, and trained some of the worst abusers of human rights at the US Army School of the Americas in Fort Benning, Georgia. As Secretary of State Hillary Clinton supported a military coup that overthrew the democratically elected government of Honduras. By refusing to call the military action a coup, the US all but gave the green light to the coup makers. Since the coup, Honduras has descended into being one of the most violent countries in Latin America. People are fleeing for their lives. Do we want to shut them out and send them back to their death? I guess there are some Americans who do and that is tragic.
It must be remembered that much of the turmoil today in Central America is a result of the Reagan administration's policies where the US propped up far right military governments, supported death squads in El Salvador and Guatemala, and trained some of the worst abusers of human rights at the US Army School of the Americas in Fort Benning, Georgia. As Secretary of State Hillary Clinton supported a military coup that overthrew the democratically elected government of Honduras. By refusing to call the military action a coup, the US all but gave the green light to the coup makers. Since the coup, Honduras has descended into being one of the most violent countries in Latin America. People are fleeing for their lives. Do we want to shut them out and send them back to their death? I guess there are some Americans who do and that is tragic.
5
Have you seem what is happening in Europe? A country without borders and a lawful immigration system is not a country but a cesspool of human misery.
11
"If we do not abide by those words it is time to scratch them off the Statue as they will have no meaning."
Count me in on the working party to remove this obsolete sentiment from the Statue Of Liberty. The days when we needed people to fill a vast land are long past.
We need a new poem that honors those who came before and doesn't encourage more free loaders to come.
Count me in on the working party to remove this obsolete sentiment from the Statue Of Liberty. The days when we needed people to fill a vast land are long past.
We need a new poem that honors those who came before and doesn't encourage more free loaders to come.
14
JMBN - "If we do not abide by those words it is time to scratch them off the Statue as they will have no meaning."
You wish to direct U.S. NATIONAL LEGAL POLICY on immigration based upon a poem written in 1883 as a donation to an auction of art and literary works conducted by the "Art Loan Fund Exhibition in Aid of the Bartholdi Pedestal Fund for the Statue of Liberty" to raise money for the pedestal's construction. Really?
You wish to direct U.S. NATIONAL LEGAL POLICY on immigration based upon a poem written in 1883 as a donation to an auction of art and literary works conducted by the "Art Loan Fund Exhibition in Aid of the Bartholdi Pedestal Fund for the Statue of Liberty" to raise money for the pedestal's construction. Really?
8
The Bay Club of Northern Ca. hires only immigrants from
South America. Mainly Guatemalans. Since CA
doesn't require documentation for workers, you
be the jusdge. Every week there
are more and more hired from south America by this wealthy fitness club owned by a hedge fund . Only Spanish is spoken by these employees. Don't tell me that illegal aliens don't take jobs that many legal Americans would be happy to take.
Marin County, one of the wealthiest counties in the country
and San Francisco, a sanctuary city where there
are several branches of the Bay Club of Northern
Ca., should be accused of discrimination against
hiring legal workers who are looking for work.
It is truly outrageous.
This is why Trump who addresses the issues of needing
more control on immigration and limiting it is
gaining popularity from many here in CA.
South America. Mainly Guatemalans. Since CA
doesn't require documentation for workers, you
be the jusdge. Every week there
are more and more hired from south America by this wealthy fitness club owned by a hedge fund . Only Spanish is spoken by these employees. Don't tell me that illegal aliens don't take jobs that many legal Americans would be happy to take.
Marin County, one of the wealthiest counties in the country
and San Francisco, a sanctuary city where there
are several branches of the Bay Club of Northern
Ca., should be accused of discrimination against
hiring legal workers who are looking for work.
It is truly outrageous.
This is why Trump who addresses the issues of needing
more control on immigration and limiting it is
gaining popularity from many here in CA.
41
I feel exactly the same way . I am a Democrat, always was and will be. I will vote for Donald Trump on this vexing issue. I don't vote for a party. I vote for what makes sense.
I think the Democrats are going to have a surprise on election day. Just like Romney had.
I think the Democrats are going to have a surprise on election day. Just like Romney had.
16
Geography lesson: Guatemala is not in South America.
CA just passed a law allowing any number of children in a family to receive social welfare benefits, illegal or not. Our public clinics and emergency rooms here are crowded with illegal immigrants seeking treatment. We are overwhelmed with illegal immigrants from south america and Mexico. Citizens of many other states for the most part would find it difficult to imagine having so many of
your jobs, your schools, clinics,and emergency rooms taken over by illegals from south of the border. How much is enough?
We have reached a saturation point. This is about votes in
the future for the Democrats. It is not altruistic as Obama
tries to present it. It seems he cares nothing about
lega,l working class jobs for Americans. Why isn't he
devoting all of his energy now to job creation for inner
cities? His motives are truly suspect. As a Democrat I
am against this decision.
your jobs, your schools, clinics,and emergency rooms taken over by illegals from south of the border. How much is enough?
We have reached a saturation point. This is about votes in
the future for the Democrats. It is not altruistic as Obama
tries to present it. It seems he cares nothing about
lega,l working class jobs for Americans. Why isn't he
devoting all of his energy now to job creation for inner
cities? His motives are truly suspect. As a Democrat I
am against this decision.
50
It's not just about votes it's about cheap labor and more workers in general to keep wages down because that's what the donors want. So much for the Democrats being for working people, but we are told we have to vote for Hillary or Trump will destroy the nation.
11
" As a Democrat I am against this decision."
Yet as a Democrat you will vote for Clinton who has promised not only to continue this program but to increase the number of "refugees" by 550%.
Who do you think you are trying to fool?
Yet as a Democrat you will vote for Clinton who has promised not only to continue this program but to increase the number of "refugees" by 550%.
Who do you think you are trying to fool?
13
This is the main reason I, a person who has voted Democrat for years, will vote for Trump. We must have a secure southern border and control who is allowed into our nation. A great natural disaster or political unrest in Central and South America could and will unleash millions heading into our nation. An open border leaves us completely vulnerabe to a virtual invasion. Just look at what is happening in Europe now.
49
How is this an open border? Refugees are being held in their own countries or a third party host country while their applications are evaluated.
4
Who are you trying to kid Mike? The vast majority of so-called refugees just waltz across the border. If they're really unlucky, they might be served a Notice to Appear & then are released (maybe you've never heard of 'catch and release' at the border?). We have a record 94 million Americans out of the labor force; why do we need any more immigrants, especially illegal ones?
17
Did you actually read the article?
I would welcome this news of increased Central American migration IF it was accompanied by a promise to crack down on the farming of opiate-producing poppy plants in Central America that is destroying America's small towns.
Is that too much to ask?
Is that too much to ask?
9
A lot of the opium poppies are being grown in Afghanistan. As much as one might hate the Taliban it must be noted that they eliminated much of the poppy cultivation. Once the US came in, poppy cultivation boomed and part of their market is in the United State.
2
If drugs are the cause of these problems, the solution is simple, legalize them.
Each time our government bans something it creates much bigger problems. Bans which cannot be enforced efficiently should never pass. Besides, government is acting like a parent talking to a toddler. We are grown-ups, we do what we want and assumed the consequences of our choices.
If Americans want to use drugs, so be it. Why should they feel guilty to pay retribution to countries that sell them. The problem with South American countries is their own corrupt governments.
Each time our government bans something it creates much bigger problems. Bans which cannot be enforced efficiently should never pass. Besides, government is acting like a parent talking to a toddler. We are grown-ups, we do what we want and assumed the consequences of our choices.
If Americans want to use drugs, so be it. Why should they feel guilty to pay retribution to countries that sell them. The problem with South American countries is their own corrupt governments.
6
Exactly, it is to much to ask, because the US banks are making a fortune laundering this same drug money.
5
Actually, these people are fleeing violence and daily traumas most americans can't imagine, but perhaps their ancestors knew. Our country provides what it stands for - a freedom and a safety that we all take for granted. No one should live in fear like that, you shouldn't and neither should these women, children and men who are looking for a better way to spend their one life time.
8
" No one should live in fear like that, you shouldn't and neither should these women, children and men who are looking for a better way to spend their one life time."
Help them fight the forces causing their fear. Bringing them here just ensures those powers will never have homegrown opposition. That goes for any people no matter what country they hail from.
Help them fight the forces causing their fear. Bringing them here just ensures those powers will never have homegrown opposition. That goes for any people no matter what country they hail from.
5
My being a financial failure is painful for several reasons. The most obvious is having to do without and not meeting my general needs. Another reason is pride – not aiming to blame others for my own failure, it means recognizing my limitations. When writing to a post such as this it means possibly being dismissed as stupid or as an angry loser.
I report this having just come back from the doctors. I had put it off the visit because being on social security and Medicare the $40 co-pay for each doctors visit really hurts.
I was ok with Obamacare. I supported it knowing my medical coverage would be diminished as I felt we are all Americans and we had to stand by each other. However, now I pick up the paper and I see Obama is letting in yet more immigrants. I know that their need for social services will in reality take away from my support. It scares me.
I pretty much skip the dental work I need. Perhaps I’m old and so what. But I’ve always worked hard, and skipped having kids with my wife because we couldn’t afford them.
I watch the Democratic party and here these people who seem either not to have jobs but have large families, or children of illegal immigrants with large families.
