Patterico's Pontifications

4/18/2013

Sowell on Illegal Immigration

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 6:45 am



This column is gold from start to finish. I can’t possibly excerpt it and do it justice. Here are a couple of quotes:

Most laws are meant to stop people from doing something, and to penalize those who disregard those laws. More generally, laws are meant to protect the society from the law breakers.

But our immigration laws are different. Here the whole focus is on the “plight” of those who have broken the laws, and on what can be done to lift the stigma and ease the pressures they feel, so that they can “come out of the shadows” and “normalize” their lives.

Merely using the word “illegal” to describe their breaking the law is considered to be a sign of mean-spiritedness, if not racism. The Associated Press refuses to let their reporters refer to people who sneaked across the border into this country, in violation of American immigration laws, as “illegal immigrants.”

On the other hand, if an ordinary American citizen breaks a law, no one cares if he has to live in fear for years — “in the shadows,” as it were — worrying that his illegal act will be discovered and punished. No one bothers to come up with euphemisms to keep from calling what he did illegal.

Read it all.

90 Responses to “Sowell on Illegal Immigration”

  1. the fact that Roobs doesn’t reject the seedy backroom sleazy process our whore senate is using to ram this bill through – this alone shows him unfit to be anything but the filthy little senatorslut he is

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  2. What should American immigration policy be? It doesn’t matter what any of us think that policy should be if the borders are not secure, because whoever wants to come across that border will come across anyway, in defiance of whatever the policy might be.

    roobs needs to write this on the chalkboard like a thousand times

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  3. Says Thomas Sowell:

    What should American immigration policy be? It doesn’t matter what any of us think that policy should be if the borders are not secure, because whoever wants to come across that border will come across anyway, in defiance of whatever the policy might be.

    Mr Sowell is not in touch with reality:

    * It is virtually impossible to seal our border;

    * Moreover, as long as there are jobs which Americans refuse to do, there will be oursiders who find a way to cross the border, and there will be Americans who will gladly take the risks to hire them;

    * Cheap illegal labor will continue to be tolerated, because the fruits of their labors enrich their bosses while simultaneously keeping costs and prices low.

    Thus, the reality is that there absolutely is no solution to our immigration problem. Thus we should continue the guest labor program, assimilate their children as bona fide legal citizens, and provide a path to citizenship for these hard working people.

    And let us not forget, we took land away from the forebears of these people 160 or so years ago.

    Mr Sowell and those like him are frozen by their absolutist religion-like ideology, thus unable to generate practical solutions to our problems.

    These are the types who prevent our government from functioning, even on important issues like gun control for which even background check legislation, for example, cannot be passed even though 90% of Americans want it.

    For some time now this minority have succeeded in imposing a 60% voting majority requirement in the US Senate in order to enact needed legislation.

    Rule by the minority, that’s what we have.

    This is where we are folks, and I am very angry about it!

    Perry (d7a158)

  4. for the amount of money food stamp pissed away with his silly stimulus, we could’ve had a secure border and a lot of other nifty infrastructure besides

    (provided they got rid of the requirement to use piggy piggy union whore fatasses)

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  5. We’re all highly, HIGHLY impressed by your anger, Perry. If only humanity could measure up to the standards of enlightened greatness which you obviously believe that you embody we might have hope.

    Jack Klompus (2b072c)

  6. Mr Sowell is not in touch with reality:
    * It is virtually impossible to seal our border;

    Therefore we shouldn’t even try. Why bother with immigration law at all?!

    * Moreover, as long as there are jobs which Americans refuse to do

    Leftist pablum

    Mr Sowell and those like him are frozen by their absolutist religion-like ideology, thus unable to generate practical solutions to our problems.

    Like Obama, perry believes the only reasonable and practical solutions are leftist solutions.

    for example, cannot be passed even though 90% of Americans want it.

    Lie

    Rule by the minority, that’s what we have.
    This is where we are folks, and I am very angry about it!

    Are you going to stomp your feet and brow a temper tantrum like Obama did yesterday?

    Watch out people. Perry is angry!!!!!!

    JD (f6c1a6)

  7. “And let us not forget, we took land away from the forebears of these people 160 or so years ago.”
    Well I suggest you get right on it and start giving back, oh caring decent soul and ally of the oppressed. Do you actually think your lecturing, self-righteous tone is going to garner anything other than mocking ridicule?

    Jack Klompus (2b072c)

  8. Perry reminds me of the silly un-showered white twits that would hand out flyers in West Philly for the Uhuru Solidarity Movement. “Please, black man, please love me!”

    Jack Klompus (2b072c)

  9. And let us not forget, we took land away from the forebears of these people 160 or so years ago.

    Perry, thank you for giving us a peek behind the mask.

    beer 'n pretzels (6ef50f)

  10. Jack Klompus just wrote:

    Do you actually think your lecturing, self-righteous tone is going to garner anything other than mocking ridicule?

    Perry reminds me of the silly un-showered white twits that would hand out flyers in West Philly for the Uhuru Solidarity Movement. “Please, black man, please love me!”

    Is that all you have to say, Jack?

