Understanding "Comprehensive" immigration reform for dummies.
The fate of America if Democrats prevail in the mid-term elections of November 7, 2006.
If the Democrats take both houses of congress in this (2006) midterm election, they will most certainly legislate a so called "comprehensive" immigration plan similar to what the Senate recently tried to pass which would have awarded 12 million illegal aliens presently in the U.S. giving them a path to citizenship and a guest worker program which would be the precursor to 100 million new legal immigrants over the next twenty years -- and President Bush will sign it.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT LEGALIZATION

Q. Those who advocate for "comprehensive" immigration reform claim that their legalization plan is not an amnesty. Is that true?
A. They say that the legalization of 12 million illegals is not an amnesty because the illegals would have to pay a fine and go to the back of the line before they would be eligible for citizenship. LINE, WHAT LINE?

If illegals really went to the back of the line, they would have to return to their native country and get in the back of the line of those who have legally applied to immigrate to the U.S who have already been waiting years for visas. Conversely, I'm sure that all those waiting for visas in their own countries would be glad to pay a fine to get in the back of the line with the illegals in the U.S. In essence, the "legalization" is no different than the 1986 amnesty. Contrary to what President Bush would like us to believe, when the 1986 amnesty was passed, there was NO automatic citizenship. Even legal immigrants must wait five years before being eligible to apply for citizenship -- and many of those amnestied in 1986 never became U.S. citizens.

When the government waives the usual punishment and allows someone to keep what it is he cheated for and broke the law to obtain that is most certainly an amnesty!

Q. Will the "Comprehensive" immigration reform plan stop illegal immigration?
A. No, the same thing will happen as happened after the 1986 Amnesty -- no provision for any workplace enforcement will be the magnet for illegal immigration. When third world foreigners learn that it's still legal to be illegal, they will rush to the U.S. and wait for the next amnesty. The 100 million immigrants predicted in the next few decades by the Heritage Foundation counts only legal immigrants. Illegal immigration could add another 100 million hopeful illegal immigrants.

Q. President Bush says that this time, employer sanctions will be enforced. Won't that be a deterrent to more illegal immigration?
A. If you believe that "this time" employer sanctions will be enforced, then I have some property in New Orleans I want to sell you.

Q. The advocates for the "Comprehensive" immigration reform program say that a guest worker program will draw illegals out of the so called shadows who will turn themselves in so that the government will know who they are. Is this true?
A. From the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) page: "...the law requires presently that legal resident Green Card holders report any change of address within 10 days of their address change." This law is not enforced! Green card holders almost never report that they have moved. If presently, legal resident Green Card holders don't bother to report their change of address, does anyone believe that if the "Comprehensive" immigration reform plan is enacted that all aliens -- legal or illegal living in the "shadows" -- will come forward to register with the government? And with 100 million new immigrants in the next 20 years, does anyone believe that the ICE will seek out those aliens who fail to report their whereabouts? The U.S. would become a free-for-all for all aliens -- legal or not. Moreover, does anyone believe that dangerous people like Mohammed Atta and MS-13 gang members are going to come forward "out or the shadows?"

Q. But if most illegals would register with the government so that the government knows who they are, wouldn't it be easier to identify those who didn't register.
A.  No. Advocates of "Comprehensive" immigration reform would have you believe that anyone who didn't register with the government would stand out from those who did as if they wore an armband saying "I'm not registered." Since there is no guarantee with the "Comprehensive" immigration reform plan that the border would be secured, coupled with no enforcement of the law against millions of illlegals who make it into the U.S., Middle Eastern terrorists could easily jump the border and melt into urban areas simply by disguising themselves as Hispanic illegal aliens. Moreover, if ICE can't find thousands of known illegal alien absconders now, how will they keep track of millions more later.

Q. Immigrant activists say that ICE should better use their time in apprehending terrorists instead of going after migrants who just come for work. What's wrong with that?
A. The activists who normally scream bloody murder at profiling, now want it. The implication is that we should control the border by the use of profiling to single out Middle Easterners from "Hispanic job seekers." Moreover, to suggest that no Hispanics are Terrorists is the height of naivety.

Q. Do illegal aliens really live in the shadows?
A. No. They work; they drive cars with or without licenses; they collect welfare; they hold office and vote in local elections; they testify in state capitals; they hold public demonstrations; and now with some help from politicians like L.A.'s city council and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa; they are demanding that not even illegal alien CRIMINALS be deported.

Q. If illegal aliens become legal requiring employers to pay them living wages and provide health insurance, wouldn't that be better for Americans because the new immigrants would no longer be undercutting compensations that Americans expect?
A. No, because employers would still hire newly arrived illegal aliens who will work for less without benefits.

Q. Doesn't America need new workers who will pay into Social Security to provide benefits to older retired Americans?
A. No. Immigrating to America is most appealing to the poorest uneducated persons from third world countries who require more costly social services for themselves and their elderly retired relatives who will join them than they will pay in taxes -- even more costly if they work off the books. According to the Social Security Agency, at the present rate benefits for retirees by the year 2040 will be reduced by 26 percent and would continue to be reduced every year thereafter. The 100 million to 200 million increase in America's population in the next 20 years due to any "Comprehensive" immigration program will bankrupt Social Security by 2040.

