Fareed Zakaria looks at how the immigration systems work – and don't work – in Japan, Europe, Canada and the U.S. in the TV special: "Global Lessons: The GPS Roadmap for Making Immigration Work" on CNN at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 10. Watch on CNN International on Saturday, June 16, at 4 a.m. and 9 p.m. ET
Editor's note: Philippe Legrain is the author of "Immigrants: Your Country Needs Them" and "Aftershock: Reshaping the World Economy After the Crisis." Follow on Twitter @plegrain. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Philippe Legrain.
By Philippe Legrain, Special to CNN
It is no longer acceptable to discriminate against people on the basis of a whole range of characteristics that they happen to be born with, notably their gender, their race and their sexuality. So why is it still deemed acceptable to discriminate against people on the basis of where they happen to have been born?
The world is anything but flat: the biggest determinant of your life chances is not how talented you are or how hard you work, it is where you were born and who your parents are. Anyone lucky enough to have been born in the United States who doubts this should try to imagine how different their life would have been if they had been born in Africa.
Zakaria: Will an immigration deadlock make the U.S. a second-rate nation?
A hard-working entrepreneur born in a remote African village has far fewer opportunities to achieve his dreams than a lazy dimwit born in America. Even if the African seizes all her chances and the American none, the American is still likely to enjoy a more comfortable life. And the surest thing that African could do to transform her (and her family's) life chances is to go and work in the U.S.
But only if governments allow her to. Unfortunately, we live in a system of global apartheid, where the rich and the educated can move about increasingly freely, while the poor are expected to stay put, like serfs tied to the land where they were born.
Can the U.S. learn from other countries' immigration policies?
For the most part, people are oblivious to the injustice of this: it is seen as part of the natural order of things, like slavery once was. But insofar as people try to justify this unnatural and unjust state of affairs, they claim immigration controls are necessary to protect people in rich countries from their poorer brethren. Yet if one thinks a bit more carefully, one realizes that these objections don't stand up.
One objection to allowing women into the workplace was that they would take jobs away from men. But in practice, women have not deprived men of work. Why? Because people don't just take jobs, they also create them, when they spend their wages as well as in complementary lines of work. The same is true, of course, of immigrants.
By the numbers: U.S. immigrants
Another objection is that immigrants will all end up on welfare – as if someone enterprising enough to uproot themselves to move to America will suddenly want to do nothing, even though they could earn more working. Indeed, when immigrants are working, they're accused of stealing "our" jobs and when they're out of work, they're accused of scrounging from the state. They can't win: they're damned if they do and damned if they don't. Such accusations tell us more about critics' prejudices than about immigrants' behavior.
There is also something unpleasant about the notion that governments can – and ought to – select only the seemingly best people to allow in to a country. It is nonsense that we can predict how someone will contribute to a country, let alone how their children will. Who would have guessed that the son of a Kenyan goatherd would end up as U.S. president?
More from "Global Lessons: The GPS Roadmap for Making Immigration Work"
Google, Yahoo!, eBay, Intel and many other companies were all co-founded by people born outside America who arrived not through some clever selection process, but as children. Nobody could have guessed, when he arrived in the United States as a child refugee from the Soviet Union, that Sergey Brin would go on to co-found Google. Had he been denied entry, America would never have realized the opportunity that had been missed. How many potential Sergey Brins do Europe and post-9/11 America turn away or scare off – and at what cost?
As Fareed Zakaria rightly remarked in his book "The Post-American World,": "America has succeeded not because of the ingenuity of its government programs but because of the vigor of its society. It has thrived because it has kept itself open to the world – to goods and services, to ideas and inventions, and, above all to peoples and cultures."
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Philippe Legrain.
Nice argument . Thanks . We talk in loud speaker about Humanity but we do not allow people to shift because of their nationality . Ludicrous . We are talking about Humantrain intervention in Syria to protect Human rights spending billion dollars . But we will not allow energetic Syrian to come at the USA so that they can enjoy human rights ? We only lead luxurious life style , we will not give any scope to anyone !
Our infrastructure and welfare resources are pretty decrepit right now. Sorry, but we can't take care of any more welfare cases like Obama's family.
And how do you know members of the Obama family are on welfare? First, the information on welfare rolls is confidential. Second, assuming that it is confidential, where do you get the information?
they were on the NEWS...
You are all right.
Keep the welfare freeloaders out of the country.
Welfare cases like Obama's family? Really? Let's face it Jim Crow, your southern confederate WELFARE states benefited from four hundred years of FREE SLAVE LABOR and FREE SLAVE HANDOUTS! And so did your worthless ancestors!
Actually he is right about that, the uncle of and aunt of Obama were in Welfare and got benefits from the US illegally, it was in the news
You just tell the world you are a big fool!
right. because everyone who comes here from other countries is a sub human who can only earn money from welfare. moron
Oh good lord, why do you trolls always turn this into an opportunity to say stupid things about Obama? Of course you're ignoring the fact that Barack was born into an incredibly poor situation, and in the American way, worked himself from being dirt poor to President of the United states. Could anyone in your inbred and sadly intellectually challenged family do the same? I seriously doubt it. Keep your hate comments for the folks at the weekly meeting of the trailer park homeowner's association. I'm sure they are more appreciated there.
Albert, it was widely reported that Obama's aunt lived in public housing for 8 years while ignoring a deportation order. Get informed. She freely admits it, and said she 'deserved' it. Where there is one, there are thousands, or even tens of thousands. MA, as well as several other states, don't check citizenship when allowing welfare benefits.
So whenever anyone says anything critical yet true of Obama or his family (such as that his relatives took welfare benefits from this country illegally), some dimwit Liberal has to step-in and defend him. As if he has saved this country by becoming President- how are we better off now than in 2008 as a country? Really? I know, I know, these things take time, right? 4 years is plenty of time to turn this ship around and he is not cutting it. He starts every response with, "Look, blah blah blah...". Well, Barack, we're tired of "looking"...this country is going downhill and you're steering us in that direction. And you liberal dimwits who plaster "Diversity" and "Co-Exist" on your cars...just remember, "Peace Begins In the Womb" !!
ChoOBama was not born poor. Why do you m oron s keep saying that?
You must cry yourself to sleep every night since Fox stopped allowing comments.
Go away dirtbag....
You’re injudicious. First President Obama is not an immigrant he was born in USA. Second if he was an immigrant he would be a shining example of the American dream.
I agree 100%
Oh Really: Barak Obama was not born into an "incredibly poor situation". His mother held a Ph.D. He was largely raised by a grandmother who was a bank president and paid for him to go to the most exclusive prep school in Hawaii. As for the rest of you uninformed idiots, Barak Obama's aunt and uncle, who were illegal immigrants, have in fact been on welfare in the US for years. It's not racism, nor is it an attempt to slander the president with misinformation to state that. It's a fact that has been well reported in the news and well known to the literate, informed, educated part of the populace for at least 2 years.
Other than race, what indicator do you have that any of the President's relatives receive any government support? Or are you just another right-wing pig?
what he really wants to say is the dems want more votes
Yes, Obama's Aunt and Uncle are both illegal immigrants. The Aunt was supposed to be deported, the uncle was arrested for DUI. Fact not Opinion. Both on welfare. Maybe their nephew should do the right thing and help out his own family members. Instead the taxpayers are taking care of them.
If people want to come to this country that is fine with me. But we don't have any more money to give out, free health care, and free housing to give these people. All of the people that the author says are being discriminated against will more than likely have their hand out looking for free money and services as soon as they get here.
Disney World costs money to enter. If Disney World was forced to let everyone in for free do you think it would last?
This right here is what's wrong with America. You are what's wrong with America. Your poison ideas are what's wrong with America not immigrants.
1stironwood:And this country can no longer afford to have citizens like yourself who are uninformed,uneducated and offer nothing at all to society except hatred and ignorance.If you don't the like the person in the White House,why don't you renounce your citizenship and move elsewhere to make room for legal immigrants who wish to bring an educated postive offering to this country.Your taking up of room and doing nothing to further the advancement of this country does no one any good.
OKC! OKC! OKC! THUNDER ROLLS BABY!!!!
Just couldn't help your self could you? Sean and Rush will be proud, now, adjust your tinfoil hat and take your meds.
"So whenever anyone says anything critical yet true of Obama or his family (such as that his relatives took welfare benefits from this country illegally), some dimwit Liberal has to step-in and defend him."
Since at what point did inconsistency shed light on proof? What does Obama's aunt have to do with Obama himself and his presidency? How does the fact that his aunt being illegal here and being on welfare show his leadership style or how he is leading? My understanding is that what his aunt did does not make Obama the criminal. Your response is saying that because Obama's aunt was on wellfare than this means that Obama must be like that or anything near those lines. Your argument is not consistent.
Well Huckleberry looks like you got da facs. Most welfare reciepients are white, live in the south, and I'm pretty sure play a banjo these days. Man you gots to catch up!!!!
That's ludicrous. You are assuming that every immigrants are abusing the welfare program. Not necessarily true. If they come here to work legally, they pay taxes, have money and more likely will never need welfare programs for assistance.
Hey how about taking about the article. Leave the President's family out of this discussion. They have absolutely nothing to do with immigration. Boy there is nothing like these immature remarks your kind puts up.
Where is this discrimination against immigrants? I see a lot of immigrants who want to be immigrants living in America. I dont see a lot of immigrants who want to be Americans living in America. They have 150 different types of parades and festivals to celebrate other cultures, and only 3 holidays to celebrate our US heritage. This country bends over backwards for everybody other than its own. Try getting away with that in any other nation.
what a dope u are ? Obama has more education than u do. your day is coming when the minoriities will rule the USA and it's around the corner. feel sorry for you and generation..
1stironweed is waste of human flesh, trolls like you should need a permit to exist in this planet, let alone this country.
I personally know a lot of immigrants came to u.s., created more jobs here (contrary to some of those corporations that ship jobs overseas).
obama aunt and uncle are illegal and living of the system. Illegals are just that illegal they did not follow the law and so which other laws should we turn our heads to?
Did you read the article? Welfare cases? The people who come here who found companies (everything from the auto repair shop in my neighborhood to leading-edge Google), who provide the scientific expertise our country is unable to produce in sufficient numbers, who serve as doctors in "underserved" rural communities where American doctors don't want to work, who often have a higher per capita income that Americans of comparable education levels ... or who simply work hard at unglamorous jobs.
You are a number 1 Welfare case. You are smarting as if you are against it. When a fellow calls the First Family lives on welfare, he/she is an anti-patriotic.
MC...you have to realize.....most of the people leaving these comments are a lot less educated and successful than the immigrants coming into our country.
Typical conservative. Hates anyone who isn't male or white.
So what if Obama had relatives who were on welfare. The fact that George H.W. Bush had a son who was an idiot (George W. Bush) did not disqualify him from the presidency.
Indeed the U.S. should grant Syria's ethnic and religious minorities asylum. There will be less sectarian violence in Syria and these people will be very grateful and help the country flourish.
Albert – welfare recipient information is not private, since they are receiving taxpayer funded dollars and they do not directly earn them as wages. Do your homework.
http://www.foia.com
Such non sense. It is not acceptable in the US to discriminate against legal immigrants. Demanding one follow the countries laws while immigrating and calling that discrimination is the height of Orwellian double speak!
poor libs, never going to win this arguement....illegal is illegal and OShama has done nothing to fix it....NOTHING
He's done
@Blah blah the wheel's off your trailer Actually, slave labor was not free. Slaves were pretty expensive and not many individuals in the South actually had them, mostly just plantation owners, wealthy farm owners, and various rich people who wanted some house servants. Your average Joe couldn't afford to own a slave.
@Travis – Did you really type that? You're right – Obama is not an immigrant. But if he was, why would he be a "shining example of the American dream"? Apparently you're unaware an immigrant cannot be President of the United States.
How does Obama figure into any of this...missed the point of the article completely. Can't keep blaming Obama for everything...who you gonna blame after he finishes his second term? That is part of the problem with this country, we have become elitist and finger pointer...don't let outsiders in and blame our problems on anyone but ourselves....how's that working for us?
Man, the reality deniers are in full force today! I guess the simple fact that some of obama's family is on welfare just cooks their mellons!
That kind of argument makes me think of a fat lazy man with 3 slices of pizza, telling to a hungry man that he can't share because there are only 3 pieces left and he needs those to satisfy his own hunger
Really!?!?! We are going to be judged by what our family member did or do? How about you judge on what that person has done and not what his family or friends does. If that was the case, then I'm skrewed and most of America too.
The US does not need one more immigrant, legal or illegal! With the unemployment rate being what it is we should declare a ten year postponment of any applications. Maybe by then we will have taken back our culture.
It was the president's mother who got on welfare so she could finish her education after she separated from her husband. And she was born here, she was not an immigrant.
How telling it is to read these comments. Someone states truthful common knowledge and *immediately* those who preach tolerance and acceptance launch venomous personal attacks against them. Immediately and VERY personally. Telling indeed . . .
Pres. Obama did not choose his relatives. However if he did something illegal to 'help' his relatives that's another matter.
I wish this debate about issues that he does not have any control of should cease. It project more of our hate and prejudices as well as our intellectual poverty.
Ok... First, I can careless about Obama's family. As a legal immigrants, I really disagree with the fact that illegal immigrants are able to draw welfare benefits with the taxes I pay every day. On the other side, before you all go talk about the immigrants; do some research and you will see that with the US involvement in the world today, they owe a lot to those immigrants. It's not my place to point fingers, but after running so many countries to the ground and killing opportunities for many people of better future, the US government owes to many people out there
We pay people not to work, then have to import people to do the work they would have done.
Pretty close to insanity.
Those on handouts should be required to work. If no jobs are available in the fields, yards, or businesses – then they should sort recycling or clean streets. If they can do physical labor, they can work phonelines or computer related work.
They will still have their safety net, but they will put in 40 hours a week of labor – just like the people paying for their handouts. We simply cannot afford to pay for 1/3 of the US to sit at home watching tv.
Do that, and the need for immigrants plummets. Do that and billions of man hours of labor is now available without paying anything extra. Do that and the country reverses course and backs away from the cliff.
Do you know that Texas belongs to Mexico and you're the foreigner there?
We were nice enough to let their leader go after we defeated their army.
Our economy is about the same size as Mexico's right now. Yes – the entire COUNTRY of Mexico.
The idea of having welfare people clean streets and perform other jobs such as cutting the grass in parks was tried here in Ontario. It didn't last because the Public Service Unions went on strike claiming it was taking their jobs.
Blah, blah blag – go away. If you don't like America and live here, emigrate. If you are from another country, then just go away. Your remarks are worthless, acidic and counterproductive.
The only thing close to insanity is you. Get on some meds and stop with the Fox and Rush. You will be a better person, and people may start to like you again.
Blah Blah: I hate to break it to you, but Texas hasn't been part of Mexico since 1848. A little thing called the Mexican-American War happened. You might want to read about it.
@ Blah blah the wheel's off your trailer – so declare war and take it back! Texas does not belong to Mexico. The last time I checked it was annexed by the U.S. in 1845 which caused Mexico to go to war with the U.S. over the border dispute between them and Texas. The result of this war was that Mexico lost even more land to the U.S. Ready for round 2? Don't make stupid comments.
Most people on government assistance are the elderly, who paid into the system their entire working lives. If you want to see grandpa picking up litter on the side of the road, you are sick.
Obama didn't work his way up to be president, he was placed in that role by his controllers... he is not experienced enough, ethical enough, America-loving enough or culturally smart enough to be President. He was not born in the USA and he is NOT a Christian. As for immigrants, legal or illegal, first of all this country, the USofA,was founded as a CHRISTIAN society and when people immigrate here, while they are not forced to believe a certain way, they should have done their homework and know this is a CHRISTIAN society. Furthermore, they should come to this country willing and able to give up their original-country belief system and meld into the the USofA belief system. Often, they do NOT. OFTEN they get on welfare here, or use our medical services without paying for them, or birth babies just so their babies will be citizens of the USofA. If those babies were born from illegal aliens, they do NOT deserve to be citizens. Also blaming racism on the Southern States is ludicrous. I've been in the computer industry (now 'i.t.') for DECADES and It is MY experientially acquired understanding that it is NORTHERN states that are racist these days,not southern ones. I can count on 3 fingers of one hand the number of african-americans I have worked with in technology in NORTHERN states... but in Southern States it is an entirely different story. Go walk through an I.T. department anywhere in Florida, Georgia, Alabama.... you'll see anywhere from 5-30% of the workers are AFRICAN american (of course 20% are (sub-continent) indian expatriates)... the rest are various shades of white. But do the same stroll in California, Washington State, NY, Mass, Illinois, etc. and count the number of African-Americans you see.... probably the total will be 1 to 3 out of every 100. GET IT??? RACISM is a YANKEE problem today. I've done my homework, many other commentors have NOT. FURTHERMORE it was racist african-americans who got Barack into the whitehouse... but even most blacks realize their mistake now.
Ryan, I understand your frustration, I live in Colorado and we have a horrible immigration problem. Better than punishing the illegals would be punishing the scandalous business owners who think its ok to hire an illegal immigrant and screw over our economy.
Actually we paid for Texas. You need to read some history.
Living in Texas wouldn't be pretty close to insanity,it is insanity.
"@ Blah blah the wheel's off your trailer – so declare war and take it back! Texas does not belong to Mexico. The last time I checked it was annexed by the U.S. in 1845 which caused Mexico to go to war with the U.S. over the border dispute between them and Texas. The result of this war was that Mexico lost even more land to the U.S. Ready for round 2? Don't make stupid comments"
WOW! Boy are you even more wrong about that one. Texas never wanted to become part of the U.S. They wanted to be a separate republic. The Tejanos (ever heard of them?) asked the United States for their help in the Texas Revolution, you think that they really wanted to be annexed by the U.S.? The U.S. gladly went into help them because they saw land back then for resources. Once the Americans helped winning that war they settled in and the land kicked out all of the original inhabitants of that land.
Blah,.....google the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
"Do you know that Texas belongs to Mexico and you're the foreigner there?"______________________________________ Mexico was paid hansomly for all territory aquired during the war. Do some research before spouting off like a 3rd grader.
I agree totally. Long ago when I retired from the Navy I actually went on food stamps for a few months because of job hunting. I asked the social worker if I could do any work becasue I felt kind of bad about using food stamps. She just laughed and said,"Don't worry about it. THat's what they are for". I really feel that some people who are disabled and can't work shouldn't have to do so but people who are fully able to work should be put to work even a few hours a day cleaning roadways or doing something to help out. I think most of them would even feel better about it.
Since many of our labor needs are for higher educated people, it may be difficult to simply place unemployed people and those on assistance into these positions. Could the typical welfare recipient or unemployed tradesperson take a job as a scientist?
LOL. If Texas belongs to Mexico, then Mexico belongs to Spain. The US belongs to the UK along with Canada and India, Indonesia belongs to the Dutch... I mean where does this stupid argument go? Texas declared it's independence from Mexico, it was actually an Independent nation (it even had it's own currency), what's wrong with a state declaring it's independence from a national gov't that doesn't represent it?
Blah blah,
Actually, Mexico (and Texas) was owned by the Spanish before being owned by Mexico, so if I were you, I'd be looking over my shoulder to make sure Spain isn't creeping back into Mexico to 'get back' what was once their's.
So, your hispanic boss isn't that great for you? We have enough people, legal citizen's, who are not able to find a job. We don't need anymore illegals. If they are talented, and have drive, they can fix their own country. We need to focus on job generation for legal citizens, not legal residents or illegal residents, but legal citizens.
Ryan in Texas, apparently you are unaware that a large percentage of people on assistance actually ARE working.
Texas beat Mexico in a war in 1836. That is when Texas became it's own nation.
Many people here were against joining the US, more were for it. We did in 1845.
Mexico can't even control it's gangs with it's entire military.
So the only thing that worries Texas about an invasion from Mexico is the one Washington is forcing on us right now.
You and the author are woefully lacking in facts. Every year the US allows in over 1 million legal immigrants. That's more than the rest of the world combined. So how is it that we have something to learn from the other 199 countries' immigration policies, when ours are more liberal than all of thers combined? We also naturalize almost 1 million a year as new citizens. So the vast majority of those we legally admit are becoming citizens. Next time you and the author should get some facts before venting a totally uninformed opinion.
What is your source for 1 million?
It's usually closer to 1.5 million legal immigrants a year.
Do we really need more people?
Isn't 310 million enough?
In 2011, the total number of persons naturalizing was 694,193. The leading countries of birth of new citizens were Mexico (94,783), India (45,985), the Philippines (42,520), the People’s Republic of China (32,864), and Colombia (22,693). The largest number of persons naturalizing lived in California (151,183), Florida (87,309), and New York (76,603). These numbers only include naturalized individuals and not others allowed into the country by other legal means. From DNS website. 11.2 million illegal immigrants lived in the United States in 2010, virtually the same as a year earlier and holding steady after peaking at 12 million in 2007, according to a new report from the Pew Hispanic Center.
I think the key here is that net migration since about 2005 has been zero. So yes, people come into the United States, but in recent times, an equal number of people are leaving. The reason why the United States is the biggest target of migrants is because it is a big country. The countries of Europe of course, measured by population, are much smaller than the U.S. And the only other countries that are larger than the U.S. in terms of population are not substantial destinations for migration because they are not developed. So to point out that the U.S., in raw numbers, accepts a lot of migrants isn't really interesting.
Source of statistics:
www DOT dhs DOT gov/xlibrary/assets/statistics/publications/lpr_fr_2010.pdf
Replace DOt with a dot and eliminate the spaces. this is a DHS report on immigration.
A large portion of our population dies every year too.
agree with previous post, raw number doesn't tell a story.
But to build on that...the raw number also doesn't reflect liberal nor conservative policy. Just because a lot of people come doesn't make it more liberal than any other country.
As someone who has explored emigrating for family reasons I have actualy found the process to be much simpler to immigrate legally into some other countries than it was to enter the US with an advanced degree and an employer sponsor. In our original country my wife was a citizen within 3 yrs after immigration. Took me 6 to get a green card and now am waiting another boatload to become a citizen....so who is more liberal?
I'm curious mike. Do you really think making things up to justify your psychosis is really what America needs. We are a nation of immigrants living as we always have, and we have much less immigration than in the past. They only thing that has changed is your life, and it's a change for the worse. Stop worrying about the rest of the world and start worrying about yourself.
The 1 million number covers both new immigrants coming in as permanent residents (roughly half a million a year) and immigrants already in-country upgrading their status to permanent resident. As such the number does not reflect total new immigration, since it also excludes new legal immigrants with temporary status.
When you just make stuff up, you lose all credibility on everything you say.
2011 immigrants to Germany: 958,000
2011 immigrations to Canada: 250,000
I stopped there because I only need to look up two countries find out your "more than all the rest of the world combined" is completely made-up BS.
Let's try at least to get the numbers right:
*Net Migration per 1,000 of Population (and Total Number)
- USA: 3.62 (1,120,000)
- Germany: 0.71 (57,000)
- Canada: 5.56 (190,000)
The US takes a huge number every year (>1Mil) and has been doing so year after year, decade after decade for over 40 years.
Scott, I provided a citation from DHS for the US part of my statistics. Based on your post, i went back and looked up the other part (which I had read elsewhere, but DIDN'T MAKE UP) and found you were correct. In any event the 1 million we admit is probably more than any other individual country, and in fact has been the average for more than 10 years. So we do indeed do more than our share at immigration. If we were smart, we would be much more selective, only admitting those who are skilled and can contribute, rather than allowing so many unskilled people. Though not the best source, Wiki estimates that based on polling over 600 million people would klike to emmigrate to another country, wich about 255 of them listing the US as their choice. That's another 125 million people. Do you really think we can absorb that?
We are a country of immigrants. Unless you are of 100% Native American stock, you or your ancestors were immigrants. So it's hardly fair to say, "Oh, thanks for letting me and my family in... but no more, please."
We are not a nation of immigrants.
The vast majority were born here.
We have no more room or money especially for third world people who are nothing but a financial drain. Not to mention the muslims who are accepted as refugees then plan to blow up their very generous host country.
You are a moron Ted
Those who blew up new York on 9/11 (assuming that is what you are talking about) were anything but refugees. In fact, "playboys" would have been a better description of them. Do your research moron
According to Gallop survey the highest recipients of welfare are white Americans from the Southern God Fearing racist, uneducated, states in America. How many Asians do you know who are on welfare?!
I think the small countries who graciously let in all those refugees from muslim countries deeply regret it. There have been countless tries at blowing them up, not to mention the murders for presumed insults to islam. Here we have the same thing, plus the massive numbers of America hating illegals depleting our social services.
Agreed with mary..and i think ted is on welfare..
Yeah Ted....you're a moron....
So I am an immigrant....I came from another country with a graduate degree and had an employment sponsor...I pay my taxes, have no debt, now have a us born child....
So all immigrants are refugess or 3rd world welfare cases? The days of "give us your sick" are largely gone...you are paranoid about something you clearly don't understand...
Conservatives in this country, the intelligent leaders who want free market understand the importance of letting in highly innovative minds from other countries to create internal compeition and keep us on top.
Yet moron like yourself think every immigrant is a potato famine victim and think they need to be kept out for fear of your taxes paying for their welfare.
Give your head a shake, wake up to reality.
monica my best friend growing up was a Muslim whose family came from India and guess what he's a citizen and a marine who did two tours in Afghanistan so F off you racist pig!
I have read several pages of post, and have come to the conclusion that many of the people commenting from the right sound like Nazi's. I can't help wonder if this is how it started in Germany. The truth is many of the immigrants coming in will be better citizens than the Americans commenting on this forum for the Far Right.
Ted, you're an imbecile; please don't reproduce, ty.
Who let all the ignorant racists and bigots out? I thought we had secured the locks!
Yeah sweetheart, lets bank roll a bunch of syrians who have no 1st world skills just so we can feel all phucking kumbaya about ourselves. This is not the 20th century where we need smelting hands. We need educated workers, advanced skills and the people you are talking about have none of that. My local unemployment center, right down from my house is full of third world immigrants who came here and got their pooch skrewed because they have no computer skills and now I have to pay for it. EFF THAT
American ranks in the high teens and low twenties in Math and Science and education in general. Chances are immigrants would be smarter than us.
What a classy broad......
So I guess you know what the inside of your local unemployment office looks like.
Thanks for sharing you female Foxtard....
Go beg Murdoch to open comments over at racist central.
Elana, Elana, Elana, I am a Mexican immigrant who came to the U.S in 1992 at the age of 17. I was dirt poor in Mexico, so when I came here I appreciated and took advantage of each and every opportunity this country gave me, in spite of all the racism and prejudice that I faced. Oh yes my dear racists do exist and prejudice people are everywhere in Liberal California. I worked full time while finishing my High School Diploma, went on to college, and I have two Associate Degrees one in computer science, one in foreign language, I have a bachelors degree in Spanish and a Masters degree in Business Administration and Public Policy. I own my business and employ other Americans. I had to run across the border illegally because the Immigration System of our country is broken and I had no way to immigrate legally. I know about immigration law because I am an immigration Consultant and have practiced for 10 years plus having gone through the system myself. Educate yourself before you post an uninformed opinion I suggest. We immigrants contribute more than you think.
Wow Elana, the hate you exude is gross!
How ignorant to assume one is without an education and skills because they were not born here...get your facts straight...the good ole USA falls further and further behind in education every year...we are producing more uneducated and unskilled people than ever nowadays.
That's a wonderful story, Marcos, but 45 percent of Latino children of immigrants drop out of high school, and less than 10 percent graduate from college. Your story is anything but typical. Most of the immigrants who come from south of the Rio Grande are low skill workers whose only employment prospects lie in undercutting the wages of native born low skill workers.
Perhaps you've hear of Steve Jobs who ran Apple Computer (inc.) until his recent death. His father was Syrian.
Seriously? While it is a nice fluffy argument the reality is different. People come into this country illegally and get free health care, free schooling for their kids, and than arrested, all paid for by our tax $$s. They contribute nothing to society other than making low wadge jobs even lower taking them away from hard working tax paying citizens. It's not our responsibility to make other nations as nice as we built ours, and it's not job to make sure people over there are as good and as rich as we are.
The article had nothing to do with "illegal" immigrants.
I guess your tiny brain is stuck in a loop from spending too much time over at fox.
While none of your comment has to do with the article you should be aware that the majority of illegals work under false social security numbers and pay taxes. You don't see the US Government refusing to collect those taxes. And most states in this country you do not qualify for welfare services if you can't prove you are here legally; besides most, fearful of being deported will not even apply. Instead they work 16 to 20 hour days working well below the minimum wage, in jobs most Americans think are beneath them, living in homes packed full of people...while our own American citizens collect welfare, can afford cell phone and big screen TVs paid for by those welfare checks. I say round up the American welfare recipients who don't want to work, deport them, and offer citizenship to those illegally here but willing to work for a living.
Nice try. Internationalism doesn't work. What you're really arguing is to have no borders, one single "country," under a socialist political system of course, right comrade? "Fairness." "Equality." No religion. Sell it the islamio-fascists first. LOL.
Kinda like New World Order?
It's funny how many FOXTARDS have "immigrated" over here to CNN since trailer park central closed down commenting over there.
There goes the neighborhood.............
Uh, Ken, movement of labor, capital, etc. is a capitalist notion. Have you even studied economics 101?
Norm, that explains a lot...was wondering what happened....
There's one country that's way ahead of us on this concept. It's called Mexico and they're doing great! Oh, and the former East Germany is another example. It was a shining beacon of light and hope, oh and change too.
what a moronic comment. No country now, in the past or in the future could survive and thrive if anybody at anytime from anywhere could come to your country and avail themselves of jobs,social welfare programs etc etc etc. There is also no other country in the world with citizens as moronic who think this is never never land and would ever propose anything like it. Why don't you check the Mexican laws for people who cross their border illegally and then grow up get with the real world
So, uh, how did your ancestors get here "in the past"? I think the US has done OK.
This country is an immigrant nation, like it or not. Xenophobia is a disease.
Syrian birthrate 24 per 1000
U.S. Birthrate (largely driven by immigrants -legal and illegal 14 per 1000
More immigration -No Thanks!
Will the US be a better place to live when it reaches 1B- I think not
I dont know about the humanity argument. We all feel bad about the folks in Syria but I would never send American troops to solve the problem.
I have a perfectly selfish reason to want immigrants in this country. We need people to come in who can envision the American dream, start businesses, be the first to ever go to college, and bring in new ideas (yeah yeah I know, culture of America blah blah). I think that more immigration will make a better country for my children.
Most Americans have nothing against legal immigrants it's the illegals that most are against. Of course most of us are descendants immigrants. That has nothing to do with people sneaking into this country breaking our laws and costing us billions.
to Oh really......"Could anyone in your inbred and sadly intellectually challenged family do the same? I seriously doubt it. Keep your hate comments for the folks at the weekly meeting of the trailer park homeowner's association. I'm sure they are more appreciated there."
Could you please explain to everyone how it is that you fancy yourself any better than the person you are replying to.
I'm pretty sure that if you take a look in the mirror the reflection you would see would be that of a hypocrite.
Hate is Hate is Hate, so please don't think that you are on any type of moral high ground.
Why do some otherwise intelligent people fail to understand most of us oppose ILLEGAL immigrants not all immigrants. Most nations of the world have far more strict immigration laws than the US and it's time we tighten ours as well. Few oppose legal immigration.
America needs LEGAL immigrants, people who are educated and willing to work hard. We can do without those who despise us, yet would come here to take advantage of our still generous welfare state. America is a country built by immigrants, immigrant talent and hard work made it happen. Fail to control immigration and the nation will crumble- think I'm wrong? Go ask the Romans......