And I hear how Hillary is supporting them – yet some how her supporting and fighting for them has made her a millionaire – and bringing in more will make her and those like her richer yet. Something doesn't add up.
I report this having just come back from the doctors. I had put it off the visit because being on social security and Medicare the $40 co-pay for each doctors visit really hurts.
I was ok with Obamacare. I supported it knowing my medical coverage would be diminished as I felt we are all Americans and we had to stand by each other. However, now I pick up the paper and I see Obama is letting in yet more immigrants. I know that their need for social services will in reality take away from my support. It scares me.
I pretty much skip the dental work I need. Perhaps I’m old and so what. But I’ve always worked hard, and skipped having kids with my wife because we couldn’t afford them.
I watch the Democratic party and here these people who seem either not to have jobs but have large families, or children of illegal immigrants with large families.
And I hear how Hillary is supporting them – yet some how her supporting and fighting for them has made her a millionaire – and bringing in more will make her and those like her richer yet. Something doesn't add up.
45
"Something doesn't add up."
Unfortunately, it does. You were sold a bill phony bill of goods...
Unfortunately, it does. You were sold a bill phony bill of goods...
4
People who are advocating for this decision basically seem to state the following reasons:
1. All humanity is entitled to the protection of the United States constitution.
2. The United States over a period of time acted as global police overthrowing rulers it seemed as undesirable resulting in these problems and therefore has the moral obligation.
Is it me or does any one else see how contradictory those two statements are?
1. All humanity is entitled to the protection of the United States constitution.
2. The United States over a period of time acted as global police overthrowing rulers it seemed as undesirable resulting in these problems and therefore has the moral obligation.
Is it me or does any one else see how contradictory those two statements are?
29
Actually, in Central America the USA has historically supported, not overthrown, repressive governments. And the voracious appetite for drugs here in the USA has created the economic motivation for drug cartels and the flow of weapons from the USA has armed them.
The USA has not created the refugee crisis in Central America but we have certainly contributed to it. Should we do anything to help the people who are fleeing their countries? We used to help people in similar situations. Not so much anymore.
The USA has not created the refugee crisis in Central America but we have certainly contributed to it. Should we do anything to help the people who are fleeing their countries? We used to help people in similar situations. Not so much anymore.
3
There is no contradiction, may be, ambiguity. We are independent countries we are not responsible for what happens on the other side. This is an argument that has been used so often, it has lost its meaning. We are not responsible for what happens in other countries. Their problems don't stem from a single occurrence. It is usually the result of many factors. South American countries have to get their act together so we cannot exploit them.
2
Sometimes, I sit on the St Lawrence River in my kayak, looking south toward the Adirondacks and Upstate New York.
When my daughter comes to visit from BC and she catches me watching the news from the USA, she'll say: "Dad, that's not the News. That's the Bad News."
From my vantage point on the St Lawrence, looking south, I see a wonderful and friendly country that I have enjoyed visiting, since I was a child over 60 years ago. And the reason is simple - the culture of the United States has been a positive one, overall. Not perfect, but positive.
The dilution of that positive culture should concern every American - the social eco-system that sustains it is worth preserving and defending. It is a question worth asking: Can that social eco-system absorb an unlimited number of people from other cultures? Particularly if some those cultures are anti-American or rooted in violence?
Maybe. But, maybe not. However, the onus for proving it should be on the people wanting to put that eco-system at risk through unlimited immigration - not the other way around.
When my daughter comes to visit from BC and she catches me watching the news from the USA, she'll say: "Dad, that's not the News. That's the Bad News."
From my vantage point on the St Lawrence, looking south, I see a wonderful and friendly country that I have enjoyed visiting, since I was a child over 60 years ago. And the reason is simple - the culture of the United States has been a positive one, overall. Not perfect, but positive.
The dilution of that positive culture should concern every American - the social eco-system that sustains it is worth preserving and defending. It is a question worth asking: Can that social eco-system absorb an unlimited number of people from other cultures? Particularly if some those cultures are anti-American or rooted in violence?
Maybe. But, maybe not. However, the onus for proving it should be on the people wanting to put that eco-system at risk through unlimited immigration - not the other way around.
56
Admitting refugees may not be a direct solution to the numerous problems Obama is trying to address, but seeing as how relatively little effect financial aid has had, it is a more proactive and immediately-gratifying approach. There definitely needs to be thorough screening to limit the crime intake, but with the mindset that many of these people just want to live a simple, legal, and American life. I agree that more should be done to help financially-troubled Americans, but this does not necessitate that we turn a blind eye to our neighbors. Just because we can see one problem does not mean the other does not exist.
The concept of humanity is the very basis of the Constitution of the United States – we must provide equality and freedom to any individual standing on American soil. America was founded because Europeans wanted to escape religious prosecution. If we don’t accept refugees, would that not be a contradiction of America itself?
Surely we have room for a few thousand people in deserted neighborhoods, such as those in previously-bankrupt Detroit? Perhaps money could be allocated to repairing such neighborhoods to make them safer and more livable not only to refugees, but Americans themselves who live below the poverty line. There will never be a single solution to these problems, but I believe that we, as humans, should not protest to the idea of drastically improving lives, regardless of whether or not they are American.
The concept of humanity is the very basis of the Constitution of the United States – we must provide equality and freedom to any individual standing on American soil. America was founded because Europeans wanted to escape religious prosecution. If we don’t accept refugees, would that not be a contradiction of America itself?
Surely we have room for a few thousand people in deserted neighborhoods, such as those in previously-bankrupt Detroit? Perhaps money could be allocated to repairing such neighborhoods to make them safer and more livable not only to refugees, but Americans themselves who live below the poverty line. There will never be a single solution to these problems, but I believe that we, as humans, should not protest to the idea of drastically improving lives, regardless of whether or not they are American.
13
"...Surely we have room for a few thousand people in deserted neighborhoods, such as those in previously-bankrupt Detroit..."
Why not Akron, Ohio?
Surely you need a few thousand more people on welfare.
Why not Akron, Ohio?
Surely you need a few thousand more people on welfare.
3
Really? How many immigrants, legal or illegal, is enough? Can we please stop and sort the illegals first?
46
Have to keep those American salaries nice and low.
48
This is a political ploy by the Obama Administration. His children will never be in overcrowded schools, have their programs taken away to provide ESL classes, or deal with gangs that some of these kids will start or join because parents are rarely around. It's sad what our "leaders" are doing to our youngest and most vulnerable citizens.
62
As an American, I'm tired of this country taking care of others while our own children and workers suffer. Obama always seems more excited by solving the problems of others than our own! Not exciting enough to do domestic work! No high profile gratitude.
57
This is great news! We can’t continue ducking our responsibility for the horrible conditions in Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. Central Americans are among the finest people I know. Those who say they’re all criminals or gang members don’t know what there talking about. Central Americans are serving in the US armed forces. Indeed, my own representative in congress is from Guatemala.
9
How about our responsibility to NATIVE Americans? We stole their land, intentionally sickened them, almost eradicated their culture and force them to live on the worst land we can find.
How about our responsibility to the descendents of slaves who live among criminals and gangs and who are more and more targeted by our police?
If we are supposed to bear responsibility for what we did in the 20th century, shouldnt we start taking care of the messes we created beginning in the 17th century?
How about our responsibility to the descendents of slaves who live among criminals and gangs and who are more and more targeted by our police?
If we are supposed to bear responsibility for what we did in the 20th century, shouldnt we start taking care of the messes we created beginning in the 17th century?
4
I served in the Navy with a few Ecuadorans. They weren't the kind of people who ran with gangs and committed crimes. The Navy's vetting practices would have exposed that. They wanted to emigrate to the US and serving in our military was the fastest and best way to do it.
1
What's interesting is that there are many American retirees flocking to live in Central America. If it is as bad as it's been written up about I somewhat doubt these old folks would be going there.
Another thing is we're helping these people escape poverty and gangs only to bring them here to live in poverty with local gangs in their neighborhoods.
Is this really in the best interest of Americans to bring more uneducated and unskilled people? Enough already. No mas.
Another thing is we're helping these people escape poverty and gangs only to bring them here to live in poverty with local gangs in their neighborhoods.
Is this really in the best interest of Americans to bring more uneducated and unskilled people? Enough already. No mas.
52
Perhaps we should re-visit the changes that took place in immigration policy in the 1960's. It seems to me that while we've become more diverse, we have nevertheless, the condition that favored skilled workers. Also, 'skilled workers' has been used to undermine American jobs when there are plenty of skilled Americans to take these jobs. Continuing to favor people from certain areas will only continue to fuel the discontent now felt by many and do nothing to resolve the issues.
38
A combination of 'The Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965' and the first amnesty under Reagan in 1986 opened the floodgates to tens of millions of low skilled workers to compete with our own workers.
Then Bush Sr added the H1B work visa bill in 1990, which both political parties have supported since then, and that decimated the salaries of STEM workers by allowing in 650,000+ 'temporary' workers who will never complain about unpaid overtime and lack of vacations and sick days.
Basically, after our politicians, at the behest of their corporate donors, managed to suppress the wages of blue collars workers and got a taste of that low hanging fruit, they went after white collar workers.
Then Bush Sr added the H1B work visa bill in 1990, which both political parties have supported since then, and that decimated the salaries of STEM workers by allowing in 650,000+ 'temporary' workers who will never complain about unpaid overtime and lack of vacations and sick days.