Q. Won't massive immigration be bad for the environment?
A. Yes. immigrants come for a better life. A better life translates into SUVs, air conditioners, washing machines, etc. Energy consumption and air pollutants will multiply in proportion to population growth.

Q. America is a big country -- isn't there plenty of vacant land for millions of new immigrants?
A. No. The open spaces without infrastructure one sees from an airplane are not where immigrants and their families choose to settle. They settle in the already overcrowded urban areas of the country just like immigrants always have. But space is just a small issue compared to the future destruction of America's quality of life.

Q. Shouldn't America have compassion for third world poor people to get out of their poverty by allowing them to immigrate to the U.S.?
A. Allowing millions of guest worker into the U.S. on top of the 12 million illegal aliens who are already here, is virtually the same as importing poverty.

Humans, just like animals, have two basic defense systems -- fight or flight. When the choices are to fight your own corrupted government for your rights and a better life or accept America's virtual invitation to migrate illegally without any punitive consequences, the choice is obvious.

There are billions of people in the world more impoverished than those in Mexico and Latin America who would like to come to America. The only way America can help the world's impoverished by not destroying itself, is to help those impoverished in their own countries -- but America must fix itself first. To watch a NumbersUSA sobering video on the subject, click here.

Q. There are other issues facing Americans besides illegal immigration like Sprawl, Traffic congestion, overcrowded schools, health care, pollution, crime, society's poor (not to mention the Iraq war) -- why worry just about legalizing illegal aliens and having a guest worker program?
A. Worrying about all the ills of America apart from illegal immigration is like worrying about how healthy the diet of a patient with terminal cancer is.  You have to fix the cancer first and then worry about the diet.

Q. What will be the consequences of "Comprehensive" immigration reform legislation?
A. The short answer is "National Suicide."
The long answer is:
Sprawl: If you think America's urban areas are crowded now, you ain't seen nothin' yet.
Traffic: If you think America's traffic congestion is bad now, you ain't seen nothin' yet.
Schools: Based on California's own school growth statistics from 1993 to 2003, on the average, one school is built every 2.5 days (see California Stats, page 109). A mad scramble to build schools isn't caused by the baby boomers -- it's due to illegal immigration.
Health: If you think 40 hospitals closing in the last five years in California alone is bad, you ain't seen nothin' yet.
Pollution: If you think America's Pollution is bad now, you ain't seen nothin' yet.
Crime: If you think America's urban crime is bad now, you ain't seen nothin' yet.
Society: The middle class will diminish -- There will only be the rich, the poor, and some middle class survivors.

Q. Immigrants including illegal aliens built this country. Precluding the negatives of immigration, isn't overall immigration good for America?
A. Australia was build by exiled felons. Does that mean that modern day Australia should welcome felons.

When America was growing and spreading to the western frontiers in the 19th century and an explosive industrial revolution took place in the early 20th century demanded workers, there was a need to populate the country. The population boom has been met as announced by the U.S. Census bureau -- 300 million and growing -- more population growth is no longer good for America. Traditional pre-1965 legal immigration is good for America. But massive immigration such as that which was recently proposed by the Senate is nothing short of National Suicide.

Q. Aren't illegal alien workers taking jobs that Americans don't want?
A. No. Americans do want those jobs, but for fair compensation. Almost everyone understands the law of supply and demand. In economics, worker shortages are always indicated by a rise in wages. There is no evidence that wages have been rising. As long as there is an unlimited supply of cheap illegal alien labor, wages will not rise. In fact they will fall.

Q. If "comprehensive" immigration reform is enacted, will that increase the danger of homeland security?
A. Yes.

It has been said, " Those who ignore the lessons of history are bound to repeat them."  Another famous quote says,  "History repeats itself." In politics, voters often have short memories. Whether we observe bad things happening to other nations or experience such ourselves we seldom learn the needed lessons. As time passes, all is forgotten and the same mistakes are repeated -- over and over again.

Bill Keller, editor of The New York Times, concluded that the only reason for thinking a nuclear attack won't happen is because "it hasn't happened yet," adding that such reasoning represents "terrible logic." And so, the message has been delivered but few are listening, and the threat is real.

If anyone of you believes that the feds will be able to do thorough background checks on the millions of migrants who will, under the "comprehensive" immigration reform program, legally enter the the U.S., then I want to sell you the Brooklyn bridge. Moreover, given that the ICE doesn't know how many aliens are running loose in the U.S. now, don't expect a miracle database to be able to keep track of the future millions.

Keep this in mind: Anyone smart enough to learn how to fly an airliner into a high rise building, is certainly smart enough to take advantage of "comprehensive" immigration chaos to enter the U.S. disguised as an Hispanic illegal alien just looking for a job -- and strong evidence indicates that that has already happened.

Q. Is there hope?
A. Yes. After the next 9/11. Then even both houses and the president may come to their senses.



October 1, 2006
By Hal Netkin