Hatred, ignorance, fear-mongering, spreading myths. You covered all the bases in your little comment.
the romans didnt go away because of illegal immigration. one of their policies was to grant citizenship (sometimes after slavery) to those they conquered. i dont understand your premise
LOCK THE GATES
We're about too late Bruce- but if you find the lock I'll help you-
Don't let the "gate" slap you on the a s s on your way out Brucey.....
sounds like all immigrants are Great and all Americans are dimwits, our problem is that we let in too many immigrant dimwits that suck our/my hard earned resources for the chance of one Golden Turd.
you f idiot you immigrated from England dont say our hard earned resource no one earns resources it comes from the earth you illiterate dumba.. stop crying like a b****. It was your forefathers who screwed with almost half of the worlds countries and yet are in debt... what goes around comes around... atleast cos of us the economy is still intact... you think the lazy people using there food stamps etc are the guys who are holding up your economy? we pay taxes which we never get nor do we get food stamps nor anything else... we contribute to the economy not you.. you guys talk as if we are robbing you off your jobs.. its talent that needs or gets a job...
My goodness! Gay Americans who were on the front lines of two recent wars and have been on the front lines of all wars were only given their rights to speak just last year. The corpse of the Republican gift of Don't Ask, Don't Tell is barely cold and not yet fully buried. Only two Republican Senators crossed the lines to vote with their Democratic counterparts to end this shameful era in our history. Let's work on the inalienable rights of Americans first. The Supreme Court told us in 2003 in Texas vs. Lawrence to stop interfering in the lives of gay Americans, but Republicans never got the memo. They are also responsible for the truly egregious roadblocks to immigration reform. Their strong tendencies toward flag waving and invoking the name of God at every turn have them stuck in a strongly nationalistic narrative where fully gay Americans and immigrants will never be fully included in this short span we call life.
David, June 8, 2012 at 3:08 pm,
First of all "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was implemented by a DEMOCRAT President, not a Republican. Second of all, our last mass amnesty in 1986 woud implemented by a Republican. Look it up. How about learning some history instead of giving us more partisan hackery?
Gay Americans. The real 1%.
I think it needs to be kept in context-right now there aren't enough jobs for the people that are already here. Why would you let more people in if there isn't the work for them right now? It's also a dirty secret that companies love to hire legal immigrants that need sponsorship to work here, and turn them into indentured servants. The company pays for their visa, and unless another company is willing to sponsor them the workers are stuck at that company unless they want to get deported.
this is opposition to LEGAL immigration. your are taking issue with H1B and work visas. most of the talk has been about illegal immigration. frankly, i dont know whether H1B are good or bad. Have worked with people here who were on a H1B and they seem like decent folks working towards US citizenship for the most part.
Eric, do you see the hypocrisy here? Most of the folks in this thread want legal immigration. Now you don't want legal immigration. You can't have the cake and eat it too. US has to decide if it wants immigrants or not. If US does not want any sort of immigration, it should just make it the state policy. This helps people who are trying to legally immigrate here make better life choices. But, if you do want LEGAL immigration, then don't crib about H1B or any other program. There are always abuses in any program, just make the laws stronger and fines heftier.
The only immigrants I see in Houston are pushing a double baby carriage, pregnant and on their way to use the emergency room as a doctors office.
Same here in Vallejo,Ca
Hmm ... ever been in the offices of a tech company?
They are all pregnant, huh? No men, then... is that what you are saying? Oh, I see... you only "see" femaie immagrants. You just aren't looking at the male immigrants, I guess.
Try the customs line (passport control) at IAH (or any major city's airport) to see the exact opposite, in terms of socio-economic status for newly minted US citizens/recent legal immigrants. There you'll find the CEO's and business owners.
Anyone who doubts Kyle can look at the example of Parkland hospital in Dallas, where 70% of the babies are born there to illegal immigrants.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/immigration/parkland.asp
A vast majority of immigrants wind up using welfare even though they are not supposed to be allowed on the welfare roles.
I wouldn't mind people who actually add some value to America, but most add nothing other than forced diversity.
Is it a coincidence that many of the Eurozone countries are limiting immigration more each day?
Why not educate Americans and let them take the jobs these immigrants are stealing from Americans.
LOL... A "vast majority" of immigrants are on welfare... hmmm... but they are also "stealing American jobs." Which is it? Can't have it both ways.
By the way, it is actually a minority of legal immigrants who end up on welfare, not a majority.
Just curious... how did your ancestors get here? Oh, wait... immigration?
Both, Daylene. The men work for "under the table" pay, while the women collect AFDC and food stamps. This is a very common arrangement in Southern California.
The article failed to mention Legal Immigrants. There are much more illegalls here than legals- and they brought crime to the US.
I think the entire article is about legal immigrants ...
DOD: spare us the huge generalizations you're making. The level of ignorance on this blog blows my mind. You have been brainwashed.
No, MC, the main idea of this piece is that there should be no such thing as legal or illegal immigration, that denying entry into the US based on economic desirability is a form of discrimination on par with racial segregation and anti-gay bigotry, and that the US does not have the moral right to control its own borders. Feel free to agree, I vehemently disagree.
Why would we let more immigrants into this country when we can't even take care of the ones we already have? People keep preaching about opportunity, but that is shrinking drastically. Their are millions of americans that need the opportunity above anyone else. Please keep in mind in case you are behind in the times that this country is 16 TRILLION in debt. The higher it rises, the less opportunity any american will have.
How did your ancestors get here?
"All of our ancestors were immigrants" doesn't justify present-day immigration policies.
People need to make their own countries worth living in. Not be trying to come here. I hate the guy who writes these articles. He is extremely liberal about everything he writes about. When we let poor people come in from other countries they are willing to work for next to nothing. This drives wages down for anyone that has been here trying to work their way up. I know. It happens here in Washington State. Illegals come to eastern Washington to pick apples in the orchards every year. When the workers try to strike for more money the farmers just threaten to bring in new workers who will work for even less. If you think this only applies in farming you are gullible and stupid. We can't fit the whole world in our borders. If we want the world to have the freedoms we have we need to help these 3rd world countries attain their democracies instead of leaving them to perish at the hands of their dictators. There is no damned if you do damned if you don't. People won't like it but we must push our idea of freedom. We had a civil war almost a century after we became the free nation we are. We can't expect that any country we help is going to adopt democracy as we have. Look at what we had to go through. The civil war wasn't fought to free the slaves. It was fought over money. Freeing the slaves was a much needed benefit to our democracy as slavery goes completely against our way of life. For democracy to survive it must be paid for in lives and with money in wars. There are leaders in our world that oppose freedom so much so they are willing to murder their own people to prevent the idea from taking hold. Like Syria. Many of you over zealous liberals would argue against helping the people of Syria and ignore the news so you don't have to see the dead children. I am mostly liberal but I realize that to protect freedom sometimes we must fight for it. Freedom was granted to us by God and our politicians and leaders do nothing but take that freedom away.
When the workers try to strike for more money the farmers just threaten to bring in new workers who will work for even less. -– And who do blame for this? employer or employee? As long as people are willing to employ illegals for the sake of "better Profits" this will not stop.
Marry me Gingersrule1
Noone is descriminating if they come here LEGALLY. This illegal s*it has to stop. No other country lets you come there illegally. Do you hear this Obama?
That is absolutely right Annabanana. That's why I'm saying we need to support other countries in fighting their dictators. We have a chance with the Arab Spring to help the poor and unfortunate realize that freedom can be won and that America is not anti Muslim. What have we done during this Arab Spring other than keep our hands in our pockets? Here in the US our long term welfare is dependent on us not having the only democracy.
gingersrule1 – how about we start with our own dictators first? Ok?
Obama has been tougher on illegal immigration than virtually all the presidents before him, save perhaps Nixon ...
We don't have dictators here. We have a bunch of dumb citizens that think only democrats and republicans can represent them. Our leaders get picked based on their stances to issues like immigration and gay rights and abortion instead of any kind of genuine desire to see this country grow. We can't focus on just this country because we aren't the center of the universe. We watched the Jews die in the holocaust and did nothing to stop it. We also vowed to never let it happen again. We did let it happen in Darfur. We are letting it happen in South Sudan and Syria. Evil dictators must be brought to justice in order for this world to see any semblance of peace. MLK Jr. had a dream that civil rights would be guaranteed for everyone in the world. We must chase that dream. I just know it.
I don't think you have been well informed of Obama's illegal immigration policies.
We should allow skilled, educated people into this country who are able to speak the language. Not uneducated manual laborers who can under cut our poor in the search for jobs.
Bottom line there aren't enough jobs to go around for the immigrants. Especially when they are willing to work for substantially less than the prevailing wage.
They work for less than the prevailing wage because they send the money home. The dollar is still strong in many other countries, so an American worker who works here and has to live in this economy can't survive on a few bucks an hour. The immigrant can earn 5 dollars an hour, and send it home. It then turns into 30 dollars an hour. Then we hear we're all lazy and won't work for what the immigrants will. Bull.
Sounds sustainable!
LEGAL immigrants. Sure.
LEGAL, LEGAL, LEGAL, LEGAL, LEGAL, LEGAL, LEGAL, LEGAL, LEGAL, LEGAL, LEGAL, LEGAL, LEGAL, LEGAL, LEGAL, LEGAL, LEGAL, LEGAL, LEGAL, LEGAL, LEGAL, LEGAL, LEGAL, LEGAL, LEGAL, LEGAL, LEGAL, LEGAL, LEGAL, LEGAL, LEGAL, LEGAL, LEGAL. Yes.
Illegal? No.
you cannot maintain a first world nation with those from the third world.its simple.its not about disliking them. how can help other nations when we are slowly slipping to a second world nation because of third world immigration?
It's not our job to give you human rights. If you want human rights, get it in your own country. Rise up, and face your government like we did over 200 years ago. Take your country back. Don't depend on the US to give you what you're not man enough to take on your own.
uh, was your family here 200 years ago to fight back against Britain? how many of our families were here back then?
Unless you are 100% Native American, you or your ancestors were immigrants.
We can't let the whole world in. We can't let all of Mexico in. The key is to improve conditions in other countries. And people have to come in legally. America is already very stretched thin.
Why shouldn't we expect that the U.S. might discriminate about immigrants based on where they were born? It does that already even with its own citizens born right here.
You are some lousy troll! This is not the 1800's. We did the hungry, tired and poor thing back then, and it worked out OK. Today's world is vastly different place today. This article is propaganda for the NWO.
The problem isn't that these people aren't qualified or wouldn't be good citizens. The problem is that for every person we need the infrastructure in place to support them. We need homes, roads, food, police, fire department, health services, etc. Letting anyone and everyone in to give them a chance is foolish. Take a look at some of the poor countries in this world. Many don't have what we consider basic necessities, and yet their populations continue to explode as they have more children in an already overburdened system. We simply cannot allow that to happen here, no matter how unfair it may seem.
Zakaria is an idiot. Most of the US is NOT against immigration if it is done LEGALLY and according to the law. The objection we have is against those immagrants that are here ILLEGALLY. My wife is a foreign born immigrant, (from the Ukraine) and I brought her legally, and she is now a US citizen. What burns ME up, is the people sneaking across the boarder and soaking up our tax dollars for their benefit.
Why should I have to pay thousands of dollars in Immigration fees to make sure my wife can live here legally, when millions of others do if at no cost, and then leach off the government on top of that. It burns me up.
Yep....exactly....
It's absurd to ask me to respect someone, and willingly accept them into my country, when their first act upon entering my country is an illegal one-showing total disrespect for my country...
Sure, let's throw open the doors so everyone from the third world with an IQ of less that 75 can come here and be supported for life by working, taxpaying American slaves. Let them pop out kids every year and perpetuate the idea of generational freebie addicts. This country should be called freebie nation, uless you're American then it doesn't apply
As usual Fareed Z. is wrong in his views and totally misunderstands Americans. Americans are not anti-immigrant when those individuals have immigrated here legally. Americans are opposed to illegal immigrants who have broken the law to come here. We do not accept the argument that nothing can or should be done about them. They should be forced to self-deport by enforcing the laws against hiring them and there should be no public services provided for them. Also, everything in this country does not and should not be printed in both Spanish and English. Immigrants must learn to assimilate to succeed in this country – therefore they must learn English.
Couldn't have said it better myself
What are you talking about? Syrians are free to legally immigrate to America.
Understand why anyone would want to bring their family to America......However, being pragmatic...our infrastructure is overloaded by the millions of illegal immigrants already here....just look at California their educational, medical, social services infrastructure is nearly bankrupt with dramatically reduced services due in large part by illegal immigration . C'mon, even though you would want to, 'you can't put 50 people in a 25 person life raft'.......we need to enact something like the Kennedy/McCain comprehensive immigration bill......read it before you overreact......
Is it so awful to require people to become citizens before they reap the benefits of america. You should try to learn the language and at least know some history about why you are able to come here. The problem is all of the illegal migrants cause this issue to come up. No other country on earth allows people to just show up and start working and reaping the benefits of thier citizens. if i understand correctly we want to allow whoever wants to come, to come here and work and get what american citizens get. For goodness sake immigrants blew up the trade centers, there needs to be laws and steps to becoming a citizen of the united states.
"Obama’s Aunt Zeituni Onyango was an illegal immigrant from Kenya and living off the American welfare system"
what's the deal with liberals? proud to be uninformed and calling facts "racist"???
Love to have immigrants...the ones with great ideas, who are educated and have money in the bank.
I propose a compromise: one that respects both American workers and refugees.
1. Immigration quotas should be tied to unemployment figures. Right now, millions of Americans are unemployed, and millions more endure a daily struggle to survive. The government of the United States MUST, first and foremost, be dedicated to the welfare of American citizens. This is not a matter of confusion or debate. This also includes reducing the military's policy of hiring foreign personnel.
2. For refugees, they should be granted a humanitarian asylum period, ranging from 10 months to four years, and in that time they could be educated in sustainable farming techniques, self-defense, entrepreneurship, and other steps beneficial to helping their communities grow.
3. Mass immigration should be drastically scaled back to a maximum of 100,000 to 200,000 per year.
In general, the current immigration system is extremely harmful to working class Americans.
And let's not forget the environmental impact of mass immigration. Where are we going to house the next 100 million people? Mass urban sprawl. Goodbye nature.
Opening the floodgates to high-skill immigrants has no relevance to the proportion of companies started by immigrants–it is only proposed because it will reduce the cost of labor in the United States, demeaning the occupations, cutting into opportunities for graduates and experienced Americans...Americans who've paid taxes their whole lives to build the infrastructure these companies survive under-now you want to give away the jobs too. In a time of excruciating unemployment among Americans-high-skill among them-you want to open the floodgates and make it harder for genuine Americans to be employed. Thanks. This op-ed is just a tool for the technology companies that are souring on India because the hourly rate is going up over there-its making less sense for them to outsource to New Delhi, but they want the Americans back in their shops "on the cheap". They want the labor costs lower. The quickest way to do that is offer citizenship to people who will accept lower salaries and lesser working conditions. I think we've had it. Any politician who goes along with this farce will voted out of office. You're not fooling anyone with this tripe. This article is an unpatriotic diatribe against Americans ("the lazy American", it says). I hope the author(s) return to their native countries forthwith. Please don't come back.
Amen brother!
"The US Supreme Court is currently hearing a Federal lawsuit against Arizona over
the state’s controversial S.B. 1070, the results of which have not pleased the
White House’s ruling party.
those critics have shrunk into the shadows following the Supreme Court’s initial
findings that Arizona is well within its rights to enforce existing federal
immigration and border control laws – laws which the feds themselves haven’t
managed to get around to enforcing.
Apparently, Supreme Court justices took a rather dim view of the Obama administration’s
dictatorial claim that ‘it will stop Arizona from enforcing existing immigration laws.’
Obama’s inside weapon was Justice Elana Kagan, until she was forced to recuse herself
from the case because of her biased views on the Arizona immigration issue dating back
to her service as Obama’s solicitor general in 2010. In political terms,
Kagan’s ejection from the case was a rare incidence of “what goes around, comes around”
– nothing less than a first round knock-out blow to Obama’s case.
AZ State Senator(R) Russell Pearce travelled to Washington to defend his
state’s rights, and to testify on the burden of illegal immigration on
Arizona. Pearce explained, “I have been in public service most of my
life and I have seen the real costs and damage caused by the presence
of illegal aliens in our country. In Arizona alone, the annual cost of
illegal immigration is approximately $2.6 billion”. "
Plenty of States waiting intently whether Arizona wins the rights on this.
Plenty of States want to wean ILLEGALS and their true expenses that are weighted
upon each states expense budgets instead of just the Federals budgets.
If the good people are coming to American to assimilate to our country. then why are there big signs at the airports in places like Puerto rico, Mexico,and so many other places. THAT TELL PEOPLE THE BEST STATES AND CITIES TO GO TO FOR THE MOST WELFARE BENEFIETS.
A nice arguement brought to us by Monsanto, Dow, Big Oil and Merck.
Third World Overbreeding must not be encouraged or accommodated in any way for any reason. It is perilous behavior for ALL involved.
America is MAXED OUT. Period. Potable water shortages right around the corner as it is. "Show we care" by becoming as bad as the places fled as fast as possible? Places where Americans themselves are Not Welcomed? Where's the Logic, Reason, Nobility or Morality in That?
Breeeding/Immigration run amok to appease Corporate Greed is what all this "We are one" is about.
Oh and Adios white people, literacy, manageable crime rates and green space while we're at it.
All you have to do to fix the issue is take all the illegal's and make them citizens...POOF...they ALL PAY TAXES...FIXED..
OH, but wait...now GOP do NOT hav free labor...Oh my!
All you have to do to fix the issue is take all the illegal's and make them citizens...POOF...they ALL PAY TAXES...FIXED..
OH, but wait...now GOP do NOT hav free labor...Oh my!
What I don't want to see is this country looking like tthe streets of Toyko. How many are enough? How many can the United States support environmentally with shortages in narural resources like water already evident? What are the numbers?.
The writer has missed out the most important reason that America needs immigrants. The Demographic Winter is already here.
Due to contraception, abortion and professional women not having children, the population is not being replaced; therefore there will be fewer people to produce goods; buy goods; pay taxes; and defend the country – therefore economies will fail. 62% of American homes are without children. There are also 5 times the number of elderly to childen.
Russia also os losing 700,000 citizens a year for the same reasons. Putin offered women $900 + $140 per month for each child + one third of their current salary per child.but thgere are hardly any takers. In 32 years the current trend loss will increase and cut the population by 50%. China face the same 50% decrease.
The European countries population has already shrunk by 13% and rising rapidly.
America blames hispanics for their troubles and wish them away. Be CAREFUL what you wish for.Immigrants are keeping the USA economy moving because USA didn't do their homework. Emerging countries are the ONLY ones replacing themselves. We NEED them.
Look up Demographic Winter – and remember – whatever your private opinion, these people are demographers. They're not politicians.
Sadly to say , your Godless, lustfull western culture can not gift you enough human resources that are needed to maintain stability in a society . Most important is that western culture can not produce people who can do hard work . Your country produce some lustfull young generation who know only how to lead a luxurious life style . Without immigration , we will not see any new human life in the USA .
We don't need you and your idiotic drivle about how lazy the people are who built the country everyone else wants to get into.
You didn’t build this country, your ancestors did who were no doubt hard working great people.
Look at the human history all great empires were made i.e. Roman, British, Mongol, Arabs after generations of hard work & then came down after the coming generations became lazier & more materialistic.
What are we doing now, our kids are dropping out of high schools, if they are graduating & going to college instead of getting challenging degrees i.e. science, technology, engineering (immigrants are more in these fields) they want to do music, art etc so that they can party in spare time !! They are more interested in becoming the sports star, American idol.
Don’t have to go far more then 50% of students doing phd in universities are immigrants, in science & technology # is even higher. If we want to stay #1 we need immigrants, we need to keep on importing smartest brains from the world!!
1stIronweed – BS That's just a typical big-head American response to the slightest criticism. You WERE a wonderful country ONCE. Now you're a poor second power and money wise to Russia and China. It gives me no pleasure to say this but it's true.
okahn – Excellent post. Well said.
It really sounds like you are desperate to go live in the US.
You say we are godless, yet you hate, you say we are lustful but you are jealous, you say we live luxurious lifestyles but you are envious. Your hypocrisy is laughable.
Sorry- I thought you were writing about the undeserving, pampered playboys of the middle east, whose last significant contribution to humanity was the astrolabe- Come out of the middle ages and join the rest of the world- and stop spewing your ignorant, hateful retoric-
gfy
Dude, your an idiot. Obviously, your from some ragheaded country living in a mud and brick hovel. America is not only the greatest country on Earth, it is the greatest country in the HISTORY of the Earth. Without American ingenuity and HARD WORK, you would not be sitting here today on your American invented 'Computer/internent'. The list of American inventions over the past 200 years in mind boggling, and all these people accomplished all this with hard work, determination, and a desire to improve lives.
wonderful article,................should be widely disseminated.
The thing that makes America great is it's diversity of people. Especially we can use the immigrants from Spanish speaking countries as long as they bring their language with them to help make this country a bilingual one. That way we can be more like the Canadians who long ago learned to live in peace with all their people, including Native Americans.
Since when did the English and Frence in Canada get along? Take a history lesson.
Another rocket scientist. Have you ever heard about Quebec, which is physically in Canada. Do you know what language they speak and the issues and votes that continue to arise there.
If by "living in peace" with native peoples you mean "exile them to the Arctic so they may bolster our sovereignty claims, then leave them to waste away in sub-human living conditions" then yes, we Canadians live peacefully alongside our native communities.
I live in northern Canada, so I know what I'm talking about. Your comment is complete, utter nonsense. Where do you live? From the 'TO', I'm guessing Toronto. Please stop making a fool of yourself.
Send our natives to the North? What on earth were you smoking? As to the Quebec issue, while we have had our issues in the past, it had less to do with actual language issues and more to do with historic injustices (imagined and real)
Nunavut is where he means, Canadians. Sort of like the reservations in the US.
I vote 'NO' to bilingual. We are NOT a bilingual country. If you want to learn another language, thats great, and I support learning as many languages as possible. But don't push your language on us. If you want to read a paper or street sign in Spanish, move back to Mexico or whatever central American country you came from. We are an English speaking nation with oinly ONE recognized language, and thats the way it should be. If I move to Germany or Russia, I wouldn't expect them to learn English just to appease me, I would take it upon myself to learn the native language.
What we do not need is the baby popping, welfare jockey mob from Mexico and other points south.
I agree. All the baby-popping welfare jockeys in the Red States need to actually start working so people in the virtuous Blue States don't have to keep watching the money they send to DC pay for rednecks to sit in their trailer parks, drinking beer and watching NASCAR, and sobering up to go to Church on Sundays so they can hear another immigrant-bashing sermon from a preacher who got his " degree" in divinity online ( at government expense, no doubt). Now, have I managed to caricature you enough so you start to understand what a worthless series of comments you've inflicted on the web?
OK, so you have your own stereotype you can hate on. I guess that makes it better.......LOL
You clearly don't have a clue what you're talking about and are using nothing more than assumptions (faulty at that) with no research backing it.
Amen to that, anchor popping lazy thieves.
How about a fair exchange for every working immigrant we deport a neocon
yes every one on welfare is from mexico, is that why all the WIC customers i see are meth using pieces of WHITE trash here in my home state of GA, which sadly has way to many of your kind here.
If we don't have immigrants, then who will clean all the rich people's houses, etc? Totally "off the books" of course!!!!
Exactly- because there aren't ANY wealthy liberals in this country taking advantage of poor immigrants- the only rich people are conservative republicans- What- did you grow up in a Skinner box? You do your partisans a discourtesy by coming off as so ignorant, which makes you the perfect spokes person for your "cause"
THe problem is not imigration, the problem is the INVASION of MULSIMS. expulse all muslims from the USA and prevent them entering the country. everyone else is OK. The only menace from imigration is MUSLIMS. Each mostquee built is a ENEMY Base that need to be destroyed.
You cannot ignore 1/3rd of world's population.All religions have good people along with the bad one.Lets not single out one religion.It shows ignorance.
Religion is ignorance
Tom, Presuming that order is spontaneous and a fluke of nature, especially when science hasn't been able to settle on anything for certain for centuries is ignorance.
Your response does not make sense(pun intended). Lets work together to solve real problems and not blame any one group for a few bad apples. For example: All irish are not bad becuse a few joined the IRA.All christians are not bad becuase of the Oklahoma bombing.
The name of the towelheads is mohammedans.
Why should we continue to discriminate against people on the basis of how they entered our country, with one set of standards for those who were born here or entered legally, and another set of standards for those whose first act as a resident of this country was to violate our immigration laws and our national sovereignty?
Does that seem justifiable?
It does? Oh, well, never mind.
The first amendment, have you read it?
Clearly only in the context of Glenn Beck's show.
islam, as a belief system, is larger than just metaphysical fairy tales.
it includes specific mutually exclusive political goals.
this is why it is incompatible with democracy.
if religion will stay in metaphysical fairy tales and out of politics it currently gets tax exempt status. unfortunately, islam does not now, nor ever will. (unless it chucks the koran)
it makes moral demands of its followers to bring about social change for political objectives.
that is not a religion as we westerners think of it. its a religious-political-economic worldview.
until ppl can understand this, they will never understand the real threat posed by islam. its not the camelriding freedom fighters (terrorists) who pose the threat its CAIR and other infiltrating organizations whose eventual goal is to subvert and overthrow democracy worldwide, CUZ THE CALIPHATE IS THEIR GOAL.
unless a muslim will denounce the political part of his religion, he does not belong in a western democracy. end of story.
Your username speaks volumes. If al-Qaeda, the Taliban and Iran are accurate depictions of all Muslims, then, by your own established logic, the Ku Klux Klan, the Westboro Baptist Church, and Rev. Terry Jones are accurate depictions of all Christians. Even heard of a country called Indonesia? It's a Southeast Asian island nation that has over 200 million Muslims. And their violent crime rate is very low. I guess that just about debunks your little tin-foil hat theory.
Diversity was good when the Irish came over here, but they didn't come DEMANDING everything and anything! The mexicans come into our country and DEMAND everything! They come illegally and are EMBRACED by our government! "We the People," pay taxes so that these illegals can have everything that we can't afford! Our Government treats mexicans, muslims, iranians and every other race on the planet that are in our country better from what they treat their own!!!!!!!!!! I for one am sick to death of this. We can't get a loan to open a business, yet foreigners from any other country in the world come into our country for a few months, have no credit and no money and the government GIVES THEM BUSINESSES. The Government sets them up in business, tells them they don't have to pay taxes for ten years and gives them a leg up. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME OUR GOVERNMENT GAVE ANY OF US TAXPAYERS A LEG UP???? You're right, NEVER!
The fact you identify yourself as someone from WV speaks volumes about your xenophobia. Every immigrant group has been treated the same way, with derision and contempt. Your language is a sad constant in the history of this country: I seem to remember the Irish being labeled the same way as you labeled Mexicans, but, I'm sure your alternative history does not want to admit that.
aren't you just a fountain of snottiness, have you ever tried seeing issues from another point of view other than your own? You might try it sometime.....it will be a real eye opener
Well, that's actually partly true. My wife and I both work full time jobs so we can support our daughter and on the way son. When my daughter was born and we were in the hospital, we were talking to one of the nurses about a car seat (They will not let you leave without one) She said that they kept a whole room of them but we could not have one, they were for all the illegals that fly here from Brazil (her words, not mine) when they are pregnant so they can get free stuff in america. They have the baby, get a free car seat, then explain they have no where to live and hop on the welfare system living in section 8 housing. Now, I'm all for anyone wanting to come on over and work for and support their family. But all the freebies need to go. Either put a limit on it or force them to work for the state sweeping streets or something. No free money any more. And stop giving more money to people on welfare who keep having more kids. If you can't afford the 5 you have, stop having them!
One word: EMIGRATE
Wow, this entire article is full of straw-men. It's comparing immigration laws to slavery? It's easy to knock down slavery as heinous, but just because the article tries to make a weak comparison between slavery and immigration, that doesn't mean immigration laws are similar to slavery.
And "lazy dimwit"? I thought the author of the article is against discriminating against people for traits they were born with? Doesn't your "IQ" qualify as a trait you were born with and couldn't help? Why the pejorative and hate against the so called "dimwits"?
Then the article conveniently tries to pass off all immigrants as the one shining example it cherry-picked at the beginning. As if it was impossible for there to be other types of people in the world. For an article that is supposedly about diversity, the author seems to know almost nothing about it.
Finally, the idea that "America needs immigrants" does not necessarily require that America give up on its duties as a nation. People CAN come and go from the country, what they don't get to do is self-declare as citizens or residents of the country. America DOES allow immigrants and recognize those who comply with the processes set in place.
It is simply not true that a migrant wanting to work in the U.S. can come in legally whenever he or she pleases. Instead, depending on the type of employment they wish to accept, the migrant may have to wait at least 5 years, or depending on the job category, well over a decade. Imagine if that same policy was applied among the states of the United States. Imagine if, to move from one state to another for work, you had to file an application and then wait 10-15 years. That would be a disaster for the country financially. There is no reason to think that immigration policy among country borders is any different. The EU learned this lesson when they decided to form a union and allow workers to move freely across borders, imitating the United States' widely successful system, which before then was the largest free-movement-of-labor area in the world. (Of course, the EU has other problems now, but the free movement of labor across national borders within the EU is not one of their problems - that has been a success economically). Allowing labor to move freely across borders permits labor to move to the location of its best use, and allows everyone involved to prosper. Countries should not restrict the movement of labor across any borders.
I agree to a point. While movement within a country should not be (and isn't) restricted, movement between country borders should be. There are plenty of people already in the work force to meet the demands of our industry, not to mention the automated assembly lines that reduce the numbers of workers needed even further.
The overall problem stems not from the work done by the illegal immigrant communities, but by the resources they and their families drain from the system. The resource drain far outstrips any boon they give to our economy, and is unsustainable.
I know what the argument is going to be "they are just doing the jobs Americans won't do themselves". I don't agree, there are plenty of people out there willing to work, myself included. I am not above doing menial labor to support my family. I've done it before and probably will again. The issues I see are the companies that hire cheap labor to increase profits, and don't care where is comes from, as well as the 'rich' who only hire foreigners to clean their house or cut thier grass. Are you telling me they can't afford to hire 'legal' Americans to do this work? When I was a teen, my brother and I would make money by cutting lawn's. He would drive us to various homes (some of them were rather wealthy) and we would do a good job. We both moved on to other things after several years because we couldn't compete with the immgrant labor that started poping up all over, undercutting us to the point where we would be losing money to cut someones lawn. Thats just an example, but I'm sure many others have had similar experiences.
I agree. Not only that, but what the author doesn't seem to understand is that not everyone can emigrate to the US. So if not everyone can, some people will be left to deal with the situation in their own home land, or they can emigrate to somewhere else. We can't and won't let everyone in, so we get to have a say in who does come here. All the rest have to figure out something else. That's just reality.
Nonsensical argument. I came to the United States legally through a system that only lets educated people in (other than for family reasons). The end result is that I have contributed to the US economy and I have benefited from America. It's a win-win relationship. Think about the country I was born into: Spain has an open immigration policy that allows even illegal immigrants to regularize their situation after a few yearsl as a result they attract mostly uneducated people from poor countries that have made the economic situation worse. Those uneducated immigrants are not leaving Spain even in crisis because they are better off on welfare there than in their original countries.
The Sergey Brin example is preposterous. Nobody could have told that he would have one day co-founded Google, but the likelihood was very high that he was going to be a productive member of society, even without cofounding Google, given that his parents were both educated professionals. The immigrants that cofounded the companies provided as examples were either educated when they came in or children of educated professionals. The US has done great selecting the best of the best and I don't see why it should become a Spain by letting anybody in.
The main criticism I would make to the US immigration system is that it doesn't let enough educated people in while it favors the wrong people in given that it favors family relationships over education. The way it is setup the uneducated parents of immigrants, and in some cases even siblings, who become citizens have an easier time immigrating to the US than the legions of Chinese and Indian students that graduate every year from US best universities. These students are often put in a greencard queue so long that ends up discouraging them of staying in the US. The end result is that many return to their home countries and the US loses valuable talent. Because of the idiotic HI!B caps, many of them are not offered even the possibility of staying in the US while they wait in the greencard queue. That's very wrong and that should be fixed. But at the same time, the US shouldn't become a country like Spain with respect to immigration.
i hadn't realised that the Google founder he cited was the off-spring of immigrants from a well educated background. this commentator is always upto this though. he's bought in whole sale to the Disney cartoon of the noble, humble immigrant meekly prepared to break their backs in uncomplaining servitude to the American nation. so, yes, let's just ignore all the facts, let's just try and pretend the increase in crime and welfare depenency is all jsut a figment of fascists mind then.