    Perry (d7a158)

  11. That’a a fact, Jack!

    Perry – quit embarrassing yourself. It is kind of sad to watch.

    JD (f6c1a6)

  12. What more substantive response do you deserve? Every one of your posts is a hilarious exercise in self-importance and a repetition of monotonous, cookie-cutter left-of-center talking points. Let’s cram a preachy one-liner about gun control into a post about immigration and let everyone know how “angry” we are! So predictable and lame. Do share someday Perry all the wonderful things that you do to help your trophy groups of people that you pretend to care about so so so much – obviously you have a ton of time to do so in between letting everyone here know how “angry” you are about “background checks.”

    Jack Klompus (2b072c)

  13. Klompus, you describe yourself, thinking that you describe me, taking note of your pomposity. There is no reasoning with a closed mind like yours, one more than willing to justify a filibuster on an issue upon which 90% of the population supports. But then, this is the way an oligarchical mind works, not in tune with age-old American values.

    Perry (d7a158)

  14. Sowell is still talking about laws. How quaint. The President has ordered Federal agents to violate current immigration law.

    The ICE agents claim that the directive “violates the obligation of the executive branch to faithfully execute the law,” which mandates that if immigration officers find that a detainee is in the country illegally, that individual “shall be detained” for removal proceedings. The Obama administration, however, is arguing that the word “shall,” in this instance, actually means “may.” The resulting enforcement breakdown has led officials to release dangerous criminals without charge.

    http://www.nationalreview.com/article/345870/violating-immigration-law-%E2%80%94-executive-command-%E2%80%94-texas

    Amphipolis (d3e04f)

  15. Let us know again about all the wonderful things that you do in your daily life to make the world become more of a place in your image, more like how you see yourself, a bastion of enlightened thought and concern. Do share all the ways in which you are working for “social justice” aside from watching Rachel Maddow and typing talking points. I’d really like to hear about all of the jobs you’ve created, all the sick and indigent you’ve supported, all of the tutoring you’ve done for “inner city” children, and all of the other accomplishments you’ve racked up that makes you feel like you’ve earned your right to tell everyone how close minded they are (because they don’t think like you, of course.)

    Jack Klompus (2b072c)

  16. But political and media elites treat the American people as if they are the problem…

    That’s because they believe that. Look at Britain; the Labour Party intended their immigration policy to make Britain “less British”. Does anyone doubt that the same impulse lies behind American immigration policy?

    Rob Crawford (04f50f)

  17. Let us know again about all the wonderful things that you do in your daily life to make the world become more of a place in your image, more like how you see yourself, a bastion of enlightened thought and concern. Do share all the ways in which you are working for “social justice” aside from watching Rachel Maddow and typing talking points. I’d really like to hear about all of the jobs you’ve created, all the sick and indigent you’ve supported, all of the tutoring you’ve done for “inner city” children, and all of the other accomplishments you’ve racked up that makes you feel like you’ve earned your right to tell everyone how close minded they are (because they don’t think like you, of course.)

    Apparently you did not read my statement, Klompus:

    There is no reasoning with a closed mind like yours, one more than willing to justify a filibuster on an issue upon which 90% of the population supports. But then, this is the way an oligarchical mind works, not in tune with age-old American values.

    If I thought you wished to have a sincere discussion about community activism, an appropriate response would be warranted. Obviously, such is not warranted.

    Suffice it to say only that I have been active in my community throughout my life.

    Perry (d7a158)

  18. Thomas Sowell is the smartest conservative alive.

    CrustyB (69f730)

  19. Perry 3:

    And let us not forget, we took land away from the forebears of these people 160 or so years ago.

    What you say is blatantly incorrect. The people of those territories became full voting citizens of the United States and retained all private property. I don’t know what you have been told, but they were not like Evangelene in Acadia. You will not likely find their descendants illegally sneaking across our border.

    Amphipolis (d3e04f)

  20. That’s because they believe that. Look at Britain; the Labour Party intended their immigration policy to make Britain “less British”. Does anyone doubt that the same impulse lies behind American immigration policy?

    I’ve not heard that sentiment expressed, Rob.

    My perception is that our immigration policy provides opportunities for a few who wish to participate in the so-called American dream, where these folks are willing to start from the bottom and work their way up through hard work. And then there are the green cards issued to those who have skills we need, which could in time evolve to citizenship.

    With the dysfunctional government we have had in recent years, I wonder if the appeal of the American way has diminished somewhat.

    Perry (d7a158)

  21. one more than willing to justify a filibuster on an issue upon which 90% of the population supports

    Your assertion is untrue.

    JD (b63a52)

  22. My perception is … Unicorns and fairy dust

    JD (b63a52)

  23. Perry emotes. Other people want to solve problems. There is no reasoning with minds like Perry’s.

    daleyrocks (bf33e9)

  24. What you say is blatantly incorrect. The people of those territories became full voting citizens of the United States and retained all private property. I don’t know what you have been told, but they were not like Evangelene in Acadia. You will not likely find their descendants illegally sneaking across our border.

    I was talking about land, Amphipolis, so I was hardly “blatantly incorrect”.