Basically, after our politicians, at the behest of their corporate donors, managed to suppress the wages of blue collars workers and got a taste of that low hanging fruit, they went after white collar workers.
22
This is the flip side of breaking up families. Let them all in as long as one makes it across the border. Dreamers say deportations break up families. Well, sending someone to prison for breaking the law also breaks up families but we are ok with that. If we don't want to break up families when deporting them, deport the entire family. Go Trump. Protect US.
49
I have driven and lived along the way in all of the Central American countries in two, separate , year-long round- trips from Los Angeles , California to Panama City , Panama in a VW camper van . The plight of these political refugees is not theoretical to me as it is to most of us here . I speak fluent Spanish , and I've spent time with these folks and know that their fears and desperate plight is real . They are victims of powerful elites and have done nothing wrong . If they could , they would choose to stay in their birth countries .
This change of heart by the Obama administration is 40 years too late for the hundreds of thousands slaughtered by US - supported military dictatorships in countries like Guatemala , Honduras , Nicaragua and El Salvador .
I do not think , as much as I admire him , that Obama deserves any praise for this decision . Rather , he has done this as a lame duck in the waning days of his presidency .
Furthermore , the commentators here that have never been to these countries and who know nothing about the politics and history of Latin America , especially Central America , should remain quiet , save their typing energy for subjects they understand and ratiocinate about the principals on which this country was founded .
This change of heart by the Obama administration is 40 years too late for the hundreds of thousands slaughtered by US - supported military dictatorships in countries like Guatemala , Honduras , Nicaragua and El Salvador .
I do not think , as much as I admire him , that Obama deserves any praise for this decision . Rather , he has done this as a lame duck in the waning days of his presidency .
Furthermore , the commentators here that have never been to these countries and who know nothing about the politics and history of Latin America , especially Central America , should remain quiet , save their typing energy for subjects they understand and ratiocinate about the principals on which this country was founded .
6
I don't know much about Latin America, but I do know that bottomless importation of cheap labor will further harm black communities.
30
Yeah, no. We live here and we lose our jobs to cheaper construction labor such as these people. Wages will never rise again with the overpopulation the whole world has now.
38
Claiming that you have Special Knowledge, and that you Know It All, and that everyone else should just shut up and defer to your opinion, without any substantiation whatsoever, isn't very impressive on the Internet.
21
Does the President really have the authority to do that? If I were a member of Congress and the President tried to sidestep the law, I would see that such an attempt would not be funded by Congress.
47
Ryan pushes for the elimination of borders and impoverishing the US citizenry like Obama and Clinton. Our government represents the donor class and citizens too dumb to know any different.
20
Indeed. Paul Ryan has put up a very large wall around his Wisconsin mansion. Mother's whose children have been killed by undocumented immigrants picketed outside his wall this weekend. Ryan didn't even have the courtesy to receive their letter requesting him to help secure the border.
14
Central America and its violence are our refugee problem, just as Syria is Europe's. We must stop asking Mexico to stop Central American refugees at its border. The problem in Honduras was created by the Obama/ Clinton support for the military coup there which overthrew and kidnapped Zelaya, the democratically elected president. We have been creating refugees with our violent policies in the Middle East, Africa and Central America.
9
We cannot solve all the world's problems.
34
Sorry, but the Reagan Presidency made the problem. Keep up with your history.
9
Beady Eye - we created many of the problems in Central America. We need to help to solve them and if taking in the people who are fleeing those countries as the result of American actions is one of those solutions, so be it.
1
The problem is people producing more people they cannot care for, whose only social structural empowerment, when you are not part of the ``elite`` is in a gang. The other problem is a backwards lurching, refusing to own up to their role in the previous problem church, which preaches against all birth control, thereby ensuring that more people continue to be produced,
These countries need real economic development where the benefits are not squandered among corrupt elites and security forces, where real institutions are fostered and where all groups of people there can participate. These countries do not need and we cannot any longer afford to be their safety valve to the north that absorbs everyone who wishes to flee endemic corruption, archaic, outdated church-dominated social values, gangs, drugs and violence. These countries are sub-tropical. What land has not been devastated or polluted yet is still fertile. They have more than the means to feed themselves and develop their own nations. And yet, they do not. And THAT is not any fault of the USA. THAT is no ones fault except their own.
These countries need real economic development where the benefits are not squandered among corrupt elites and security forces, where real institutions are fostered and where all groups of people there can participate. These countries do not need and we cannot any longer afford to be their safety valve to the north that absorbs everyone who wishes to flee endemic corruption, archaic, outdated church-dominated social values, gangs, drugs and violence. These countries are sub-tropical. What land has not been devastated or polluted yet is still fertile. They have more than the means to feed themselves and develop their own nations. And yet, they do not. And THAT is not any fault of the USA. THAT is no ones fault except their own.
31
The USA needs to mind its own business? How about this: "The CIA considered assassinating dozens of Guatemalan political leaders as part of a 1954 covert action that toppled the government, according to newly declassified documents." The USA overthrew Guatemala's democratically elected President Jacobo Arbenz (in 1954) ... when the U.S. began to worry that his agrarian reform efforts threatened U.S. business interests--especially the huge land holdings of the United Fruit Co." http://articles.latimes.com/1997-05-24/news/mn-62119_1_cia-document
Fruit corporations from the US turned Honduras, an impoverished tropical backwater, into a huge banana plantation at the start of the 20th century. They dominated its economy and politics, making it the original "banana republic". The US intervened in numerous military coups to protect its commercial interests, embedding a conservative, Americanised elite. Contra guerrillas backed by President Ronald Reagan used Honduras as a base to attack Nicaragua's Sandinista government in the 1980s. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/nov/27/us-honduras-coup
In 1981, "President Ronald Reagan signs off on a top secret document, National Security Decision Directive 17 (NSDD-17), which gives the CIA the ... to conduct covert actions against the leftist Sandinista regime in Nicaragua." http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/reagan-gives-cia-authority-to...
Fruit corporations from the US turned Honduras, an impoverished tropical backwater, into a huge banana plantation at the start of the 20th century. They dominated its economy and politics, making it the original "banana republic". The US intervened in numerous military coups to protect its commercial interests, embedding a conservative, Americanised elite. Contra guerrillas backed by President Ronald Reagan used Honduras as a base to attack Nicaragua's Sandinista government in the 1980s. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/nov/27/us-honduras-coup
In 1981, "President Ronald Reagan signs off on a top secret document, National Security Decision Directive 17 (NSDD-17), which gives the CIA the ... to conduct covert actions against the leftist Sandinista regime in Nicaragua." http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/reagan-gives-cia-authority-to...
12
That may be true, but we cannot take them all in.
19
Thank God we are not a European county, or you would be digging back to the Middle Ages for political smirch. I appreciate your knowledge of history, I really do, but it has no bearing on the present issue in that it offers no possible solutions.
20
Why would we desire to do this? What direct benefit is it to citizens of the US? I believe that most if not all of these individuals are fleeing bad economies and out of control violence. Neither is a reason to admit them to our country. Now if we were short of labor and everyone had jobs I might have a different opinion. We can and should assist their home countries to improve especially in the crime arena. We have cities with the same conditions here.
47
"President obama was bowing to years of complaints from advocates for immigrants and refugees . . .".
Why not listen to citizens? Whose side is this guy on?
Why not listen to citizens? Whose side is this guy on?
63
This will only help Trump.
Why don't we support the governments in Central America so that they can strive to make their societies more stable and livable for their citizens, so that they will not be compelled to migrate?
How does it help any way to only take in a fraction of the citizens, it is like a decks-stacked-against-you lottery, a small % will be helped but the majority who are more or less in the same boat will remain in the society, why not try to improve the society so that everyone benefits? The US $ will go significantly further if spent in these Central American countries vs hosting a lucky few in the US.
My guess is that Obama realizes that Hillary probably will not win the election and wants to push for the migration while he has the chance.
Why don't we support the governments in Central America so that they can strive to make their societies more stable and livable for their citizens, so that they will not be compelled to migrate?
How does it help any way to only take in a fraction of the citizens, it is like a decks-stacked-against-you lottery, a small % will be helped but the majority who are more or less in the same boat will remain in the society, why not try to improve the society so that everyone benefits? The US $ will go significantly further if spent in these Central American countries vs hosting a lucky few in the US.
My guess is that Obama realizes that Hillary probably will not win the election and wants to push for the migration while he has the chance.
26
It is unbelievable that our President can do so much destruction, unilaterally, and against the will of the majority of citizens. I shudder to think what further destruction this President will do, dividing the country even more, before he leaves office. Absolutely the worst President in modern history.
28
Yeah, maybe he will kill another terrorist or save the economy again. We need someone to bring us together by threatening journalists and insulting the disabled.
2
Not just "in modern history," JTK. The absolute worst...
3
The democrats are more interested in migrants/refugees from other societies than in the American citizens that are homeless, unemployed or underemployed, and without health care. The flood of legal and illegal immigrants and the outsourcing of American jobs has created Donald Trump
40
The Democrats have proposed many bills attempting to address raising the minimum wage, universal preschool, affordable day care, more comprehensive health care than what Obama was able to get past the GOP Congress. Guess who has blocked and/or voted down all these bills? (Hint: it's not the Democrats.)