Yes, to let anyone inside a country is to court disaster, just like Spain.
the banks and this new conservative govt are what screwed up Spain before they came into power it was one of the best countries on the continent!
lee it was probably george bush right? lmfao i love you far leftists. the world is funner with you in it and i especially love you blame conservatives for everything. How do you explain the 14 trillion of debt we are in that was more like 4 trillion after bush left office. hmmmmmmmm... lol
he just couldn't restrain himself, this one finds it impossible to comment on immigration without describing cartoon characters. the Kenyan goatherder comment is typical of this contributer. anyone could have predicted the son of a mother with a PHD and a father that went to the U.S to do a PHD in the 1960s could become the president. reality check, you allow in millions of people with a low educational background and yes, sure enough, you'll get one or two that will go on to become v. successful. 99.9% dont though. a substantial proportion get into crime and that's violent crime. for every one dot.com billionaire there will be a thousand violent criminal immigrants, if not more. for every one successful small business owner there will be a thousand petty criminals claiming welfare. it's ridiculous to paint such a rosy picture. check the riots last year in London. they were all first generation and had been brought up on welfare. that's the reality of mass immigration from parts of the world like Africa
Aren't you late for the Klan meeting
They already had it, Jason. You were elected the queen.
I believe that is the point...the Kenyan goatherder went on to get his PHd and his mother also from relatively humble roots also went on to get her Phd.
no, your missing the point, a person who is allowd to enter the country because they were inteligent enough to do a PHd is exactly that. doesn't matter from the point of view of immigration policy if one time earlier in their life they worked doing dish washing. from the point of view of whether this person will or wont be a beneficial immigrant he's a PHD student. so you can predict that that persons contribution will be positive.
Here's a thought. Perhaps the "lazy dimwits" are more ubiquitous because of the influx of immigrants. Remove that crutch and, just hear me out, the "lazy dimwits" will, out of necessity, utilize their intellect.
What you're basically saying is that the average American is incapable of doing what a 3rd world country immigrant can....which is ridiculous. For every immigrant success story, there are thousands of US success story that go unheralded because it's fashionable to celebrate everything that isn't white or American. Congratulations on your baseless generalizations. How did this country EVER function before the 1960's??? Where were the immigrants then....
Excellent point mike. It is just like the treyvon martin case. You wont every hear about the 1000s of criminal acts done by any minorities on the front page. Once anyone who is of caucasian decent doesn anything and we have to revisit racisim in america (which works both ways)
I disagree with this theory. If we implemented it, most of the inhabitants of the third world would seek to come and live in America. How would our infrastructure support that? This isn't a diversity issue, but rather a practicality issue. One problem in America is our almost negative birth rate. This almost ensures that we accept immigrants. We should accept some immigrants, but we should lower our quotas and encourage and incentivize American families to have more children.
Look at the human history all great empires were made i.e. Roman, British, Mongol, Arabs after generations of hard work & then came down after the coming generations became lazier & more materialistic.
No doubt this country was built by hard working great people, most of whom are long gone.
What are we doing now, our kids are dropping out of high schools, if they are graduating & going to college instead of getting challenging degrees i.e. science, technology, engineering (immigrants are more in these fields) they want to do music, art etc so that they can party in spare time !! They are more interested in becoming the sports star, an American idol.
Don’t have to go far more then 50% of students doing phd in universities are immigrants, in science & technology the # is even higher. If we want to stay #1 we need the immigrants, we need to keep on importing the smartest brains from the world!!
We are all immigrants.
I'm not an immigrant I was born here. As were my parents and grandparents.
An immigrant is the individual that moved here, not their offspring.
Your extremely generalizing statement is inaccurate and does not indicate a great deal of thought.
We are not all immigrants. Some are decedents of immigrants but everyone is not an immigrant.
the problem with the current immigration to the US is that they are fleeing their country because their Leaders are Losers.lol.these are not your Harvard types.
Yes, this country is great because of immigrants; however, my concern is our becoming overpopulated. I live in the Northeast and the quality of life continues to deteriorate because there are simply too many people. The drive to and from work is a nighmare and if I want to go out on Saturday to do errands, I make sure I plan it so I'm home by 11:30. If I don't, I face horredus traffic and no parking places. We simply don't manage our population in terms of immigration and we should be.
Well said Elaine. Too many people is undermining our nations ability to take care of itself.
Take the high crowds as a complement. I dont' see a ton of immigrants moving to the South and we all know why.
Your comment that our country is great because of immigrants is note worthy but I must point out that Mexico was settled by immigrants and their country is not that great so greatness must be something more than immigrants otherwise every country in this hemisphere would be great Think about it, the people from Columbia don't immigrate to Mexico for jobs and benefits. why, you tell me.
The northeast has always had traffic. I grew up in NJ, left in 2002, and would never return- the quality of life is terrible. Try Hawaii- the costs and traffic are the same, but the weather and people are nicer.
Yes we need immigrants but only those that will increase the average IQ of America. We do not need anymore African or Hispanic immigrants. Our country became great because of our European immigrants. Asian immigrants are also acceptable. America is being dumbed down at an alarming rate by ignorant, dumb, non-English speaking hissies.
True.
You are 100% correct, we do not need more dimwits than we already got inside this country.
It doesn't matter how many Asians you import your IQ will still be pathetic you redneck
His IQ must be better than yours with the horrific grammar and spelling "skills" you posess.
Wow! you said "Yes we need immigrants but only those that will increase the average IQ of America. We do not need anymore African or Hispanic immigrants...."
you are not implying that African and Hispanic immigrants have low IQ, are you? because that would make you an imbecile! last I check a person race have nothing to do with IQ at all. These statements speaks volume about your IQ, which is obviously below average based on your comment.
Have you ever worked with Africans? They are awesome hard working employees who get along with everyone.
No, I don't drive a cab in DC. But I get along with the "blacks".
wow you really are an SOB. i have a Nigerian friend who is 10X more intelligent than you, and really you should be the one culled from the american population.
There is a difference between immigration and illegal immigration. One should have to show they are educated and plan to work before they come here.I am sick of taking care of another countries neglected with my tax dollars. They get no immunizations and threaten our health as well as our way of life.
Well said.
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "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-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
Emma Lazarus, 1883
america has and always will take in those with no where else to go cause it's the moral and right thing to do!
I wish we had more say in how our tax dollars were spent. If it was up to me, each person would pay the same amount of taxes, but you could allocate a specific amount to each item those taxes are spent on. For me, 0% would go to welfare, free health care for illegals, or any other cause I don't agree with. It's my tax money, why not allow me to have a say in how its spent? Our current system is no different than the thuggish Union's, who take your dues and spend them how they see fit, instead of spending them to improve YOUR situation.
We don't need any more non-educated immigrants. If you have a computer science degree or an advanced medical degree and want to cure cancer, by all means come in. If you are non-educated and are looking to speak your own language here then we DO NOT WANT YOU OR NEED YOU. We already have enough US citizens and illegal immigrants on welfare, etc bankrupting our country.
I am an immigrant with an advanced degree, and Hispanic.
You just said "True" (above) to the primitive racist ("torqued") who said Africans and Hispanics are less desirable than Europeans.
I think I am proof of your extreme ignorance and Xenophobia.
As a college-degreed black man let me be the first to agree with you, Carlos!
I'm white and have a degree in IT, you don't see me running around starving for acceptance. In fact you may get hired over me carlos. Whites are not the minority anymore. what excuses will there be when this is universaly accepted.
Carlos, Are you a legal or illegal immigrant. If you are an illegal immigrant you represent a very, very, small percentage of who is flooding across our border.
Not just immigrants we need to apply these to all Americans. Look how many GED Americans are leechers.
Again, CNN displays its obvious bias as another agent of the democratic party by refusing to differentiate ILLEGAL from legal immigrant. Is there no difference? Can we possibly find that a country should exercise NO controls on who can get into this country? If your objective is to provide a continuous flow of voters for the democratic party regardless of the consequences then I guess the thrust of this article makes sense. However, can any reasonable person not find that any country has a national security interest in determining who becomes a CITIZEN and who does not? Does citizenship not require something more than just having the right papers? Can the masses who refuse to assimilate enhance a country by their citizenship? Does common language and culture mean nothing anymore?
To answer you last question..obviously not! The theme is come one come all.... we'll figure out what to do with all of you after total demise.
What a load of crap! The U.S. does not "need" any immigrant coming to the country to take a job from an American. If the immigrant has some special skill that we need, fine. To say anyone outsided the U.S. deserves to come to the U.S. just as a matter of course is just plain stupid.
The cartels in Mexico have made untold billions smuggling aliens into America. Every day, coyotes lead groups of dope packing, lawless insurgents through MY homeland- for a profit. My wife is a legal immigrant from Eastern Europe. Not only is this article a stark insult to those who have taken appropriate measures and paid OUR expenses to legally naturalize, it is nothing more than outright liberal media support for the greedy, bloodlusting cartel organizations. The actual facts will not sanitize cnn and Zakaria's hogwash... quite the opposite.
And there are eastern european mobs who make millions from smuggling eastern europeans illegally into America. Make no mistake; not all eastern european immigrants are legal, but they're just harder to spot due to their skin color.
Everyone in this country has no problem with LEGAL immigrants it is the illegal aliens that we have a problem with. Make e-Verify mandatory nationwide stopping the problem and making it easier for the legal immigrants to gain citizenship. Sorry illegal alien loving CNN>
The difference between the immigration of the "booming times of early America" and today is that increasingly those who enter here illegally (that is the operative word) do so NOT to become U.S. Citizens but rather to access the advantages of being IN America. The Statue of LIberty advocates "bring me your xyz yearning to breath free". Well in California, they coming and yearning to live for FREE at the tax payers expense. I/We embrace LEGAL immigration, it does add to the pool of our uniqueness as a people. The legal immigrants yearn to be AMERICANS and celebrate the day they can be offiicially be called "Americans". The invasion from the south and the over-stayers of Visa from elsewhere only want access to our advantages. In there lies the difference and the flaw in this writers dellusions of "we are all one".
I totally agree. CNN once again shows their true colors, painting all immigrants (legal and illegal) as the same. My wife is a LEGAL immigrant, and both of us find the illegals offensive. We paid thousands of dollars in immigration fees, waited years for paperwork, and pay taxes, all while taking NOTHING from the system. To see illegals come here without paying the price we paid, and sponge off the American system turns our stomachs.
The u-bam-a family are immigrants on welfare. They are receiving government benefits and not doing anything for them. U-bam-a was not born in the United States.
The United States could use more educated, skilled and wealth immigrants. It definitely does not need poor, uneducated, unskilled, unhealthy immigrants. They are only a burden on society. Keep them out.
It is not discrimination; it is doing what is best for the United States.
Censorship is evil.
Robmey was born in Mexico. His second wife is also from Mexico he should foot the bill of all his homies from mexico leeching on US
You only betray your bias and lack of sophistication with your Rush/Sean nonsense.
Yes, and Bush has family members who are drunks and convicted criminals. Oh, wait, that was Bush himself too, wasn't it? DUI, anyone? I don't think Obama's aunt has anything to do with his presidency.
You can always spot a conservative on these chat boards because 1) they never fail to find some way to bring Obama into it, no matter what the topic and 2) they just love to play with the Presidents' name (O-bumblebee-ma, Obamah-buh-bummer, etc.) SOOOO creative.
The picture is not very promising immigrants.
One of the best doctors I ever had was the son of migrant farm workers who came from Mexico - no, the parents didn't come here legally. The children grew up helping their parents work in fields after attending school. All of the children became successful professionals. I'll take a family like that any day into America.
Oh then move them into your own home you phoney.
@Tee, are you illiterate or what? Didn’t you read that he’s talking about a doctor who is the son of illegal immigrants? I’m sure that doctor owns a house ten times better than you trailer home. Now, wouldn’t you want to move in with the wetback doctor? Keep drinking your moonshine and supporting your local teabagger chapter you fool.
..translation... please regardless of the financial hardship you as an American experiencing as millions upon millions upon millions of illegals take PAYROLL jobs from unemployed Americans, our youth our vets, and do not look at the current tax fraud illegals commit that tax payers pay for 4. 2 billion that's 10 million a day – let's overlook this for this heart felt story and not look at what is bringing this country down ... loo up NumbersUSa.. register and then take action
But what if Sergey Brin had stayed... he might have created Google in Russia. Who is to know.
It doesn't make sense to other countries such as European nations to pile everyone on top. Then no one is happy. You need resources to take care of the needy in your backyard. It is the hope of our country to send aid to people and help create development where these people were born and mostly would love to stay.
So as long as you have yours Fareed, throw open the doors. The millions of laid off IT workers are on their own. As long as we can get cheap H1B Visa labor, too bad for the rest.
Legall immigration and illegal immigration are two different things. Oh wait I forgot u want all of america to be white.
Well said Bill Boyer. i am a legal immmigrant from France, came to this Great Country in 1946,
became a Naturalized American, worked all my life, paying all my dues. I feel that the Illegals from the south only come for the money, don't assimilate , they should be thrown out of the Country.
Right because in the past assimilation was immediate. Little Italy, China Town, Little Vietnam, the Irish towns....all in our imagination. Do any of you disrespecting immigrants actually know the history of your nation? Immigrants tended to keep their language and culture. The first and second generations blended in. Why should 2012's immigrants be any different?
So we can start finding dismembered torture victims here in the States like the story of the 15 they just found in Mexico.
The real problem is that white people are facing out not just in the US but also in Europe. But that is not the fault of the non white immigrants, blame abortion and the effects of the materialistic west in the demographic shift, and the fact that whites prefer to make money than to raise kids, and then when they can't have kids they go and adopt black babies
True. The majority of those seeking abortions in America are white women.
Yes, it would be a wonderful world if American could supply employment to every poverty stricken sole in the world, but that just does not work. Yes, an influx of uneducated or unskilled workers into a society does have a detrimental effect, both for the domestic population and the immigrant.
America should be making it easier for skilled workers to enter the country. As the author states above, yes there are exceptions of the uneducated or unskilled coming to this country and making something of themselves. The vast majority, however, end up in the lower 50% of income earners or less. The reality dictates that a nation can be generous, but not philanthropists who damage their own nation in order to save everyone else. This is incredibly naive.
Wasn't North America built by immigrants? Really the only native people are the indians. My grandparents came here after WW2 from England so that makes me an immigrant, and a thankful one.
more absolute nonsense from the globalist network
The economy is thinking, how exactly is adding another 50 million Mexicans going to solve the problem? It should be clear a lot of these networks want America destroyed.
Regardless of what your opinion is on the article itself, do you realize what a STUPID thing to say that is? As if a company that relies on the economy to function would wish it to fall. Idiot.
The headline should read "Why America needs LEGAL immigrants".
amen
I don't believe that the majority of people, in this country or others, have too many issues with immigrants. It is the ILLEGAL immigrants that people have a problem with, no matter where they come from.
Wow. Somebody finally said it. There is a LEGAL, and honorable, way to come into and contribute to this great country.
Majority of people in the US have a problem even with LEGAL immigration because they are seen as taking away american jobs.
Absolutely! We need LEGAL immigrants. We need people who want to contribute and not take away from this once great country.
Yea. White ones.
And black ones, and yellow ones, and brown ones...
My family immigrated here, learned the language, became citizens, fought, and died, in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and Iraq. Now we hear "Why don't you speak (another language)?", and boos at the Rose Bowl and dodger Stadium when the Star Spangled Banner is played.
Today's LA Times bsuiness section talks about lack of skilled employees. How many of the companies train the employees?
As for those taxes illegals pay, working in law enforcement, I know that a large portion of those are on stolen Social Security numbers. Ask the victims.
Immigrants are not the same as "guest workers" and certainly are not "illegals".
No, we do not need immigrants. What we "need" is for ALL illegal immigrants and their anchor babies to be deported, yesterday!
THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH IMMIGRANTS. YOU ARE TWISTING THE ISSUE BECAUSE YOU ARE A LIBERAL.
WHAT I (CONSERVATIVE) HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IS THE FREE HANDOUTS THEY GET FROM MY POCKET.
OPEN THE BOARDERS TO ALL !
THEN ... END WELLFARE, END HANDOUTS, END ALL GOVT ASSISTANCE.
LET ANYONE IN WHO WANTS IN, AND THEN MAKE THEM WORK TO SUCCEED ... AND ROT IN A GUTTER IF THEY WONT WORK.
up urs cholo
^ Oh look one of the freeloaders.
Borders
Welfare
Try again
Yes, America needs immigrants. This whole thing is a ludicrous false choice. Philippe Legrain clearly thinks we should have completely open borders, that the people who live here in the US should allow a come one come all free immigration policy.
What would happen? What would be the average skill level of Americans, under such a policy? What would the quality of life, and population density look like? Unlimited immigration would make all those things worse, without any doubt at all.
Phillippe Legrain points to the immigrants that should be allowed in, and are allowed in, as examples of why every person should be allowed in, but the argument just isn't valid.
The way to correct what Phillippe Legrain sees as a great injustice is not to allow all those with the means to move here to do so, but to help them to lift their own economies and standards of living, in their home countries. The other strategy will surely lead to a race to the bottom.
Bingo!!!!!!!
America is for Americans..People like this should be sent out immediately..If they have naturalized . revoke citizenship for sedition. Mexico is for Mexicans...nation state has a definition moron
I would like to draw the distinction between legal and illegal immigration in this discourse and discussion. While everyone is born "equal" under God, not everyone has an equal right to be in our country (or any other for that matter). If you are here legally, you are more than welcome. If you have come to visit legally, you are more than welcome. If you have come here through NO fault of your own, then yes, I welcome you with open arms. How you arrived here DOES matter. If you did not arrive here legally, you are illegal - you are NOT welcome.
Phillipe Legrain asks, why is it still acceptable to have an opinion different from mine?
Question: How many illegal mexicans does it take to shingle a roof?
Answer: It depends how thin you slice them.
INCORRECT. We don't need these unwanted and uneeded foreigners that won't feather into our society. I feel like a foreigner in my own country. It has to stop. We are full.
Immigration "policies?" You basically just have to get here and you win. What should they be flown in first-class at taxpayer expense?
People dont care where you were born. The issue is if you used mules and paid your way illegally into the USA. If you want to be part of the American family than go through the steps we have put into place. Its much easier to immigrate to America than become a citizen of Mexico. The USA allows duel citizenship but countries such as India make you give up your citizenship to become a resident there or immigrate to the USA.
The realty is that people do care where you come from. My wife, who is foreign born, is a physician who is not treated the same as her American counterparts. Though she tests higher, and performs better, they still do not put her in the same class and openly state that "foreign medical" graduates are not as good. This is from professionals, mind you.
not specifically saying this is true for your wife bill I did hear that foreigners can get their degrees overseas (which are of lower standards) and then come to america and practice. I guess i can see why they would be a little upset. but like you said if your wife tests higher and all then this is an injustice.
CNN and the liberals often use "Immigrants" to cover both legal and illegal. They see some benefit in doing so. The issue, as many have pointed above, is legal is OK. Illegal is not.
First off, the Republicans never would allow any potential immigaration that might vote Dem. I mean come on, the GOP is working as hard as necessary to "purge" the voting rolls of minorities, students, and senior citizens. Guys like Scott of FL is a fraud and so many of those GOP'ers are, you know the ones I am speaking about, they will do what is necessary to keep Obama from being relected.
Do you want to know who is the real fraud? Those who support these illegal immigrants when they are worried about unemployment. The Democrats who give our party a bad name by propping up these illegals should be voted out of office if our economy is to be improved. The GOP and the Democrats whould be united on this issue, not opposed!
You know nothing of what tou speak except you sound like a Rep.
We clamor again for to do what is right- allow LEGAL immigrants to enjoy this country as many have had in the past, but ILLEGAL immigrants should be punished severely for their continued defiance of our laws and those who employ them should suffer.
We don't need immigrants what we need is to stop giving handouts to the lazy in this country. When 49% of the country doesn't pay federal income taxes then something is not right.
Everyone that works pays taxes, quit being ignorant.
I have no problem with immigrants comming to America as long as want to become citiens and arent crimnals.We need all the decent hard working new people who want to build this country
Yes, immigrants are good for America. We let in 1 million of them legally every year. But that is enough.
If you haven't noticed, our roads are congested and our infrastructure is crumbling and sprawl is marching across the land. More people will not help these problems. A recent worldwide Gallup Poll found 150 million people would like to move here. Sorry, that won't work. These wonderful people should bloom where they are planted and help the countries they are in.
Also, our culture is changing fast enough right now. Immigration has come in waves in this country. We have had a period of high immigration (legal and illegal), and now we need a slower pace while we all learn to get along. If you push more immigration now it will exacerbate tensions. And by the way, we have plenty of unemployed here who could fill jobs, without giving the jobs to more immigrants.
Population of Germany is 80 mil for a terriroty 27 times smaller than USA, and their infrustructure is fine. If US had the same density as Germany we would've had 300*27 = 8 bil people? US is congested because it is not planned well and is not maintained. Because everyone has an "aemrican dream" to live in a house in the suburbs consuming huge amount of resources.
who says we don't need immigrants?
hell, send us all the "legal" immigrants that the current immigration laws will allow!
no problem.
I only wanted to say "thanks" for taking head. Re-registry to enter your page was not necessary. Nice article defining the new-age serfs.
I think the point is that few are against Legal Immigration....
But in the progressive mind I guess this point gets missed. Having Illegals in the country means no one knows they are here and amongst other things they can then be easily exploited...
And the progressives like Illegals because then they have more that are dependent upon their grace's and to make the ponzi scheme of Social Security going – someone to work to pay for the retired and needy and we are not producing enough "others" to pay for this mess..... And ya-ya they still cant vote – right.....
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I am of hispanic descent and like most hispanics have nothing against immigrants but what I do oppose is illegal immigrants being allowed into this country. The real problem is that media groups like CNN have an agenda that runs insync with our government and opposes the will of the people. Illegal immigrants are burying this country in debt. There is a process on hosw to become a legal citizen and that is what they are to follow but for some insane reason CNN thinks it is ok to break the law and for them to come to this country illegally. I would like to see new legislation put in place that puts all the cost of the illegalscoming into this country on corporations that support illegal immigrants. If CNN, FOX, NBC, CBS and other big corporations support illegals then they have to financially support their education, healthcare etc. not the common tax-payer who is currently footing the bill and wants them out of this country. CNN if you want them in this country then you pay for them, otherwise I have to say shut your mouth!
Unfortunately, our own government is suing those states that are trying to fix the problem. What is going on is shocking, and CNN has perpetuated it with stories like this and others from Navarrette, Jr.
You are so ignorant, it's stunning.
That first paragraph turned me off. They make it sound like discrimination doesn't live here (America) anymore, I've got news for you it does! I deal with it everyday, and until I can feel truly free in the country where I was born and served 20 years in the Navy for, I really can't feel for anyone else.
Now, are you something, or what? Living in Europe I was in an American Embassy on business. A large section of the area is filled with chairs for people waiting to get visa's and do you know, people are not desperate to come to America, at least at the time I was there. Many people of whom I have met like where they are, living in Europe. By the way, I am a citizen of USA.
NO WAY..... I am terrified of non-Americans. How can we let different people into this country.... they are different and scary and I may find out that they have differing viewpoints or customs. This would be ANARCHY
People are not put into two groups: immigrants and people who hate immigrants. There's also a difference between legal and illegal immigrants; the stereotype of immigrants "taking jobs" mostly just refers to those people who frown upon illegal immigrants. So yeah, there is a strong disconnect between one million immigrants naturalized each year who contribute to society (which most people don't have a problem with) and over 11.2 million illegal immigrants living in America in 2010 according to a New York Times article. The article should have distinguished this difference.
How do other countries function without immigration? China is doing great. Australia and NZ ain't that bad off with very minimal immigration. Get real How dumb can you get.
Australia has a lot of immigrants and it is very wasy to get visa and even citizenship if youare skilled professional, unlike the US where from the start you get a message "we are incompetent and we don't want you" by the way things are handled.
We do indeed need immigrants.
THE LEGAL KIND!!!!!!!
Give me your tired, your poor, your "IN AMERICA WE SPEAK ENGLISH"!!
No one is against immigrants. It's the illegal immigrants coming here and sucking up our resources and abusing the system. If someone comes here, they should assimilate and become an "American" Not an Asian American, not a Hispanic American, not an Irish America... If you cannot see the difference between the them, then you are a moron.
When we had controlled immigration we had none of our current problems. Something you really think about.
We are importing people who do not believe in democracy and are lowering education standards.
We have enough ! No more !
Americans, for the most part, don't care where you came from......we have a problem if you came here illegally. Follow the laws, welcome to America. Break the laws, go back where you came from!
We do not need more welfare immigrants/refugees coming into the US on the backs of hard working
US taxpayers.
Perhaps there are immigrants with skills who want to come to the US and work. HOWEVER, until we have full employment here with our citizens, we need to close the door to immigrants/refugees.
The refugee issue is huge, and if everyone would pay attention to the huge number of refugees US taxpayers are supporting from Burma, there would be a revolt. Yes! These people are here and getting everything they need without one hour of employment.
Our economy is in the toilet, and we cannot afford any more welfare handouts to immigrants/refugees.
Let's pay attention to reality, and stop the bleeding-heart crap
Well said Chumlee. I agree 100% !!!
I'm pretty sure hardly anyone opposes LEGAL immigration. KEYWORD BEING "LEGAL".
I can see it now, affirmitive action for whites by the time i'm 30. fml
Strange points. What is the focus here? Do we need immigration to make our country and our nation better or just because we want to make someone's life in other coutries better by sharing (giving them) our wealth? We certainly need immigrants, but only those who want to be Americans instead of those who want to come here because they want to enjoy higher life standards and at the same time want to remain Africans,Indians, Chinees, etc.
That's my thinking exactly.
Why doesn't this guy, who lives in Europe, talk about how Europe needs to allow more immigration?
We don't discriminate on the basis of where people are born. We discriminate based on whether they are "bringing something to the table". I want educated people with initiative and skills. We seem to get a over abundance of poor illiterate people with very few skills. Secondly, we give preference to those that follow our immigration laws, and we ruthlessly deport people and their families that violate our territory by coming illegally.
That way our laws allow the best and brightest to come here and contribute , and thiose that would otherwise just be a strain on public services could stay where they are.
Illegal immigrants by the millions pouring over our south border gave immigrants a bad name.
funny the FREE LOADERS OF THIS COUNTRY AR NOTE IMMIGRANTS THE PEOPLE BORN in America are the once abusing the System.
Illegal Aliens cannot have welfare checks if they are illegal only legal or citizen of American can get those FREE BEES.
Thirteen years after Congress overhauled the American welfare system, 57 percent of immigrants with children — those in the country legally or not — use at least one government, welfare program according to a report released Tuesday by the Center for Immigration Studies.
"So why is it still deemed acceptable to discriminate against people on the basis of where they happen to have been born?"
This is insulting to all the intelligent people in this world. Living in the US is not a basic right of life; it's a privilege. Anybody with half a brain can see this fallacious reasoning
While I am fine with a certain amount of immigration, I don't believe in the conflation of terms. Legal immigration and illegal immigration should be discussed as two separate items. I don't believe that making illegal immigrants legal is just because their whole existence in this country started with an illegal act and I believe they should have to go home and follow the same path the legal immigrants followed.
The U.S. can benefit greatly by *legal* immigration, but having said that the U.S. has an H1B visa program that is full of unfairness and fraud. H1B is supposed to be for skills that are in short supply, but it is regularly used for I.T. personnel, office staff, and a whole list of skills that are clearly in short supply. The U.S. is the only country in the world that doesn't make sure that citizens aren't favored in the employment process and there is nothing wrong with doing that. Even China makes sure that is own citizens have the advantage. Only in the U.S, where we are only a half step from corporate rule, is it the other way around.
We should not be allowing any Mislooms into the USA for Obvious hate beliefs that they follow.
They should be quarantined in there own chithole country to rot and fester until there cult is gone.
Do we need Immigrants? Yes. Should we require them to speak english so they can communicate with most of the population already living here? Damn straight.
We don' have enough? There are currently 30 million illegal immigrants in the US.
**Don't**
According to this author, we need to let the entire population of Africa in to make things just and equal. So it's going to be more like 1 billion.
Enough already. Read my lips NO NEW IMMIGRANTS!!!
I think that all immigration should be ended. We have too many people and not enough of anything else. I don't care if the would-be immigrant is a poor farmer or a Nobel Prize Laureate. I don't care what his or her race or religion is. All the seats in America are taken.
If we need farmers, we can teach farming to Americans. If we need physicists, we can teach physics to Americans.
Solex, I understand what you are getting at but you are confining your comments so as to mean Latinos and immigration. There are so many other nations involved here that cause bigger issues. I think the commentator was referring to the nursing, medical and technical jobs that pay well and are being taken by immigrants when we should be giving preference to our own citizens, born here, who are unemployed. Train them to do this work and we'll save a lot of money in more ways than one. Many are just beginning to wake up and realize we can't keep giving it all away. We need to take care of our own first.
And well put, El Flaco.
There is on flaw in the author's argument ... "as if someone enterprising enough to uproot themselves to move to America will suddenly want to do nothing, even though they could earn more working". Someone escaping a horrible living situation with nothing but the shirt on their back is not necessarily enterprising. They could just be desperate. Once they are here, if you really think they would choose work over welfare please explain why so many people already here choose welfare over work. I'll make the author a deal. I will support more open immigration BUT ONLY if this country first enacts welfare reform that requires people to work for that welfare money and provides a huge incentive to get off of welfare.
So sorry we are broke. The USA can't afford anymore welfare cases we already have a permanent lower class to waste our resources on....namely blacks and mexicans. You"' have to go back to wherever you came from and try to fix the problems there instead of freeloading from America.
If you had any sense of intelligence which I'm sure you don't, you would know that the majority of people receiving welfare are white. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1077/is_n2_v48/ai_12970819/
nonsense
illegal immigrants?
go away you bafoon
"We don't discriminate on the basis of where people are born. We discriminate based on whether they are "bringing something to the table". I want educated people with initiative and skills."
So stop outsourcing IT jobs to India!! There are plenty of highly educated Americans who lose their jobs in IT because it is cheaper to outsource to Bangalore.
Yes: Stop outsourcing jobs to India, especially when we're allowing Indians to take over the IT industry here in the U.S.! There's no diversity when more than half of the people working in an IT shop or anywhere else are Indian.
Wow so many negative comments from ignorant people. My mother arrived in this country legally for a better opportunity. As a U.S. born citizen, I served my country in the military and I've been volunteering my time in my community for troubled youth. I buried my mother 3 years ago and she did more for this country then most of you people posting negative remarks. My mother served 22 years as a medical doctor in the U.S. Army and retired as a Lt. Colonel. She then practiced medicine privately after retirement providing some services for free to those who were unable pay.
Why is the topic immigrants and not ILLEGAL immigrants?
We wouldn't even be having this discussion if not for abortion. Eighty years ago the US government projected population growth to be much higher than it is now, but tens of millions of abortions over the last 40 years have hurt the growth and the taxes received from that growth.
The correct solution is less abortions.
That would be silly if it wasn't so sadly off point.
Matt, after you birth and raise 3-4 kids on yor own, we'll talk.
CNN's ratings have hit a 20 year low, and it's because of articles like this
Precisely.
Bull! Saying that Americans are too dumb or too lazy is a hard sell with me. We can not even take care of all the people that are here now. More will certainly be a drag. Immigration levels should be based upon sustainability more than altrustic notions and false economies.
I'm as liberal as they come, wouldn't vote for Romney if you paid me, and I think that immigration in this country is just to much.
