Don't Allow Us To Be Overrun By People Who Do Not Belong Here - And Response (7)

  • Friday, November 21, 2014
Thank you, Senator Corker, for your clear, concise evaluation of the president's attempt to bypass Congress and personally and independently establish national policy that violates our current immigration laws.
 
Our long-standing failure to enforce our laws to control illegal immigration across our southern border has made this country less safe and has become a financial drain on the taxpayers as well as the states as a result of the president's interferences.  As I recall, your efforts last year in coordination with members of the House to pass a bill out of the Senate that would secure the border had near unanimous support.  I would hope that good work could be lifted and elevated singularly to emergency status since it is urgently needed as part of our national defense.
 
Until the free flow of the myriad of people across our border is brought under control, this country and its citizens are not safe.  Finding and processing those illegal immigrants already in our country will be a time-consuming exercise.  Our national defense and security of our citizens cannot wait any longer if we dare to hope for perpetuation of our republic and our freedom, a future to ourselves with a country, a Constitution, and laws that are enforced and apply to everyone equally.  Otherwise, why do we work all our adult lives and pay taxes to a government that fails to protect us from an uncertain future by allowing us to be overrun by people who do not belong here.  It is time for Congress to take action.  I support every option being discussed.
 
Charlotte Parton
Chattanooga 

 

* * * 

To Ms. Parton's comment that "they" don't belong here I want to suggest strong dismissal of such language from another person about any group of people that want to be in the United States.

Let me give Ms. Parton a brief history lesson.  I want to share one story repeated all over this country and that has to do with cheap labor.  I am familiar with the Central Valley of California.   Once just a desert, now an abundant source of so many of our food choices.  Those vast farms required workers and thus workers, willing workers, came to America for jobs.  Ditto for the household staff, for the hotel industry, for the Las Vegas economy.  

Anything was better then what was available in Mexico.  If you have ever been to Nogales or Tijuana one can get a sense of real poverty.  Wages paid in the country by the farmers were low, very low.  The farmer, hotel owner and etc. made money.  They expanded and brother Carlos, still in Mexico, come to his brother's work and more and more come.   Is there fault to go around?

To sum up the problem which has existed since the 1940's, Mexicans came because there was work and the exploitation of these workers is well known accepting low wages.  

One wants to blame the Mexican worker for coming to this country.  Let us blame the Polish, Italians, Greeks, Germans and etc. that wanted to come to this country.  They all spoke no English but learned. Mexicans come not knowing English but learn.  If blame is to be assigned blame the farmer, rich home owner, resort owner for exploiting this population.  

If I were in need of a job and knew of one just across the border that would help my family I would cross the border and work in this country.  Let us stop demonizing an entire group of people.  They have been exploited for nearly 80 years.  Our society has kept the Mexican and South American worker hidden because if organized they could gain status.  Let's just keep them a secret and exploit them.

Robert Brooks 

* * * 

I would like to understand what illegal immigrants have to do with the safety of Americans.  I see more crimes committed by American citizens then those committed by immigrants.  Most of the people coming here are looking for a better life and not coming to hurt anyone else.  They do not go into "good neighborhoods," breaking into houses, nor do they go around killing anyone.  

America is supposed to be the land of opportunity and freedom.  You do not understand what other people have to go through in other countries and they are only looking for a better way of life. Without the immigrant many of the things you enjoy would either not be available or it would cost an arm and leg.  

And to the statement of people that don't belong here, please check your family history to see where you started.  Unless you are a Native American, we all were immigrants at some point. 

Lynesha Lake  
Chattanooga 

* * * 

As a former Tennessee sheriff who has directly dealt with illegal immigration issues at the local level, I believe the president's recent immigration action is step in the right direction.

Illegal immigration is a complex issue, decades in the making, with no easy or inexpensive solutions. Congress has had plenty of time to address it, but has not.  So the president acted.

We are a nation of immigrants. It's important that we not forget that.

We are also a nation of laws and it's important that we not forget that.

This action by the president,  while not perfect or permanent, strikes the right balance. It takes into account past and current realities in border status along with the "human element" of keeping children and families together. It recognizes the desire of our fellow human beings to seek opportunity and freedom in this great nation.

Hopefully, Congress and the president can now work to implement a more permanent national immigration policy that will reasonably secure our borders from undetected illegal immigration and especially the entrance of criminals and terrorists. Hopefully, this plan can and will always allow a good number of law-abiding immigrants from all nations to come to our country legally without too cumbersome of an immigration process.  Legal immigration has always been good for our nation.

I think we should all recognize at this point any workable, permanent solution to our current illegal immigration issues will have to include a reasonable, earned path to citizenship or legal status for those illegal aliens who are already here and have been for some time, excluding terrorist or criminals.

Mass round ups and deportations of millions of fellow human beings, while splitting up families and children, is not feasible, affordable or advisable.

Tim Gobble 

* * * 

Mr. Brooks, 

The law currently says they do not belong here. What is so bad about saying illegal immigrants do not belong here? 

Mike Lynn 

* * * 

How can everyone miss the most important factor?  Secure the border. Don't let anyone else in illegally.  Then we can decide how to deal with everyone already here.  

Trying to deal with millions of people here illegally while more pour in by the day is as futile as trying to catch a rainbow with a butterfly net. Symbolism over substance - the stuff our country has been made out of for over 20 years now. As long as we talk about solutions, it doesn't matter if we find them or not. 

Lee Crews
Hixson 

* * *

Mr. Brooks,

I point you to the unabridged dictionary and the Tennessee Code Annotated to discover the definition of illegal. 

If I break the law, I guarantee I would  be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. 

Prosecution of the law should not be at the sole discretion of one person. That is the beginning of tyranny. 

If that's the kind of nation you want then you would have loved Nero. 

Ralph Miller 

* * * 

Gary B. Smith of the business show, Bulls and Bears, says in the last 14 years the U.S. has added about 6 million jobs. Of that number, between 5.7 and 5.8 million have gone to immigrants – both legal and illegal. 

William A. Pauwels, Sr.       

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