3
Karen, without the Free Trade bills there would be more jobs in our country. Most of the products that are sold here, would be made here.
Without illegal immigrants, there would be less competition for jobs.
If there were more working class jobs and fewer people trying to fill them, wages would go up on their own. There would be no need to raise the minimum wage.
Trump is against the Free Trade bills, as they are currently written. He would re-write them in our favor or, at least make them balanced. Trump is against allowing those who are living here illegally to remain. His first concern is for American workers and their families.
Without illegal immigrants, there would be less competition for jobs.
If there were more working class jobs and fewer people trying to fill them, wages would go up on their own. There would be no need to raise the minimum wage.
Trump is against the Free Trade bills, as they are currently written. He would re-write them in our favor or, at least make them balanced. Trump is against allowing those who are living here illegally to remain. His first concern is for American workers and their families.
11
(Not Mark) Karen, who pays for these things? My kids that are underemployed now after we saved for their college and paid full freight while illegal aliens get scholarships and aid. Before you say, they were top of their class, great SATs, AP tests, everything. On top of that we pay taxes for all the medicaid for their kids and special education items, like bilingual education etc. Yet, my daughter can't afford her healthcare without a subsidy. Who will pay for that? The great idea of $15.00 minimum wage, let's just print some more money and make it $50.00. Do you have any idea where any of the money comes to pay for these projects? It would be nice if they were not just democratic programs for graft and corruption, but I have no faith in that. Look at the VA. Look at how much we spend per pupil in the US compared to the rest of the industrialized nations and then follow the money and get back to me. Maybe drop by your local community college and take a basic economics course.
9
This will give Trump another 100,000 votes.
35
If the past in any indication, the people granted asylum to enter our country will become productive citizens and will make the United States more productive and stronger. What we have now are a bunch of people who were given the opportunity to make a better life in the greatest country on Earth and they failed. There are families who are descendants of European immigrants who generation after generation amount to nothing and do not seek education. Those folks failed. They should get out of they way, and let new immigrants in who most likely will not fail. The problem with American is not immigrants. It is uneducated white families who had all the opportunity in the world to do something with themselves and after generations in the greatest country on Earth remain uneducated, unskilled, and without property. You folks have failed. Now, step aside and let some new people who will do better than you.
4
Because in a meritocracy, if you didn't win the birth lottery on looks, money or brains, something you could make bank with, you're a loser and you should 'step aside' - what does that mean? Immigrate? Die? Did you want to just kill them, "Christian", with that attitude?
6
They should not prevent others from having an opportunity just because they are unable to take advantage of the amazing opportunity that they blew. Immigrants are not the problem. Generations of legacy citizens who can't seem to make a living are the problem.
3
Christian has written, "If the past in any indication, the people granted asylum to enter our country will become productive citizens ... “.
He must be unaware of the Central Americans (mainly Salvadorans) given refugee status who ended up forming the MS-13 street gang. They committed such horrendous acts that our government deported them. Now they are making trouble in Central America with the result that more Central Americans are asking for asylum here. The problem is that many of the new asylum seekers are males between the ages of 15 and 17 with gang tattoos. They have little education, do not speak English, and have no way of making a living other than working for their gang.
He must be unaware of the Central Americans (mainly Salvadorans) given refugee status who ended up forming the MS-13 street gang. They committed such horrendous acts that our government deported them. Now they are making trouble in Central America with the result that more Central Americans are asking for asylum here. The problem is that many of the new asylum seekers are males between the ages of 15 and 17 with gang tattoos. They have little education, do not speak English, and have no way of making a living other than working for their gang.
11
I certainly hope that there is more to this than admitting any group of people that can present a child? I any case, this is bad timing, unless Obama's goal is to get Trump elected!!
31
This is one reason Donald Trump is doing so well in the polls. We have people who are struggling financially here and President Obama ignores their pleas but takes in refugees who should be supported by their countries. This will certainly turn people toward Mr. Trump who puts American interests first. He has my vote without reservation.
41
President Obama and the Democrats have proposed many bills to help people in our own country, including more comprehensive health care, universal preschool, and a livable minimum wage. It's the GOP-dominated Congress which has consistently voted down all these actions.
9
When it comes to who deserves to be in this country, people who understand American values, we should take in all the Central American refugees and deport Trump and his supporters to San Pedro Sula and Raqaa. The level of education would increase, welfare would level off, less money spent on social security...
3
So, what the French should have done in 1780 was encourage all American colonists to emigrate to France because there was a war on and rebels were being killed by a repressive absolute monarch. These countries have had time to put in place sensible regimes. We probably should do more to encourage good government through trade sanctions, arms sanctions and aid to the populace. There's no argument to be made that based on some bad policies one hundred years ago, all of these people now "deserve" to be granted asylum. Let's try to clean up the mess in Central America, for sure, but let's not bring in more people who will just end up hurting our economy. It is estimated by the best studies that I can find that there is a negative impact on our economy of almost 1/2 or one percent of GDP caused by the huge number of illegal immigrants in this country. We can't afford to house unlimited numbers of poor people just because they are vulnerable while US citizens go hungry every day.
42
What exactly does this mean? A child plus siblings, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins? No age limit, family size limit?
Please provide details.
Please provide details.
63
Central America may just as well become the 51st state....... And how will these people be vetted, housed, fed, schooled etc... I'm sure US citizens already living on or below the edge of the poverty line will say" What about me, does my life matter?"
Perhaps the "Wall" needs to be built around Washington DC and cut all communications to the outside world....Is Obama living in a bubble filed with nitrous oxide?
Perhaps the "Wall" needs to be built around Washington DC and cut all communications to the outside world....Is Obama living in a bubble filed with nitrous oxide?
28
I love that idea!
3
First of all the conditions in Central America aren't nearly as bad as they were during their various civil wars. There were far higher death tolls and actual genocide being committed during those conflicts. Refugee has become a buzzword. Here are a few easily verifiable statistics I'd like to share with those who support unrestricted immigration and open borders. At this time the current administration has reported that thirty-seven percent of federal prisoners are illegal immigrants. Illegal immigrants do not make up thirty-seven percent of our populace, so they are highly over represented in crime. We are not talking about federal immigrations detainees, either. The FBI has estimated that fully eighty percent of criminal gang members are illegal immigrants. Again, a number that is way too high for comfort. They cost quite a bit to take care of while incarcerated and then we aren't even deporting them after their sentences because their former countries won't take them back. They are set free among us. Illegal immigrants also have the highest birthrates in the country right now as well. So while we would like to be a benevolent people and help those in need, we are not being served well by the current administration regarding immigration. Legal and otherwise. Why don't they ever mention any of this when advocating for more 'refugees'? Don't citizens and our safety count at all?
67
You haven't been paying attention Mr. Kuncdwitch, this has been Democratic policy for decades now; increased admission of people who bring no skills with them other than a propensity to vote for Democrats. This is a deliberate attack on the American way of life and the Obama 'open border' policy is a classic example of this.
Look at the photos of these supposed child refugees from Central America and you see 5'7" males with MS-13 tattoos on their necks. The Lame Stream Media has collaborated in this attack on our way of life for many years now and this is one major reason that no one respects their opinions or reporting, although there is much of the former and very little of the latter.
Look at the photos of these supposed child refugees from Central America and you see 5'7" males with MS-13 tattoos on their necks. The Lame Stream Media has collaborated in this attack on our way of life for many years now and this is one major reason that no one respects their opinions or reporting, although there is much of the former and very little of the latter.
22
WRONG , Richard . There are only 18 countries in the more than 180 in the world that do not have repatriation treaties with the USA . So this stuff about the countries not taking people back is erroneous - - - especially when it comes to the Central American countries .
Your stats on gangs and federal inmates . . . Hmm . . . I wonder about the sources and the way in which numbers can be presented any way you want .
EXAMPLE : " 90 per cent of heroin users started with marijuana " . Yeah , OK , but 90 % of marijuana users never use heroin . See what I mean , jelly bean ?
Your stats on gangs and federal inmates . . . Hmm . . . I wonder about the sources and the way in which numbers can be presented any way you want .
EXAMPLE : " 90 per cent of heroin users started with marijuana " . Yeah , OK , but 90 % of marijuana users never use heroin . See what I mean , jelly bean ?
2
Don, I said my statistics are easily verifiable because there is always someone to question their veracity. I cited the FBI on the second. If you took the time to respond, why didn't you simply use whatever is your favorite search engine and look for yourself? Why question me when all that I said can be fact checked in a few minutes? My sources are the FBI and the US government. Now after you check are you going to be upset like me or not care a whit? Because I wonder about your motives because you choose to deflect...
4
Big mistake on the Presidents part. So far Hilary has been able to say nothing on immigration other than Trump is a racist and what we need is love and understanding and kindness. OK, it has worked so far but she is going to get backed into actually having to admit a few may need to be deported at which point she is then a racist. Obama is messing up the "Just call Trump a Racist" immigration policy which has so far been working. I mean politically for Hillary. It is a disaster on the ground.
29
Obama is a political realist. This move makes it clear that his "political realism" tells him that Hillary is going to be trounced, so it means nothing to him that this will hurt her. In his view, she's dead in the water anyway...