We have of the worst unemployment crises in recent memory (thanks to greed mainly), we have more people in this country than every before, why in the world are we letting more in? I'm not saying don't EVER let them in, I'm saying could we get our own house in order first?
Nice article.
Nice if your a liberal trying to twist the issue of free handouts into a racecard type situation.
No one cares where you were born only if you are takeing thier hard earned money as handouts from the govt.
The govt = taxpayer money, I dont liek working to support other people.
Sorry.
Nobody is against LEGAL Immigration. We're against ILLEGAL immigration. Write the article on the effects that ILLEGAL immigration is having on LEGAL immigration and now you've got yourself a story!
A new study has found that a remarkable 70% of illegal aliens in Texas are on the dole. Since only 39% of native born Americans are on welfare, it makes one think that the phrase “doing the jobs Americans won’t do” should be changed to “not doing the jobs that Americans won’t do.”
The Houston Chronicle tells the terrible tale of Texas taxes:
Thirteen years after Congress overhauled the American welfare system, 57 percent of immigrants with children — those in the country legally or not — use at least one government, welfare program according to a report released Tuesday by the Center for Immigration Studies.
In comparison, 39 percent of native-born Americans with children are signed up for welfare, the report found.
In Texas, 54 percent of legal immigrants and 70 percent of illegal immigrants receive welfare assistance, with illegal immigrants generally receiving benefits on behalf of their U.S.-born children, according to the study, written by a think tank that favors reducing immigration into the U.S.
Overall, Texas tied with California and New York for the second highest immigrant welfare rates behind Arizona.
Nobody is against LEGAL Immigration. We're against ILLEGAL immigration. Write the article on the effects ILLEGAL immigration is having on LEGAL immigration and now you've got yourself a story!
Agree 100%.
US needs to fix legal immigration system before they fix illegal immigration system. Today if someone from India or China with a Bachelors DEgree in Engineering etc and 2/3 years of work ex applies for green card; they will have to wait for 50 years or more to get green card.
What kind of a system is that??? When was the last time you saw Indians and Chinese with Indian and Chinese flags on the streets protesting against this rotten system...reason they are too busy in their jobs and belive in the american dream..
LEGAL,LEGAL,LEGAL
lol the propagandist who wrote this lives in England, are you kidding me?
"Who would have guessed that the son of a Kenyan goatherd would end up as U.S. president?"
Could there be a better example of why we need to limit immigration?
Is the author saying that all cultures are equal?
Fact is multiculturalism, and the doctrine of “victimology,” to explain the lack of success of our underclass is destroying the USA.
Exactly. This article appears to be another effort to dived and conquer, destroy the middle class and create slaves.
Thank heavens for immigrants! My Burmese, Miss U, is tapping out a lovely Couperin pièce de clavecin right now, Les Barricades Mystérieuses. So elegant.
We need Legal Immigrants who will respect America. We do not need immigrants who want a free ride or want to make this country just like the one they left and they should learn english. They should pay taxes on every thing they make in this country and immigranta should NOT be able to qualify for benifits that a Citizan cannot get in this country.
Who is saying we do not.? No one is against immigrants that I am aware of only illegal Aliens. If they get here Legally then GOD bless them and welcome to America. We do need all of you that want to come. But do not break the law to do it. That is just plain wrong. PERIOD. The USA should make it much easier. It is very hard to come here.
Looking at the photo used, I cannot see anyone who will be valuable for us. We need to have more stringent guidelines
Immigration policy is an economic policy to facilitate growth in boom times. It should be throttled or increased with economic conditions. Continuing our 1990's immigration policies has resulted in wage stagnation and is one of the main factors in the widening income gap.
Lily white leftists with their jiggly thighs are fine with immigration as long as it's not in their neighborhood.
The author unknowingly makes a great point. America needs to welcome more people like Sergey Brin's parents, given the fact that his father teaches physics at University of Maryland and his mother works for NASA. The chances of him failing were very, very low! But that doesn't mean we welcome anyone and everyone! Look at what is happening in the Latino community. Most of these people came here as poor low skilled workers and majority of their children drop out of school, get pregnant, join gangs or just get welfare! Yes, America needs immigrants but as the author said, someone like Sergey Brin's parents not someone who cleans toilets!
I'm a naturalized citizen, brought here legally when I when I was in my teens (from Europe). I believe there should be a time limit on holding a green card. If the person decides not to become a citizen after 5-7 years, they should lose their green card and required to go back home. Avoiding paying taxes is not a legitimate reason. Immigration should be based on filling jobs in the fields that America lacks, like doctors, scientists, farmers not people with fake diplomas from India, willing to work in IT field for less money. If you are not willing to swear an oath to this country and become a citizen, you should be required to go back. Immigrants need to love and accept this country as their own, not take economic advantage. I did, and my parents did!
"Fake Indian IT workers willing to work for less"??? What does that mean??...legal immigrants on H1b have to be paid salary decided by the Labor Certificate (given by Dept of Labor)..no company can pay them wages below amount in labor certficate...This is United States where you have to work in order to survive, unlike Socialist European countries where you have a job without working.....
And my two Siamese are brilliantly schooled in the Martial Arts.
Why don't you look at what has happened in France, Denmark, Sweden and England then tell me why happens~! Open immigration does not work – selective immigration where we can have productive citizens does.
We had a quota system that worked for a while then the southern border cracked open and we were flooded with illegal immigrants and our greedy system used them for their bodies.
Where people are from and their skin color should have nothing to do with anything but would you want Hamas or Iran to flood this country? I think not!
We are a country that is made of immigrants, yes. Legal immigrants are fine as long as they're productive and there are jobs for them to get or create themselves(without handouts from the government!). When I hear there are 12 million illegal immigrants in this country, I want to vomit! If people actually believe that, they're stupid. Wait 20 years from now and see what we have. I don't want to hear any wining from you liberal idiots then.
There is a simple way we could almost completely eliminate illegal immigration. That would be to legalize migration. We could, of course, track who comes in and out to keep our criminals and terrorists, and we could restrict government benefits to people newly in the country, but other than those qualifications - keeping out criminals and restricting benefits - there is no good reason to make a person wait 10-15 years to come to the United States to work.
The US granted amnesty back during the Reagen years as a measure to stem illegal immigration. How'd that work out? We have more illegal aliens now than we ever have. Amnesty is not the answer. Illegal aliens should be fined and deported and not help in our jails. Those illegal aliens that have committed jail-able offenses should server their time and their home country should be billed or have their financial aide reduce by the cost of incarcerating their citizens. Upon release they should be immediately deported.
The reason that amnesty doesn't reduce illegal immigration is because the problem is the immigration law itself - that a person may have to wait more than a decade to immigrate due to quotas on how many people in a particular year can come here to work. The reason why people immigrate illegally is because there is no real alternative - if a person has to wait a decade, that's pretty much the same as saying that they can't immigrate at all. Change that law - allow people to come here to work with only a minimal delay to ensure they are not a criminal or terrorist - and then you will reduce illegal immigration to near zero.
Well said Frustrated. I agree totally!
There's a BIG difference between LEGAL and ILLEGAL immigrants.
I like illegal immigrants better ... they work for less wages.
And they cost more in the long run using free healthcare, education, welfare etc.
If someone breaks the law, how is that person better? it is too early for Friday happy hour... Hick
Once again CNN and it's Open Border contributors fail to acknowledge the difference between legal and illegal. We don't need any additional uneducated/socially dependent immigrants (legal or illigal).
Yet another liberal CNN 'Headline Story'. We love the world and welcome LEGAL immigrants. When we try to protect the poor of other countries we are called 'war mongers'. Can we make up our minds please.......
you complain alot, why not go somewhere else for your news?
ChoOmbama News Network.
What is will all these stupid Opinion articles that lump groups of people all into one?
My Israeli Shorthair is an accomplished chef. Oy! His Sephardic bent on Jewish cuisine is a delight.
I believe we need SOME immigration but, ALL should be here legally. We, like most other nations, deserve to know who you are and, what you actually have to contribute to our society. We need no more leaches.
Legal immigrants are welcome those who break our laws to come or stay here are not simple as that. Though we have reached a point where we can no longer accept as many legal immigrants as we once did.
"Another objection is that immigrants will all end up on welfare – as if someone enterprising enough to uproot themselves to move to America will suddenly want to do nothing, even though they could earn more working"
In many countries, if you don't work, you starve to death. In the US, if you don't work, you get food stamps, medicaid, and section 8 housing, and all you need to do is be here legally – you dont have to be a citizen. Sounds like a great motivator to move.
This is simply not true.
As long as there is a difference in any two people, there will be judgements made. Not born where I was? Then you're not as good as I am. Not my color? Not my (fill in the blank) and that means I'm better than you, if you're in my territory. But if I'm in your territory, then you will be of the opinion that you are better than I am. It's humanity. That's how it works. Next??
Yep, America needs immigrants, legal immigrants.
America needs immigration, yes... legal immigration.
Legal immigrants? Sure.
Illegal immigrants? Heck no.
The liberal hacks of the world are trying to pull the wool over everyones eyes by using "immigrants" as an umbrella term to try to usher everyone into the country. It's lunacy.
America needs jobs for its own citizens first. When unemployment is half of what it is now, then let's start talking about "needing immigrants" again.
Immigrants are much more desirable than the idiotic red neck yahoos running around our nation.
Your pasty thighs and moles are ugly, too.
LEGAL immigrants are still welcome in the US but NOT ILLEGAL aliens (they are not immigrants). Controlled immigration allows people to come to US ifm they can be productive workers and become Amercans. We need this, but we also need to keepm them off the welfare rolls.
"A hard-working entrepreneur born in a remote African village has far fewer opportunities to achieve his dreams than a lazy dimwit born in America." Philippe Legrain, as a Briton that's a rather arrogant statement. What are Great Britains policies on accepting immigrants. Can just anyone enter the country and demand a job as you suggest the US should do.
The US has Immigration laws, just because you as a foreigner don't approve of our laws that's to bad. Every country has their own Immigration laws. If you want to immigrate than follow the laws. Why should we just open the door and just let anyone in. The US as well asn any other country needs to take care of their LEGAL citizens first.
I agree our Immigration policies may need to updating but it should not be at the expense our our own citizens. If you want to come to the US than do so legally, if not than accept the consequences of not following our laws.
please stop confusing the immigration reform needs with what is being done to stop illegal immigration. there are thousands of people from all over the world waiting to become citizens. jumping the border or falsifying papers to get in doesn't earn you a free pass. to me it doesn't look very good if the first thing you do when entering my country is break one of our laws. its just disrespectful. if you don't like the way the immigration process done become a citizen and move to reform the policy or law. id expect any other country to require the same. this isnt a racism or discrimination issue no matter how loud people scream foul. this is an issue about accountability. just because stats show that hispanics are the one of the higher offenders of illegal immigration does show profiling. it shows the obvious fact that we share borders, making it very simple to become fed up with waiting and walk or jump over. everyone else has to get on a boat or plane. stop defending the offenders, tell them to be patient, wait their turn, and let those already here legitimately work toward a more streamlined system.
I'm sorry, but there are so many problems in the U.S. right now, I really could care less about immigrant woes. When my family came here they changed our last name, there was not government assistance, they were forced to learn English, they got jobs, were glad to be here and proud to be American. Now immigrants just come over here and complain about what we aren't giving them. If the U.S. is so awful, just leave.
America needs to close it's doors to immigrants while we recover. Simply put, they either take from our jobs or our welfare. To be honest, America could fix it's unemployment problem in 90 days if it would revoke all foreign work visas. Cruel or American?
Immigrants from Europe and eastern Asia yes, otherwise no.
Really?
Who deems it acceptable to discriminate against people not born here?
Uneducated southern racist Conservatards.............
You sound like a uneducated northern racist liberal.
I have lived in the north and the south. Believe me, the north is not immune to racism and bigotry. It's as rampant here as anywhere else in the country.
Cut that mole off your ugly face.
Why do these liberal idiots look at illegals immigrants as immigrants? THEY should be shipped out. Legal immigration is good thing. Illegal immigrants is not... duh!!!!
I think we should build free housing up North for all illegal immigrants in Boston, Ma. They need to racially mix with Mexicans and stop being so hoity-toity white.
It's really astonishing that this friggin' Philippe even has a job. Who is paying for this guys opinion? Un-friggin-believeable...the more you read this article the more you scratch your head and say to yourself...is Philippe flippin' for real? Someone pays this guy for his opinion. Get anyone...an immigrant even...legal or illegal...to replace to this guy.
One of the all-time dumbest articles I have ever read.
This guy is right. Now, let's all hold hands and sing Kumbaya. Maybe if we wish really, really hard we could have heaven on earth.
What if we gave IQ tests and physicals to get in? WE ARE SPARTA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They already do...with an exception of the IQ. You need to go through the physical check up, disease testing, xrays, vaccines, blood work, etc. That's what I had to do to get my green card from Europe.
Wait till you apply for citizenship, you desire for more testing will end there. There is a verbal and written test
Mark,
Already took the test and passed. Ironically the person asking me questions spoke hardly understandable English.
America might need immigrants but it does not need illegal aliens. If you want to follow the law and become a legal US citizen I have no problem with that. People that come here with no desire to assimilate into our society but instead leach off of hard working Americans and not pay any taxes are in my opinion not welcome here.
BY CHOICE
Rather than compete in the Global marketplace, colleges keep raising tuition, Government keeps cutting support for low income students and Corporations hire aliens (immigrants) woh have the skills that we need to be successful here.
So, we "need" immigrants to do jobs that we COULD train Americans to do. I grant you, Americans will form unions, expect decent wages, pay raises, benefits, the works, but then AMERICANS WOULD HAVE JOBS and money to spend HERE, not to send home to the family overseas.
Certainly, there are good reasons to bring in the truly best and brightest from around the world, but there are MILLIONS OF AMERICANS ready, willing (EAGER), and able to do the vast majority of the jobs that need filling.
In the bargain, this would be truly Patriotic.
Corporations need immigrants to keep wages down and to keep from supporting education in the United States. Corporate-owned media always supports corporate interests. Corporate-owned Congress ditto.
My yes comes with but one caveat: Live by the laws of the land that graciously allows you in, don't try to impose your own set of rules and beliefs..we wouldn't be allowed to do that in your country
Sir....immigration is AWESOME!!! Our country was...and is....founded on it. The issue is NOT immigration. It is illegal immigration. Just out of curiosity.....how did Sergey Brin's parents arrive in this country? Did they sneak in? Or...did they come in legally? I do not know. I'm asking. And....to take it to the next level. How many potential Sergey Brin's have been aborted? I'm just wondering.
bravo, zacoben
Fareed,
We are all coming to your house to indefinately stay, eat your food, use your money, use your stuff, enjoy you facilities and services, etc. All of us, because, why should we be discriminated against for not having what you have?
"Who would have guessed that the son of a Kenyan goatherd would end up as U.S. president?"
And, ... This is a good thing?
It's a great thing. I hate to educate you, but unless you are a Native American, your ancestors are 100% from another country. If you are white (which I am), your entire family comes from immigrants. You my friend are a product of immigrants.
Surely you never even graduated from high school. Didn't the trailer park have a school for you to attend where you could have learned how to spell correctly.
Well so that there is no confusion, you either an American or not we have no immigrants in the United States and if you are black and from africa you are known as black americans. IMMIgration! HOLYSPIRIT!
I have great respect for anyone that will do what it takes, which often isn't easy, to make their American Dream come true. However, I believe that part of what makes the American Dream so meaningful for immigrants is that it has to be earned. How many things have you been handed in your life that you truly had respect and appreciation for? America appreciates and awards persistence and that entrepreneurial spirit that drives someone to jump through the hoops it takes to make it here and be successful. That drives them to open their own businesses and make their own way in this country. As the saying goes, if it were easy everyone would do it. For that reason I think it should be achievable but certainly not easy.
Enough of the 3rd world immigrants!!!! Deport!!!!
Yes. We DO need immigrants. LEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHO BECOME LEGAL CITIZENS. Not illegals who get illegal "bennies" that cost us more every single year than the entire Iraq War! LEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHO BECOME LEGAL CITIZENS.
Of course we need immigrants, especially ones educated in medicine and engineering. What we don't need are ones that compete for low skilled jobs with our own poor.
Abolish Social Security and watch millions flee.
Of course it's true that if one is born poor in Africa and they want to improve their lives they will have to work hard at it. but guess what? Even us whites in America must still work hard to get what we want and need. You make it sound like I get up at noon and look in the mirror and say "Gee I'm glad I'm a white American male! I don't have to do anything today! I think I'll go back to bed! Woohoo!!" There are people like that, and most live in the ghetto or in mom and dad's basement.....
I love the fact that immigration always gets turned into a racial issue. If a person opposes illegal immigration, they are racist and should be ashamed. On the other hand, if they are tolerant of it, they are wonderfully humanitarian. How did the word 'illegal' stop getting used to describe illegal immigration? I have worked with people from every continent, I have family from 4 continents other then North America, yet since I am a person that believes that a person from another country should have to obey the laws of our nation when they are here, I am labeled a racist by the far left nuts. I refuse to be made to feel bad due to my beliefs, and will continue to feel this way. There is a process for everyone who wishes to become a citizen, it should not be discontinued because people are threatened with the label of a racist.
As for the ignorant argument that too many immigrants will end up on welfare, that is a gubment handout that should have been reformed decades ago, making it impossible to receive long-term and refuse to make an effort to make a change in your life, immigrant or not.
We need more immigrants like I need a hole in my head, and I don't need a hole in my head. We need to focus on job for the citizens we already have, not some ridiculous social engineering BS that people like this writer want you to believe in. We're OUT OF MONEY. Period. Until we get our debt and spending in order it is time to shut off any new immigration.
you're a fool Dave. We need immigrants to sustain this country. We also need immigrants to sustain the economy of this country. What we don;t need are people who come here and leech the system or become criminals. Luckily those folks are a minority of people coming in. Most folks who immigrate to the US contribute much much more to the betterment of this country than most native born!
Immigrants are what made the US great. Conversely the very people who made the US weak and terrible are also immigrants and their decendants.. only difference is unlike the first group of immigrants, this 2nd group of immigrants did not come here on their own free will and were captured and forcibly moved here. Many of their decendants today are running wild and rampant throughout most if not all the inner cities of America today.
Correction, we need the "right" immigrants, not every sob story for every hellhole in the world.
Our immigration should be more like Canada. If you don't have a trade of some sort and come wanting free medical care, Canada doesn't want you. The US should be more like them. The country should slow the amount of people that come here. We can't take care of so many that are already here.
I have nothing against immigrants, as long as they are here legally. It's the illegal ones I have a problem with. If I commit a crime, I am held accountable for my actions and have to pay the price. Why do we let immigrants come in to our country illegally, thereby breaking the law, OUR law, and so many people think its OK?? Breaking the law is breaking the law. Illegal immigrants should be rounded up and sent back, with fingerprints and DNA on file. It doesn't matter about their "rights", they don't have any, since they aren't American citizens! Legal immigrants have all the same rights as the rest of us. Stop giving illegals government aid!
I came to the conclusion that immigrants "Stealing our jobs" is a lot of bunk. Case in point:
I install local and wide area computer networks. I recently installed a terminal system at a company that cleans buildings. I set up 10 terminals that automatically loaded a web page that allowed workers to easily apply for a position within the company.
They had a job fair recently as they had procured a new contract with a local aitport and had openings for 35 janitorial jobs. They advertised the job fair in all local newspapers and media (and not just the spanish language ones) for weeks before the event. I stayed on the job site for an entire week to make sure things worked properly.
Not one, and I mean not one white person showed up to apply for any of the jobs. Almost all applications were hispanic.
So please spare me the "They're stealing our jobs" crap. What they are doing are jobs that we don't want to do.
The real soluton here is to allow guest worker status. We need to to tax these people so they can pay their share for services. While they are working, they can apply for citizenship like everyone else. It is time we realize that these workers are needed.
Can we make trades? I'll give you 40 'hard working American Union members' for each of your refugees........
The political hot-button issue on the national radar in recent elections has been more about illegal immigration than that of immigrants seeking citizenship into the US using established methods. How ignorant it is to say that those who oppose illegal immigration are "anti-immigrant". Also, we must remember that illegal immigration is not just an issue on the Mexican border.
What I find crazy is that the same people who hate immigrants, have no problem with companies (like Romney's Bain) that send American jobs to China. At least an immigrant spends money in America. The China worker that took an American job, spend zero money in America.
Any company that outsources needs to immediately lose any and all tax breaks. They should be investing in America's future. Then all these supposed immigrants Zakaria the sensationalism journalist talks about will have jobs.
Today Americas cities are thriving because of immigrants and many of our families at one time were immigrants too . Most Americans today only speak English ( European Language) while other people I talk to around the world can speak multiple languages . America needs to become more diversified as we are now in a global economy and that will not change any time soon. You will also find KFC in Europe, Asia , the middle east . We are global and we might as well get use to it as you will very seldom find an American born taxi driver in D.C.
No one is against legal immigration. I have traveled extensively throughout Asia & Europe, and guess what, most people speak English or are in the process of learning English. I love the idea of every elementary school child learning a second language, but the reality is in Europe, most countries are the size of our states, hence the need to know more than one language.
The last time I was in Turkey I had a young Turkish gentleman seranade me with an American Rap song. He used American music to teach himself English, and when I asked him why he said "English is the global language of business, if I want to get ahead in life I need to know English". He was so impressive. I do believe we would be a better country if more Americans actually visited other countries and knew how people lived. Many people would be more open minded and understanding of others, but it is illogical to not have laws regarding immigration.
CNN loves to make everyone a victim, except you white men out there. Apparently the white straight men are all evil.
boo hoo, they wont let us in and give us free everything and let us sit on a free couch and drink free beer and watch free tv and not ever work ... THEY ARE RACISTS!
When our U.S. grown kids cannot get a job and we already have a 1/6th of the US population who are non-citizens, why would any intelligent being invite more in? No other country does because they have a responsibility to their people, that is what it means to belong to a country which cares about it's people. It means given them the first crack at jobs, incentives, etc. Otherwise, why call oneself an American?
The people who have the skills should get the jobs. It should matter if they were born here or not.
I think we should build free housing up North for all illegal immigrants in Boston, Ma. They need to racially mix with Mexicans and stop being so hoity-toity white.
America needs LEGAL immigrants.
I'm a first-generation American, the child of immigrants. I have no issue with immigrants.
I just take issue with people being here illegally and with employers skirting federal employment laws by hiring them.
However, I am not in favor of amnesty, particularly without *significant* reform. That's what we loused up last time.
Zakaria, you have already proven that you are the champion of illegal aliens violating our borders. This article's premise is almost comical. Of course the US needs immigrants. The country was largely built on immigration. The problem we have in this country today with immigration is the ILLEGAL type. You know that already, but feel the strange need to write an article that falsely implies that Americans detest immigration in general. Nothing could be further from the truth. It's all about ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION that must be stopped. Your failed attempt to make it seem as if Americans hate immigration altogether is ridiculous.
let's not mix up "legal immigration and ILLLEGAL immigration" – funny how it seems CNN is playing he illegal aspect down......i don't know of anyone who is against those that follow our laws....
CNN...why not do a follow-up story on O's uncle who hit a cop car while drunk and most importantly...being ILLEGALLY here.....why wasn't he deported?! why are we paying for imprisoning illegal immigrants such as in TN where the prison caught on fire after a riot a few weeks back...the prison was ENTIRELY for illegals! what about CA spending over $1 billion/yr on imprisoning illegals....why in in world would the tax payers be required to fund this?
THIS!! It makes me crazy how many people seem to lump immigrants and ILLEGAL immigrants all in one group - thus, if you're against illegal immigration, you must hate all immigrants.
Bottom line, in any case, is that as much as we might LIKE to help everyone in the world who needs it, the way America stands today, we can't even take care of current residents, let alone take on more people.
exactly...it's the "left's" way of down playing the issue....another example..."we are a nation of immigrants"...well DUH!!! but what's the have to do with illegal immigration?! why are our laws being trampled and not upheld?!
What the person that wrote this article forgot is the glaring fact that if everyone was easily able to come here they would have no expectations of their home countries. When talking with citizens of Mexico, many of them love Mexico, but it is easier to come here than expect changes in Mexico. the only lives improved would be of those that flee their own countries, not of anyone left in those countries.
The USA needs LEGAL immigrants for the skills and cultural richness that they can bring. America needs LEGAL immigrants who are willing to learn English, and learn about our government and it's history.The USA does not need illegal imigrants or those who would Balkanize the US.
Do Liberal-Progressive columnists know the difference?
Don't tell me that the immigrants in USA get the same opportunities and benefits that a US born does. I have seen time and again that the immigrants in USA have to work at least three times harder tahn the US born just to hold on to their job without any chances of getting the true rewards of his or her work. Things are not fair and equal even in USA.
then leave.
Because we have let too many in already.
Its simple economics. we don't need them right now plain and simple.
We have outsourced labor to other countries, and then allowed people to flood in illegally to our country. We are removing work, and adding to the labor force... that is the recipe to destroy the economy.
your taking on people you don't need adding weight to a sinking ship.
We need to fix the ship and start building more and bigger ships, and then we will need crews to run them, then we let more imigrants in .. LEGALLY !
You can't expect to just open the flood gates and let everyone pour in across the border and not destroy the economy and society.
1) Outsource jobs to other countries (reduce available jobs here)
2) Allow illegals to flood into our country (increase the number of people who need jobs here)
3) ? what did you guys expect ? a prosperous economy ?
step 4) turn it into a "race" issue.
morons.
@ Jeetu – In my city, there are MANY immigrants, and it's true that many of them remain at very low level jobs with not much chance for advancing. But it has nothing to do with where they were born. Rather, it's largely because many of them refuse to learn English, and it severely limits their prospects. I am personally acquainted with numerous individuals – family friends – who have been in this country 20, 30, or 40 years, and cannot string say "Good morning, how are you today?" in English.
I consider myself left of center, but have a slight Machiavellian streak. Immigration served this country well for a long time, allowing for an exchange of ideas and providing a unique incentive to achieve unparallelled in the history of nations. That being said, America has long exited its formative stages, and we are now at a point where the nation's resources are stretching thin, made worse by a growing political divide in which politicians would rather disagree for the sake of disagreeing than take a real interest in what's best for the country. Until the nation can get itself in order, the burden of a continuing large influx of people will only tax the system, making it more difficult to right the listing ship.
YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY 100% RIGHT! I am a Socialist but even Socialist Europe is cracking down on immigration, due to the economic strains placed on all o
Anybody who says that the protest against illegal immigration means that anyone hates all immigrants is stupid. We need a better process that human smuggling, fly by night border crossings, and political soap boxing...
No we don't need immigrants. We already have too many people.toofew jobs and other resources
Wait... a self-professed proud Briton is complaining about *our* immigration policies? The US has some of the most open immigration policies of any nation on Earth, and someone with the author's credentials should know that. The position that people should be able to pick wherever they choose to live, willy nilly, is fanciful at best. Political boundaries are a reality, and they are a necessary element of the proper regulation of commerce and culture. Despite that, the US welcomes more legal immigrants than all the other nations of the Earth combined, or at least we did a few years ago. People can certainly immigrate to the US, and they do so in droves. Further, the vast majority of Americans welcome those immigrants with open arms, when they choose to follow the process and become one of us.
Thanks CNN (sarcastically), for further tearing apart America...
Yup. CNN is trying to become the next Pravda...
If we truly want to live in a global society then all nations should work towards creating pathways of success for their citizens. We all live better when we all live better, not having any expectations for these poorer countries means that most are left behind. We don't need to turn our back, we just need to work with these countries so that they too can live better, not so that the people who most often love their home countries are forced to come to ours to do better.
funny how liberals howl about immigration rights, but when you ask them if they are for open borders they shut up real quick. they love speaking out of both sides of their mouth. being a liberal is fine until you have to grow up and face the facts. it's imperative we maintain control over who comes into this country to protect our soveringty. nobody is stopping you freakin libs from leaving though. I'll help you pack!
Another god muncher
re·li·gion noun \ri-'li-j?n\
A mass human psychosis that usually results in participants believing in incredibly silly crap and acting like total retards.
George Bush was the one that wanted to give amnesty. Ronald Reagan did give amnesty. John McCain was for the dream act before he was against it. Most corporations want immigrants because they want cheap labor. Instead of assuming that "libs" think or want something, maybe you should actually talk to some liberal people, it would be eyeopening as you obviously spend a lot of time being misinformed by Faux news.
well said.
Corporations are all for profit, well rightfully so too. Cheap labor? heck yes...
You obviously don't watch Fox News... they are also pro "legal" immigration... Not quite the evil doers you imply.
We have enough... thanks anyway
now just get the muslims to get the hell out of here and things will be good.
We may need immigrants, but they need to be legal immigrants. If they cannot follow the laws, that makes them bad citizens. By coming here illegally, they are breaking the law and should be sent home. I don't care if they have kids born here in the US, the kids should be sent with their parents back to the country of origin.
Americans are pro-immigration. In a perfect world there would be a more balanced approach which would take in more immigrants from diverse countries especially in Africa. However currently we are being overwhelmed by immigrants from Mexico and Central America who are coming here illegally and believe they should come before any other group of people in the world. There should less of those immigrants allowed in and more from other areas of the world. We need that balance of talent.
This article neglects to differentiate between legal immigration and illegal immigration. The U.S. has long standing laws on immigration. If you feel they are unjust, then by all means make the effort to change the law to something better. Until then enforce the laws 100%. Do NOT let them forget to use the word "illegal" when talking about "illegal immigrants".
If someone steals your car, but you don't find it for 3 years...does the law allow the thief keep that car, and register it legally? To argue an illegal should be allowed to stay in the country because you didn't find them for a few years is ludicrous.
"Unfortunately, we live in a system of global apartheid, where the rich and the educated can move about increasingly freely, while the poor are expected to stay put, like serfs tied to the land where they were born. "
Very irresponsible view. The US is not responsible for the entire globe, regardless how many wars our government illegally involve us in against the will of US citizens.
Let's say, for an example, that anyone who wanted to become a us citizen could. hundreds of Millions or even billions of people might move to our country. We don't have the infrastructure to deal with that. Our entire system would collapse.
The answer lies in infrastructure and immigration reform. Hard working people who PAY TAXES and want to come here are fine. But lazy sponges? No thank you. Unfortunately, there does not seem to be a way to distinguish between the two, without some halfwit journalist seeking sensationalist headlines writing about discrimination.
Let us know when you re-write the entire immigration and infrastructure reform bill so that each and every person in this country and the world will be happy. Then we can entertain your internet ravings, journalist.
O problema dos estados unidos não são seus imigrantes e sim seus cidadãos religiosos fundamentalistas.
NO GOD,NO RELIGION
http://www.youtube.com/ateuenasci
http://www.fernascifotos.blogspot.com
http://www.panoramio.com/user/5618827
Legal Immigrants and their CHILDREN ONLY PLEASE!!!!!
As long as they are willing to work let them come. that's waht we're about. I do notice some groups as far as nationality seem to do better than others. Asians seem to be hard workers and contribute much to the economy. Many in some other nationalities seem to want to manipulate the system. I do feel ceratin groups should be watched such as muzlims. I can't help but not trust them because of their religions agenda.
The notion that America was created by immigrants is proposterous and has been a sham we have told for generations. Any history buff can tell you that America was conquered by the white man arriving, killing and plundering the knowledge and land of the native Americans. If you are going to use the immigration argument then you can say the Fall of the Roman Empire was caused by immigrants or the beginning times of the United Kingdom was caused by the Saxons 'immigrating' to the islands.
Countries are created by being conquered, built by immigrants, maintained by citizens.
That is a good point. Countries ARE created by being conquered
I also would like t add they all need to come here legally.
Thee US needs educated, legal immigrants. The rate at which the US population is educating themselves is no where near the demand for educated workers. We don't need a bunch of uneducated illegals.
I'm tired of the argument that they only take jobs that Americans don't want.
That's only partially true. The problem is when they are no longer satisfied with farm work and janitorial services. They then start to climb the ladder and take $10-20 an hour construction jobs. They take real jobs that real Americans could have to feed their families. I don't care if they pick fruit, but that should be all they are allowed to do.....
