the immigration issue

That immigration is an important “issue” for the 2008 elections shows how absurd the USA is. With the exception of the very few remaining American Indians, every single person in this country is an immigrant or descendant of immigrants (many of which are only 3rd or 4th generation). We’ve been getting along OK with the current immigration policy and if it needs to change at all, it’s to be less restrictive (though I understand that letting all immigrants in might be impractical at this point), but many people seem to be upset that it’s not restrictive enough. They are ignorant and fearful.

I’ve heard concerns that illegal immigrants taking away jobs from “citizens” (i.e, legal immigrants and their descendants), but if you think that, you’re not paying attention – NAFTA and CAFTA and other “free trade” (or “globalization”) agreements are taking away “our” jobs (and so is our high cost of living and wages, which are comparatively high to certain other countries). Illegal immigrants are, for the most part, taking jobs “under the table” that don’t pay well and are difficult and dirty or dangerous enough that most people don’t want to do them (i.e., picking fruit or meatpacking). If anything, the jobs problem is primarily that the illegal immigrants have few rights compared to citizens and that employers take advantage of them. Richard Linklater’s “Fast Food Nation” (movie) gives a sense of what’s really going on for the illegal immigrants.

Another concern I’ve heard is that illegal aliens are taking advantage of social services that “we” (again, legal immigrants and their descendants) are paying for. That is so unfair! (crybaby) And it isn’t even much. Let’s do some math:

• Say 5% of this country comprises illegal immigrants. Let’s say they get full use of social services like roads, education and libraries (even though they may not always). Let’s not be idiots who claim they all get welfare.
• Say 14% of the total budget goes to services they can potentially use (that is 4% education + 3% medical research + 2% transportation infrastructure + 5% other, from this site: Where do our tax dollars go? 2007)
• Say 30% of your income goes to taxes (although if you’re married with only one partner working, or have kids, or your income is low, it is less than that)
• Now, say your income is $40,000 per year. Of that, 30% income tax is $12,000. Of that amount in taxes, 14% goes to social programs that illegal immigrants take advantage of, for a total of $1,680. Before you get up in arms, remember that illegal immigrants make up only 5% of the population, so they’re potentially taking advantage of $84 per year. Which is 7$ a month, or 3 cups of coffee or 1.25 packs of cigarettes. Said another way, this is 0.21% of your income.Note: “per-use” type taxes (sales tax and tolls) are a wash because everyone has to pay them (illegal or not).

An even more laughable argument is that the immigrants are causing erosion of our “national identity” – when our identity is made up of a bunch of immigrants! (American Indians hardly factor into this, since they’re such a small part of the populations) and of course descendants of slaves. I think it’s just about fear and possessiveness (i.e., territorialism – it’s “mine”) – this is the same mindset that causes people to think they “own” a particular street parking space. If people could just stop being so self-absorbed and have enough compassion to share (with or without minor inconvenience), there would be a lot less to get bent out of shape about.

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