6
One of the main reasons why I'm not voting for four more Obama years, a la Hillary. Voting for the man with the billions.
34
Or better said the man with a plan to address many of our issues differently than the Obama / Hillary failed way. It might not work but we already know that our current methods fail.
14
If we would come home from all of our foolish adventures in other countries maybe we could get a grip on our very own problems and then consider some sort of immigration policy that works here first and that we will uphold and quit playing politics over.
10
So you accept that since we are involved in the world we can't do anything else correctly. Just as some insist that companies are too big to manage or to fail this is incorrect. Now I support reducing our international footprint but we can and should address all of our problems. How about no immigration except extreme cases of our enemies attempting to harm individuals for five years.
5
Many of those countries' governments invite Americans in to create infrastructure, such as power plants. It's not all military intervention, but business on that scale involves foreign governments, politics, and protection, too.
1
Nice. New sources to spend deficit funds on. Best of all, they are from violent countries with low education. Building a stronger future for America must be the logical end to these decisions?
58
Does the US really need more uneducated, illiterate, non-English speaking "refugees" when we already have 11 to 12+ million illegal aliens and not enough jobs for US citizens?
25
Didn't the Irish, Italians, Polish, Germans, Scandinavians, Russians, Eastern Europeans, Chinese, Koreans, Vietnamese, Laotians, Nigerians, etc., etc. come from violent countries with poor education??
4
When my ancestors came here through Ellis Island, among the criteria they had to fulfill was: be able to read, have a sponsor and a local address, be disease free (so much so that my great-grandmother was turned back to Hungary because of a "mouth boil," leaving her husband and child here, never to see them again). That was for starters. Quit with the romantic notions.
16
I urge readers to look up facts as they consider their comments on refugees. A very good source on the internet is the Migration Information Service website. It explains the history and provides statistics on the U.S. program for Refugees and Asylees.
Regarding the Refugee numbers, there is a ceiling of 70,000 refugees per year. In recent years, the largest blocks of refugees have been admitted from Burma, Iraq, Somalia, Congo, Bhutan and Iran. As for Syria, the highest number of Syrian refugees was in 2015 (only 1,682 refugees); however, it is Syria that the Obama administration has proposed an increase to a maximum of 10,000 refugees in 2016, part of an overall proposed ceiling increase from 70,000 to 85,000 refugees. Regarding Central America, there have been only minimal numbers of refugees, under 1,000 per year as the NYT article reports.
That's it on refugees.
Regarding the Refugee numbers, there is a ceiling of 70,000 refugees per year. In recent years, the largest blocks of refugees have been admitted from Burma, Iraq, Somalia, Congo, Bhutan and Iran. As for Syria, the highest number of Syrian refugees was in 2015 (only 1,682 refugees); however, it is Syria that the Obama administration has proposed an increase to a maximum of 10,000 refugees in 2016, part of an overall proposed ceiling increase from 70,000 to 85,000 refugees. Regarding Central America, there have been only minimal numbers of refugees, under 1,000 per year as the NYT article reports.
That's it on refugees.
11
I wish that the NYT and those people who submit comments would be more specific when discussing "refugees" or "immigrants". The are "legal refugees" and "illegal ones. There are "legal immigrants" such as my ancestors and yours, and there are "illegal immigrants". Both classes of either group should not be treated the same - some are lawbreakers.
19
And limits could never, ever change if a Democratic President writes himself a new law? Remember, he has a pen and he's willing to use it.
3
Because they just come illegally anyway from south of the border.
3
The chances of this happening are about as good as Paul Simon's were singing Bridge over Troubled Waters on-key last night.
15
We need to stop pretending like a global moral watchdog and take care of our own problems first. One thing I like about Trump is that he is honest about this aspect. A Clinton presidency could mean more global policing, interventions and more self inflicted obligations. I wish we had a viable third candidate who would desist to be a hate monger like Trump or a Global nanny that HRC wishes to be. I wish us a better luck in 2020.
55
Trump is neither a hate monger or racist. He just has unusual ways of expressing his policies. You have several third parties to choose from, please do so.
13
"Unusual ways"? Please define specifically how these are different from hate mongering, divisive, disrespectful, and racist.
3
Another reason Trump will get my vote.
53
This is sheer madness. Is there no one in the current administration who has a modicum of common sense?
93
For some strange reason, they are not being resettled on Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, Palm Beach, Aspen, and within the thousands of exclusive gated communities. Gee, I wonder why. And wasn't NAFTA supposed to bolster these countries, providing enormous employment gains? Failure after failure with zero accountability and proposals for more of the same.
30
Poor American kids will be going to bed hungry tonight in Wheeling and Tupelo and Las Cruces, in East Cleveland and Hoboken, in Valdosta and San Bernardino. When are the American people going to be the priority of the U.S. government?
105
Not until the current resident of the White House lives elsewhere, and his chosen successor fails in her attempt to seize power... Enough is not just enough, it is way, way too much!
23
Sorry, no help for those kids or their parents, they are no longer a priority.
16
When are poor kids going to be the priority of their parents? Poor kids going to bed hungry is not the fault of the US Government but "parents" who have sex for kicks and then have babies that they can't afford or worse, have no idea how to raise. These same "parents" have never finished high school, have no marketable skills and then moan that Obama has dissed them. At least the Mexicans and Central Americans know how to work for a living even though they are short changed by their GOP employers. A good education costs nothing in the USA through grade 12. But people, dysfunctional people, find it easier to live off the government, sell drugs, run prostitutes rather than do homework and strive to be like Barak and Michelle Obama!
5
The U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act defines refugee as a person who is unable or unwilling to return to his or her home country because of a “well-founded fear of persecution” due to race, membership in a particular social group, political opinion, religion, or national origin. Few Central American migrants would fit this description unless you count membership in drug gangs such as MS-13 or M-18 as membership in a social group.
52
Why don't we just take over all of Central America, make them a Commonwealth a la Puerto Rico, bestow upon them American citizenship and let them all move North!
17
He probably figures he came here legally, and others should to. Perish the thought; obeying the law!
5
Good idea. Then folks here already can all move south...
The US has not been a benevolent bystander to the Central American refugee crisis.
Perhaps North Americans have historical amnesia but we in the region remember. The 20th century began with US-sponsored gunboat diplomacy. It was followed by: the severing of Panama from Colombia to build a trans-oceanic canal; the long occupation of Nicaragua by US troops and the creation of a brutal National Guard to govern when they departed; the overthrow of reformist democrats such as Jacobo Arbenz in Guatemala in the 1950s; the horrific civil wars and genocide of the 1970s-90s; and finally the gross negligence and disastrous US deportation policies that fostered the rise of gangs and drug cartels in recent decades, largely fueled by the US's illegal drug consumption habit.
Those who claim that the US cannot "solve all the world's problems" should first look at the US's responsibility in creating those problems.
Beyond political responsibility, the United States has a legal obligation to temporarily admit those refugees fleeing violence who have legitimate asylum claims. Admitted refugees must go through the formal process of screening and applying for asylum and must prove that they are being persecuted and are at risk.
For the US to return legitimate asylum seekers back to countries where they likely will face imminent harm is the very antithesis of the US claim to be an exemplar of democracy and the rule of law. The Obama Administration's actions this week recognize this.
Perhaps North Americans have historical amnesia but we in the region remember. The 20th century began with US-sponsored gunboat diplomacy. It was followed by: the severing of Panama from Colombia to build a trans-oceanic canal; the long occupation of Nicaragua by US troops and the creation of a brutal National Guard to govern when they departed; the overthrow of reformist democrats such as Jacobo Arbenz in Guatemala in the 1950s; the horrific civil wars and genocide of the 1970s-90s; and finally the gross negligence and disastrous US deportation policies that fostered the rise of gangs and drug cartels in recent decades, largely fueled by the US's illegal drug consumption habit.
Those who claim that the US cannot "solve all the world's problems" should first look at the US's responsibility in creating those problems.
Beyond political responsibility, the United States has a legal obligation to temporarily admit those refugees fleeing violence who have legitimate asylum claims. Admitted refugees must go through the formal process of screening and applying for asylum and must prove that they are being persecuted and are at risk.
For the US to return legitimate asylum seekers back to countries where they likely will face imminent harm is the very antithesis of the US claim to be an exemplar of democracy and the rule of law. The Obama Administration's actions this week recognize this.
30
Ask Panamanians today if they would prefer living in any other central American country. The U.S. left Panama much better than it found it, beginning with the eradication of malaria and ending with a functioning democracy. Panama broke from Columbia because Columbia treated it like the red-headed step child. It has been richly rewarded for its decision. No one in Panama would vote to return to Columbia today. No one.
4
U.S. foreign policy and interventionism is just a specious scapegoat for the problems of these Central American nations--problems which are of their own making or are the byproduct of complex internal factors that basically center around lack of economic development.
By your logic German, Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam--are of which were leveled by American bombs during the 20th century--should be fairing rather poorly now. And presumably Cuba and Venezuela should be prospering free from the corrupting influence of Uncle Sam.
In reality, close economic, military and geopolitical ties with the U.S. is correlated with increased prosperity.
But even assuming that the U.S. is somehow ultimately responsible for all the bad things that have ever happened in Central America, that is not a convincing justification to open the floodgates to abusers of refugee status. I can think of a series of more attractive policy options that would actually help development in these countries (importing their people to the U.S. isn't really the way to do it).