If they are legal immigrants, they should be able to have any job that they are the most qualified for. It's up to the US citizenry to keep themselves educated. IF not, then others who have educated themselves will be in those sweet jobs.
I have no problem with legal immigrants. Illegal yes. What I have a problem with is the cost of supporting immigrants, even the legal immigrants that are brought in from poor countries and are given a place to live, $$, free medical care, education and the list goes on and on. At some point this breaks the bank. We cannot continue to take in poor, uneducated immigrants and support them for extended periods of time or across generations. The ratio needs to be more people working than collecting a check, I fear that this ratio is backwards, what with American workers out of work and the influx of immigrants from poor countries. And please don't tell me that they do not get these things for free. I live in taxachusetts and you would not believe what is available. Available to immigrants, but not to middle class working people like myself.
The argument over immigration is about ILLEGAL immigration. The author is barking up the wrong tree.
"In 2006 the United States accepted more legal immigrants as permanent residents than all other countries in the world combined." according to Wikipedia, which sources a news article.
Are we discussing legal or illegal immigrants ? (or just trying to annoy eachother)
I am all for immigration
new blood to help this country survive
but let's face if they are going to continue to come here by the 1000's and we need to set them up with assistance as we do all the time and they have nothing to bring here, I say slam the door. If you can immediately be productive and provide a needed service I say let them in, if not, lock the door! those who settled this country, died and poured a lot of sweat to get where we are now and i don't believe they were on welfare!
The author of this article clearly has very little experience in the real world and is basing his observations on simple assumptions that have repeated over and over again such as, "The rich create jobs"... Go travel some and then comeback and write a book instead of repeating just what you have 'heard'.
I understand there are about 8 million immagrants in the pipeline now in the process to become citizens LEGALLY! My ancestors were here before the Revolution so I am basically a "Plank" Owner.
Anyone who is here illegally is going to have a hard time making a living or any sucess. Practically no one accepts illegals. They would be better off going thru the process to become citizens.
RYAN IN TEXAS,WHAT YOU CAN TELL TO THE IMMIGRANTS SOLDIERS FIGHTING FOR YOU FREEDOM?
What are you talking about jmiranda, pimple-moley head?
The same thing I'd tell anyone, Thank You.
I don't know of any US soldier today, anywhere in the world, who is "fighting for our freedom"
No one is fighting for our freedom. The U.S is under no threat of conquest or subjugation.
I vehemently disagree about this. We do NOT need MORE immigrants to this country, we need LESS. This is not about being heartless, but these people will be sorely disappointed when they get here and the America they've always seen on television is nothing more than a fantasy. They will see real suffering as our country has been torn to shambles by partisan infighting, reckless war-spending and tax cuts for the super wealthy. They will only add to the unemployment line. We have millions of highly-educated Americans here who need jobs, myself included. Our young are hitting brick wall after wall and each successive graduating class is piling atop them. We need to stop ALL immigration until and when our country is sorted out. We are just adding to the problem by bringing more in.
I have to disagree. Many many people I know who started companies in tech are immigrants. They are real job creators.
Absolutely DO NOT need more immigrants. We have more than enough leeching on the system. Does anyone seriously think that we can afford more?
Discriminate because of where they're born? LOL! ILLEGAL immigrants shouldn't be here. Doesn't matter if they're royalty. ILLEGAL IS ILLEGAL!!!!!!
America needs LEGAL immigrants!
I worked for free legal aid for awhile. These people are an ABSOLUTE DRAIN. I'm sorry to say it but all the illegals i've run across take way more than they give back. Not only do we need to stop the influx, we need to completely revamp all of our social services and benefit systems. Including firing everyone at SSA and housing authorities and getting competent people in there. And maybe not hiring someone who can't speak english and is a complete idiot just because she fills a quota is something we should stop doing too. Ridiculous. Naivete and political correctness are drowning this nation.
Every country needs LEGAL immigrants. Illegal immigrants from all over the world are a drain on resources. Fight for legal immigrants who want to contribute to the American Dream. PUNISH those that use illegal labor by taking their business.
Os Estados Unidos precisam dos imigrantes para se manter como a maior potência do planeta...se todos eles resolverem sair do país de uma só vez, ai sim os USA somen do mapa.
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Fantasy. I agree that an open border world with free, and honest, trade, rule of law, and fraternity are the ideal, but this is not presently possible. You may be an economist, but I am an historian and change is not this quick. Fast change is often when we see the great tragedies. Remember that the people you wish to pair are not just economic contributors with hearts of gold. People are more visceral and fatally flawed than that.
We're moving toward locking our boarders like the rest of the world. First things first: illegals. Next comes locking down the legal immigration process. Give it 20 years. Change of this magnitude takes time to prevent and minimize out-cry from the affected.
No We D Not need immigrants. This entire conversation is silly. We have everything we need right here! Everyone coming here legal or illegal never does things by the law.
My wife is not from this country.
While you ignorant brainwashed bigots troll message boards spreading your hate, my immigrant wife has done more to help/serve this nation than any of you sorry pieces of garbage will ever do.
Keep talking, and Ill keep having mixed babies that grow up with a healthy view of other cultures and a respect for their fellow man, while you spread your hateful propaganda and provide absolutely nothing of value to your local communities or this country as a whole.. I would gladly replace the 50 million of you idiots out there with 50 million hard working immigrants any day of the week.
I wholeheartedly agree. You keep making those babies Kevin!
Is you wife now a citizen, is she here legally? That is the true point. It is not hate. It is the expectation of being treated equally. If I as a citizen break the law, I get arrested. If she is here illegally, then she needs to be arrested.
While of course I agree that people should ALL come here legally, if you cannot see that a lot of the things others are expressing on these message boards are rooted in racism an fear than you are blind.
Allowing a group of people to break the law is not required for cultural diversity or awareness.
send them all back we don't need them, our resources are not available any longer, and of course they would not be required to learn english....!!!!
Of course we need immigrants. People who don't crash the line, respect our laws, and show respect to all others who want the same thing are likely to make great American citizens. Line crashing, embezzling criminals who sneak in to grab some money and send "home", wrapping themselves in other flags and blocking our streets in protest when we try to do something about it are not needed.
Nations that open their borders without any controls would be swamped and their economies shattered, we see enough signs of that in various locations around the world already. This opinion on immigration is like saying that communism creates a Utopia for all to live well in, excuse me if I laugh. In principle some concepts appear wonderful but in reality cannot work, we humans are not content to share everything equally with others. Immigration with sensible controls also helps to minimize the social unrest that is seen when any mass migration occurs. If underdeveloped countries lose their brightest and most ambitious people how will they ever improve? Shouldn't the objective be to improve poorer nations rather than strip away anything of value they have?
Not sure why the negative sentiment of immigrants.... unless you are native american, then you are either an immigrant or the descendant of an immigrant. Also this great nation was build by immigrants. Largely even now that trend still continues. Steve Jobs for example was kids of Armenian immigrants. The country will always need immigrants because they and immediate offspring spur innovation.
"Native Americans" were immigrants as well, just a little before the rest.
This argument of 'you were an immigrant too' Lamest argument there is. My ancestors came here legally. Became a citizen legally. Became an American legally.
If legraine's opinion were any dumber, I'd cry. America is the birth right of Americans, not the birth right of the rest of the world. Do I feel fortunate? You bet. Do I wish I possessed the financial wealth of Barack Obama for example? You bet. That doesn't mean I have a right to his wealth, nor does it mean he has an obligation to share it with me. Grow up Legume or whatever your name is. This is AMERICA, not Kindergarten.
I would rather import these hard working americans who contribute to our society, I would say deport those lazy americans that are american citizens back to their roots. They don't contribute anything other than headache. Think of this. My hepatologist told me that she has a problem with her visas. Imagine, a practicing specialist in the liver and we can't let her stay here. What a stupid government. Only Obama makes sense. The idiot republican never make sense,.All they do is to rant who the Tea Party
.....says a guy named Philippe.
Unless a person happens to be a Native American Indian – we are all Immigrants or children of immigrants!!
once immigrants are taxed like an 18year old just out of high school once they become a citizen i'll be ok with it. BUT there is no way they deserve a 7 years tax break. A vast majority of wealthy immigrants come to america open a business and turn it over to new incoming family to continue a tax free loop hole and that must end. if they were DEDICATED AMERICANS they wouldn't take advantage of that rule.
The big issue I have noticed is that you can divide immigrants further into groups. There are Legal and Illegal. A Legal Immigrant has gone through the system, is on record, pays taxes, ect. An Illegal immigrant has not gone through the system, some (yes some and not all) have not received the proper identification and paperwork to apply for standard pay jobs and work under the table (no W-2. No Tax forms). Most people see this as unfair because if you follow legal means, you have to pay the government to live and work here. If you go through illegal means, you are exempt from taxes on earning. Perhaps I am over simplifying this and the process to legally come here is near impossible...but people do it. Rules are followed. Hard Work Punished. This is not how we were all brought up, I'd like to think.
It isn't immigrants that people have a problem with. It's ILLEGAL immigrants that people take issue with. Big difference between the two.
I would rather import these hard work ingimmnigrants who contribute to our society, I would say deport those lazy americans that are american citizens back to their roots. They don't contribute anything other than headache. Think of this. My hepatologist told me that she has a problem with her visas. Imagine, a practicing specialist in the liver and we can't let her stay here. What a stupid government. Only Obama makes sense. The idiot republican never make sense,.All they do is to rant who the Tea Party
the main problem is that Americas are lazy, they feel threatened by the Mexican and other such immigrants because such immigrants normally tend to work a lot harder for lot less money and with no drama, Americans also feel threatened by educated immigrants from China/Korea/India because they don't want to bust their a** in school to be able to compete ...
So basically now its just a country of fat ..lazy..stu**d..hypocrites..
Dear dohhh... it does seem like yOU are an illegal alien. Americans are the HARDEST WORKING PEOPLE in the world. I have managed well over 1600 offshore workers in the past 25 years and I always have to inculcate them into the fear of VIOLET in order to get them to work with a sense of urgency and simultaneously TRAIN them so they tend to be know-nothings, aside from being lazy. I NEVER have to crack the whip (verbally) over my AMERICAN workers.
You need to re-phrase your comments. I'm not fat (160lbs), or lazy (I work about 55 hrs/week) or dumb (I hold a MS in electrical Engineering), and everyone that lives around me is quite similar. You are stereotyping US citizens as badly as many are stereotyping immigrants.
I'm not surprised the article leaves out the main reason for years of intentional systematic incoming immigration-specifically Hispanic due to their large families......a very much needed workforce to pay for our 78 million retiring Boomers.
You are mistaken. I'm one of those 'baby boomers' and I am NEVER going to retire... not from lack of money, but because I had the God-given opportunity to retire at 50 for seven months which opened my eyes to the stupidity of 'retirement'... one can only travel, play, socialize so much before it is obvious that life is for those with a raison d'etre driving them... one needs hard work to live well... certainly I do! Am I 'taking a job' from a 'recent college graduate'?? ha hah hah hah hah... can an immigrant do my job? ha ha ha ha again.
Immigration has been our strength, it creates diversity and diverse systems are stronger and more sustainable. We wouldn't be the country we are today without the contributions of millions of immigrants and we should never stop embracing immigrants who want to come here and continue to improve our country.
Once again – you fail to recognize that the United States allows millions of immigrants to arrive and become citizens legally.
To dim-witted Will, who spreads BS with no supporting evidence whatsoever, and then criticizes those who call him on it: Help the economy – buy a clue.
Immigrants are not the problem... the problem is ILLEGAL immigrants.
There seems to be a lack of ability to discern between an immigrant and an illegal alien. The majority of Americans can be pro immigration but still fight against illegal immigrants. Why does this get grouped all together – oh yea – they are potential voters for Obama.
"So why is it still deemed acceptable to discriminate against people on the basis of where they happen to have been born?" Because the places they are born have become hellholes due to the culture of the people who live there., and when the people immigrate they seem to be intent on keeping their poisonous culture. I see Asian and Indian people studying hard and getting ahead and I think "this is good for America" I see Mexicans dropping out having tons of babies and joining gangs, and excuse me for thinking "this is bad for America" We stereotype peoples cultures, usually with very good accuracy, and come to logical conclusions while knowing there are always exceptions.
More liberal BS from biased CNN. Zakaria is a one trick pony.
Of course, America needs immigrants.
Every person here, except the Native Americans, is an immigrant too: whether first, second, third generation.
The issue is with ILLEGAL immgration, not with immigration. I am not in favor of ever rewarding illegal immigrants: why should someone who came into the country without earning the right to do so legally be entertained and asked to stay?
MOST people DON"T discriminate against people based on where they were born......................this is yet ANOTHER CNN article that tries to stir up controversy where it DOESN"T EXIST!
Why is it that all you whining liberals cannot understand the issue. It is not and never has been legal immigration. It is ILLEGAL immigration. As a country we have the right to control our borders and the people who come to this country. Please check in some other places like Sweden. You would expect a very far left country to welcome all with open arms. Not so. They closely restrict immigration as do most other countries around the world. And go try to sneak into Mexico. You will never be heard from again if you are caught by the Mexican authorities.
This is about not taking on other countries most uneducated, poor, people. If the people from these other countries would make half the effort to improve their homeland that they do to sneak into the US we would all be better off.
I know your Fox news addicted mind cannot understand much, but liberals are not for illegal immigration, go make up some other bogeymen to hate.
Yes, we do need immigrants. Engineers, Physicists, MD's, Mathematicians and other specialists. Let these folks in. We do not have the support capacity to bring in more tired, , poor, and huddled masses. Maybe we should point that out on the Statue of Liberty.
We don't need anymore immigrants. Look at the immigrant in the white house and the on purpose destruction he has caused
You sound ridiculous. Obama is not an immigrant, although I strongly agree with you that he needs to go.
And replace him with Romney? Be careful of what you wish for.
I voted for the man the first time. Everyone does something very dumb in their lives, my opinion now is to replace him with anyone.
Where does it end?? Americans and LEGAL immigrants with green cards cannot find employment and yet you bleeding heart LIBERALS want to let more ILLEGAL ALIENS stay here and feed, clothe and educate them.
Have you completely lost your minds? Put your money out instead of mine...I need mine for my family
America welcomes immigrants with open arms, provided they come here legally, obey our laws, and at least make an effort to learn the language so the rest of us don't have to bend over backwards to communicate with them. Is that really too much to ask?
Why does the US Need ImmIgrats – Let's answer it this way; For those who believe that, let the immigrants move into their houses and have them support the immigrants while the immigrants get welfare and free medical! Then let's see if your house can hold together; it will overflow as is the US, and they will go broke as the US; while the Immigrats profit!
Let's Get Real!
The true story is not discrimination on birthplace, but rather, why do people discriminate against others based on skin color, idioms, and facial features? Saying discrimination is based on birthplace is inaccurate, and allows a loophole for people to get away with being veiled racists, that's the truth. People say they discriminate because one is born in Mexico, we all know that is a big lie, and the truth is that those very people discriminate against Mexicans based on skin color, idiom, and facial features, that is the REAL TRUTH.
Hype and Propaganda! Don't listen to this load of bunk! Immigration policies have everything to do with NEEDED SKILLS! Not what country these skills come from. We have plenty of our own people to do the jobs that don't require more than a high school education. Not everyone has the means or inclination to go to college.
The last thing we need is more unskilled "baby machines" coming here cranking 'em out as fast as they can for the taxpayer to feed, clothe and educate! I for one am sick to death of working harder and harder to support the other half of the population that doesn't work at all! We don't need any more lazy, useless mouths to feed in this country. – THAT JOB HAS BEEN FILLED!
Yes...we need more people willing to accept low wages and live 10 people in a 2 bedroom apartment. I'm willing to bet the writer of this article lives in a posh neighborhood and doesn't have to worry about them moving into his neighborhood.
I completely disagree with this article. If the U.S. wants to bring in more doctors, high-tech workers or similar intelligent people then I'm all for that. What we don't need is minimum wage/low skilled workers flooding the country and adding to the decline in IQ levels and the plummeting U.S. ranks in worldwide education levels.
This article misses the entire point. Its not immigrants that people are fed up with, its illegal immigrants.
Which country in the world accepts the most immigrants every year (not even counting illegals)? You'll never get the straight goods from a one-worlder propagandist like Fareed "Council of Foreign Relations and Trilateral Commission" Zakaria.
Just not the illegal ones
Oklahoma City Thunder will take it ALL!!!!
Obviously the editor is dilusional to think that people should be able to migrate freely around the world depleting resources as they go. A society cannot survive if it is overrun by the masses, just because that society may be better off than another without a measure of control to integrate legal immigrants. In addition, the editor identifies that people complain about immigrants taking U.S. jobs, but he fails to mention that the complaints are about illegal immigrants. Yes, ILLEGAL! America has laws and a unique culture blended from legal migration that must not bend to those who want to destroy this rule of our land! The editor talks a good game, but how many immigrants is he putting up in his home or directly funding to have a better life in America? My guess is zero...
"... why is it still deemed acceptable to discriminate against people on the basis of where they happen to have been born?"
= = = = =
Because there's this thing called "culture", which informs people's views about what is the proper way to behave in various situations. For ONE instance, "honor killings" are approved in some cultures - but not here. Slavery is approved in some cultures – but not here. Women-as-chattel is a cultural norm elsewhere, but - nope, not here.
In order for immigrants to benefit our culture and for our culture to be beneficial to them, it's important to allow ONLY THOSE WHO SHARE OUT CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS RIGHT AND PROPER into the country.
Let's be clear – we do not want people to come to the US illegally. Folks that want to come to this country legally and not be a drain on it's resources – come on down. Folks that want to pop over the border illegally just to get on the government teat – stay the he ll out.
Whoever is bashing on immigrants, your ancestor one way or another were immigrants too (unless you are Native Americans)... Hypocrite much?
illegal immigration to the US wasn't exactly against the law back then now was it
Baseline arguements like yours have no place being efforted here among adults. Ellis Island is where my family entered legally into the United States under the laws of the land. A concept that I believe you will have a difficult time understanding. Kind of like you don't understand the existing laws governing immigration.
Wow, it looks like there are so many against immigrants! Let us not forget that you are here because of immigration, unless you descend from American Indian!!
yes, US needs immigrant but it should be GOOD immigrant, Productive immigrant....?!
we need legal ones, not the leaches, the contributors. if they come here and work hard like the good citizens then i think they're more than welcome
The author of this article makes a point, but it is a faulty one. While it is true that the various successfull men he named were born outside of the US he negelcts to mention that these men are an incredibly small representation of the population. Common sense prevails that if you let in a population of primarily proven intelligent people (engineers, scientists, doctors, etc) they will contribute more than a population of children and other families srtiving to "make it out"
Are you kidding me? Come to my neighborhood....and you will ask for a drastic change in immigration....
The world does not need the US to bring in more people especially from developing countries, which usually results in a sharp increase to a person's carbon footprint. The US does not need more immigrants. The country is full. Our cities sprawl too much as is. I do not aspire our country to look like India or China.
This article is somewhat disingenuous. The people of the US should not and the vast majority do not discriminate againt LEGAL Aliens in the US. Illegal is not a race, gender, color, religion or disability it is a condition of being in a place where the law says you are now allowed. No where in this article does Zacharia discuss the legal conditions to enter the US. The US allows more legal immigrants in each year than all the rest of the World COMBINED. His article is insulting to this premise of the American Dream (the Legally here American Dream).
I don't think anyone has anything against LEGAL immigration. That has nothing to do with the problem. This country has hundreds of thousands of ILLEGAL immigrants. And for a woman to be able to cross the border a couple of days before their baby is born, then that baby is a citizen? Are you kidding me?!? That is wrong, and everybody knows it. Just wait. Sooner or later, it will be proven that terrorists are making their way across the borders. THEN is it okay?
my feeling is, would the original country that the immigrant is from accept thousands and thousands of American's moving to their country? Not likely, so why should it be our duty to be more gracious? because we are prodominetly caucasian and our guilt for past deeds, dictates such.
I recommend the person that wrote this article goes and stands and watches the line at a Giant or any low income family grocery store and watch how many of those immigrants pay with Food Stamps! I believe in immigration but the legal kind where they apply for entry to this country in their countries of origin, and only allowed in to the U.S. after passing serious scrutiny and verification that they will not become a burden to the Citizens of this great nation. Too much abuse of the taxpayers has already taken place. We cannot afford to continue to get into debt at the detriment of the life style of this country. Anyone that comes here must be able to support themselves and not go on to live on welfare or any other social assistance program.
The food stamps, though, are not for immigrants but for their US born children, who are US citizens by the US law. US need sto abolish granting automatic citizenship to kids born on the US soil. Nobody else does it and this law gets abused big time by illegal immigrants.
1) This author (as many do) seems to be mixing up the objections to immigration with the objections to illegal immigration.
2) The US has a much more lax immigration policy than most other countries. Try to emigrate to Europe and in order to get a work Visa you have to have a job first and that job has to pay a minimum amount... Our country simply can not support immigrants coming here to LOOK for work...
> Try to emigrate to Europe and in order to get a work Visa you have to have a job first and that job has to pay a minimum amount
Exactly the same in the US. These visas are called H1B , there is 65K cap per year and itis usually filled within 1-2 months ( January-February). The rest have to either wait until next year or give up, even if there is a job lines up for them they cannot get it once quota is hit.
Only way to keep the Ponzi schemes going...
Very nice article, but keep it real: Obama's dad wasn't a goatherd. Doing a chore as a child hardly identifies a person. This is someone who was able to come study in the US based on achievements at home.
David
My goodness! Gay Americans who were on the front lines of two recent wars and have been on the front lines of all wars were only given their rights to speak just last year. The corpse of the Republican gift of Don't Ask, Don't Tell is barely cold and not yet fully buried. Only two Republican Senators crossed the lines to vote with their Democratic counterparts to end this shameful era in our history. Let's work on the inalienable rights of Americans first. The Supreme Court told us in 2003 in Texas vs. Lawrence to stop interfering in the lives of gay Americans, but Republicans never got the memo. They are also responsible for the truly egregious roadblocks to immigration reform. Their strong tendencies toward flag waving and invoking the name of God at every turn have them stuck in a strongly nationalistic narrative where fully gay Americans and immigrants will never be fully included in this short span we call life.
IMO all immigration should be stopped until unemployment is down to atleast 5%, and then only allow those with a job waiting to come in on an anual work visa. No longer working go home, continue to work and be productive and become a citizen automatically in 5 years. People need to realize that we have record unemployment and out of control immigration which both need to reigned in and controlled to ensure that our contry prospers. If we just continue to keep the doors wide open then we will over populate and exhaust all of our resources both natural and economical.
I don't want to hear any arguments on why there needs to be less White people and more minorities in this country. That is a losing proposition from the word go that merely serves to benefit said minorities who are jealous of White power and rank. So naturally in the above picture they decide to show 2 butt ugly Africans and one Asian wishing that they were in power instead of Whites. Got news for you. America has NEVER needed minorities. Not as far as Whites are concerned, and not while Whites still overwhelmingly hold power and rank in America. Which will be for a LONG time
Then why are so many of you white people with such small 'apparatus' running scared?
MySay500: Who said anybody was running Scared? With certain groups, all you are interested in is the "aparatus". Guess that's why you walk down the streets holding onto it, for fear someone might "steal" it. Don't worry! Nobody else wants it. As a matter of fact, you might benefit from washing it. And your eyesight might improve....LOL
Philippe Legrain, you are an idiot. We have enough skilled Americans out of work, we need to reduce immigration drastically. Try going to Australia on a work Visa, the first thing they ask is "when are you going to leave and prove it".
Anyone who ever dealt with US immigration authorities knows that US does the same when you pass the border. And if there is any doubt you'll be put on a plane back.
Pretty simple. Immigrants are accepted here everyday you hack! Apply, get approved, be a responsible TAX PAYING citizen and everything is hunky dory. Skip any of the steps and you are just an illegal who needs to be deported.
Ignorance is bliss... This country was founded on immigration for the morons who have never read a book... The fact is we need to build and unite our country, not divid and conquer it. If one of these "immigrants" can attain the proper education and support to become a successful individual that may some-day make medical advancements or make advancements in our communities, that makes us better as a nation. It is small minded people who think of only themselves that spew their hate, God states that we are all brothers and sisters... So before you speak take a look in the mirror and realize just who you 'really' are, because I don't know how people can lay down at night and be content with all the sickening detest they have for their own human race...
This country was also founded on war, but you will never hear a leftist use that to justify Iraq and Afghanistan.
Tell that to all the people who are out of work.
Since 9/11 our policies of revenge against all other races and immigrants is one of the main the reason for our declining economy. The pace of migration of investments and educated professional has declined due to our immigration policies. Most of the foreign investments and professionals now go to Canada, Australia, China, Brazil etc. Those countries are growing strong. Canada which is our neighbor to the north has a booming economy. We need immigrants willing to invest in our country and professional with specialized degrees to become Americans.
I'm sorry, we're filled up. We don't have enough jobs or colleges openings to accommodate our present citizens, let along a flood of new arrivals. Even if we needed more immigrants, many new arrivals prefer to reject our culture. Earlier in our history immigrants became part of the "melding pot", to blend into our culture and society. A large portion of the new immigrants prefer to retain their own language and culture and remain distinct and separate from the mainstream. Liberals gush over what they call "diversity" but there is danger in promoting separatism.
There are over 3 million job openings unfilled in US. But they need educated people with specialized skills and education. So they are not filled. We have high school dropouts Americans looking for jobs with no skills. We need professionals to immigrate and become Americans and contribute to our future growth.
I disrciminate based on what I see people doing every day, regardless of skin color, religion, etc. I am an equal opportunity discriminator. When we have millions unemployed and we pay illegal aliens under the table cash so no tax can be collected there is something wrong. How about we stop trying to be politically correct and send these illegal aliens back from where they came and prosecute anyone caught knowingly hiring these people. American needs to start encouraging legal immigration into this country and stop trying to prosecute states for enforicing illegal immigration laws. I might ask our alien supports, what other laws would you like our federal government to ignore?
AMERICA IS FULL, TRY CANADA.
Mr. Legrain misses the point. No one disputes that we need immigrants. The issue is how many and under what rules. All of us want immigrants to be the next techno-wonderkind like Sergey Brin (who legally emigrated as a child from the former Soviet Union), but most are not. Most immigrants today are poor and need public assistance. Before the immigration laws changed in 1965, immigrants had to have actual sponsors (people in the U.S. who could help them) and received no government assistance. They either had to make it on their own or starve. Many had to return to their home-countries.
Today, however, immigrants receive free benefits at the American tax payers' expense. They receive free health care (Medicaid), free education (public schools), public assistance (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families – "TANF"), food stamps, and unemployment benefits. Even if you factored in the payroll taxes that many immigrants (legal and illegal) pay, it doesn't even come close to the billions of dollars that are spent on the benefits they receive. This is particulary true with immigrants under "refugee" status, because they are eligible for additional federal benefits (Refugee Cash Assistance Program).
Basically, we need some breathing room as a society; a chance for our newest immigrants to become productive members of the economy. We need to take five steps in order to control and make successful our immigration policy. (1) Suspend the Refugee program completely for at least a decade; (2) Limit the number of family members to just the immigrants children and spouse; (3) Allow Mexican immigrants special status under work-visas; (4) Grant amnesty to the illegals who are here – excluding the individuals who have felony convictions and/or mental health disabilities; and (5) Limit the number of immigrants to 500,000 per year, with exceptions being granted for "highly-skilled" individuals in the medical and scientific fields.
"Most immigrants today are poor and need public assistance."
Not true
It is the latino immigrants that are killing us. The majority are not educated and must work cheap or under the table so they can collect welfare. Not to mention they breed like rabbits that we also pay for. I own a business in chicago and some you people need to get out there in the thick of things just to see how messed this country is right now.
We need immigrants who will integrate.
We need LEGAL immigrants.
"Why is it still deemed acceptable to discriminate against people on the basis of where they happen to have been born?"
What type of retorical nonsense is that question? When did Mr. Philippe Legrain stop beating his wife?
Well Mr Philippe Legrain, to answer your retorical question maybe you should ask other countries why they limit immigration and why it is a person's right to benefit from living in one place long enough to have a vested intrest in it?
Maybe you should do some more thinking about your childish question.
People by & large are NOT DISCRIMINATING ON WHERE PEOPLE WERE BORN. Why is it so hard for the media to grasp this? – The ISSUE IS WHETHER THEY ARE ENTERING AND LIVING IN THE COUNTRY LEGALLY, because of the underlying effects it is having on the labor system.
Why?
Because EVERYONE knows this is an issue of cheating legal citizens of ALL ethnic & cultural backgrounds out of a FAIR WAGE with EMPLOYEE RIGHTS. It is an attempt to legitimize "almost slavery" and exploitation of illegal immigrants who HAVE NO RIGHTS.
Explain the lack of concern regarding the Canadian border, then.
As citation:
http://www.canadaupdates.com/content/more-us-illegal-immigrants-enter-through-canada-mexico-16110.html
This article is not written by Zakaria; it shows some make comments not knowing much.
To all you liberals out there;
Besides maybe brazil, name 1 successful black or hispanic country?
Hey CNN. America has always needed immigrants, LEGAL immigrants.
We need immigrants, but we need to be very selective about who we let in. The days when we where a vast untamed country are over. I live in Tennessee and we now have a large group of Arab immigrants that came here from the refugee camps of Iraq. A lot of these people are illiterate not just in English but Arabic to. They live in government housing and survive on government aid .This life style is normal to them because it is how a lot of people lived in Iraq under Saddam (it is a common way for dictators to stay in power, make the people totally decedent on the state for everything) They live in their own enclave and seem to have no intention of assimilating into our country. I read write and speak Arabic but because I am white they assume I don't and will often speak in the open. I very much enjoy Arab people their culture they food and their sometimes strange since of humor, but the outright racist things a lot of them say when they don't think you can understand them makes me believe that we let a lot in whom we should not have.
Sure we do – I kind of like having to press 1 for English anyway. But go ahead and call me uninformed anyway all you enlightened ones. Diversity is strength, right?
Nee immigrant citizens swear alligance to the United States, but they are not trusted by native born Americans because they hold dual citizenship, so their loyalties are split between their native born country and their adopted country (US). They are "quasi" Americans...they are here for the economic benefits, but go home to their native country when the going gets tough, e.g., commit a crime, divorce and take their US born children back to their native land, blow up the World Trade Center, etc. Having dual citizenship should not be allowed and holding more than one passport should be a felony.
Dusty, I look at it this way. The country I was born in is my mother. it is not perfect, but has many wonderful aspects. You cannot chose who your mother is. US is like the wife/ husband, you enter into the relationship as an adult , it is a choice and if you are a decent person you will not betray it. But you cannot ask a normal human being to denounce their mother. This is not how human phsyche works. Anyone who would do that is not normal, and you definitely shouldn't give those people citizenship. You can denounce a government, a group of people, denouncing the country of your birth is sick. But if you are honorable you'll never betray your new country either.
My family has been in America since before colonial times. I am a direct descendant of William Penn who founded the state of Pennsylvania. My great grandfather 10x fought for his countries freedom in the revolutionary war, my great grandfather 7x fought to defend the union in the civil war. My great grandmother was a Cherokee Indian native to this country. My grandpa fought his way through hell to protect this countryfrom the Nazi's, my dad fought his way through Vietnam. You can't get much better American lineage than that. It boils me that people who jump the fence or come over here in boats come to freeload off of our country and get the same rights and freedoms for doing basically NOTHING. Sometimes even thinking they are better than US natives. Why should be constantly put up with you if you have nothing to contribute to this country beyond burdening the governments financial services? Personally I think the borders need to be closed.
It is apparent that you think that you are better than others because of who your ancestors are. This is the thinking nobility has, which is very contrary to principals on which USA was built on. EIther you stand on you own merits or you don't. I have some intresting ancestry , some where slaves, some were rich and famous, but they have nothing to do with who I am.