    Perry (d7a158)

  25. Perry emotes. Other people want to solve problems. There is no reasoning with minds like Perry’s.

    That’s a lazy man’s cop-out, daleyrocks!

    Perry (d7a158)

  26. Perry, as someone who shouts “Faux News!” at the drop of a hat, your hypocrisy is noted.

    SPQR (768505)

  27. It was an excellent column by Sowell and I linked it in a thread last night. Perry’s attempt to threadjack do not detract from that fact and in many way illustrate that Sowell’s points hit home.

    The talk surrounding illegal immigration has become pure sophistry just as that surrounding abortion. There is no reason apart from a lack of political will we cannot fix our visa entry/exit system, employment verification system and legal immigration system. There is also no reason why we can’t approach full border security. The answer to those saying somebody will always sneak in is so what. People still escaped from militarized borders in Eastern Europe. As long as it’s not hundreds of thousands per year and we make improvements to our internal systems, it’s a leap forward from what we have today.

    What reasons are there for not improving border security? Please provide your top five.

    daleyrocks (bf33e9)

  28. “That’s a lazy man’s cop-out, daleyrocks!”

    Perry – That’s the way you roll, Perry, which is why I was pointing it out.

    daleyrocks (bf33e9)

  29. I’m all for improving border security, but there are limits. I’ve yet to see a graph which relates the degree of security versus dollars spent. There must be a turning point above which we waste money with little security gained. Has anyone seen said graph?

    Perry (d7a158)

  30. “My perception is that our immigration policy provides opportunities for a few who wish to participate in the so-called American dream, where these folks are willing to start from the bottom and work their way up through hard work.”

    Perry – That is as it should be. Sowell’s column points out the sophistry surrounding the illegal immigration debate, explaining the purpose of our laws and how words have become twisted surrounding this subject. You have absorbed the sophistry hook, line and sinker.

    daleyrocks (bf33e9)

  31. If we can save even just one ….

    That is the standard for leftists on some issues, others, it is just too hard, if we can’t stop them all, we shouldn’t try.

    JD (b63a52)

  32. “I’ve yet to see a graph which relates the degree of security versus dollars spent.”

    Perry – You are not going to see that from Napolitano’s DHS because they testified to Congress they cannot construct a metric for border security after several years of trying.

    So putting you down as a yes for improving border security, which parts of immigration reform are you upset about?

    daleyrocks (bf33e9)

  33. Perry 24 –

    Your statement as written is misleading at best. It makes it sound as though the US stole private land from individual Mexicans 160 years ago, which impoverished them.

    Lots of territory has changed hands across the globe over the last 160 years, like entire continents for instance. Surely you see that your point is very small and largely hypothetical. It takes a lot more than territory to create prosperity.

    Your point seems more about conjuring a misplaced sense of historical guilt based on misrepresentation than addressing the issues we are presented with today. In other words, typical progressive historical analysis.

    Amphipolis (d3e04f)

  34. Here is a current status of border security following the Immigration Act of 2007.

    It has been expensive, and continuing to increase in cost. But there have been improvements as measured by the number of those attempting to enter illegally. Some of this decrease has been due to fewer jobs available here due to our struggling economy.

    Perry (d7a158)

  35. Oh Gosh Almight….the infallible Periwinkle is back.

    Note:
    A country that cannot control its borders is no longer sovereign!

    Is that what Periwinkle wants for The American Republic?

    askeptic (b8ab92)

  36. Almighty….

    askeptic (b8ab92)

  37. “It has been expensive, and continuing to increase in cost. But there have been improvements as measured by the number of those attempting to enter illegally”

    Perry – If you bothered to follow recent congressional testimony, you would understand that DHS basically admitted that their statistics are completely unreliable.

    daleyrocks (bf33e9)

  38. Comment by Amphipolis (d3e04f) — 4/18/2013 @ 9:33 am

    Kings make the Law, and they can ignore it; or did I miss O’s coronation?
    It must have been very similar to Napoleon’s, where he took the crown from the hands of the Cardinal (or was it the Pope?), and placed it upon his own head. That would be a fitting action for this community organizer.

    askeptic (b8ab92)

  39. Amphipolis, I am talking about our concept of Manifest Destiny regarding our movement into the SW Territory in the early 1800’s, and our engagement with a relatively disorganized Mexican population and their lands at that time. Your characterization of my comment is actually silly.

    Refresh your memory here:

    The issues raised during the U.S.-Mexican War are ones that are still valid today: the contradiction between stated ideals and actual practice; the distinction between a “just” and an “unjust” war; the ways citizenship is defined and identified in a multicultural society; and the challenges in building progressive and democratic nations.

    In my view, it is foolhardy to ignore the roots of the events of this current day. It is not too difficult to understand that Mexicans may have some feelings of entitlement, something like other American Indians, the treatments by us of whom have hardly been honorable. If that is “progressive historical analysis”, I plead guilty!

    Perry (d7a158)

  40. “Borders don’t matter!”

    OK, so when we collect tax monies for all the public aide that these people eat up I assume the IRS can go down to Mexico and collect money there?

