In our brief discussion on Sunday, we only began to scratch the service of this hot topic. There is so much to be explored. Below are a few thoughts from both sides of the spectrum (a little disclaimer: these are not my words):
High-Tolerance Arguments:
Ÿ The Cheap Labor Factor: Illegal immigrants are beneficial to the economy because they take on the necessary menial jobs that many Americans are unwilling to accept, especially high-labor agricultural jobs. "There are people doing jobs Americans will not do. Many people who have come into our country are helping our economy grow. That's just a fact of life." - President George W. Bush
Ÿ The Consumer Factor: Illegals also help the economy by purchasing American goods and services.
Ÿ The Taxes Factor: Illegals pay taxes too - about $4,200 federal taxes on average per illegal household per year. Over 40% of this goes to Social Security and Medicare.
Ÿ The Melting-Pot Factor: Illegals are inspired by the American dream, just like many of the ancestors of today's American citizens. It is heartless to deny foreigners the ability to come to
Low-Tolerance Arguments:
Ÿ The Criminal Factor: Illegal immigrants are a great danger to
Ÿ The Social Services Factor: Illegals are not American citizens, and yet they sap social services and cost hospitals billions of dollars in unpaid-for health care. In 2002 illegals cost the federal government $2.5 billion in Medicaid, $1.9 billion in food assistance programs, and $2.2 billion in treatment for the uninsured. States near the border suffer the biggest burden. For instance, illegal immigrants' health care costs
Ÿ The Disease Factor: Not only are illegal aliens bankrupting hospitals on the U.S. border, they are bringing diseases into the country, including drug-resistant-tuberculosis, leprosy, hepatitis A, and Chagas Disease, an organ-attacking parasite imported from South America.
Ÿ The Education Factor: The children of illegal aliens cost federal and state government billions each year. These students cost more to teach than other children because many speak only Spanish or other foreign languages, and school systems have to deal with their cultural and language gaps while trying to teach them reading and long division. Immigrants cause overcrowded classes and suck funding that could be going toward helping American kids.
Ÿ The Terrorism Factor: We can only guess how many of
Ÿ The “Illegal” Factor: Granting amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants would be a travesty. It would demonstrate that illegal activity can encourage the American government to change its policies, and it would be a slap in the face to those immigrants who have worked hard to become American citizens by the established legal route.