Down the ages, it is the inclusive, diverse and democratic societies that prosper and the non-inclusive, racist autocratic societies that fail. Read your history. America has prospered above all others because by it's very nature it was built by the inclusion of new people and ideas over its history.
One other thing...on your foolish article that liberals want a king. If you believe democracy then you work toward inclusion and diversity. You build a vibrant society that depends on and needs all its citizens. On the other hand if you want dictatorship you build the smallest base of loyal supporters you can, you find a constant sources of cash and you make sure you're positioned to pay off those supporters. Kind of the like the Romney campaign.
...so who wants a dictator, Mr. Obeidallah. I think our Republican friends are much further down that road for the 2012 election.
People need to quit crying for themselves about being out of a job, the same people crying cry about people getting hand outs; well an occupation is no hand out so go out their and attain one...I work two unfavorable jobs while attending college(which I am paying for) and I find it funny that people feel sorry for themselves... Go out and be a real adult and handle your responsibilities, take care of your family and your bills don't be weak and cry about it.
I think a majority of the people don't mind immigration. I think a majority of the people do not like ILLEGAL immigration. This article fails to differentiate the views people have of illegal immigrants from the views people have on legal immigrants. I know lots of people that have immigrated here legally and do like like illegal immigrants. This article lumps them into one category which is incorrect.
The sad truth of it is that if these people were allowed to have the opportunities and join the first world, then it would put such a stress on our resources that our current way of life would become unsustainable. We have finite resources, and even for the "privledged ones" these are starting to run out.
Sure we should take in immigrants. But like many smart countries, we should do a means-test for them all. What that means is you must have enough money to support yourself and/or a trade that we need.
would you stock your ranch with more livestock than it could sustain?
Why is it acceptable to assume that if you want to live in the US you can just go there and not have to obey the laws there?
I can't go to Australia and get rights there as a citizen. I can't go to Germany and get rights there as a citizen. Why shouldn't people that want rights here as a citizen be required to actually become a citizen?
We need LEGAL immigrants, NOT illegal immigrants. The latter are just 'takers'. They have no interest in contributing, understanding our laws and culture, or what we are about. They just want to transplant their cat-eating, little girl snipping, violent, voodoo, honor killing thievery to THIS land, because they have run out of resources in their own.
LEGAL immigrants, who have applied for, strive for and deserve to be American CITIZENS, and have properly migrated to this country should be more than welcome. They WANT to be part of us, not the caretakers of some satellite office of Port Au Prince.
The illegals' lobby has attempted to swipe the distinction, claiming there is no difference between the two groups. Yeah, right. Legal immigrants are not rule breakers, but followers. They are not in the unemployment lines, of the welfare rolls or begging for 'justice' at every turn. They are users and abusers.
The Legal Immigrant who has become a citizen is one of US. The illegal immigrant is one of them. Why is this so hard to understand? We have allowed congress to give away American citizens for free before, to the Puerto Ricans, with disastrous effects. They have no interest in America, or becoming American. Why should they buy the cow when they get the milk for free? I met a Puerto Rican 'teacher' who no idea what Pearl Harbor Day was related to. And THEN she acted insulted when I asked her where she had taken American History (she hadn't). Legal immigrants applying for citizenship want rid of their native lands and their shortcomings. When you give away citizenship or anything else in life, it has no value. When you earn it, it's precious.
Dennis H. : The people in this nation, are followers, who need to be told what to think. Our Govt tells them that we NEED illegals, so they believe it. The Govt tells them that the president is creating jobs......they believe it. Barry Obama tells them ANYTHING....they believe it. Too much media influence. MSNBC is a BAD source for "news". What kind of idiot would believe anything Chris Matthews says? CNN (communist news network) is no better. Have to go to sources OUTSIDE this country, to learn about what's going on here. A sad situation.
What a worthless article and a bunch made facts.This typical CNN(communist News Network) reporting.Reinvent history.
All we need to have here is accountability. I'm sure a vast majority of the so-called "illegal" immigrants are perfectly fine to come here. Problem is, by their very nature there's no "vetting" process by which we can weed out the genuinely problematic ones - criminals, spies, nutcases, terrorists, and welfare addicts being the vast majority. Our obsession with job protection is making it easy for genuine undesireables to cross.
Ilegal imagrants are criminals ,and should be treated as such.
... So are people who litter and jaywalk. There are appropriate punishments for these activities; your post suggests you're looking for something more... draconian?
Everybody but extreme bigots is FOR immigration. We are all immigrants or the descendants of immigrants. Where there's a problem is with ILLEGAL immigration. Why is the difference so hard to understand? ILLEGAL versus LEGAL. ILLEGAL versus LEGAL. ILLEGAL versus LEGAL.
there are plenty of cases where cetain imigrants or minorities get jobs because the business needs to fill a quota even if the individual is more qualified. Since when does the united states have to just all of the sudden be perfect. try going to any other country as a white, black, or mexican american and see if you can even get a job scrubbing floors. i highly doubt it and dont even bother trying to get a cooporate job as an american in another country. I must say beggers cant be choosers.
Count me among those who welcome *legal* immigrants of all kinds. Anyone who works hard, isn't a criminal and pays their taxes adds value to our society whether they're an intellectual or a common laborer. Others have also pointed out that we have plenty of people here already (citizens AND aliens) who don't meet that minimum benchmark, so why punish folks willing to pursue the American dream just because they aren't here yet? Weed out the terrorists and criminals and we're no worse off than before - or in the case of people like Sergey Brin, we're *better* off.
The US assimilates immigrants better than almost any country in the world and certainly better than Western Europe where Mr. Legrain hails from.
A fresher way of looking at this would be to ask how the US can increase the birthrate of the native population who can afford children through more generous maternity/paternity leave and other benefits.
great story, however, BREAKING NEWS!!! Explosions in rapid succession at Ft. Wayne Indiana Nuke plant!
In this article the writer lays no proof of discrimination, just his idea of the presence of it. I don't understand when stopping illegal immigration had become discrimination. Obama's administration has expelled more illegal immigrants than any other president, but no one is calling him discriminate. This is the biggest waste of ink I have ever seen.
this is such a bonehead article. It could be summed up quite simply with: "Immigration: YES! Illegal Immigration: NO
Where our common sense in this nation?
American was/is/will ALWAYS be an immigrants country,
The problem is thos illegal immigrants who live on welfare like obama's relatives, deportation process should give priority to those illegally receiving welfare. They entered the country illegally, they don't contribute to the country and they live on tax payer's money, they should be immediately removed from this country once found out.
yet because obama... his relatives are all happily live in this country ILLEGALLY ON TAX PAYER MONEY.
P.S. Obama was NOT BORN POOR, HE WAS/IS AS ELITE AS YOU CAN GET, he was raise by a bank president grandmother and his mother holds Ph.D, he went to schools you obama supporters CAN NOT EVEN HOPE to afford.
I am all for immigrants, as long as they come here legally. My wife is an immigrant, I had to pay like you wouldnt beleive to ensure she was legal to be here. I really cant figure out why so many people have a problem understanding the work "Illegal"
so what those who are poor can just rot? you sir will have to answer to whatever higher power you believe in for that level of selfishness and cruelty.
lee the united states is not a refugee camp nor is it jesus christ. what do you expect? we are over 14,000,000,000,000 dollars in debt. we cannot afford to be global philanthropists. we aren't saying poor people should rot in hell you just can't come here illegaly.
II disagree with the author's premise, but after reading the comments, I think what we need to do is throw out all the people here and find new ones.
Immigration is a complex issue, and I think our current system is broken, but the solution isn't more or fewer immigrants, or more or fewer temporary workers, but determining what our goals are when we let people in (or don't let them in) and then implementing a system which successfully meets those goals.
Legal or Illegal immigrants? Talking heads like Fareed don't seem to be able to tell the difference. And they want us NOT to see that slight of hand.
I was born in America stay the fock where you are! I can't take this sh– anymore
I don't really understand the constant references to Obama's aunt and uncle.... he isn't them. I don't really understand how whatever illegal activity his aunt or uncle did or didn't do really has any baring on Obama's life. He isn't responsible for them... Are you responsible for what your aunt or uncle do?
Yes, we need immigrants. However, we need to have orderly and LEGAL immigration...and we need to be more selective about people we let in. We should have a quota for refugees, the uneducated and indigent people and another quota for the professions we need, and a guest worker program for seasonal workers required. Other countries are selective...why can't we do the same?
P.S. I wasn't born here, but came legally.
Can we trade? We have lots of 'critters', worthless people (don't work, don't vote, eat too much, lacking in personal hygiene, you know the type) that I would like to trade to the countries the immigrants are from. You know, high school drop outs, petty criminals, drug dealers, and basically lazy and stupid. How about 2 idiots for 1 immigrant?
You probably hire illegal immigrants and lowball American workers,your part of the problem
In 1731 my direct ancestors(same last name as mind today) founded Bexar County... Thee only civilization that was present where Native Americans not indians ignorant ucks the white man gave them that name thinking they had land on the Indies, you no book reading morons...Be proud of the history that in-slaved people and did not acknowledge women as equal...I'm sure your proud.
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "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-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
Emma Lazarus, 1883
remember this you xenophobic SOBs this is what america is really about!
The should be arrested and deported. They are not required to pay taxes, have car insurance, and receive free money and welfare. I was in an accident with one. The firsts words they said were speaky no English. The Officer just let them go. NO LIcense and NO insurance. Pathetic.
It is understood that to manage our vast economy and vast area,we need more people.It is also understood that this manpower need is not going to be satisfied through our local production[low birth rate] so we need to import people through immigration.There are three main arguements against immigration from conservative groups:[1]The immigrants become monetary burden on the already burdened system.[2]They tend to live in gheto and there by change the culture and look of the area.[3]They tend to vote for liberal parties[democrats] there by they shift the balance of power.
A compromise can be reached where these new arrivals can not get government benefits or participate in electoral process for fixed amount of time.
This article is just more social agenda. Trying to make we Americans take pity on those less fortunate. Last I recall, the citizens of the United States donated more money per capita than any other nation to charities all over the world. It was the US who led efforts in every major natural disaster in recent history. The author can try to speak of his high and mighty intentions about how someone in another country doesn't get the benefits as a slacker does here in the US, but guess what, That still happens here as well. Everyone wants to point their fingers at the US and say we're not doing enough to help the rest of the world. We're doing too much in one part of the world and not others. Well guess what Skippy, it's called life. And for 99% of us, it's not fair. Just because some bimbo with the initials K. K. can make millions being a moron on T.V. while the rest of us work our butts off to rake by a living, that's life!!!! There's only one person responsible for the situation that they are in and that's one's self. I'm sorry if you were born in Niger, Lybia, Morocco, et. al, and it's hard for you to come to the US unless you're very talented in something or have a Ph.D. But that just means you need to work the best you can to make your situation better.
I totally disagree. We need to deport Zakaria back to India along with all the other Indians and Pakis donig Information Technology jobs that Americans could be doing. Insourcing Indians and Pakis is not the answer. We do not need more immigrants. We need to deport the ones we have.
Talk to your corporations that would rather make even MORE profit by out-sourcing jobs to places where they can pay a dollar a day.
Talk to your young people to get off their cans and get decent educations so they can compete in a global marketplace. Why should I hire an illiterate American when there's a dozen university educated Canadians, Europeans or Asians applying for the same job?
Because if you don't hire Americans, we'll raise your tax rates 10,000 percent, sound good ?
I can't believe people still believe this neocon globalism nonsense in 2012.
How many more decades will we lose to this failed theory?
It's so embedded that Democrats 100% buy into it now. You mention anything about stopping jobs from being outsourced, people on both sides will scream about the free market. I guess we'll have to deal with it for 50-100 years until the rest of the world's quality of life has improved and ours has declined to the point that everyone is on an equal playing field.
It does not matter. This nation is anti immigrant period. Only the children of immigrants may be accepted as americans. Dont ever forget the previous paragraph.
oh really? and to what other nation are you comparing? because there is no other country where americans can roam about freely
Statue of Liberty: Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses, yearning to breath free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door.
Just pay your taxes, please...
its called outsourcing, didn't you get the memo
Then don't make it so G-D hard to get a green card to get a job in the States!
"Who would have guessed that the son of a Kenyan goatherd would end up as U.S. president?"
Yea, we are seeing the result now. That was the guy we should have stopped getting in, then we wouldnt be in this situation!
Where were you from 2000 to 2008? Those were the good old days? What color is the sky in your world?
Speaking as someone who's going through the immigration process at present – I can tell you it's very broken. I'm from Canada, married to a US citizen, no criminal record and served in the military for 13 years, deploying to Afghanistan with a US Army unit twice. I also have a graduate degree from Cambridge. You'd think the process would be simple – but instead it's proven to be long, very expensive ($5K plus) and frustrating. Ridiculous
matt don't blame america for having a rigorous process blame the 10,000 hispanics that cross the border illegaly everyday oh and this thing called 911. maybe you've heard of those things
I feel ya, Matt. My wife is Canadian (Go Leafs!) as well and it was a struggle going through it. We did it in 2007. We hired a lawyer though and he helped expedite the process, but yes, it is frustrating. Now she is a contributing member to this society, already beginning the process of becoming an American citizen and has never once been a drain on the U.S.
I don't think legal immigrants (like yourself) are the problem.
Matt I just bet you are white. Am I right? Jesus couldn't get a green card in America if he is white! But every illiterate non white goatherd from the turd world can come to the US and stay as long as they like and get priority in getting the "free stuff" that comes with immigration to the US.
Yea, those that want to take advantage of an opportunity and want to work. Also LEGAL!
Obv Phillipe Legraine is an immigrant and arguing for his own selfish goals. Deport him.
Lionhart....If we now rank low in math & science maybe dumbing down our schools to accomodate illegals who refuse to speak English has something to do with that.
Our current unemployment rate suggests we do NOT need any immigrants. This isn't a racist issue. It's merely protecting our own over others in another country.
"So why is it still deemed acceptable to discriminate against people on the basis of where they happen to have been born?"
huh? Who deems it acceptable?
America is immigration without it there would be no America. legal immigration is welcome and needed ...key word is legal. Borders, Language and culture is what makes any country and America is no different. Come on over and enjoy what America has to offer just make sure you follow the laws of the country and do your best to assimilate into the American culture. I will never leave the US to another country unwilling to learn their language and try to understand their culture and Americans expect the same from the people coming to us for a better life.
I disagree with assimilate. That in itself reflects bigotry and short sightedness. The reason we need immigrants is because we need a different perspective on things. Dont tell me you wanna eat burger king and mashed potatoes all the time because the immigrants were forced to assimilate. reconsider your statement.
We'll take the hard-working, industrious and entrepreneurial if you'll take of all the scofflaws, malcontents and deadbeats who do nothing but consume our resources, make babies and demand that ballots continue to be printed in languages other than English.
because we need lawn care folks and maids. thats why cnn
I've improved the quote slightly...
Who would have guessed that the Kenyan-born son of a Kenyan goatherd would end up as U.S. president?
Illegal's take American Jobs!!! Are employment rate is very high. But people at CNN want us to let the hole world in to compete against the American Worker who works more hours than any Westerized worker in the World.This is why people don't watch CNN anymore. The averge american is against illegal immigration and CNN is for it.
Immigrants, yes. Illegal aliens, no.
I do have concerns about whether our country's already stressed infrastructure can handle more immigrants. We're already at a place where we don't have enough resources to employ, feed, clothe or house any more people on our soil. That said, some of the same fervents who vehemently rail on against immigration are the same ones who oppose those organizational groups catering to certain cultures because "they divide the country." Oh, and racist talk doesn't? Please. These are social control-freaks who want everything their way, and life just doesn't work that way.
Yes We do need legal immigrants but not illegal...they have no right to be here.
300 000 000 the usa needs more people ? Lol why don’t you be honest and say you need more well educated entrepreneurs and less unskilled labour uneducated
How about we discriminate on what you bring to the table. I don't want your sick your poor and your hungry. I want your inventors your doctors your engineers, people who can bring something of value with them other than another mouth on the welfare line.
wheres the 'like' button
agree
I love some of your arguments, but they are painted with too broad of a brush. Lets keep immigration legal and encouage it and the benefits that come with it. But lets reduce illegal immigration and the drains on services and the problems that come with it. If there a jobs that mostly immigrants do that help everyone, then good. Just come in the front door and not the back door.
Sure we need immigrants. Rich ones. Many countries require people to have a given net worth, pass a physical and have a job prior to entry so they do not cause a drain on social services. It's time the US woke up to the fact that we're broke and need to do the same.
The problem is not legal immigration. The government has a right and responsibility to protect its borders and allow whom it wants in. The problem is illegal immigration. I happen to know there are huge percentages of illegal immigrants in our prisons which are costing the tax payers money. Then you have the feds hamstringing the local police and states from doing the job that the feds CLEARLY can't do.
It is time to stop being sympathetic to illegal immigrants. It is time to look at them as they are, federal felons. To put in comparison, another federal felony is bank robbery. So if we put the two side by side, think how we would pursue and punish a bank robber and start doing the same to illegal immigrants.
Yes, America is desperate for immigrants however those immigrants that America is desperate for should be white.
Present nonwhite immigration is turning the US into a 3rd world sewer. It is setting the climate for an internal civil war.
Agree, many new immigrants except a lot less for themselves and lower standards overall. It will just mean disaster to our society.
on average, Asian immigrants have MUCH higher education standards and hold high position/salary than your average white immigrants or white in this country in general.
"immigrants must be white" my a**, can't believe this kind of racism still exist in this country
Who said we didn't need immigrants? Immigrants are needed, illegal immigrants are not.
What a laughable straw man by a truly ignorant writer. Speaking as a conservative, it's not the skin color, it's not the place from which one came, it's the method. I love legal immigration. I'm all for it. Being against ILLEGAL immigration, not wanting ILLEGAL immigrants to vote is not discrimination. It's called following the rule of law. The depths of ignorance in the liberal mind is a truly fascinating thing.
I live in a city that actually will pay legal immigrants with degree's to buy a home here. I certainly don't believe in discrimination however if someone is going to come to American then they need to contribute and not live off of others backs. Too many are doing just this and alot of American's are suffering because of it.
fareed is a pig!!!
do we need Barracks Communism?
CNN does not like views opposing their liberal propaganda agenda.
There is a vast gulf between LEGAL and ILLEGAL immigration. As far as I know, I don't know any illegal immigrants, I don't know if they are a drain on our country's resources. What I do know is our country NEEDS those indviduals with a vision, with the drive to work for success and to achieve the American Dream. By achieving this dream, they will take others along with them. As a nation, we need to be more selective about those individuals we allow to enter our country – we can no longer afford to let in the uneducated, those unable or unwilling to support themselves and those who are willing to take and not give back. We cannot continue to allow illegal immigrants to jump ahead of those who have followed our rules and requirements in order to gain citizenship. The idea of allowing illegal immigrants an easy path to citizenship because they are here and have been for years is WRONG! If we allow illegals to take shortcuts, why bother to have any system for immigration at all?
Does America really need more immigrants? We don't seem to have enough jobs to keep the current number of citizens employed, how will more immigrants help this problem. Our health care system is currently broken and those without insurance use the emergency rooms at our hospitals and the rest of us pay for their treatment, so how will more immigrants help this problem. Our public education suffers due to bilingual problems, how will more immigrants help this problem. Medicade expenses continue to rise, how will more immigrants help. The U.S. is becoming a 2nd rate nation not due to immigration deadlock but to excessive spending. Notice China is well on its way to becoming the worlds superpower – are they allowing immigration. Do you suppose there is a correlation between those facts.
I know very few people who are against legal immigration. What is it about the word "illegal" that many people don't see to understand. It the US wants to open it's borders, it can make it legal. Now is it not legal. Get real.
I don't have a problem with where people are born. I DO have a problem with people who come here in violation of immigration laws and I DO have a problem with an administration that ignores the problem and one that panders to these people for political purposes
We should revert to where immigrants have a citizen sponser, who is totally resposible for the immigrant – as an example if they commit a crime, the sponser is jointly criminally responsible, if they need welfare the sponser pays, if they don't pay their bills, the sponser is jointly liable – this is how it worked before and it worked back then. The immigrants will become our strength as a nation, as they did before. This is how my grandparents came over.
What Fareed fails to distinguish here is the difference between immigration, which Americans firmly support by a huge margin, and ILLEGAL immigration. We all know that America needs immigrants and that immigration is a benefit to our society. What we also all seem to agree on is that ILLEGAL immigration is a problem. There are reasons that immigration is a controlled and restricted process. You cannot simply open the floodgates and let everyone in who wants in. By doing this you destroy the country. Immigration needs to happen in a limited manner, modulated by the rate at which assimilation into the country and culture is occurring. Immigration without assimilation is invasion.
It is not immigration in and of itself that we conservatives have a problem with (other than a few fringers we do our best to ignore). It is ILLEGAL immigration we have a problem with.
What a stupid inane article by LeGrain
American strengths grow when legal immigrants move to the USA. There is no equivalence between legal and illegal immigrants. It is prejudicial to imply that people who are against illegal immigration are somehow against all immigrants
If someone wants to come to the U.S., fine as long as they do it right. There is a process in place. It may be hard but it should be. It is a priveledge to come to the US not a right. If someone thinks you might not be someone we want here in the US then you don't get to come in. A great many people want to come here for opportunities that may not be afforded in their home country and based on that we should accept only those that will be productive. They may not be the brightest or the smartest but they shouldn't show up here expecting a hand out, we have too many of those as it is.
Great comments btldriver. It's time to become patriots, not welfare workers for the world.
"A hard-working entrepreneur born in a remote African village has far fewer opportunities to achieve his dreams than a lazy dimwit born in America. Even if the African seizes all her chances and the American none, the American is still likely to enjoy a more comfortable life."
I get so sick of this. How long with Americans buy into this line of malarkey? If you are born in this country from parents who are naturalized citizens, you have a birthright. It's not based on if you're lazy or not, you're an American, and you should come first ahead of any immigrant that is here illegally, or hasn't been naturalized as a citizen yet. I'm tired of others telling us we're lazy, no good, and don't deserve the freedoms our ancestors fought and died for. How much longer are we going to listen to everyone out there who wants to steal our heritage away from us tell us we're lazy, or don't deserve our freedoms? Articles like this cry about how unfair we are, and how we owe the world. Our immigration laws are just so unfair. Why don't you write an article on countries like Mexico, where you go to prison if you are caught trying to enter the country illegally. You have no rights there if you are not a natural born Mexican.
I'm sick of it. It's time to stand up against these creeps, and it's time to start taking it out on "news" sources like CNN. Their ant-American propaganda has got to stop. No wonder they're loosing ratings, audience, and respect by the minute.
Birth right? To What? Yes, you have the birth right to work, but not low paying jobs, you want those high paying jobs... well go to school, get educated, get experienced, or hook up with some rich people. Yes, you have the right to become the President. Yes, you have the right to buy a house, a car, live where ever, do what ever. But NOOOOO, you choose not to work hard, not to go to school, not taking on those low paying jobs. Don't hate those who is willing to work in the fields, clean the toilets, and making $5.00/hr.
To answer the question...white supremacy....
Sieg Heil!! Sieg Heil!! Sieg Heil!!!
American is richer for the diversity of immigrants from all places PROVIDED that they share their culture while making every effort to assimilate – learn to speak English, learn to observe our holidays while teaching us about theirs, learn about and obey the laws, respect the mainstream culture and quit whining about being "offended", understand that it's not about YOU it's about US, all of us living together in peace and respect.
Absolutely right. Immigration is intended to add to the country, not take away. Our forefathers didn't intend for us to be a feeding trough for the world. Good comments.
Stop blaming the immigrants for the broken welfare system. How about the RICH American Citizens who is on public assistance, taking advantage of government healthcare and foodstamps? How about the American Citizens who's been on welfare for the last 3 generations? Before you want to point fingures... look at the root cause. We should require people on welfare to do job training and education. If they refuse or skip, we should decline them. My parents were immigrants, but never once did they use the public assistance. They both worked as custodians and provide for us all. It was difficult but they never gave up. I see too many NATURAL BORN US citizens who are too lazy to even fill out an application. Many immigrants will take any types of jobs as long as they pay. American Citizens wants to land that $60,000 job fresh off highschool or college and refuse to work otherwise.
Pay attention. We're not talking about legitimate immigrants, and we're not talking about hard working immigrants.
readthebook – Are you clueless ? It doesn't have anything to do with where they are born. The point is are they here legally ? Do they pay taxes ? Do they have a drivers license. Do they have insurance. If all the above, they are welcome.
I swear, I don't think most of the people who work in the media understand why everyone's is upset with current "immigration" policies. Almost all Americans support immigration and welcome it. However, they do not support people coming to (or staying in) the country illegally. This is a huge national security issue, and in many cases places a significant burden on American citizens who are forced to support these people (and their families) and/or have to compete against them for jobs, among other things.
Rewarding these people with citizenship is not an answer; they knowingly and willingly broke federal laws and should be punished. If they want to become U.S. citizens, they are more than welcome to apply and follow the approved process. If they want to remain living in the U.S. and do not want to become a full fledged citizen, then let them apply for Green Cards. That also applied to students graduating from U.S. colleges.
The other issue is with companies hiring foreign educated workers as opposed to U.S. citizens. If companies cannot find educated workers here in the U.S., the Government should work on improving the education system. Bring in foreign workers will not solve the problem.
BECOUSE TODAY AMERICA IS CATHOLIC,,,,NOT CHRISTIAN TO LOOOSE MORE OF 13 YRS IN WARS OVERSEAS AND THE MORE TO COME,,,,,SPECIALLY FROM LATIN AMERICA,A SET BACK RELIGION VS POLITICIS !
There are more Protestants than Catholics
The problem with immigration is those that support illegals confuse the difference between being her legit, and not.
I am a 2nd generation meaning my grandparetns were immigrants and they came here for work, but were both english speaking citizens in less than 2 years.. (btw Im now 55)..
My own mom is french and was a usa citizen in 3 years and english speaking in 2.
Yet I know neighbors who have their 7yr old grandkids translating for them..
If you want to be here legit, do the work Like all other legit immigratns did.
If u dont, you are just as illegal as any real criminal.
Even if you worked and saved here for decades.
Why does it not surprise me that people have already forgotten of those famous signs... "IRISH NOT WELCOME!" -ALL- of you came here illegally in the first place. ALL of the people who came through Ellis Island came here the same way. You have no moral standing to deny entry to other hard-working immigrants looking to provide for their families just because you don't like their language or color of their skin, period. Time for you to deal with it, and I suggest you deal with it NOW, because Hispanics will very soon before the majority in this country, and we promise to treat you with the same dignity and respect you treat =us=.
Great. Considering hispanics have the highest dropout rate among any ethnicity and the country they are leaving is a complete shambles, racked with corruption and violence, I can't wait for the "hispanics" to take over. Tell your illegal buddies to get the F out until I need a gardener.
First generation children of immigrants have the highest achievement rates of students all across the country. Go spout your racist rants somewhere where they don't have access to real information.
Immigrants are welcome in this great country, as long as they come here LEGALLY, and contribute positively to OUR society, and live by OUR laws! It is the ILLEGAL immigrants that come here and commit crimes, take advantage of all of our social programs and live off the system, and/or come here and try to force their own social or religious beliefs on us Americans that give all immigrants a bad name.
Hmmm!!... I wonder why some Americans are so opposed to legal immigrants...! After all, to consider, that all white Americans are basically the disgruntled bretheren of Brits...To start with, this country belongs to the Red Indians. Their ancestors were the original dwellers of this country. So, in essence, even white Americans are immigrants (rather illegal ones) who came from another country to this nation. So, why not live peacefully with all legal immigrants.....?
If government didn't give so much away (education, healthcare, welfare) & there were enough jobs, for the ENTIRE WORLD, then no one would care. But, that's not how things are. The author, Philippe Legrain is living in fantasy land & should probably lay off the weed a bit.
As long as they are legal immigrants I don't have a problem with them..
Please, for the love of God, why do journalists consistently butcher this issue? It's about those who did NOT emigrate legally! Please, please, please! Reading these diatribes from ignorant authors is 1) a waste of time and 2) tackling the wrong issue.
Wow, you've said it EXACTLY! It's like so many of these "journalists" or whatever they are are trying to dissuade us from recognizing real immigrants, those who are here legally. Most reading this have NO idea about the process of immigration. My wife is a legal alien and I was an emigrant to her country long before we met. Articles like these are for the ignorant, the uneducated to believe in.
13 YRS OF U.S.WARS TAKES A CIVILIAN AMERICANS TOLL ,,,,
IT WINS THE WAR FOR TERROR.
Everybody is immigrant in this country, except Indians ....so thing twice before talk
Oh, baloney! American Indians ALSO came here from far away. They're distantly related to my own children and my wife....Asia (and more specifically in most cases, parts of Mongolia).
The only legal American of all Americans here are the Cherokees, Choctaws, Mohawks, Lakotas, Dakotas, Apaches, Comanches, Chumash, Juanenos and all indigenous native American tribes before the whites came and destroyed their land, culture and race.
Everybody out and get lost! The true American Native Indians deserve this land and no other groups should be here.
They should have fought harder.
They came from somewhere, too. Get your facts straight.
American Indians ALSO came here from extremely far away, genius. Just like white and black ancestors.
AND KILL AMERICANS LIVING ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS IN TERORISM AND POVERTY BUT LOTS AND LOTS OF ATTENION AND PUBLICITY.
check who ownes cnn and you will know their opinions on any matter
One thing is sure: Americans hate Americans who do not agree with them. There isn't conversation. It's venting and hating.
America already absorbs hundreds of thousands of legal immigrants every year. Always has, always will. It's the 20 million foreign nationals in this country illegally that need to be rounded up and kicked out of the country. We have millions of Americans searching for jobs and the Democrats in power don't care about them, they only want to keep potential voters on the government handout programs, in the hopes that there will be an amnesty program and they will be kept in power by being the ones controlling the handouts.
America certainly needs more unemployed people. OPEN THE FLOOD GATES!
True that this country is a country of immigrants... But 'legal' immigrants.
True also that till recent century, that it took little to be 'legit' but at least since the early 1900's the process has been known worldwide. Any other argument as to 'well our great grandparents were not legit' is irrelevant.
Of course in my case, my greatgrandparents were not even citizens of any northamerica country.
LEGIT LEGIT.
For me its mostly about jobs, its a proven fact that illegals are taking even the good jobs away from citizens.
And thats even union jobs that pay $20 to $50/hr. I worked at two places where they had them, till at least it was discovered...in one case Im the one who let teh company know about the illegals who were prompty fired and lost all beneifts and 401k immediately.
its great how all the ppl in here that are complaining come from countries that had no means to support their needs. So they are free to complain about the shortcomings of america while enjoying a better way of living. God Bless America
Very nice article. American immigration system is broke. U.S. govt allows millions of international students to acquire state-of-the-art education here in US Universities. Once these bright students graduate, govt does nothing to make these fresh graduates stay here so that they could contribute to the economy with brightest ideas they gained with their excellent education. Instead, govt forces them to go back to their native country.
Steps to fix immigration:
1. Eliminate the welfare state.
2. Deport illegals, they may never return.
3. Allow any and all peaceful, freedom-loving, non-criminal individuals into the country.
4. Any crime gets you deported. Otherwise you can live here indefinitely.
Immigration is necessary, albeit with limitations. We simply don't have the resources to continue taking on more and more immigrants, regardless of how worthy they may be. Compare the US to a ship with the capacity to hold 100 people. There's already 1,000 people on board and simply no room for any more without risk of sinking the entire ship. Sad, but true.
Yet another truly stupid article, making it sound as if Americans are against immigration. The vast, vast majority are NOT, obviously. What we DON'T like is such huge amounts of ILLEGAL immigrants. My wife is legal alien, as I was in her country where we met. Why do we have to follow the rules, pay the money, renew, learn the language of this country and hers, and yet the millions upon millions of illegal aliens, mostly from Mexico, can simply come here, talk openly about it, get free education, get so MANY things in SPANISH for them, etc. etc. etc. They demand lower college tuition costs. Yet what about others in other countries who can't simply cross the border, whether risky or not? Why are we making thing so easy to live here for illegal aliens, yet legal aliens must tow the line. Even to cross into Canada now, I have to show a passport or something related to my passport. We're NOT again legal aliens, dunderhead author...we're against illegal aliens.