    CrustyB (69f730)

  41. Dear Perry, you are correct. Note that there are no responses to your assertions about cheap labor. Certain employers will ALWAYS find a way to get cheap labor on the black market. They like that market as opaque as possible.

    Y’all wanna solve the illegal immigration problem? Punish the employers.

    Katherine (b3b69c)

  42. I’ve not heard that sentiment expressed, Rob.

    Periwinkle hasn’t received the up-to-date list of code-words and the super-secret handshake.
    Also, a discriminator that will reveal the true meaning of the constant condescension.
    Perhaps when he attains “Junior Leftist” status?

    askeptic (b8ab92)

  43. that is “progressive historical analysis”, I plead guilty!

    Your sentence will be a lifetime of idiocy.

    JD (f6c1a6)

  44. Refresh your memory here:

    Ah, PBS….now there is a disinterested commentator on the American Condition.
    It’s all Post-Modernist Klap-Trap, of the first order.

    askeptic (b8ab92)

  45. Comment by Katherine (b3b69c) — 4/18/2013 @ 11:17 am

    And that “cheap labor” has done wonders for the Unemployment Rate among Blacks, and Youth – both prime Democrat/Progressive constituencies.

    askeptic (b8ab92)

  46. Right, askeptic, when you disagree with a point made, attack the maker of the point. This is neither convincing nor impressive, but typical.

    Perry (d7a158)

  47. Katherine @ 41:

    Dear Perry, you are correct. Note that there are no responses to your assertions about cheap labor. Certain employers will ALWAYS find a way to get cheap labor on the black market. They like that market as opaque as possible.

    Y’all wanna solve the illegal immigration problem? Punish the employers.

    Now that’s a very sensible statement! Thank you Katherine!!

    Perry (d7a158)

  48. “Y’all wanna solve the illegal immigration problem? Punish the employers.”

    Perry – Making e-verify mandatory is part of reform bills and addresses that issue.

    So we have taken care of border security and cheap labor. What are your other issues with immigration reform?

    daleyrocks (bf33e9)

  49. Deport Perry! It won’t solve the illegal immigration problem but it would help keep the comments on this blog more relevant to the topic.

    ropelight (18f2e4)

  50. If you live in SoCal, you know there is no “living in the shadows.” Hispanics have a vibrant, open culture, deliberately emulating the countries they left for our greener pastures. They are not afraid of the police, they are afraid of the gangs, and that’s why their neighborhoods are killing grounds.

    The only victims maybe among them are the children who are still illegal, often not even informed of this fact by their parents. I taught some; they are sweet and idealistic and would recoil at the traditional fix: purchasing fake ID behind the DMV like the rest of the illegals.

    The whole thing is a political ploy to woo voters. Marco Rubio included.

    Patricia (be0117)

  51. I don’t see much in the way of roots in your point, Perry. Many peoples who only gained independence since WWII have much bigger and more recent historical gripes. Perspective would be helpful. 19th Century American Manifest destiny does not explain why so many people from so many nations try to enter ours illegally today.

    Here are some more relevant roots of the disparity between our nations: the rule of law, respect for private property, stable honest government, democratic institutions, etc. These roots have been developed by nations such as India and South Korea, despite centuries of complete annexation and exploitation.

    Historical analysis is about understanding the past, not guilting the present. Our present generation has generated plenty of guilt on our own.

    Amphipolis (d3e04f)

  52. The only logical and common sense ideas are those Perry agrees with.

    JD (f6c1a6)

  53. “The only logical and common sense ideas are those Perry agrees with.”

    JD – He certainly has not made any reasoned or substantive objections to Sowell’s column or immigration reform in general.

    daleyrocks (bf33e9)

  54. Here are some more relevant roots of the disparity between our nations: the rule of law, respect for private property, stable honest government, democratic institutions, etc. These roots have been developed by nations such as India and South Korea, despite centuries of complete annexation and exploitation.

    You should erase “democratic institutions” from your list above, Amphipolis, at the Federal level re the excessive use of the filibuster, and at the state level for the disenfranchisement efforts we have seen in recent years.

    I would expect you to be very concerned about this issue.

    Perry (d7a158)

  55. Daley – manifest destiny! And disenfranchised voters!

    JD (f6c1a6)

  56. I would expect you to be very concerned about honesty. Sadly, I was mistaken.

    JD (f6c1a6)

  57. “state level for the disenfranchisement efforts we have seen in recent years.”

    Yes, voter fraud is voter suppression! Remember the left’s Secretary of State Project and now Holder’s DOJ cooperation in aiding voter suppression through fraud as described in the Inspector General’s report.

    daleyrocks (bf33e9)

  58. Why does a minority continue to block the 67% of Americans who support Voter ID?

    daleyrocks (bf33e9)

  59. Daleyrocks, here is Sowell’s alleged solution:

    What should American immigration policy be? It doesn’t matter what any of us think that policy should be if the borders are not secure, because whoever wants to come across that border will come across anyway, in defiance of whatever the policy might be.

    If legal benefits are conferred on illegal immigrants before the border is secured, we may as well give up any pretense that we have an immigration policy, because benefits conferred are never going to be taken back, no matter how porous the border remains.