By your logic German, Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam--are of which were leveled by American bombs during the 20th century--should be fairing rather poorly now. And presumably Cuba and Venezuela should be prospering free from the corrupting influence of Uncle Sam.
In reality, close economic, military and geopolitical ties with the U.S. is correlated with increased prosperity.
But even assuming that the U.S. is somehow ultimately responsible for all the bad things that have ever happened in Central America, that is not a convincing justification to open the floodgates to abusers of refugee status. I can think of a series of more attractive policy options that would actually help development in these countries (importing their people to the U.S. isn't really the way to do it).
11
I doubt that few, if any, people in our government can tell us how many of these so-called "refugees" have gone "through the formal process of screening and applying for asylum". Such screenings and applying and proving that they are being persecuted usually takes several years. The groups mentioned here have not been in the US long enough to complete such actions....
6
Over 600? Wow, knock me over with a feather. If you include their families, why that might put the number into the low thousands. While the NYT trumpets this initiative, at the same time it recently called the Europeans "shameful" when the latter are taking in tens of thousands of refugees. More hypocrisy from the NYT.
15
The United States resettles more refugees than any other country. In addition, we have absorbed about 11 million migrants we call illegal, undocumented or unauthorized immigrants. The United States also takes in more permanent legal immigrant than all other developed nations combined.
http://immigrationpolicy.org/just-facts/refugees-fact-sheet
http://immigrationpolicy.org/just-facts/refugees-fact-sheet
8
How's it working out with all the refugees and immigrants and their children in France?
19
There should be an embargo of anyone from Latin America or South America until w e figure out more about how Zika is transmitted and how to fix it from happening. Until then this is a global health disaster in the making. And only the really poor people from these countries will be the ones suffering so it's really not "compassionate" to allow them in.
23
I voted for Obama, and I will vote for Hillary, but moves like this are why we are likely to lose the election. Increased immigration in tandem with these random terror attacks is the catnip that Trump wants and needs to win the election. Immigration is the Dem's blind spot, just like reasonable gun control is for Republicans. If both sides could give in a little and make progress on both those issues, maybe things wouldn't be quite so manic.
47
So just why do you vote for people who you have massive disagreements in policy with? You vote the party first or your country?
7
Why on earth would you continue to vote for people whose policies are not ones you favor? Isn't the good of the country more important than party loyalty?
I'm confused: is this another Obama Executive Order, or is going to follow USA law this time?
38
The U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act defines refugee as a person who is unable or unwilling to return to his or her home country because of a “well-founded fear of persecution” due to race, membership in a particular social group, political opinion, religion, or national origin. Few Central American migrants would fit this description unless you count membership in drug gangs such as MS-13 or M-18b as membership in a social group.
10
Do tell us how executive orders don't "follow USA law." We eagerly await.
America is going to end up like France or Germany with Daily attacks on the population.
At least Americans can hold firearms to defend yourselves
At least Americans can hold firearms to defend yourselves
37
The Second Amendment will be the first casualty of a Clinton presidency. She has announced her intention to destroy the NRA and has been quoted as favoring an "Australian style gun confiscation" program.
There are tens of millions of licensed hunters in the United States and five times that number of legal gun owners. One can only hope that they are paying attention to the dangers posed by the likes of Clinton and the corrupt Dianne Feinstein.
There are tens of millions of licensed hunters in the United States and five times that number of legal gun owners. One can only hope that they are paying attention to the dangers posed by the likes of Clinton and the corrupt Dianne Feinstein.
4
Yes, it will end up like France or Germany, but if you're sensible enough to make that divination, you'll also rethink the guarantee to firearms. With all the accelerating turmoil, a legitimate concern going around in circles now is a scenario bad enough to lead to enactment of Martial Law. I know many people firsthand, in fact, whom are concerned about impending war.
What liberals fail to understand is that by allowing millions of people into the country illegally, they have succeeded in diminishing the public's aptitude toward helping those who are truly in need of assistance.
The real "privileged" among us are those who are disconnected from economic pressures associated with rampant illegal immigration. If you have a college degree, then you probably don't work with your hands for a living. You're not a dishwasher, landscaper, or construction worker. No one in your social circle is either. You're surrounded by other "privileged" people, and so you assume everyone who looks like you must be privileged as well. So why not just let in hardworking people from Mexico/Central America? Only xenophobes would object to that, right?
Those who lack college degrees are left to compete with each other, and with undocumented immigrants, and it shouldn't come as a surprise when their attitudes about economic competition are expressed through charged, often racist, language. But college-educated whites don't know any non-college educated whites, and the worst thing in the world for them is to hear the coarse language of the lower classes. But to be privileged is to need to be patient, generous. We must listen to those struggling and not dismiss their concerns out of hand. That means having to look for a charitable means of interpreting ugly language.
When bleeding hearts sour public opinion on immigration, the losers will be these refugees.
The real "privileged" among us are those who are disconnected from economic pressures associated with rampant illegal immigration. If you have a college degree, then you probably don't work with your hands for a living. You're not a dishwasher, landscaper, or construction worker. No one in your social circle is either. You're surrounded by other "privileged" people, and so you assume everyone who looks like you must be privileged as well. So why not just let in hardworking people from Mexico/Central America? Only xenophobes would object to that, right?
Those who lack college degrees are left to compete with each other, and with undocumented immigrants, and it shouldn't come as a surprise when their attitudes about economic competition are expressed through charged, often racist, language. But college-educated whites don't know any non-college educated whites, and the worst thing in the world for them is to hear the coarse language of the lower classes. But to be privileged is to need to be patient, generous. We must listen to those struggling and not dismiss their concerns out of hand. That means having to look for a charitable means of interpreting ugly language.
When bleeding hearts sour public opinion on immigration, the losers will be these refugees.
73
You're mistaken to assume this is a "liberal" thing. Many employers are very happy to have lots of undocumented immigrants or low skilled legal immigrants who will work for peanuts without complaint.
36
Agreed, Mama. And the reason for that? Well, there are folks who have never had to work to survive, and don't care to start now...
13
I completely agree that business interests on the right are looking to exploit cheap labor. They love the current gridlock on this issue, because it ensures nothing will be done about it. The left hurts its own cause, though, when it labels any attempt at controlling immigration levels as being "anti" immigrant or xenophobic. If you want to help the working poor, don't keep flooding communities with low-skill labor. If I come illegally enter a country where I can't speak the common tongue, I am necessarily limiting the types of employment I can expect for myself. And it just so happens, those are mostly jobs where people with a high school education or lower - poor whites, blacks, and other latinos - are probably trying to get. The liberal position on this needs to be smarter, more coherent. By making reasonable compromises and concessions on immigration, we can cut off support to the Donald Trumps and Brexiters of the world, and make sure that the generosity of the US will be extended to those who really need it.
4
I came to this country and claimed asylum and after 2 years of FBI checks and through investigation of my claim was granted Asylum according to the international and US immigration laws of fleeing production.
I hate to see this administration using it callously as a political football to rally against the republicans, in doing so jeprodisring the lives of people who are dependent on the shelter it has provided for generations.
Instead the president needs to take all Americans including republicans into confidence about their concerns about background checks.
Imposing something without explaining and addressing concerns will only make people very angry and lead to a dangerous precedence of partisan content.
I hate to see this administration using it callously as a political football to rally against the republicans, in doing so jeprodisring the lives of people who are dependent on the shelter it has provided for generations.
Instead the president needs to take all Americans including republicans into confidence about their concerns about background checks.
Imposing something without explaining and addressing concerns will only make people very angry and lead to a dangerous precedence of partisan content.
58
"I hate to see this administration using it callously as a political football..."
BBD, the current POTUS is focused on one thing: his legacy... He cares not one whit about what the vast majority of our fellow citizens think about open borders. He is still just a "community organizer," but on a grander scale... And the neighborhood is way too big for him to handle...
BBD, the current POTUS is focused on one thing: his legacy... He cares not one whit about what the vast majority of our fellow citizens think about open borders. He is still just a "community organizer," but on a grander scale... And the neighborhood is way too big for him to handle...
Central American Homicide rates are astronomical due to gang warfare. Most of the casualties are gang members. The U.S. State Department estimates that there may be 85,000 Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and Eighteenth Street Gang (M-18) gang in the northern triangle countries (El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras). The United States and neighboring countries can best reduce Central American violence by granting asylum only to Central Americans who can prove they are M-13 or M-18 gang members fleeing police or retribution from rival gang members while denying entry to law-abiding Central Americans. MS-13 and M-18 chapters already operating in U.S. cities could absorb many of the refugee gang members. Stripping Central American countries of their nonviolent residents wouldn’t reduce violence; it would just make Central Americans who remain more fearful.
8
I have just read of 2 murders in this area by recent Central America refugees who became a part of the MS-13 gangs. This needs to stop.
35
It's not only Donald Trump and Republicans who are against this invasion. Democrats will be responsible for the election of Trump. Can't they understand that Americans are fed up with massive immigration. So, on top of illegal migrants, let's welcome even more people that will dilute an electorate that would not be favorable to Democrats. There will be a backlash, so if the authorities are trying to sensitize us in accepting more migrants, this will have the opposite effect.
People also fear for their security more than ever. What assurance that we are not importing even more problems.