I still to this day don't understand why some people can't grasp the distinction between immigration and ILLEGAL immigration! They are NOT the same thing! Of course we need immigrants, but we need to have them come in through the proper channels! Walking up to a couture's borders and simply walking across is NOT the process of immigration. The purpose of going through the immigration process is so that background checks can be performed and people can be identified on record. You cannot simply waltz in unannounced! You are welcome here, but go through the correct and legal process.
This story is another attempt to confuse the issue, direct enmity at people who oppose illegal immigration, and also mis-label and mis-identify the problem.
The entire history of "civilization" is a story of humans killing other humans to get their land and their resources.
I agree we need LEGAL immigrants, but the ILLEGAL ones need to be rounded up and shipped back to where they came from.
Yes, immigrants are extraordinarily important. Most immigrants are many times over more motivated to make something of themselves. It has always been this way, as we are country of immigrants. Not many people argue that point. What they argue about is how to deal with illegal immigration. I believe illegal immigrants also come here to work hard, but they do not contribute to the tax rolls. They take advantage of services that citizens pay for. Since we're not going to round up illegals, we should let them stay, work live, and tax them, but not grant them citzenship. We can make changes to how we bring in legal immigrants, and grant them citizenship, but not to illegals.
I think if they speak ENGLISH then I do not have a problem with them, but when they come over here and expect us to make sure that they have the option of Spanish or English is crap!! You come over here you play by our rules period!! We had hail here recently and needed a new roof and most of the immigrants that were working on my roof did not speak English and that is really sad, and I bet they were not Legal!!!! THAT REALLY MAKES ME MAD, when a lot of people are out of work!!! WHAT IS WRONG WITH US, IS THE VOTE THAT IMPORTANT TO THE PRESIDENT, I guess.....
Yes yes, of course. America needs immigrants like India needs another 12 million residents.
We DON'T Discriminate "Because of WHERE a Person was Born", but rather DEMAND that "Persons Wanting to Come to USA both HONOR and OBEY Our Laws" !! And if that entails an undesirable Waiting List because the USA is So Desirable a Destination, GET IN LINE !!
Dear CNN, no wonder you don't have any viewers anymore. Take opinion stories like this and shove them up your ass.
I'm for legal immigration. On another note, we should limit the immigration in this country. Personally I think 300 million people are a lot and I kinda enjoy my space. Too many people = too many opinions = too many conflicts = no Life, Liberty or pursuit of happiness....
We need more immigrants like we need another hole in our head. 25% of our most recent immigrants are are on some kind of aid that i am tired of paying for. I understand we need doctors and other well educated people in our work force but most of these send all there money back to the countrys they came from which just kills our economy here. We need to educate the people we have here. The way it is now here only 10% of kids can afford to go to college and thats with some aid.
Philippe Legrain is another CNN editor who is an enemy of America and who speaks of treason. The man is either ignorant or he is evil, but probably both. You can't just let the whole world in without giving America away. Our wise fathers would only let immigration from countries that had a common cultural and social fabric, in order to maintain in America, the things that made us great. If you allow people from countries that hide terrorists to come here, they will settle in neighborhoods that will hide terrorists. If they come from a place with a poor work ethic, they will probably end up on welfare and food stamps. And if they come from a place where parents do not let their kids watch TV or read CNN, their children will certainly far excel American children in school. (of course the later folk would be good for us.) The point is, people like Philippe Legrain and the rest of the CNN editors, those who have hijacked the American media, think they are wise, but they are complete and dangerous fools.
Those of you in favor of sealing the borders immediately, lest America be overrun by non-Americans: if some random stranger struck up a conversation with you and happened to ask you what your heritage is, what would be your answer? If you would say "oh, I'm Polish" or "Scottish" or "Swedish" or whatever, the case may be, you have absolutely no leg to stand on. If your ancestors had stayed in Poland, Scotland, Sweden or wherever, YOU would be Polish, Scottish or Swedish (LITERALLY, not in name only as many of us are after several generations in America). That's right: you, Mr/Mrs. Close-the-Bordesr-Now, have your hardworking, aspirational IMMIGRANT forefathers to thank for being the American that you are, and two, three, or ten generations from now the antecedents of the current group of immigrants will be just like you: Americans that can trace their lineage to another land which has absolutely no bearing on their AMERICAN life in the here and now. If you don't want to be complete hypocrites (and I have my doubts about that), you'll stop telling people that you're Polish or Scottish or Swedish, because you're NOT. You're American and it makes no sense for you to self-identify with a culture/region/language you know nothing about and never have since your great-great-great grandaddy came to America and put forth a first genration American family of his own. Every single one of our families (unless you are purebred Native American) have come from other parts of the world at some point in the last few hundred years, so who are we to decide when America
My heritage is Native American Indian..........now what?
I'm still trying to get you white people to speak the language instead of this English crap.
Thanks for proving my point!
I am an immigrant, brought her as a child by my parents. I have never been on welfare, worked through highschool and college, got A's, got a degree, got a graduate degree and am working a six figure job. I pay taxes (a lot) in both income and sales taxes.
If I was not here, sure, someone would have gotten the job I have now. Someone may have gotten into the college seat I took. But I did better than some of those American born folks, some of whom ARE on welfare as they never tried to achieve anything and took things for granted. The argument is valid if every American born individual actually wants the job and did the hard work to qualify and be able to do the job.
Immigrants are appreciative, knowing where they came from and that if they fail, they can go back to that difficult life. We succeed and work harder than those born here because we want to prove we belong here and know where not working leads you. So assumptions is that we will be a tax burden is false. Rather we are a benefit. Keep in mind my parents also worked when they got into this country (legally) and were never on the welfare system.
Immigrants, if they are far better than anyone born in this country, should get the job. A job is not a birth right, it is an opportunity presented. Citizenship is something that should also be earned through hard work, community service, military service, etc. rather than granted on some geographical birthright.
2011 Rose Bowl Gold cup game 80,00 "Mexicans" booing the US national anthem.
Big deal........who cares what Mexicans think...
I don't think anyone disagrees that we need immigrants. What we don't need it illegal migration. People need to stop spinning the argument about immigration
We do not neet anymore immigrants right now....and when we do, NO MUSLIMS unless they are apostates or non practicing liberal muslims...to invite practicing muslims into our countries is inviting disaster...Islam, like its cousins Nazism and Marxism, is a tolertarian brutal ideology that wishes to enslave non muslims....we must use wisdom in who we allow into the Free World or the free world will no longer be free!
This article is basically a bleeding-heart can't-we-all-get-along article mascarading as an argument for making America stronger. Ultimately I do believe that we do have a moral obligation to try to help the less fortunate but arguing that we, the rich countries, are responsible for making the world fair is garbage. Ultimately there will be inequities and punishing the rich simply for enjoying their good fortune is not reasonable.
There is an important point related to this article that Legrain does not make but needs to be made. Immigrants have long been our lifeblood and continue to be so today. And it is not because of random geniuses like Sergey Brin showing up as children. It is because so many immigrants, both poor workers from Latin America and educated middle-class immigrants from Europe and Asia, have a work ethic that the U.S. lacks. We are increasingly becoming a nation of people who work long hours but are not truly driven like our forefathers were. Immigration has long helped to offset this moral decline. But frankly, the moral decline will ultimately do us in if we do not reverse it. That's what ultimately did in the Western Roman Empire (they essentially outsourced their manufacturing to the East and their military protection to the Goths which led to their demise) and it will do us in if we don't reverse the trend.
Finally someone nailed the issue but the dimwits have to speak so.....
So because I am BITUS, it is acceptable to call me a dimwit? Is dimwit the new derogatory slang for us the gauchopines?
Philippe Legrain portrayed animosity towards those who are BITUS (Born In The United States). We all have bias. It appears, his is against all BITUS. My question to him would be, why is it ok to discriminate against all BITUS?
And those who are not BITUS, I wish the best to you in your efforts to become (congratulate you on becoming) a tax paying citizen. This country has a lot of debt, and needs all the help it can get.
what happens when a balloon gets too much air?
Do not confuse the issue. Immigrants are a very different matter than Illegal Immigrants. One is a person acting legally. The other is a criminal. Speaking for myself and many of my Conservative friends, we do not oppose immigration. We oppose Illegal immigrants. We used to be a nation of laws. Now we enforce them selectively to support political agendas.
I just cant stand listening to the Indians on CNN, especially about *equality* and "nevermind where they came from".
They like to "caste" on us their own problems.
Libs r evil......you said it all!! I totally agree!! Right on!!! Joy in NJ
The far left playing the race card again. Have you no shame? This isn't about discriminating against certain categories of people, it is about stopping illegal immigration which is a criminal offense.
*Sigh* I am a legal Immigrant that came to this country from one of those "3rd world countries" you all refer to. I came to the US, primarily for college and to be independent of my parents. I did not come here dirt poor, despite the immpression some of you have. I have paid "my way" through college, a masters and doctorate degree, without loans or financial aid. People forget that legal immigrants do contribute to the society. I paid 5 times the in-state tuition rate for college. How do you think these colleges are still open?
I am grateful that i was able to afford a world class education and I can now live "MY American Dream."
I also, got married while getting my doctorate and I am on my way to being a fully naturalized citizen, but i pay my taxes. All the immigrants I know are educated, well-off and going to some of the best colleges and amongst the leadership of some off the most successful companies in the US today.
And lets not forget, the US was built by IMMIGRANTs (To enter and settle in a country or region to which one is not native). please read up on your history. The Native Americans were the first occupants of what we now call the United States.
And not one person on this board has voiced any frustration over your entry, so stop playing victim. Welcome, and thanks for doing it legally.
I am not playing victim. This is how people display their ignorance. Someone blatantly said 3rd world country immigrants should not be allowed.... I am merely illustrating that immigration can be beneficial. Now as for illegal immigration... There needs to be some control around it.
You're a legal immigrant, paying taxes. Good for you. You aren't a victim here. The general population is.
Can you re-read your post and translate? I do not understand you unfortunately. My case was purely to display that even immigrations from 3rd world countries can be beneficial for the US.
The "son of a Kenyan goatherd" who grew up to be President wasn't raised by the Kenyan goatherd. The Kenyan goatherd abandoned him to be raised by his independent, amibitious, self-educating, American mother. That argument is a bit of a wash.
If people are so driven, they need to use their energy to improve conditions in their own countries so more of their own people can have opportunities.
Legal immigration is fine with me. If you come here to work and pay taxes that is fine with me. If not then get the he11 out of here.
Right. So this year in America the ratio of white babies born was less than those of non-white babies born, and you want to bring in more immigrants? You racist nazis, this is genocide!
Wow, way to throw out a big gross word like genocide. Lest we forget that we are all immigrants to this land, that English is a foreign language from a foreign country, and while we're at it, real cowboys were mostly Mexicans and freed slaves who migrated west... that last one always makes me laugh when i drive through Texas.
Enough with the "up with immigration" pep rally. Fix the freaking system and people will stop complaining! I work for a doctor whose mother came here to America to get a heart transplant. While she came over legally, she came as "indigent" and received free health care and actually was set up to receive welfare. The kicker? She was an actual princess in her country (and from one of the richest families) and her three sons in the States were all successful doctors who had more than enough money in their pockets to pay for her. She got her free heart, and now splits the year between her home and in the States (3 months only). Do YOU have free healthcare?
You do have free health care if you show up to a hospital with an eminent problem. The alternative has been deemed inhumane. This is the most expensive form of free healthcare we have to offer, where a more preventative method constantly denied.
Its deemed acceptable to keep them in a lower class. Its been that way in this country since the beginning, those with different skin color (or eye shape) bearing the brunt of it because of their increased inability to assimilate. Its human nature to some extent. Members of a group will tend to shun outside groups, even if its under the guise of "all men created equal".
Discriminatin will remain for ever, its not only in USA , but its all over the world....compair to other parts of tthe world USA is
much much better.....thanks God....New immigrant when they should work hard....and make some thing out for them self and for the family............dont even think about walfare and food stamps...country i came from is INDIA. We dont even know what walfare is ....This is the only country allow you to.."YOU CAN BE WHAT YOU WANT TO BE"...So you better make the best out of it....Dont even think about discrimination...........My boss was" RED NECK" i wrok very hard and smart....in long run we became friends.................................he treated me better than a white co-worker.........BOTTOM LINE IS LOVE EVERY ONE HATE NONE. .....GOD BLESS AMERICA
ASH MIRZA (USA)
the u.s. is grossly over-populated as it is, not just with immigrants, but humans all together. We shouldn't be letting anyone in this country until the unemployment rate is 0%. On top of all that, this country is great only because our forfathers stood up to sweat shops, went on strike, and formed labour unions and demanded better living and working conditions and fair wages, many lost their lives in the prosses. Now, you can't even go on strike to stand up for your rights in the workplace without a bunch of immigrants breaking down the conditions that our forefathers fought for, by crossing the picket lines and going to work for $12 per hr at a job that is supposed to pay $30 per hr. then, these same dumb immigrants spewing the same crap out of their mouths about americans are too lazy to work. then, they refuse to learn our language and expect us to cater to there culture while they destroy ours.
I don't discriminate against people based on where they are born as long as they are here legally. What I do have a problem with is someone coming here illegally and expecting the same benefits as someone who has done it the right way. If you can explain the fairness in that system, well...good luck.
Immigration?
When we have no jobs in the USA?
Corporations seek slave labor thus immigrants whether legal or illegal.
So you support slave labor over fair U.S. Citizen labor?
So you support all corporate welfare at tax payer expense?
So you support all corporate fraud; waste; and abuse
at the expense of the "once upon a time" middle class?
Every nationality started in Africa....so no one can be called native born.
We would probably have a lot less idiots and anti-immigrants with these comments if my ancestors who were all here by 1800 had closed the doors!! Think about it people!!! A HUGE majority of you had ancestors that came in the last 100 yrs!! My ancestors made this a better country for you to come to and now you are laying down new rules!
*teabags DDDEB* follow their example do something great to you lazy Obama lover! I suppose you want a hand out too?
You're a real genius, buddy. Corporations have been bilking you and your wife (if you have one) out of your money (paychecks), and Obama is fighting for equal pay for your wife, has been fighting to get everybody healthcare so they don't have to sit in a ditch bleeding to death. He's fighting for you, and all you have to do is complain about him? What good has the GOP *EVER* done for you in your lifetime? Go on, name something. ONE THING. Idiot.
If you don't pay taxes in America, and live there illegally – i'm quite certain that 100% of the taxpayers will be happy to tell you to GTFO, and to be sure you let the door hit you several times in the back of the head on the way out. Everybody's a victim except you.
The USA needs to start taking care of it's own people, giving THEM jobs, instead of importing people from overseas – and letting the overseas imports get jobs automatically because of affirmative action etc. Come on prez, employ your own people FFS.
America needs immagrants? Are you high? Smoking a little to much dope these days? We have to many immagrants and mostly illegal immagrants. While in AZ vacationing I almost hit 3 of the illegals on the free way while they were border jumping. We need to close our borders keep them out... oh and toss out all of these cry babies here on H1B visas who want everything we got but pay no taxes. Send them back to durak durkastan.
Why is everyone so full of hate? How do you all think your ancestors came to American? We are an imigrant nation.
Right... we should just let everyone keep on coming here. We are full, we have plenty of problems with out more people coming here not getting working and squatting on government programs. Good thinking!! God you are dumb as dumb gets!!
And while all u morons argue over this president, our country is being turned into a laughing stock. Maybe u should get off the internet and try to make a difference. He sucks. Anyone with a brain knows that. If u like his policy then move to Russia and enjoy socialism. Idiots
you know people will vote for him just to see you guys squirm like this for another 4 years, right?
Not a well thought out post. Illegal immigration has been a problem for decades.
Pres. Obama has deported more illegal immigrants in his 3 years then der Furher did in his 8 years.
Poor bill....ever since Fox stopped allowing comments, he's been crying himself to sleep every night.
There isn't anyone to tell him how and what to think and his tiny little pea brain is stuck in a 2008 propaganda loop.
Gee, I dunno...maybe it's the fact that we have 12% unemployment rate among able and willing Americans, that we don't feel so kindly to immigrants taking what jobs we have left. After all, after mechanization, outsourcing, H1-B visas, offshoring factories, what jobs are left for the rest of us? Isn't that what America is about–prosperity for ones who were born here, not just the ones who are coming here now?
I see all the right wing wing nuts here, arguing about President Obama where the article is about immigration and letting well educated immigrants into our country to increase productivity in Engineering, Medical Sciences and IT Research. The majority of these people here posting don;t have Medical, Engineering or Computer Science degrees. All they spew is hatred and jealousy that they are the uneducated ones who feel their jobs are being stolen by educated immigrants who want a chance to better America and themselves. SO if you want to compete, go back to school and challenge yourselves to improving this great country, not spewing hatred.
Corporations love imported people. Since corps can't mess-over the general public, they'll bring in lower-cost workers from overseas – to gain big profits. Enough giving opportunities to those overseas, prez – take care of your own people!! The people who pay your paycheck!! IT ISN'T THAT DIFFICULT.
I just took a walk by a contruction site and noticed 9 of the 10 people doing the manual labor were originally from another country. Immigrants are some of the hardest working people in America. The freeloaders undeservedly getting welfare generally think they are too good to get their hands dirty and that the government owes them a living. If someone is able to contribute to society and doesn't, immigrant or American, then they should be 'unwelcomed' to the melting pot.
...sounds made up
Immigration is fine, what we don't need is ILLEGAL immigration. And if we could do a exchange, I think it would be great to send all of our inbred, cowardly, "Obama isn't American" failures we have here and get some decent people from around the world that actually have a brain to help America grow. We have too many uneducated scaredy cats that are so terrified of another religion or race that America has become a laughing stock of the planet. About time we get rid of that useless part of the population and swap them out for people that can actually think on their own and have courage...
Some of the comments are ridiculous – implying "blacks and hispanics use food stamps and they are illegal." Folks, the welfare system is broken – whites, blacks, browns – all abuse it.
You know what is funny about this? We don't have a derogatory word for immigrants. But Philippe wants to start calling all the BITUS, "dimwits".
Whew! I'm so glad CNN told me what to think on this issue. It's been nagging at me daily even though I'm struggling to keep my family afloat in these difficult times. I think it's a crock of but to think that of course makes one a xenophobe!
I think America needs to limit immigration across the board. From what I've seen, companies are bringing foreigners in here to take American jobs because they can pay them less. Not only that, they are using foreign workers in their own countries to take American jobs. Many of these are technical jobs and we have educated Americans to fill those niches. Companies are simply trying to increase their profits at the expense of the American people. I'm sick of encountering "Peggy" on the phone and experiencing a real language barrier when I need technical advice and assistance.
Right on Sally
There is a limit to everything. If we let half of the Chinese population into the US, they would become an instant majority and Chinese would be the main language. Same with the people of India. Yes, discrimination is not right. We should not throw people under the bus but we don't want to be thrown under the bus either. A better solution is to privide opportunities to everybody whereever they live: Education.
The key word is 'LEGAL' immigrants.... LEGAL!!!
Who isn't an immigrant in US? Every single person alive in US (except Indians) has roots outside of US and by that token we are all immigrants. I am yet to meet a 1st generation immigrants on welfare – they work hard to come to US and they work hard all their lives – Issue is not them, issue is the 2nd and 3rd generation kids of immigrants (who consider themselves keeper of US of A).
Yes, and immigrants get preference for jobs, not the people who have lived in the country all their lives, paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in education, taxes, etc to lose out to an unqualified immigrant just because they're an immigrant. Other than that, welfare. It's not that hard to see when you're getting screwed every year for taxes, while these immigrants get the easy life
First of all, I am not an immigrant. I was born in the U.S. This is my country. It does not matter if my parents were born here or immigrated from somewhere else. Just because a family cannot find roots back to the stone age in this land does NOT make them all immigrants or relatives of immigrants. For the majority of persons who where born on this land, in this country, I say: WE ARE NOT IMMIGRANTS!!! THIS IS OUR LAND. WE ARE NATIVES BY BIRTHRIGHT! Don't try to tell us any different, because we know better.
The bottom line on this Immigration issue is... Yes – it is fine to have immigration not from Illegal’s that sneak into the United States, but those who immigrate through the legal process. It is a privilege to live in the United States and not a privilege that should be dummied downed by slack policies. Another point – There should be no importation of workers, or outsourcing to other countries unless the unemployment rate is below 2%. Part of national security is the employment of Citizens. This creates an environment of investment and commerce if people have money to spend on cars, appliances, boats, and other luxury items. The American Dream! This assures that jobs are not being taken away from legal citizens that will work at Walmart to survive. Plenty of old people are competing for low wage jobs because it is so tough to make ends meet in retirement. This makes it tougher for young youth who want to save for a car or collage to get their first job. Our legal US Youth Citizens deserve better and are considering this in their vote on what they can do to not have to compete with Illegal’s. Let American take care of its own first, then the rest of the world second.
..gratifying to see how quick everyone was to name game. Yep... illegals really don't contribute. in fact you and i spend 4.2 billion a year, that's 10 million a day on just one of their scams – claiming dependents that don't exist or who leave in MX. this is all going to stop, Americans know what's going on.. look up NumbersUSA.. register and then take action
Thank goodness the author of this article holds no political power – they seem to have neither insight nor foresight.
America's immigration policies are set up not significantly unlike the admissions policies of a University. We want to attract those who's skills, talents and abilities will enrich America and make it a better place. Those who would improve our country less, well, we are less interested in. And, _that is exactly the way it should be_. Does such a policy perpetuate (or fail to improve as much as possible) poverty in other nations? Possibly. But that is not the priority for our leaders who set immigration policies, nor the majority of voters who give them that power. You are free to rail against such an "America first" system for setting policy all you wish, but there is good reason your suggested replacement is a minority viewpoint – if implemented it would clearly be a disaster. If we simply admitted anyone that wanted to live here, not only would we dilute the merit of immigrants because the new system would ignore merit, we would also become a destination for everyone in the world that is starving. As global population increases from 6 billion to 7, 8, 9 billion and more, what will the billions starving want do? Stay put and starve, or go to America's open boarders to live off welfare? As difficult as you may find this, try to look forward 50 years and imagine what the consequences might be for an America with open boarders. Would this make our country a better place for those who already live here?
Is it an injustice that Americans on average have a better life than a person in a third-world nation might? If you find it so, then I suggest you start with yourself in your efforts to change this. Does Philippe Legrain have good food, a car and disposable income, while others in the world do not? Then first fix that injustice before bothering the rest of us with your absurd ideas. When you have equalized your level of wealth with that of most impoverished of this world, only then will I be willing to listen to what you have to say.
Mr. Legrain, I don't care a flying leap about where an immigrant came from. I DO care about whether they came here according to the laws of our country and will respect those laws while they are here.
CNN edits(restricts free speech AGAIN) Can't post what I think cuz it doesn't align with leftist agenda
Screw 'em. They can stay home and fix their own pathetic armpits instead of bringing all their baggage to the US.
I kind of wish your ancestors had stayed to fix up their own countries.
why....? then you wouldn't be here..
I agree with author on some parts of the article and disagree on many parts. America needs an influx of young workers, skilled, unskilled, educated, uneducated. We need agricultural workers, workers in the medical providers services, construction, education, and in technical fields like biotech research. We need these young workers to pay taxes to support social security and allow America to grow out it's debt. America is not having enough babies fast enough to meet the challenges of the future. A big problem in America as I see it, is this continuing culture of victimization from everyone here in this country and it infects the newcomers also. For example, the rant about immigrants taking away all of are jobs, so I guess I don't need to look for work anymore. Or America is such a racist country, a person of color does not stand a chance, so why try? And women working in a man's workplace, old people working in a young person's world now, it just goes on and on. Why even leave the house. This article spoke about a Afrikan woman who immigrated to the US, and still would be struggling to make a life compared against the easy ride the lazy natural born son will have making is way in the US. That is not fair and we do a lot in this country to prevent failure. But of course, life is not fair. People who nature was not so kind to will tell you that.
Immigrants, if you're not making upwards of $300K/yr then please spare us from your rags-to-riches success stories.
CNN is full of B.S. !!!!!!! They always try to push certain ideals and morals on to us! I have no problem with people coming here for a better life... I just don't want you here illegally, using my tax dollars to feed your kids, cousins, aunts and grandparents! as well as raising the cost of healthcare, buy having your kids in our hospitals and not paying for it, the way everyone else does. My parents came here from the carribean with NOTHING! They came here legally and worked hard to afford the middle class lifestyle they gave me and my siblings
Do we still have the "quota " system in effect ? My wife who is an immigrant ( now a citizen of course ) was born in Poland. Her father was an American who was taken back to Poland as a child by his parents and grew up etc. Even though he was American,his Polish wife and kids had towait for years before they could come here.
Yes. Immigration and naturalization act of 1965 still in effect. Decreased numbers of those allowed to immigrate from eastern European nations (Read: Caucasians) and increase significantly those allowed to immigrate from African and Hispanic countries (Read: "people of color").
Thanks . Not surprising either.
I think that white American woman should stop having abortions so the babies can be naturally born American citizens instead of filling up the void caused by murdered children with immigrants. I guess politicians and liberals want us peach colored folks to be reduced to 2 % of the population?
My wife is a LEGAL Immigrant, and like most legal immigrants, feels that illegal immigrants are like a spit in the face for all that they have worked and strived to achieve. We need the immigrants that put in the time and effort to be a fully functional, contributing members of our society. (as you can see I don't believe in "PC speak") Let's speak plain!
The problem is not just the people who come to live in the U.S., illegally. Actually the real problem is the people that prey on them either through either smuggling them in, or paying them pennies on the dollar for work that anyone else could do. Illegals should not be punished, just returned to their homeland. The people that need to be punished are the real lawbreakers, those doing the smuggling and hiring.
The illegals are an invitation to more problems. Misunderstanding are the main contributing factor! Many of these folks not only don't speak english, but can't grasp the smallest concepts of the language. We can't just keep adopting new second languages, as eventually the liberals will have packaging labels covering the item you are buying completely and alternative language signs blocking the view of what the are explaining or trying to sell. Even if we don't get folks we have to support in our welfare system, they will cause a severe cost to our infrastructure in legal and linguistic support. Frankly, we can't afford those that we already support.
Celebrate the LEGAL immigrant!!!
It seems that those who WERE born in this country are discriminated against – try applying for a job and see how much they screen for your ethnic background – and one of the initial questions is "are you Hispanic or Latino"? It's wrong to still have this practice – especially after Blacks wanted "equality" and then also expected to get preferred hiring treatment. Just take a look at most Federal jobs (i.e. US Postal Service) which is filled with highly incompetent minorities that are protected from ever losing their job due to racial quotas.
No, we don't need more immigrants here in the U.S. We currently have millions of people that are unemployed. First, we get our people employed, then we can think about letting a limited amount of immigrants into this country. The only reason this mindset is being considered is because the corporations and elite want to bring in new, supposedly better educated people that will accept lower wages. From what I am seeing in my area is a lot of these immigrants are taking jobs in fast-food areas, stores, construction, and many other service jobs that don't require the level of education that the Elite say they are looking for. NO IMMIGRANTS until we get the American people back to work in GOOD jobs. If the government wants an educated workforce, they can take some of the money they are wasting on these meaningless wars, and spend it on the American people and get them trained for "tomorrows jobs".
This country is NOT great because of immigrants. This country is great because determined people fought and died for the freedoms we have now. Will the people coming in now die for this country if necessary? Doubtful, most come here but still hold allegiance to their country of origin, and even go so far as to try to change things here to their culture.
The immigrants of now are nothing like the immigrants to which people are trying to compare them to.
The world has changed and not for the better, nationalities still separate us, religions keep us apart and money keeps us tied to the treadmill.
No, more people will not help this country, just strain it even more than it is already.
I feel bad for my son, what does the future hold?
More of the same unfortunately.
Immigrants are more than welcome to come to this country legally, but those that come here illegally should be punished. I would disagree with the article they we are desperate for them, which just need to put those who are leaching off the system to work and that would solve the issue.
Why is this even an article? I don't think 99% of Americans can disagree with the obvious conclusion of this piece. We need immigration, BUT WHAT WE DON'T NEED is an immigration policy that nets us the underclass of one country of one type of people. We get the poorest people from one country of one culture. HOW DOES THIS ADD TO DIVERSITY and so-called multiculturalism? It doesn't we need a policy that gets us a bigger mix of diverse people, and cultures. That is exactly why we need to crack down on illegal immigration, so that we can allow MORE LEGAL immigrants, that get us a better representation of a countries and cultures, like Doctors, Laywers, Engineers; not just the poor uneducated from Mexico!
What would be wrong with the American people (the LEGAL citizens) choosing to change or halt our immigration policies FOR THE GOOD OF AMERICA? If we don't do something soon, it's going to be too late and there will be cultures from all over the world crowding America's streets, with no sign of what "used to be."
What good comes from changing a law if there is little or no enforcement of the law? Our President continues to ignore immigration law by encouraging lax enforcement. And then, every so often, enforcement is allowed as a show of how good a job he is doing. And we read about how he is attempting to thwart state assistance with immigration enforcement by litigation claiming exclusive immigration enforcemtn rights of the federal government. What a spin-doctor scammer! So, why go through the change-the-law process. With no enforcement, it's a huge waste of time.
If it's benefits you want don't come to the US, we are stingy even for our own citizens; dozens of other countries are far more generous.
The United States has always been a diverse country, allowing in immigrants from multiple different countries and religions.
The United States needs legal immigrants: those that are willing to pay their taxes, work their jobs, attend college, follow the laws, and otherwise benificial to society.
The United States does NOT need the illegal immigants that: don't pay their taxes, steal jobs from legal residents, ignore the laws, and are otherwise a drain on society.
Don't get me wrong, there are thousands (or more) illegal immigrants that work hard, spend money at the stores, follow our laws (other than being illegal), and otherwise support this country. The problem is: They're illegal and not paying taxes.
The process of becoming a naturalized citizen is a pain. Read up on it once. You'd be surprised what they have to do and learn. The average American (sadly, myself included) probably couldn't pass the naturalization test.
Personally, we should allow those that are being benefical to become citizens. Overall, it would be a good thing for the country.
...times have changed, and drug cartels have big bucks.... look around at the newest business in your neighborhood...funny no one goes in and no one goes out... why are states going bankrupt? is it because illegals are scamming the system for the benefits. YOU as an American will shell out 10 million a day. this is a new reality created by illegals and their backers the drug cartels. better get real about what is happening in YOUR neighborhood. ...look up NumbersUSA... register and then take action.
Zakaria you are wrong.
America outsourced almost everything, unemployment rate is too high, your manufacturing outsourced to China. Call Centre outsourced to India. An army of IT Consultant came from India, in presence of these consultant your less experience american citizen not getting any chance, if they hired these morons make there life miserable.
Solution:
Bring Manufacturing back
Bring Call Centre back.
Trained your own citizen
Tax those who outsourced there jobs outside America.
By the way I am not an American and I have to go thru Immigration to enter USA.
Agreed! Manufacturing has rebounded a little bit, but not enough. Taxing those that outsource (like Apple), may force them to return stateside.
Unemployment is 8.2% as of May 2012 *
* Those that are actively searching for work. If you considering those that stopped, our unemployment is much higher.
Our other problem, much like other countries, is that our unemployment for the 16 to 26 yr old group in unacceptable. It is roughly 26% at last estimate. Take Iran and France for example. Their unemployment for that age group is in the 30% range.
By bringing back Manufacturing jobs and Call Center jobs, we'll open up opportunities for those groups.
..look up who wrote this article and then you might have a better perspective. yep. million upon million upon millions networking the USa. one scam – claiming up 20 dependents who do not exist or live in mexico – cost YOU the tax payer 10 million a day or 4.2 billion a year. wonder why states are going bankrupt? simple – Americans can't pay for this. ...look up NumbersUSA.. register and help stop this.