    President Obama has been doing exactly that: Increasing border security and deporting illegal aliens.

    What do we do in the meantime other than what we have been doing? One thing not mentioned by Sowell is Katherine’s point: Go after the employers of illegals.

    In my view, Sowell’s piece offers nothing new. And let us be honest, is it even possible to completely seal our borders, ever, which Sowell posits as a prerequisite for solving our illegal immigration problem?

    I take Sowell’s op/ed as being a political statement, since he offers no solutions other than what President Obama has already done since the beginning of his first term.

    Perry (d7a158)

  60. #58, daily, so illegal aliens can vote for Democrats.

    ropelight (18f2e4)

  61. Why does a minority continue to block the 67% of Americans who support Voter ID?

    There has been no significant voter fraud demonstrated by those whose sole purpose is to disenfranchise otherwise eligible voters, because many of those voters are in the demographics of those who do not tend to vote for Republicans.

    This is like Republicans’ excessive use of the filibuster, both are attempts by the minority, you folks, to overrule the majority. Add that to gerrymandering of representative districts, and the Citizens United decision, and we have a minority trying undemocratically to rule this nation. Talk about tyranny! Instead, let’s talk again about how to restore democracy to our nation!

    Perry (d7a158)

  62. and the Citizens United decision

    I take it by your disapproval of Citizens United that you are in favor of government censorship of political publications?

    Chuck Bartowski (11fb31)

  63. Remember the Black Panther thugs decked out in black-power uniforms and wielding billy clubs in front of the polls in Philly during the 2008 Presidential election intimidating white senior citizens and keeping them from voting.

    And, remember Eric Holder’s so-called Justice Department and the slap on the wrist that sickened honest law abiding Americans.

    ropelight (18f2e4)

  64. “This is like Republicans’ excessive use of the filibuster, both are attempts by the minority, you folks, to overrule the majority.”

    Perry – Since the above is one of your favorite current talking points and you brought up voter disenfranchisement, that’s exactly why I cited the analogy to voter ID. Surveys show 67% of Americans, including a majority of blacks support it, yet Democrat leadership fight it tooth and nail. There have been an increasing number of voter fraud prosecutions in recent years, which is encouraging, because you can’t find a significant problem (the usual disingenuous Democrat argument) if you are legally prohibited from looking for it, especially aided and abetted by the DOJ.

    daleyrocks (bf33e9)

  65. 39. “President Obama has been doing exactly that: Increasing border security and deporting illegal aliens.”

    Did you kiss your mother with that mouth, Liar? Drop dead already.

    You know Roobs, when we are really screwing it up there are often signals we simply ignore.

    http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/345910/demint-vs-rubio

    President Obama has been doing exactly that: Increasing border security and deporting illegal aliens.

    gary gurud (dd7d4e)

  66. Perry is, as always either a liar or ignorant twit.

    http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/Guadalupe.html

    The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed by the United States and Mexico on February 2, 1848, ending the Mexican War and extending the boundaries of the United States by over 525,000 square miles. In addition to establishing the Rio Grande as the border between the two countries, the territory acquired by the U.S. included what will become the states of Texas, California, Nevada, Utah, most of New Mexico and Arizona, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming. In exchange Mexico received fifteen million dollars in compensation for the territory and the U.S. agreed to assume claims from private citizens of these areas against the Mexican government

    There was no theft involved. It’s just that liberal idjits like Perry and certain Mexican groups want to renege on the deal that both sides agreed to.

    They’re sort of like the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt in that regard, going back on their peace treaty with Israel.

    Steve57 (b238b6)

  67. 54. “You should erase “democratic institutions” from your list above, Amphipolis, at the Federal level re the excessive use of the filibuster”

    This is a republic fool, one whose designed safeguards against mob rule have already been eroded for a century and a half with the 17th amendment.

    You believe the asylum should be run by the inmates slobbering and defecating on themselves? I guarantee your kind will be among the first herded onto the cattle cars.

    Erdogan: “Democracy is a bus whose purpose ends at the destination.”

    The effluent you ladle out is vacuous agitprop, no fact, no reasoning, just artless propaganda.

    gary gurud (dd7d4e)

  68. …the territory acquired by the U.S. included what will become the states of Texas…

    Texas, it’s important to remember, had already successfully rebelled against Mexico and won it’s independence.

    Just as the Republic of Yucatan did, and other Mexican states tried to do.

    All Perry is demonstrating is that you can’t have binding agreements with dishonest people.

    Steve57 (b238b6)

  69. 46 “Right, askeptic, when you disagree with a point made, attack the maker of the point. This is neither convincing nor impressive, but typical.”

    Said without a hint of self-awareness. Mr. “Its an attempt at a solution”. ‘It’ in this case, is amnesty first, increasing our immigration totals 50% per annum, legalizing the deported refuse with the hypothetical ‘good citizens’.

    You are without socially redeeming merit.

    gary gurud (dd7d4e)

  70. 66. “Either”?

    gary gurud (dd7d4e)

  71. And let us be honest, is it even possible to completely seal our borders, ever,

    Your addled head should have assploded when you typed that.

