Immigration/Border issue

[Christina Marie]

So what do you all think about this coming across the border? Are you for it or against it?

[silentwssj]

Honestly, I have some real mixed feelings about it all! On the one hand we are all immigrants, unless you are Native American. On the other hand, our economy is down and we simply can not just let people from other countries come over here and take all of our jobs! I am a proud union member and we do not like non-union, "Ratt" companies taking our work. Illegals are even worse! They undercut the whole labor market in a major way! They also burden our insufficient tax base in numerous ways! On the other hand, they do bolster Social Security through the use of false numbers. They also contribute cheap labor, which helps keep prices down for the rest of us! In my eyes you must have compassion for all people! We all come from different life situations. Minimum wage in Mexico is about $7 a day in Mexico. This creates desperate conditions. I personally know several illegals. I am not saying that there being here is necessarily right. They have done well for themselves though. They are hard working individuals and have gained much in some cases! I know some that have managed to obtain careers and buy homes! How can you knock another man for being successful? We all have the same opportunities in life! These guys simply took another job that was available to others and ran with it! Truth be told, we are all one people, living in one world! If you truly believe in freedom Illegals will not bother you! I view them as people in need, so I respond to them in kindness and charity! After all we all come from somewhere else originally, so why be a hypocrite now!

[RuthlessCray]

I have mixed feelings too, but for slightly different reasons. The fact that immigrants are willing to work for less is a net positive, because they work around the government rules and mandates that wreck the economy, bad laws like minimum wages and income taxes. We need more workers not paying taxes to the evil federal and state government and getting away with it. That's what I like about undocumented immigrants that work. Not that I necessarily like for people to make low wages, but everybody has to start somewhere and if you are an immigrant and willing to work for low wages it is because you feel you're better off doing that than whatever you were working for back home.

I also disagree with the common sentiment that "illegal" immigrants take "our jobs." This line of thinking comes from a few assumptions and with a collectivist mindset. The idea that we are all one big collective, and that certain jobs belong to "us" therefore we are entitled to these jobs simply by accident of birthplace. The thing is, nobody is entitled to any job, in reality, a job is either when you work for yourself and your customers/clients etc, or when you make a mutually beneficial agreement with an employer. Outside of that, it should be nobody else's business. Trying to stop one human being from making an agreement like this with another human being amounts to aggression.

Immigrants overall helps our labor force, usually on the low skilled end or on the high skilled end. Low skilled and high skilled people are usually the main ones willing to leave their home country.

Other concerns about this whole immigration issue is that some Americans are so determined to "secure" the borders but I worry about the day when Americans want to leave ourselves, and those secure borders are used to keep us IN rather than used to keep others out. USA won't be the rich and mighty country forever, and one day Americans may be the ones trying to leave.

The negative side of this whole immigration problem? The welfare state. Americans pay taxes for public schools that immigrants use and emergency room visits. This creates more animosity towards immigrants and also reinforces the entitled mentality of America because were taught somebody else should pay for us. Not to mention, the public school system is terrible for immigrants too, so it's a tragedy all the way around. Let people work and be free to make the best living that they can but don't force everyone else to pay for their services.

But the fact that people cross an arbitrary border drawn up by our rulers and do it without the permission of sociopaths and criminals( politicians) doesn't bother me.