The government should start by accelerating deportations and put a stop to the nonsense that is sanctuaries.
People also fear for their security more than ever. What assurance that we are not importing even more problems.
The government should start by accelerating deportations and put a stop to the nonsense that is sanctuaries.
57
Mr. Case has a good sense of humor; reduce gang violence in Central America by admitting all the gang members into the United States! Ask folks in Los Angeles if there are ready for even more of these drug dealing killers in their city. By folks, I don't mean the Democratic politicians who have ruined that once wonderful state, but the ordinary residents who are the victims of all that violence.
14
Obama has already let millions get in during his two terms, why should he stop now?
49
Well, he should also be given credit for the millions he has had deported.......
or at least turned away at the border.
3
After serious consideration, I think this is the right thing to do, for all of us.
8
@ ChesBay
How is importing Latin American generational poverty "the right thing to do, for all of us"?
We need more people on welfare?
How is importing Latin American generational poverty "the right thing to do, for all of us"?
We need more people on welfare?
47
Really? And your credentials, please?
5
Sarcasm...
Wait a second. We have 12 MILLION plus illegals already in the country from Mexico/Central America, and the Dems want to admit even more?!?
I have a lot of sympathy for those people, but at some point we have to look after ourselves. We all call for a "livable wage" but how are we supposed to get that with all these illegal and low-skill immigrants continuing to flood here?
It's simple supply and demand. If we don't have MILLIONS of low-skill foreign workers here, we'll have naturally higher wages for American workers.
Time to put America First.
I have a lot of sympathy for those people, but at some point we have to look after ourselves. We all call for a "livable wage" but how are we supposed to get that with all these illegal and low-skill immigrants continuing to flood here?
It's simple supply and demand. If we don't have MILLIONS of low-skill foreign workers here, we'll have naturally higher wages for American workers.
Time to put America First.
135
"It's simple supply and demand. If we don't have MILLIONS of low-skill foreign workers here, we'll have naturally higher wages for American workers."
You weren't supposed to figure this out. You're supposed to vote for Democrats because they will increase the minimum wage, but they don't want you to know that the Republicans are actually right about the minimum wage. That is it wouldn't be necessary if the government wasn't letting in so many legal and illegal immigrants (I don't think we should get rid of it and do think it should be increased, but they are right). Of course the Democrats make fun of this all while letting in ever increasing numbers of immigrants and giving out more work visas to people that couldn't previously get them.
You weren't supposed to figure this out. You're supposed to vote for Democrats because they will increase the minimum wage, but they don't want you to know that the Republicans are actually right about the minimum wage. That is it wouldn't be necessary if the government wasn't letting in so many legal and illegal immigrants (I don't think we should get rid of it and do think it should be increased, but they are right). Of course the Democrats make fun of this all while letting in ever increasing numbers of immigrants and giving out more work visas to people that couldn't previously get them.
6
If the Democrats believed in a sensible immigration policy, Trump would have never gained traction.
How about something along the lines of an "assimilation pause", given that we are at an all time high number of immigrants living in the U.S.
I can't imagine many people actually believe it serves our nation's best interests to permanently resettle as many Central American refugees here as possible. If we have to shelter some families temporarily, fine (or how about in one of the safe countries in between here and there?). But they need to go back once the danger passes. Only these immigrant rights special interest groups back this kind of permanent resettlement for the benefit of the few and the expense of the many.
How about something along the lines of an "assimilation pause", given that we are at an all time high number of immigrants living in the U.S.
I can't imagine many people actually believe it serves our nation's best interests to permanently resettle as many Central American refugees here as possible. If we have to shelter some families temporarily, fine (or how about in one of the safe countries in between here and there?). But they need to go back once the danger passes. Only these immigrant rights special interest groups back this kind of permanent resettlement for the benefit of the few and the expense of the many.
112
Mexico does not admit these Central American immigrants. It lets them go through to our border or turns them back. Mexico is talking about a wall on its southern border and we want to admit more of these people?
81
Each immigrant the U.S. brings into this country competes for limited housing in our major cities, adding to the stress of city living amid soaring rents, stagnant wages and rising properties prices. The U.S. should construct a home for each of these newcomers instead of pretending that the marketplace will correct itself. NIMBYism, zoning restrictions, corrupt planning departments, the Federal Reserves’ policy of easy money, the half-million dollars tax-free status of capital gains from the sale of a house, all conspire to create housing bubbles and make life miserable for the mass of renters, most of whom live in cities. Our government adds to that stress for the purpose of promoting our free market ideology. It’s a hidden tax imposed on the rest of us to promote capitalism. There are no more native Americans to kill off and no more “stolen” free land to give away, so let’s dispense with the mythology of American exceptionalism created by a land of immigrants.
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Some sad little commenters with little sympathy. It might help for you to remember that in all likelihood your ancestors were poor, and came to the US for the opportunity, just like these people today. If your ancestors were well off, they would not have left where they were. The diversity and energy of the US is directly tied to the immigrants that make up this nation.
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If I saw the same level of assimilation that my ancestor's embraced, I could agree with you.
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I don't know about you, Ed, but my ancestors came here through the LEGAL established laws we have regarding immigration. Many, if not most of these groups entered the US illegally. And the US Code specifically states that such entry is a "federal offense".......
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Was there welfare back then? Section 8? Medicaid? Food stamps?
You know, all those things refugees know to demand as soon as they hit our shores?
You know, all those things refugees know to demand as soon as they hit our shores?
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Why limit the expansion of this program to only Central American nations? Surely there are deserving refugees in South America and the Caribbean? Don't the millions of people in the rest of the Western Hemisphere have what Amy Pope labels "legitimate refugee claims"? Where is the human compassion that the Democrats so loudly claim to possess In abundance?
I'm assuming that since there must be so many vacant rooms in his new multi-bedroom 8,200 square foot mansion that President Obama will be encouraging many of these refugees to take up residence with him. After all, he surely would never ask the rest of us to do what he would not personally do himself. Welcome to the neighborhood.
I'm assuming that since there must be so many vacant rooms in his new multi-bedroom 8,200 square foot mansion that President Obama will be encouraging many of these refugees to take up residence with him. After all, he surely would never ask the rest of us to do what he would not personally do himself. Welcome to the neighborhood.
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ChesBay, You still haven't told us how many of these folks you and your neighbors are willing to welcome into your community.
Well, what is your answer? How about including your address so they will be able to find shelter in your welcoming embrace?
Well, what is your answer? How about including your address so they will be able to find shelter in your welcoming embrace?
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If Trump wins this election it will be because of the growing outrage over lack of reasonable immigration laws.
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Trump will win, and win big, because the people who make this country work are sick and tired of watching it turned to ruin by the people who have done little except play victim and hold their hands out while crying "more, more!"
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There are reasonable immigration laws. They just aren't being enforced.
The president's idea of immigration reform is everybody who wants to can just come in at will. The people through their congressional representatives will never allow this.
The president's idea of immigration reform is everybody who wants to can just come in at will. The people through their congressional representatives will never allow this.
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I am a human rights lawyer. Seems to me that many people are closing their hearts and minds to people who come from Latin America seeking protection from persecution based solely on where they were born. There is no basis for this in American refugee law. Since 2011, each United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has spoken boldly about the appalling and widespread targeted violence that is happening in the Northern Triangle (look it up if you haven't heard of it). It's simply untrue that Central Americans cannot be refugees - defined as those who have suffered targeted persecution based on protected grounds. Not everyone fleeing violence from this area can be rightly swept under the rug of "economic migrants " and shunned. Before closing your hearts and minds to vulnerable people fleeing extreme violence, America, please do a little research about the true nature of the conditions there.
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If you're a human rights lawyer, how do you distinguish the most commonly claimed situations by this migrants (ineffectual or corrupt central governments and fear of widespread criminal gangs who target anybody they can without regard to any particular enumerated grounds) from controlling law like Matter of Elias-Zacarias and cases that follow it, which indicate that widespread general strife faced by many does not constitute grounds for refugee status?
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Where does it end? Do we throw our borders open to anyone from a country with high violence? Europe did.. not working out so well for them.
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I have extensive criminal justice experience with El Salvadorians. As a rule, they gather in dysfunctional neighborhoods (one can't call them communities) that do not cooperate with governmental process like paying taxes, answering the Census, involvement in education or participating in elections and they are dominated by violent gangs. Because people come from failed states where secondary public education is unavailable, they are usually illiterate in their own language, lack basic basic knowledge of the sciences and mathematics and little concept of American governmental institutions and social structures. As you say, not everyone fleeing violence from this area can be swept under the rug, but allowing immigration from this region abandons basic responsibility to American citizens. In Boston, our hospitals, schools and prisons are overwhelmed by Latin American illegal migrants with no end in sight. Under-the-table employment is now the norm for all in the service economy. If you are a working class person, this wave of immigration compromises your access to medical care, your children's education and your personal safety. So let's look to our own first before accepting people out of charity we can ill afford.
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May all of Central America be permitted to immigrate to the US. The benefits to the US would be beyond measurement!
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If they all come here, we can all go there. Problem solved...
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So we'd be just like the places they are fleeing from...
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Precisely, Blue. That's exactly what will happen to us... One big multicultural, balkanized potpourri of humanity. An unproductive and ungovernable mess... Welcome to Timesian the home of the feckless who rave...