    JD (f6c1a6)

  72. 59. President Obama has been doing exactly that: Increasing border security and deporting illegal aliens.

    Comment by Perry (d7a158) — 4/18/2013 @ 12:33 pm

    No, he hasn’t. But if you’re just a left-wing shill then you’d believe that.

    Take deportations. What Obama has done is similar to his “jobs saved or created” propaganda. He plays with the statistics.

    In the past the only removals that counted as deportations were those subject to a removal order, and to which a criminal penalty for return attached.

    What Obama has done is to pad the numbers by including returns, which include a variety of means of returning illegal aliens who are apprehended and simply sent back across the border.

    No administration has ever counted returns as deportations because there was no deportation proceeding. But Obama does.

    http://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2011/10/05/mexican-repatriation-flight-program-falls-to-lowest-level-ever/

    WASHINGTON – Immigration officials this year flew fewer than 9,000 Mexican nationals home, the lowest number in the eight years of a voluntary government repatriation program.

    The Mexican Interior Repatriation Program, which operates only in the summer, flew 8,893 Mexicans from Tucson to Mexico City during this year’s 80-day operation, which ended Wednesday. That is well below the record number of 23,384 Mexicans flown home by Immigration and Customs Enforcement last year, when the program ran for 120 days.

    Read more: http://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2011/10/05/mexican-repatriation-flight-program-falls-to-lowest-level-ever/#ixzz2QqoL6IWL

    This is the case across the board. Deportations, which are involuntary proceedings, are down. Just as with MIRP mentioned above. Or ATEP, the Alien Transfer Exit Program, in which illegals apprehended in one Border Patrol sector are bused to another sector before being returned across the border.

    The latter two programs are considered “voluntary” because the illegal alien hasn’t been before an immigration judge and no involuntary removal order are issued.

    Obama has been caught lying about his numbers; he’s even admitted it.

    http://edition.cnn.com/2011/10/19/politics/deportation-record

    “The statistics are actually a little deceptive,” Obama said last month during a discussion with Hispanic journalists. There has been “a much greater emphasis on criminals than non-criminals.” And “with stronger border enforcement, we’ve been apprehending folks at the borders and sending them back. That is counted as a deportation even though they may have only been held for a day or 48 hours.”

    He wants to fool one set of people by pretending to be tough on deporting people.

    But he wants to pander to a democratic constituency group he let’s them in on the secret; he’s cooking the books.

    That is counted as a deportation even though they may have only been held for a day or 48 hours.

    Other administrations didn’t count those as deportations. If you add returns to deportations his numbers are down compared to Bush. But then, Bush only counted actual deportations as deportations.

    Steve57 (b238b6)

  73. Via Ace, here’s the real reason we’ve reached gridlock:

    http://www.politico.com/story/2013/04/gun-control-vote-obamas-biggest-loss-90244_Page3.html

    There’s no moola to bribe your Honorable peer wit.

    gary gurud (dd7d4e)

  74. Via Ace, here’s the real reason we’ve reached gridlock:

    http://www.politico.com/story/2013/04/gun-control-vote-obamas-biggest-loss-90244_Page3.html

    There’s no moola to bribe your Honorable peer wit.

    gary gurud (dd7d4e)

  75. The French took over Mexico, we more or less made them leave. But that must be our fault too because nobody wants to move to France.

    Amphipolis (d3e04f)

  76. It doesn’t matter what any of us think that policy should be if the borders are not secure

    It doesn’t matter what the alcohol laws shouild be if Prohibition is not enforced.

    It doesn’t matter what the drug laws should be if they are not enforced.

    It doesn’t matter what the copyright laws should be if they are not enforced, and enforcement must be strengthened before you think about liberalizing any of them.

    It doesn’t matter what the laws about importation of prescription medicines are if they are not enforced.

    How does that sound?

    Sammy Finkelman (d22d64)

  77. “How does that sound?”

    Sammy – Like a distraction.

    daleyrocks (bf33e9)

  78. The Senate amnesty bill is far worse than doing nothing. It’s quite obvious that

    Via Mickey Kaus:

    http://dailycaller.com/2013/04/18/krauthammer-got-played/

    Unfortunately for Krauthammer, the actual text of the Rubio-Gang of 8 amnesty has now been released. It contains, Rubio’s office boasts, not one, but six enforcement triggers:

    Of these, 1 and 2 are trivial–they require only that DHS come up with a plan, not that the plan works. Trigger #3–90% success!–seems like a big deal until you get to #4, which reveals that the only consequence of not achieving 90% success is the appointment of a commission. Meanwhile, #6–the requirement of a visa-exit system–has been the law for 17 years, to no effect. The only significant new substantive requirement would seem to be #5, the “universal E-Verify” requirement.

    So how are they going to get around #5? It only took Conn Carroll a few hours to figure out one way: by tying it up in litigation. A mere 13 pages into the bill, Carroll found provision (c) (2) (b) of Section 3, which reads [emphasis added]:

    (B) EXCEPTION.—The Secretary shall permit registered provisional immigrants to apply for an adjustment to lawful permanent resident status if —
    (i)(I) litigation or a force majeure has prevented one or more of the conditions described in clauses (i) through (iv) of subparagraph (A) from being implemented; or
    (II) the implementation of subparagraph (A) has been held unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of the United States or the Supreme Court has granted certiorari to the litigation on the constitutionality of implementation of subparagraph (A); and
    (ii) 10 years have elapsed since the date of the enactment of this Act.