I think the overwhelming majority of Americans have absolutely nothing against immigrants, per se. I BELIEVE that the beef many Americans have with immigrants are two fold. First, ILLEGAL immigrants who come to this country are an issue. No one can deny that. I am married to an immigrant, but we did it legally and it wasn't easy. So, why should I have any respect for those that don't? Second, there are some immigrants who force others to adapt to their customs, instead of the other way around. But, if someone wants to come to this country LEGALLY, and be productive and BECOME AN AMERICAN, then I am all for it and more power to them.
That's my take on it, for what it's worth.
Excellent post.
You have got to be kidding. More like, awful, hate-filled post.
Ugh, why do you respond so venomously to people who are simply expressing opinions you happen not to agree with? There's no hatred in Frank's posting, but I'm sure sensing plenty of it in your response.
If you don't have Native American Indian blood in you, then you are ALL immigrants.
I have Native American blood in me through my mothers side of our family, but I don't claim it anymore than I claim the English, French, German, & Jewish side from both my mother and fathers side. And guess what, there could be others throughout the years. People began to travel you know. Get real. I'm born in America and an American is what I am.
The point of his/her post is to declare that it is silly for a "nation of Immigrants" like we are to complain that immigrants are ruining the country.
Fareed is mistaken. Probably first time today. There are probably few of us living today who had parents or grand parents who came to this country via Ellis Island . We were taught in school that Columbus discovered American. Was that a lie by the education system all this time. What's true is that you don't see American citizens who were born here defecting to countries like his own in droves. The illegals that come here aren't coming for a better life and a stable home. They come to send our money back to there families and would go back in a heartbeat if there country was a strong as this one was. THEY ARE SIMPLY ILLEGAL. Under our current law, they should be arrested and deported. The one's that are deported to either Canada or Mexico or some other South American country just walk back over here at will. The rest we should and could have some record of who they are and where they went and if they are back again. These things are our own fault. We're a weak country now and our leadership is nil. We are getting what we sowed and aren't loving it. If someone like Fareed has to make a big deal out of it, you know there is something fishy about it in the first place. The last thing this country need now is more illegals, not prospective citizens as the people who came through Ellis Island so many years ago.
Xenophobia must have a survival advantage or it wouldn't be as prevalent as it is.
Great Idea......That way we can boost the unemployment rate to around 18%.....Lets get our country healthy then we can play house!
The man from Kenya came here where his Ancient realitive been living here for over one hundred thousand years. Look it up the Jamesee came from west Africa and settle all over the Americas. Bless.
a) Kenya is in EAST Africa.
b) West Africans weren't immigrants, they were imported labor.
If epidemics hadn't killed more than 90% of the native population, we would have just enslaved them.
Few people doubt the need for immigrants. But what we need/want are LEGAL immigrants. We have enough criminals who are U.S. citizens- we don't need more.
You ignorant, narrow-minded, right-wing bigots disgust me. It wouldn't surprise me if you proudly called yourself Christian too. I and should be patriotic with the likes of YOU in this country? No chance! Not anymore!
Amen! They fill these blogs like dirty flies.
No problem with hard-working, ambitious legal immigrants to this country. It was the backbone of our evolution. Illegal immigrants with nothing to their name, violating immigration laws and living off the taxpayers is a very different issue. Those who support illegal immigration try to blend the two together to hide their objectives.
Your xenophobia disgusts me. We are all human beings. You really gonna argue with that? You are so selfish and hateful.
What an odd response. This comment isn't xenophobic at all. It's a statement against illegal immigration and not against foreigners in general. And do you think everyone should be allowed to live in the U.S. just because we're all human beings?
Every race, religion, nationality etc. has its embarrassments, frauds, crimminals and freeloaders. The USA cannot afford more people on the system; food stamps, housing, free medical. This takes more money from honest hardworking person that does pay taxes and does the right thing born here or not. It's that simple. We do need immigration to continue to balance the population but we need those that can support themselves. You do not go to a foreign land with nothing and expect them to pay for you and then invite the family. Come here with good intentions if you cannot do it right then you need to go home. Sadley this will never happen, it is out of control.
Well said. I totally agree.
We need a small trickle of LEGAL immigrants. Illegal immigrants need not apply.
Need not apply? Who will apply for the jobs American companies choose to employ illegal immigrants to do?
Coming from a person whose own great-great-great grandfather was an imagrant from Scotland, I have no problems with immigration. I have a problem of getting into this country illegally. They don't pay taxes, they go to school and live on medical help because they cannot legally get a job. Much of that money is sent back home and not spent on our economy. If you are going to immigrate into any country, do it legally! It's that simple. This country is built on people coming to the United States to get a better start, get away from starvation, and persecution.
Wow, there are lots of comments on this. There are a few simple truths about this. The United States is prosporus for a number of reasons. First of all, I believe God blessed the Christian settlers here. Those settlers were very hard working and started civilations and all that went with it (electricity, indoor plumbing, mass transit). Yes, we have had a civil war but we aren't constantly in a tribal war with eachother and destroying our cities. Morals tell us that murdering or stealing from eachother is wrong. We punnish those we can prove do those things. We are also one of the least corrupt countries on the planet (not in the top 20 but not in the bottom 100 either). The more people we let in from other countries that don't share our religion and moral values the less the US is going to be like the US. The more Africans we let in, the more like Africa we will be and that is not a good thing. This country needs immigrants but we should select who we let in based on what they can do for the country. Immigrants should not be allowed any public assistance of any kind until they have paid into the system for 10 years or more. This country would not be in the middle of it's current financial crisis if we had zero illegal immigrants. Most people don't consider what a drain they are on hospitals, schools prisions etc. Illegal immigrants cost this country hundreds of billions of dollars every year if not into trillions. Just think, the same amount of businesses but 1/2 of the prision population, 30% less crime, most gangs gone, 20% reduction in school enrollment by parrents who don't pay taxes. If getting rid of all illegal immigrants didn't completely solve our financial problems it would certainly go a very long way.
So now you're blaming immigrants for the economic downturn??? Your post is exceedingly simplistic. First, this country is a secular country and has been since its inception. The First Amendment guarantees it. Second, regarding prisons, they wouldn't cost so much if Americans weren't so anxious to punish every infraction so severely. This country has more people behind bars (>2 million) that any other country on earth, and the US represents only 5% of the world's population. It's a national tragedy of our own making, and we should be deeply ashamed.
Many years ago Protestant Christians made the very same argument that the more Irish Catholics we let in the worse it will get. We seem to have survived just fine.
"YES" AMERICA give every other immigrant there citizenship....( So they can take our JOBS, and Blow us up....)
OH but if you from MEXICO let's send you back!!
We need immigrants but only if they are legal immigrants.
There is plenty of room in our country, and plenty of resources. Fly from coast to coast and see how much space there is, just in the contiguous USA. We can support 5x what we have, we just can't allocate things correctly right now since all of our politicians are a bunch of lying crooks who would sell their first born for another term.
Immigrants aren't the problem. ILLEGAL immigrants are the problem. My mother in law immigrated to the USA from Austria back in the 50's. It took her a long time to get a visa, and she was kept on Ellis Island in New York while her papers and health were checked out. She learned English and stopped speaking German to all but family in Austria or people here that only spoke German. She didn't expect US citizens to have to adopt to her language. Today people think they have a right to cross our borders and just do whatever they want. While many are hard workers, thousands come for our "freebies" that they can't get back home. And that just isn't what most people think of as welfare, provided by the States. One of the big issues that the press does not cover is the filing of federal tax returns by immigrants who have almost no income, pay less than a thousand dollars in federal income taxes, yet get refunds of $5,000 plus. They do this using all the refundable credits allowed even to those without a SS#. They can get the refundable school credits, the Additional Child Tax Credit (big in the immigrant community where they pile 4 or more kids with all different last names on the form) and if issued a real SS# they also qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit. That is another big one with them. And they all know about them and how to file. Plus with the SS# they can reach back three years and file Amended Returns to claim the EIC for the years that they didn't have a SS#. You are talking Billions!! And if you don't think they are taking jobs, try getting a crew comprised of US Citizens to come out to build, paint, put a roof on, lanscape your yard or any other blue collar work. They even work on government funded projects, taking jobs meant for US Citizens.
Nice story. You should be a CNN writer.
Ah, its great to see such hate, jelousy and lothing. It makes my job easier to put all your souls to waste.
no one disagrees with the fact we need immigrants....in fact we all are except for American Indians.......but we need LEGAL ones who here to work, become citizens and pay taxes.....NOT SPOUNGE OFF TAXPAYERS FOR BENFITS.........secure the borders, make the illegals become citizens or leave and they must pay some fine or back tax for rectification.....NOTHING RACIST ABOUT THAT NOW IS THERE
So I guess you would be willing to pick beans in California or mow lawns for low pay and no benefits? No? Just as I thought.
Beans are picked with mechanical harvesters.
Mow your own yard.
a) I disagree. We really don't need immigrants of any kind.
b) Ever hear of Siberia? Thats where the Native Americans IMMIGRATED from.
Oh, such ignorance and myths you spread! No one said racist, but the hatred is clear as day.
Sure thing. Let's allow all who want in acccess.
Have you ever heard of locusts?
Plenty of room for anybody who wants in.
Infrastucture already in place, pelnty of excess water, enrgy etc.
COME ONE COME ALL!
1 million immigrants are allowed into this country yearly and many of them are suking off the teat of the taxpayer..".until they get started". That is why they want to be here. No where else will they be treated as well. That in itself eliminates your accusations of discrimination. It is not the job of the USA to be the keeper to all who want to be kept.
"It is not the job of the USA to be the keeper to all who want to be kept."
That is precisely why I would like to see you deported.
Thanks. Now I feel good about myself again for thinking good thoughts. Keep up the goodness. This article is a renewal of my faith in the essential goodness of all good people. Keep a sharp eye out for the bad people who are against goodness.
First of all, the only reason thr is illegals in the country is because of scarcity of jobs back in their native land, its called survival people. Second of all, all of you retarded imbred people are going to have to immigrate to China soon enough because all of the jobs are going across seas, so who is going to be the illegal immigrant in a couple of years??
P.s. you guys are stupid
What do you have against inbredding. That's how we got the good hair.
You need to use Google Chrome. Your spelling errors are giving me a headache.
Yes, let's give everyone in the world the same rights as US citizens, and let them all move here to the US. Then the US can be one big slum. Great idea.
Just no illegal immigrants! No amnesty or anchor babies either. They need to leave and get in the back of the line.
LEGAL immigrants?? YES please!!! They want and are proud to live in the U.S. Keyword: LEGAL.
American companies choose to hire illegal immigrants.
Like the movie "Crash" it's not so much "discrimination" as it is an "easy tag" to identify someone we don't know. You call them as they appear from a distance: That white dude – that black dude – that chick – that Indian – that China man – let's face it, it's quite easy to diss people we don't know – who aren't within ear shot. This will not ever change, ever, in our history so I would suggest we stop making such a big deal out of it. I do find however, that when people are in ear shot that people are more PC today than they ever have been.
WOW...A lot of closed mined peeps on this board. No one wants illegal immigrants, but this article was about being legal. OMG we are going to be overrun by Chinese and Indians..give me a break!!
Look at it this way. The estimated population of the United States is 312,915,952 so each citizen's share of his debt is $50,291.68. If we double the population with immigrants, my portion of the debt is only half as much! I'll go for that.
agreed.
immigrants are always welcome as long as they come here LEGALLY..... its the F-ing ILLEGALS we dont want ...
Maybe it is time to back off overpopulating the U.S. and make this an environmentally stable continent. We need to stop all forms of immigration whether it is legal or illegal. Enough already.
RATDOG – Many of the illegals do work no American will do. Too many legals come here, live in their own enclaves, don't assimilate, game the system and send their money back home. Stories such as the on the aired of Nightline last night make me want to puke. Look it up and watch it.
We have too many people already. Immigration is responsible for most of the population explosion in USA – 100,000,000 in 30 years. It's out rageous considering the problems the world has, that we keep importing more without any talk about stabilizing our population. It doesn't make our country stronger, it makes it weaker. In 1990 LEGAL immigration was limited to 250,000. After that, big business went to the White House and Congress and asked to rais the limit to a million per year. The only reason is so the businesses can make a profit. This has nothing to do with making the country stronger or raising the standard of living for anyone except the rich. meanwhile, the fish are almost gone from the ocean, global warming keeps getting worse, the largest mass extinction in the planet's history, etc.
Drive out the illegals by making it more and more difficult to find jobs, housing, etc.
Tighten down on the number of legal immigrants.
300 million+ is enough. We're full. Go somewhere else, or stay where you are. We can't help you, and we don't want to.
There is a difference between an "immigrant" and an illegal alien. The Chamber of Commerce is behind articles like this because they want cheap illegal labor which they can exploit and abuse.
The US May need Immigrants, but we can't afford an more ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS... They are sucking dry our public resources designed for Citizens and paid for by Citizens.. In North Carolina, our children are forced to attend classes in Mobile Classrooms because there is such an influx of children who's parents don't participate in the tax base. I know of a fact that the county and state are providing illegals with benefits such as food stamps and free medical, mental health support..... What really burns me, I watched a couple that spoke zero English. The husband pushing a cart with a new PS3, Movies, Games and a large flat screen TV. He went throught the Walmart checkout first, pulled out a huge wad of 100 dollar bills and paid for the toys. He went to the exit and waited for his wife and kids who bought a cart full of groceries and paid for this with food stamps. They met near the doors and went out to a $50,000 pick-up truck and loaded their goodies. I work hard, don't have a $50,000 vehicle, don't get food stamps, and certainly don't buy myself toys in cash. If I want toys, it comes in the form of credit card debt.. Now I'm told that Illegals can go to community college free, while my kids have to pay? Seems to me that being a Legal Citizen is nothing but a huge expense with nearly no benefits over being here illegally...
Sounds like it might be time for you to move to a different country.
John's a bit slow.
Not sure why you responded this way. John may not be the most eloquent guy in town, but I think he makes a valid point about welfare abuse.
No one has a problem with imigrants we are all from some place else we have a problem with ILLEGAL imigrants. people who work for cash spunge off society and pay no taxes. Use our hospital emergency rooms like doctor offices and our health insurance costs go up. Whem my grand parents came into this counrty from Ital they had to speak english and have a place to live and have a promise of employment. Now it's come on in take free stuff and kill our economy. The rich stay rich the poor stay poor and the middle class pays for everything. But I would not live any place else but the USA but at some point things need to change and the current body of goverment is doing squat!
BRAVO to VioletWeed – well said!
So with 312 million of us in America (while in 1865 there were 31 million of us) we still want to keep the doors open to immigration. Is that right? So we want to make an overcrowded and less then full employed nation take on millions of more immigrants. We want to occupy and utterly overpopulate every square inch of this country. Is that what we really want? Frankly close down the immigration part of this government and lets fix the broken toys we already have.
Can someone tell me exactly what is wrong with regulating our SOVEREIGN borders to ensure only LEGAL immigrants are living in the United States? I'm the son of parents who legally immigrated to America, so are many of my friends and relatives, same as some of those I've served with in the military. Those that are pro-immigration act as if regulating our borders means the US no longer accepts ANY immigrants, while those that argue for regulation are simply asking for immigrants that come to the US under legal means. Being indiscriminant with our immigration policy is obviously impractical, irresponsible and counter-productive.
i like this
There is a Mike Royko column where Slats Grobnik (Royko's fictional alter ego) rails at one immigrant group after another, until he runs out of groups to attack, even his own. "So who do you think should stay," Mike asks Slats, to which Slats replies, "Real Americans. Like me."
We could use a few thousand immigrants with degrees in engineering, technology, physics and in-demand sciences. We don't need to flood the country with millions of uneducated toilet scrubbers and ditch diggers - we're making plenty of those on our own.
But they won't work under the conditions U.S. employers demand of immigrants. Why do you think American companies employ these people?
I certainly agree that one shouldn't be discriminated on the basis of where one is born. I was born in the U.S.A., but I have no say-so about my country becoming a disfunctional Third World hellhole. Those with the say-so are Republicans who want cheap labor and Democrats who want cheap votes.
However we should absolutely discriminate on the basis of skill set. This isn't the 1800's where we need immigrants to buy up frontier land to fund the government, or low skilled workers to pound hammers to build a transcontinental rail road.
yeah, but we can sell old houses and neighborhoods
Unless you are an American Indian...you are the decendant of an IMMIGRANT!!!!! How stupid do you have to be to NOT understand that? MOST of our relatives came here illegally- and our african american friends were forced here on slave ships. Read a history book people- If it wasn't for our "IMMIGRANTS" aka OUR RELATIVES...we wouldn't be here !! Illegal imigrants do the work you are too lazy to do – are you going to pick lettuce from a field? I don't think so ....
Immigrating LEGALLY IS NOT AN OPTION to many people. The posture you are taking is still one of "choosing" who deserves a better life and who does not based on arbitrary factors like the land you were born. It is absolutely OK to believe that, but don't hide your beliefs in the "I support legal immigration therefore this whole argument does not apply to me". This applies to you too, because you also believe factors someone has no control over should determine their lifes.
I wish there were some way we could keep the immigrants and deport the bigots.
And I can't wait for the day we employ all Americans and get rid of the immigrants!
And i can't wait for you to emigrate.
Duh!! Of course we need immigrants. What we don't need are illegal immigrants, uneducated immigrants or immigrants from muslim countries out to destroy this countr, or immigrants who wamt to have babies in this country to get a goverrnment handout.. We need educated immmigrants, willing to work hgard who believe in the american dream and who will contribute to society.
Bottom line,
If America was in the position where we had an "excess of jobs....then by all means. News flash, It has nothing to do with where they come from but if we can't put Americans to work then why are we going to allow immigrants come in? Anyone see what unemployed immigrants an youth did to France? And you want that here because it looks like we are discriminating? If we do this then we are not only doing Americans an injustice but also the immigrants who's here looking for employment, but are none to be had.
Mr. Legrain, I'm sure your a wiser man than I but really?!
Romney knows how to create jobs! (for foreigners)
Yes, we need immigrants but just not any immigrants. We need LEGAL immigrants and you'd be more than welcome.
Silly arguments! The author should have just stated that liberals like him need a bigger voting block of welfare recipients to change the country forever.
the only issue I have with immigrants. If you plan on living in this country they you need to speak English
W T F ? Where did you hear this? "it's OK to discriminate... crap"? I've worked for 30 years in the public and private sectors and it is absolutely rammed down our friggin' throats that WHITE PEOPLE ARE RACISTS even if they don't admit it and the rest are the good people. No matter how much we give you people you are never satisfied! I never owned slaves, neither did my parents or grand parents, who weren't even in this sick weak country until 1889 AFTER your damned, beloved excuse for being a POS. You aren't a slave, neither was your father or grandfather SO GET OVER IT YOU LAZY POS s
Perhaps "white people" over the course of the nation's history have done enough racists things that over time they got a reputation as racists?
So dick lemme ask you a question. Should i judge your character on what your father did, you grandfather did, your great grandfather did? So you condone judging a group of people based on something someone else did that is part of that . Sounds very ignorant to me.
should i judge black ppl because i can't turn on the news without hearing about drive by shootings with colateral damage (usually babies), or drug deals gone bad, or breaking and entering everywhere. It is true most prisons are filled with them and yet i have plenty of smart and good natured african american friends. I don't think we should paint a broad brush.
son of a Kenyan goatherd or son of Stanley Ann Dunham?
This is probably one of the most stupid and inane arguments I've ever seen on CNN regarding immigration - with some of the lamest logic out there. This is really saying something considering how idiotic most of them are on CNN.com - especially when one considers how useless Ruben Navanrrette's commentaries are. Congratulations Philippe Legrain. You managed to be more pathetic than Ruben Navarette in your whiney commentary.
Personally, I have nothing against immigrants...it's the ILLEGAL ones I demand our government to enforce it's laws over. Why does it seem like everyone wants to make it about race??? It's about violating our laws! Aren't we a "nation of laws"? Enforce our current immigration laws!!
Taco Taco Kisses!
Men in this world need to learn how to pull out when the moment comes. This world has to many GD people!
I'm a man and I say Amen to that!
we dont need any one else hard enuff here as it is. they come here it puts us out of jobs..they just pushing us out of or on country.they taking over. we r blind to this.better open or eyes and look arond....this is whats wrong with this country today...to many others coming in taking over
We should be fair to everyone. Invite all walks of immigrants from all over the world including above average, upper middle class, or rich. Not just working class only. I am an immigrant myself and I came here poor. I see the problem that we have in immigrantion policy is tilted towards one end. Easy for family connection but touch for investment immigrants. Canada and Australia will allow folks come in with minumum $200,000 cash in the 90s.. And these two countires enjoy so much prosperity by opening the door to the affluent ones. Don't make it wrong!!!!! They also take the poor or the needy ones. It is OK to open the door bigger for the affluent ones. Make them feel like America will welcome their presence, their investment and their contribution.
Opinion: America needs immigrants
Counter-Opinion: No, we don't
Makes life more intresting, but i wouldn't say we need them.
Of course America needs Immigrants. We need controls and we need legal immigrants.
We don't need the criminal elements of the world moving in the destroy this country.
LEGAL Immigrants are fantastic!
To the author of this article-
The enemy isn't racism anymore...it's poverty. In a world of finite resources (yes, they're finite), the answer is to stop having babies...across the world. You can displace people all across the world but the noose is just going to get tighter and tighter for everyone.
don't we have enough poor and illiterate in the US now who ARE INDEED a tax burden. Shouldn't the US make sure that all of its people are lifted up before worrying about other nationals. What is the matter with you liberal "journalists?" Mr. Zakaria and Mr. Legrain I'm talking to you. Do you really believe we are a global village with the US being the Daddy of them all? Do you ever respond to your critics or just write books and go on cable spouting your stupidity.
Why does this OPINION piece have the largest real estate on CNN's main page? THIS IS NOT NEWS!!! It is an opinion. On the Opinion page, make it as large as you want but keep it to the opinion square on the main page. NOT NEWS NOT NEWS NOT NEWS!
we don't we are now getting a group of Africans and Arabs that are arrogant breeders lazy and hate America no way
i think there are many ppl missing the point. there was a time when immigration was needed like during the industrial revolution or in times when business is booming. There are no jobs and we are in debt with no alleviation on the horizon. We already have too many immigrants (asian, black, white etc..) no matter what skin color. The relationship is no longer symbiotic but that of a parasite. millions of dollars wasted a year already on natural born welfare leechers why in the H*** would we america want more. Not saying all go on welfare but a majority does. When and immigrant comes here and has a child or two who do you think flips the bill? insurance premiums go up for everyone else. This is just one example of many.
Everyone who is throwing around this xenophobia term needs to stop. there may be some but not all ppl are xenophobes. this is a copout
A pretty story, and a fine example of how the facts can support you point of view... as long as you ignore some of the facts.
Simply put, America, just like every other country, has a limited suppply of... everything. Land, jobs, food, wealth, etc. The more people you add to the country, the smaller the piece each individual gets. People coming from small backward countries see their slice of the pie grow by coming to this greater nation where everything is more plentiful than in the third world nation of their birth. But to give them that slice of the pie, we each lose a little of our own slice. Multipled by a hand full of immigrants is small, multiplied by hundreds of thousands is more, and multiplied by millions who would come here illegally is... well, as the saying goes... do the math.
This country has an obligation to care for it's citizen's, as does each country. We MUST first care for those already here, before we invite in more whom we can't care for.
Some would say turning these people away is immoral.
I say forcing our own children to live in poverty is the greater immoralality.
you said you disagree with me yet you just pretty much said what i said.
At no point does the author explain WHY America is in need of immigrants. Immigration is a privilege that the United States bestows upon foreigners who wish to move here. Our soil is not international property, and the government's first responsibility is to the interests of the people of the United States and not to people in other countries who wish to come. I think many immigrants have a lot to contribute, but you can't admit literally anyone who knocks at the door.
Who and how many should be allowed to reside in the US is open to debate, but it's an insult to Americans to say that we just can't do without immigrants. Someone at CNN should be disciplined for posting crazy stuff like this.
The sinking ship analogy is probably closer to the truth. How many people od you let on the life raft before it sinks? And is that the way to handle things?
No, we do not "need" immigrants. What we need is for them to go fix their own countries. America can't support the planet anymore, we can barely even keep ourselves afloat. Everyone is trying to drink from the well that is America, but the water has become stagnant and corrupted from just sitting there while everyone drinks from it at once. We need people to go back to the countries they are originally from and fight to make those places better. Eventually, the well of America is going to run dry, and if no one has done anything to draw more wells, what then will it matter if people have "rights" or "freedom?" It will be anarchy, with everyone just trying to survive.
When are you going back to the country your ancestors emigrated from?
in the end not one opinion here matters not even mine???
if 40 million latinos dont become employers soon
the next gov is going to throw them right out of here....
1 percent is going to say
you can have a person mkaing 8 bucks an hour for 15 years.....
We don't discriminate against immigrants. We are ALL either immigrants, or come from immigrants. We DO discriminate against ILLEGAL immigrants. Either we are a nation of laws, or we're hypocritical mortal relativists. You can't be both, Mr. Legrain. Your hypocrisy is so transparent you really must have guts to have written this article.
Immigrants are fine, it's the ILLEGAL ones people have a problem with.
You know what...you're right...open up the borders to all without delay:
Somali Pirates of the world
Taliban Rebels of the...
Hugo Chavez' of...
Kim Jong Il's of...
Pakistani "Western Haters" of...
etc, etc
I'm not saying all illegals are the worst of the worst out there by any means. But where does it stop!?! What you're asking for is to open the flood gates and bring everyone into the soup bowl already riddled with "flies".
Listen, I'm all for bringing in people into this country that want to CONTRIBUTE to its well being. And CONTRIBUTE means to pay taxes, not go on welfare, spend money in the US.
And you can't pull the "poor" Americans into this conversation either. There is EQUAL opportunity for EVERY American to make something of themselves. Problem is that even though someone may say they want to "lose weight", the don't get one the treadmill...in a manner of speaking.
Bottom line...come here legally, contribute, make something of yourself to help make the country, that is giving you everything, better.
You must be kidding. Your first paragraph come from where? Have you ever read the immigration policies of Mexico? We should definitely copy those. THis over the border thing is way out of hand. Get a clue, Unless you have a stack of visas or you were born here with citizen parents, go back to where you came from and start over. Sorry , we are not a bedroom community of Mexico..
I might agree with this; when we get down to say 2.5% REAL unemployment!
Managed immigration is fine. Uncontrolled and Illegal immigration is only a politically motive of a certain party. If that same political party were concerned for the plight of those people they would be working for improvement in their lot in their home counties. Instead they are concerned about political support they represent and the cheap labor they offer to build and maintain their homes. Educated immigrants are also here because industry wants their cheaper labor. Organized labor has turned a blind eye to illegal immigration because their political leaders want it.
Why don't we start by relaxing H1 work visa requirements. The tech and sciences sectors are hurting from the lack of talent. We should be more easily able to import workforce where it's needed.
Of course we discriminate. All people do. If you're not like me, you're different and that can't be good. It has nothing to do with what country you're from. If I'm from Texas and you're from Oklahoma, you're bad.
Well, to be fair, TX>OK. Just saying.
Go Spurs!
How about compromise? All immigrants can have an easy path the citizenship. We aim to grant citizenship to anyone who wants it in about 12 months from the day they first cross the border. Let us process it for free, and then they can pay the fees through the next 3 tax returns ($120/year). Then we restrict all new immigrants from receiving any welfare of any kind for the first 6 years. It makes sense because it takes about 7 years to become a citizen anyway. If they can't get needed welfare, they can always go back home. And besides, according to Phillippe, they don't need welfare nor want it. So this should be a slam dunk.
I actually think your ideas for compromise – or some less oversimplified version of them – are mostly pretty good. But you're quite wrong if you think "they can always go back home." This is patently untrue. Search "Uyghurs" for an example.
1- the U.S. is drowning in the jobless, the economy is in shambles. Fed agencies are shutting off the benefits, in particular, Unemployment. The corp. are shutting their offices in the U.S. & opening same offices overseas. There are NO jobs here. We do NOT need more people here at the moment. We need a breather and a chance to recover, if possible.
2- What types of work can these people do? Even White Collar jobs are leaving the country. What can thse people contribute here?
3 – Why aren't they staying in their country of birth and taking up the slack – new jobs opening – there, overseas?
YES WE NEED IMMIGRANTS.....but only from Europe, Russia, Canada, or Australia. These ones don't bring crime and they become productive members of society.
Russia? Are you serious? You've never heard of the Russian Mafia here?
What we need is for our government to stop pay illegals and immigrants. What we need is the government to stop giving our money to other countries. Let's keep our money here. So many people can't get jobs now and the government is supporting other countries. That's not just sick, it's anti American.
Oh...now, 40 years after the civil rights movement we hear from the peanut gallery!
One more who doesn't get the simplest fact. We have NO PROBLEM with immigrants. Those are people who legally come to the United States. What we have a problem with is ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. They've already shown a complete disregard for our legal system, so why on EARTH should we do anything but ship them back to their country of origin.
Typical slippery misleading distractive argument. We are not against immigrants. We are against ILLEGAL immigrants. I want immigrants to continue to flood here as my ancestors did. I simply refuse to remove the requirement that you sign the guest book on the way in signifying that you are coming here to become an American with a proud heritage that you are free to celebrate. There is no moral danger in desiring that entrance into another country requires compliance with their laws. To the contrary, encouraging through manipulative opinion pieces such as this in an attempt to shame people into support a fabricated a right to forgoe that responsibility is in fact the moral cess pool.
Open immigration would bring us more of those who would come to live off the welfare state and those whose criminal activities would be more lucrative here than those whose hard work and intelligence would contribute to our prosperity. The line is long because the first two must be weeded out and the latter welcomed.
The article says: "A hard-working entrepreneur born in a remote African village has far fewer opportunities to achieve his dreams than a lazy dimwit born in America."
I disagree and you can tell a real American didn't write the article. We need to pick and chose our immigrants and stop importing poverty and dangerous, disfunctional people into the U.S. and Canada. In that regard I'd tell the Arab and African countries to keep their own people...we don't want them. We need immigrants with skills, ambition and who respect the fact they are now Americans. Much like the immigrants that founded this country.
We need immigrants like we need a hole in the head. At a time of high unemployment that the know-nothings are calling for more immigrants is amazing.
Let's face it – the call for more immigrants comes from Democrats who see them as potential voters; and from big business who want cheap labor. Nobody else benefits.
Help America by ending ALL immigration and by imposing tariffs on imported goods.
America First!
I'll tell you like Ted Turner said 10 years ago...there's too many %^$ people!
This will probably go down as one of the most ill-researched, weakest prepared and factual-lacking article on the topic of immigration that i've ever seen...
All of you so called yourselves American talking nonsense the immigrants are right now working and getting ahead and you lazy people are jealous
I'm an American and I'm not jealous of you or any immigrant. But at this point, people need to stay in their own countries and work things out there. If there are too many people, then stop having babies. Technology makes us all connected together across the globe. There's no need for me to travel to Australia or South Africa for a job. Stay where you are...if the political climate is bad, then put your energy into changing it there. Adapt and don't push your problems onto another country. I know I won't.
All you so called americans who are complaining about immigrants, you should first realize that your ancestors were immigrants. The only people who really are non immigrants are the american indians. So, before you complain about immigrants you should clean your own house. Go back to where your ancestors came from.
Also, my mother came here as an immigrant in the late 1940's. I came here in the early 1950's. I have 3 children – two of which are super rich – because my husband and I worked hard and thought them the value of hard work. My other child is doing okay but not rich. She also works super hard but is not ambitious as my sons are. My children are providing jobs for other people. Immigrants are a breath of fresh air, most of the time they stimulate the economy. If my mother did not come here as an immigrant the people that my sons now employ would not be working. Stop worrying about immigrants and start working hard, stop complaining, and be positive and maybe your children will enlighten the world and be a positive influence to other people. Stop complaining about immigrants to hide your own failure.
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