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The people most likely to be fleeing Central American gangs are members of rival gangs. All these gangs began in the US, and coming to the US will not ensure protection from them. So asylum in the US to avoid the gangs makes no sense. So does extending refugee status based on domestic violence, as if a domestic abuser could make an entire country unsafe, yet would be unable to come to the US as a fellow purported refugee. All of these countries have very high violent crime rates, but all of them are democracies of one sort or another. They produce no true refugees in the sense the word is usually understood.
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A few I assume are gang members but not every single one. The gang culture initiated in California and was exported to Central America by late 80s.
By the way, Refugees will come legally. It isn't what you guys want/like ?
By the way, Refugees will come legally. It isn't what you guys want/like ?
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Sorry, but gangs existed in Central America LONG before they populated our prisons. This is liberal pablum that really needs some intelligence applied to it.
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The gangs were formed in American prisons, that is a fact.
They might not have this problem if St. Ronnie didn't fund death squads there.
They might not have this problem if St. Ronnie didn't fund death squads there.
Wait !!! Am I missing something here ?
Why does everyone feel we need to admit more poor people without skills?
Lets shore up the home front and see to the needs of those already here and already in need. Charity begins at home.
Why does everyone feel we need to admit more poor people without skills?
Lets shore up the home front and see to the needs of those already here and already in need. Charity begins at home.
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We can do both. Vote Democratic.
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Wrong, Hillary like Obama is an open border advocate. And, like him she doesn't care about the everyday American citizen. Trump may seem overly direct, but he is the one candidate who really cares for this country.
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This is why Trump wins the election. We can't solve everything. Even Bill Clinton said, to be strong abroad, we must be strong at home.
Strengthen here first. There are poor Americans in need of our help.
Strengthen here first. There are poor Americans in need of our help.
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Why do Central American refugees from Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala have to come to the United States, which is 1,500 miles from Central America? It’s not as if cartel hitmen are chasing tens of thousands of refugees across Mexico to the banks of the Rio Grande. Why not dispersed them among neighboring countries, including Mexico, Belize, Nicaragua, Costa Rico and Panama? South America is also closer than Rio Grande.
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William--good point. Not unlike our desire to see Syrian refugees safely housed closer to their home country
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More republican foreign policy coming home to roost.
Just as Reagan's megalomania, and billions of dollars, produced the slaughter of Salvadorean death squads, the genocide of the Guatemalan Maya's, the illegal funding of the Nicaraguan Contra's, Boy George's inspired Charge of The Fools Brigade into Iraq gave al Qaida an opening in Iraq where none existed under Saddam, where they changed their name to ISIL and are now destabilizing Iraq, Syria, Libya and beyond.
The other two qualities Reagan and Bush share, beyond being inept and ignorant in foreign affairs, both were guy cheerleaders, at Eureka College and Andover Prep, and both dodged going to war personally. Reagan, using the studios influence spent WW II, the Big One, swanning around Hollywood. oy George, using daddy's influence hid out in the national guard.
Today we have tough talking belligerent, swaggering, pretender to Commander in Chief Trump who demonstrated his courage and patriotism early, in one fell swoop, by dodging the Viet Nam draft.
Just as Reagan's megalomania, and billions of dollars, produced the slaughter of Salvadorean death squads, the genocide of the Guatemalan Maya's, the illegal funding of the Nicaraguan Contra's, Boy George's inspired Charge of The Fools Brigade into Iraq gave al Qaida an opening in Iraq where none existed under Saddam, where they changed their name to ISIL and are now destabilizing Iraq, Syria, Libya and beyond.
The other two qualities Reagan and Bush share, beyond being inept and ignorant in foreign affairs, both were guy cheerleaders, at Eureka College and Andover Prep, and both dodged going to war personally. Reagan, using the studios influence spent WW II, the Big One, swanning around Hollywood. oy George, using daddy's influence hid out in the national guard.
Today we have tough talking belligerent, swaggering, pretender to Commander in Chief Trump who demonstrated his courage and patriotism early, in one fell swoop, by dodging the Viet Nam draft.
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All the things you mention are irrelevant. These countries have never thrown off their medieval feudal system of land ownership and that is at the root of these failed societies.
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craig geary, are you aware that is was Clinton who, as Obama's Secretary of State, persuaded him to enact a No Fly Zone over Libya to depose Qaddafi? Our doing away with Qaddafi allowed ISIS to take over more of Libya than it already held.
Clinton was also the one who encouraged Obama to train and arm so-called "moderate" rebels in Syria. Many of these "moderates" are now fighting with the Islamic extremists such as the Al Qaeda faction, the Nusra Front. None-the-less, Clinton wants Obama to enact a No Fly Zone over Syria to depose Assad. Our doing away with Assad would open more of Syria to Islamic extremists than they already hold.
Hillary Clinton is a neo-conservative.
Trump, in contrast, does not want us to intervene in the unrest and civil wars of every country around the world.
Clinton was also the one who encouraged Obama to train and arm so-called "moderate" rebels in Syria. Many of these "moderates" are now fighting with the Islamic extremists such as the Al Qaeda faction, the Nusra Front. None-the-less, Clinton wants Obama to enact a No Fly Zone over Syria to depose Assad. Our doing away with Assad would open more of Syria to Islamic extremists than they already hold.
Hillary Clinton is a neo-conservative.
Trump, in contrast, does not want us to intervene in the unrest and civil wars of every country around the world.
2
Soon US will become Central America, I guess it is already based on the levels of violence in the neighborhoods populated by Central Americans and plane Americans.
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No doubt, though, the "plane Americans" have already booked their flights out.
7
So you're saying that violence is unique to Central Americans, but not unique to white Americans who belong to the country of presumptive war.
So many countries that we have destroyed through propping up military dictatorships, overthrowing governments, and engaging preemptive war. And you want to comment on CENTRAL AMERICA?
So many countries that we have destroyed through propping up military dictatorships, overthrowing governments, and engaging preemptive war. And you want to comment on CENTRAL AMERICA?
1
And you served when, what unit, and where? Never, none, and nowhere would be my guess...
2
Common sense dictates an immediate end to admitting "refugees" which are usually economic opportunists. Once again the clown in the WH kowtows to the open borders ilk. Instead of admitting more how about taking care of Americans first.
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You hit it on the mark, the man in the WH doesn't have common sense, he was a "community organizer" & never had to live in the America that he has gone about destroying—now will anyone care or continue playing Pokemon as they load up on some heroin that dulls the pain of having no future in the USA under Hillary Clinton & Bill's WH Global Foundation?
22
Please note that this administration has redefined "deportation" as used for statistics. They now count turnarounds at the border as deportations, not just persons removed from the interior after a deportation hearing. If you count only those that would have been called deportations in prior administrations, the deportation rate has plummeted.
3
Once again Obama damages the US by flooding it with people from Central AMerica. Are they truly fleeing for their life, or are they economic refugees looking for a better life in the US living off taxpayer benefits.
We should not give them citizenship. Why does Obama pull this sort of trick behind our back. How about asking American how they feel about a flood of central American spongers.
Why don't we set up a refugee camp in MExico for them and keep them until they can go back to their own country. Why do we have to let them into the US. Obama has never seen a potential benefit stealer who will live off the taxpayer for his life. Will they ever go back home.?
This is why we need to elect Trump. He will deal with this problem so that they won't be coming to the US. Obama does not care about the US he is more interested in bringing unwanted people to this country where they kill us and steal from us. I can wait til his last day in office and pray he does not do more damage to the country.
We should not give them citizenship. Why does Obama pull this sort of trick behind our back. How about asking American how they feel about a flood of central American spongers.
Why don't we set up a refugee camp in MExico for them and keep them until they can go back to their own country. Why do we have to let them into the US. Obama has never seen a potential benefit stealer who will live off the taxpayer for his life. Will they ever go back home.?
This is why we need to elect Trump. He will deal with this problem so that they won't be coming to the US. Obama does not care about the US he is more interested in bringing unwanted people to this country where they kill us and steal from us. I can wait til his last day in office and pray he does not do more damage to the country.
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Stop now. We can't absorb everyone. We can't solve all the problems of the poor in the world.
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I totally agree. We should make it as hard for labor to move across borders as we make capital virtually impossible to move across borders. After all, the two go hand in hand. Do I have it right?
Another instance in which Obama is bowing to interest group pressure!
Would it be too much to ask of our President to state clearly what the immigration policy of the country is or should be? We have immigration laws but nobody - least of all the President - seems to want to uphold them. So, let's have an open border and eliminate all the issues about legal or undocumented/illegal immigrants!
Would it be too much to ask of our President to state clearly what the immigration policy of the country is or should be? We have immigration laws but nobody - least of all the President - seems to want to uphold them. So, let's have an open border and eliminate all the issues about legal or undocumented/illegal immigrants!
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"Refugee" is a very specifically defined term of art in international law and U.S. immigration law. I wish the NYT would stop using it willy-nilly without explanation or defining its terms to refer to all sorts of migrants, many of whom are not refugees as understood by the Refugee Convention and other laws. I can't even tell from this article whether or not you are talking about convention refugees.
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Exactly.
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And 'refugee' status is supposed to be temporary. Any guesses on how that works out in reality?
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Time for new leadership.
9