    In other words, if the ACLU can just tie up the E-Verify system at the DHS and in court for 9.5 years after legalization (which happens six months after the date of enactment) all the legalized illegals get green cards anyway, whether the system is in place or not. The same goes for the exit-visa system.

    The ACLU yesterday denounced E-Verify as “job-killing, costly and privacy-invasive employment verification” and pledged to “fight every step of the way”–so we’re off to a good start!

    Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2013/04/18/krauthammer-got-played/#ixzz2QrLZtYSw

    As Thomas Sowell points out, the primary duty of Congress is now to protect illegal aliens from the consequences of their actions.

    So once they get their provisional legalization, all the “immigration rights” people have to do is gum up the works and run out the clock. It will be Congress (specifically the mean nasty GOP) that’s to blame for the fact the poor dears are still suffering for crossing the border illegally. And Congress will have to fix that.

    Rubio can’t even convincingly defend this amnesty bill which he continues to deny is an amnesty bill.

    Rubio offers a weak and evasive defense of the “path to citizenship”

    http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2013/04/rubio-offers-a-weak-and-evasive-defense-of-the-path-to-citizenship.php

    I can understand it. No one likes to admit they’ve been played. The CCRKBA didn’t want to admit it. They had to withdraw their support for Toomey-Manchin at the last minute when all the theoretically pro-gun nuggets were stripped from the bill.

    I don’t think Rubio should wait that long. He’s already done himself enough damage and should walk away now. But does anyone doubt the Democrats would screw him over the same way? There’s a rumor they will.

    http://www.alipac.us/content/%95immigration-reform-2013-gang-eight-drop-e-verify-bill-1565/

    A group of senators working on a bipartisan bill to keep undocumented immigrants out of U.S. workplaces while finding solutions for offering temporary legal status to illegal workers are likely dropping the idea of a high-tech biometric ID card, citing high costs. Instead, the AP reports the four Republican and four Democratic senators in the immigration group will seek to expand E-Verify, a barely used program offered by the federal government which allows employers to run prospective workers’ information through several government databases in order to ensure employment eligibility. Unlike the ID card, which would house fingerprints and other vital information in a built-in chip, E-Verify relies on manual input, and is thus prone to human error.

    …These accuracy issues, accompanied by fears that required enrollment in E-Verify would discourage employers from hiring foreign but eligible workers, have civil rights groups pushing back against the program’s implementation. In a talk with the CATO Institute ACLU legislative counsel Christopher Calabrese addressed the program’s pratfalls, citing the story of a U.S. citizen who lost her new job after information in E-Verify proved to be inaccurate. With an E-Verify rejection being notoriously difficult to contest, she ended up settling for a lower paying job. The problem with her records turned out to have been due to a misspelling of her name on the part of her employer. Because employers are prohibited from screening prospective workers through E-Verify prior to hiring, Calabrese says they may unfairly reject applicants with foreign-sounding last names just to avoid the hassle that an E-Verify error presents.

    As an aside, as an employer I can see these trial lawyers salivating at the chance to sue if the human error is yours. Or someone accuses you of rejecting applicants with “foreign sounding” names.

    By “foreign sounding” they mean Hispanic. They don’t mean Sean O’Malley or Rudi Kurtz.

    This is why I hate these immigration bills that make employers the first line of border control as is effectively the case. It isn’t like Napolitano is going to do her job when she can get away with blaming people like me for causing the problem. And if I try to do something about it I have to rely on the some government no-loads to make sure I don’t hire illegals. Who, by the way, like their trial lawyer buddies better than me.

    Steve57 (b238b6)

  79. “It doesn’t matter what any of us think that policy should be if the borders are not secure, because whoever wants to come across that border will come across anyway, in defiance of whatever the policy might be.”

    This doesn’t seem accurate. Those folks the tech companies want here on H1B visas aren’t “coming across anyway” to get those jobs.

    dave (aee97b)

  80. i don’t even care what’s in the senate bill – they’ve all been so cheesedicky about ramming it through and meghan’s coward daddy is slobbering all over it

    the whole affair is distasteful and I think best forgotten as soon as possible

    happyfeet (c60db2)

  81. It’s accurate, dave. It’s just that the people coming here on H1B don’t want to cross into this country illegally and work for less than minimum wage as a day laborer. Why would they do that when they have the option of going to Australia or Switzerland and getting a job in tech company.

    But the fact is we have a de facto policy of non-enforcement of immigration laws. Our laws only exist to make Americans think this country has an immigration policy. It doesn’t exist. And it still won’t exist under the “Gang of 8” bill.

    http://www.schumer.senate.gov/forms/immigration.pdf

    Page 65:

    ‘‘(B) W
    AIVER
    .—
    3
    ‘‘(i) I
    N GENERAL
    .—The Secretary
    4
    may waive the application of subparagraph
    5
    (A)(i)(III) or any provision of section
    6
    212(a) that is not listed in clause (ii) on
    7
    behalf of an alien for humanitarian pur-
    8
    poses, to ensure family unity, or if such a
    9
    waiver is otherwise in the public interest.
    10
    Any discretionary authority to waive
    11
    grounds of inadmissibility under section
    12
    212(a) conferred under any other provision
    13
    of this Act shall apply equally to aliens
    14
    seeking registered provisional status under
    15
    this section.

    So Napolitano can waive the requirements for provisional legal status for pretty much every reason they want to give legal status to illegal aliens now. Except now the administration has been given legal authority to waive requirements in writing. As opposed to just implementing the “Dream Act” without legal authority.

    Also under waivers, page 66:

    ‘‘(D) R
    ULE OF CONSTRUCTION
    .—Nothing
    9
    in this paragraph may be construed to require
    10
    the Secretary to commence removal proceedings
    11
    against an alien.

    And the DHS Secretary still doesn’t have to enforce immigration law.

    Steve57 (b238b6)

  82. “It’s just that the people coming here on H1B don’t want to cross into this country illegally and work for less than minimum wage as a day laborer”

    Exactly! There’s people that want to be here that security measures stop.

    dave (aee97b)

  83. “dave” is not good at this. What is this now, like 294592873465298734629348750928745 different names and IP’s?

    JD (b63a52)

  84. Steve57 – It is honorable and even noble to pretend that this most recent version of the serial troll is worthy of discussion. But it isnt.

    JD (b63a52)

  85. Perry,

    It doesn’t take much work to look up what the border fence in California did to crime rates in San Diego.

    With the establishment of the fence, crime rates in San Diego fell by nearly half between 1989 and 2000. The number of illegal immigrant apprehensions decreased from more than a half million in 1993 to just over a hundred thousand in 2003.

    http://www.globalsecurity.org/security/systems/border-barrier.htm

    California fence on San Diego crime rate

    So what if it doesn’t completely seal the border, a 50% reduction in the crime rate and 80% reduction in illegal border crossings are wonderful things. Unless you don’t care about legal citizens of the United States and want a high crime rate and more illegal border crossings.

    Are you for higher crime, higher murder rates and a porous border Perry? I can only believe that if you are anti-border you must want higher crime rates. Why are you so uncaring, Perry? Why do you hate the United States of America?

    Search engines like google and bing can help you make more accurate comments, try them, they are you friends.

    Tanny O'Haley (09cf80)

  86. BTW Perry, are you ever going to answer my other questions? I gave you the benefit of doubt.

    https://patterico.com/2013/04/12/what-is-behind-the-kermit-gosnell-news-blackout/#comment-1205550

    Tanny O'Haley (09cf80)

  87. Well, Immigration has definitely started something in the EU:

    http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/2013/04/15/the-wreck-of-the-euro/

    They imported the Muslims for a permanent Lefty majority and now 20% of the population just collects benefits, rapes white wimmin, and mugs your granny.

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  88. Also take a look at Patrick’s series on Deport the Criminals First to see the impact of illegal immigration.

    Perry, if after reading Patrick’s series and you still don’t want to reduce illegal immigration, I can only believe that you are uncaring and want people to die.

    Actually I feel a little bad about using the far left tactic of ad hominem in that if you disagree with me you must have horrible motives. After all I’ve been the recipient of ad hominem attacks by the far left for many years. I think I’ll continue for a little while and see how it works out.

    Tanny O'Haley (09cf80)

  89. * It is virtually impossible to seal our border;

    How is the Korean DMZ sealed?

    Michael Ejercito (2e0217)

  90. 89. * It is virtually impossible to seal our border;

    Comment by Michael Ejercito (2e0217) — 4/19/2013 @ 6:00 am

    How is the Korean DMZ sealed?

    With land mines for one thing and many many armed guards. It is so bad that North Koreans only escape across the Chinese border.

    I think the Chinese government deliberately made it not that difficult to penetrate so that North koreans wouldn’t attempt an escape south but they’ve tightened up. They never minded too much as long as the North Koreans stayed in China, but they are always subject to being sent back to a terrible fate.

    There are North Koreans in South Korea but they practiaclly all came through Mainland China.

    The question is not whether or not you can close the border, but can you do it without killing people?

    Right now, the death toll is going up:

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323820304578412561295471882.html

    Near the U.S.-Mexico Border, a Grim New Reality…

    Authorities found the corpses of 129 suspected illegal immigrants last year here in Brooks County, a desolate region of cactus-covered ranch lands an hour north of the Mexican border and 2½ hours south of San Antonio.

    The death toll—twice as high as in 2011—is on pace to be even higher this year, according to county officials. Nineteen bodies have been discovered so far, even before triple-digit summer temperatures sear in South Texas, raising the danger of the arduous crossings through Brooks County’s 944 square miles.

    And yet there are people who want more. This is the reality now:

    The growing U.S. crackdown on immigration is leading to a grim reality: While the number of people crossing the border is down, the number who die while doing so is rising as immigrants take more dangerous routes to avoid apprehension.

    Sammy Finkelman (d22d64)


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