Dream Act: Keep hope alive
The State of Maryland sits in the orbit of our nations’ capital, Washington DC. As a result, so much of what happens at the federal level in terms of business and thinking, reverberates out into our state as local news. Lucky for us in Baltimore, being just beyond the sphere of the District, we are more absorbed by what happens in Annapolis. Still, Annapolis may at times reflect the ripples of Congress in miniature.
Maryland’s Dream Act, which allows children of illegal immigrants to attend state colleges at ‘in state’ rates should they meet certain standards, was passed in legislative session in 2011. The Maryland law is similar to a bipartisan proposal first drafted in 2001 by Senators Orrin Hatch (R) and Dick Durbin (D). Since Governor O’Malley signed the legislation into law last year, groundswell against the act has led to Referendum Question 4 on November’s ballot. Question 4 will give Maryland voters the option to repeal or uphold the legislation.
Those who hold that the Dream Act must be repealed feel it will suborn legal immigrants and their right to due process of law. They also feel the Dream Act will foster greater illegal immigration into Maryland and cost the state more money and jobs. State delegates Neil Parrott and Pat Mc Donough, who have led the fight against the Dream Act from Annapolis, both feel it is ‘morally wrong’ to simply legitimize illegal immigrancy.
Illegal immigration exists in this nation for many reasons. The first reason is that someone will hire them. Whether in construction, domestic service or even the municipal sector, illegal aliens have been hired by legitimate U.S. employers for decades. As a result, illegal aliens have come to our shores and stayed. In effect, we legitimized illegal immigration long ago.
Why are illegal aliens hired yet the unemployment rate in good economic years remains at just over 5% for American workers?
Compensation and the bottom line.
Even a well established but illegal carpenter can command certain wages based on skill. Still, he or she cannot apply for workmen’s compensation or file against unfair labor practices without leaving himself exposed to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Employers know this and often don’t carry insurance for those illegal aliens, even for dangerous task work.
Many employers choose illegal labor over American workers because they know they can offer less money with no insurance and still fill the job slots. Employers who do so contravene taxation laws and provide no indemnity against injury for their illegally hired workforce. And who pays the resulting bills? The taxpayer and other businesses with their insurance premiums.
Employers who don’t hire illegals, even union shops, still have to bid against those businesses who hire illegals and can bid lower for jobs. Companies who abide the law must lower their wages and often employ fewer American workers to stay in business. The result has been a lowering of labor’s value, a rise in the cost of insurance and a stagnation if not a real depression of American wages in the past twenty five years.
Couple this practice with the continued outsourcing of American jobs, and we can see the devastating effects of both illegal hiring and outsourcing. For the American wage earner and the legal immigrant, it’s a one-two punch in the American Dream.
Many who are working to defeat the Dream Act feel the immigration issue will only go away when the illegals go home. They seem overly hung up on the idea that people are here illegally while forgetting why and how they manage to stay in the U. S.? The answer is that American companies are still breaking the law by employing illegals who have now formed into an integral part of our society. While the numbers of how many illegals pay local or federal tax is ever in dispute, these communities now play a large economic role with their purchase power for goods and services just like Americans.
If the purpose is to create a passage to citizenship for illegals, the idea that the Dream Act will cost Maryland more money than it’s defeat is where I differ with delegates Parrott and McDonough. The current problem for Maryland is the same as for the border state of Arizona or the low immigration state of Maine. We have a national problem.
President Obama has tightened security on our border with Mexico and illegal immigration has slowed to its lowest point in years. The President has focused the resources of ICE to go after those illegals who are inveterate lawbreakers. Still, there has been no update to federal policy regarding those who are illegally here yet live and work as upstanding Americans. As a result, illegal aliens and Americans are held in limbo by a Congress that has shown more signs of brinksmanship than workmanship.
The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 garnered amnesty for some 3 million illegal aliens living in the U.S. at the time. Though Congress also wished to enact certain sanctions against employers who continued to hire illegal aliens, no part of the final legislation offered more than toothless demands on employers that amounted to slaps on the wrist. In twenty five years since, no amendment has been enacted to counter the current practices of American employers who still choose illegal workers over Americans.
Delegates Parrott and McDonough are correct in asserting the Dream Act can eventually subvert due process for legal immigrants and their families. They are perhaps correct that many illegals will flock to Maryland as a result. As it stands, even if even 70% of Maryland’s illegal immigrants pay tax, another 30 percent of illegals still costs Marylanders money in education, health care and policing. Even so, repealing the Dream Act will not help Marylanders.
If delegates Parrott and McDonough are unaware, the only logical way out of the illegal immigration mess is to start over again. Grant a federal amnesty and allow perhaps millions to apply for citizenship as those who have done so through pre-existing legal means. Holding dear to the idea that illegal aliens broke the law first disregards those Americans who also broke the law and abetted the illegal aliens all along.
What has happened since 1986 is a continuous, vicious economic cycle that first and last benefits those American employers who break the law and hire illegal workers. Only federal legislation such as what was offered by Senators Hatch and Durbin can stem the tide of wage stagnating practices by employers that keep Americans underemployed and illegal aliens coming.
When state and federal GOP representatives come back from their abyss of selective logic and history, they will find it was their standard bearer, Ronald Reagan who helped pass the Immigration Reform Act of 1986. Once delegates such as Parrott and McDonough stop using petty nativist emotionalism to garner votes, they will realize it was Reagan who showed wise compassion in his belief in amnesty “for those who have put down roots and have lived here, even though some time back they may have entered illegally.”
Allowing the Dream Act to stand is a start to hitting the nations illegal immigrant issue head on. It‘s time to place illegal workers on the same footing as Americans, in the hope that Congress will create a pathway to citizenship. This way, employers will not have the option of suborning the rights hard won by American workers and taxpayers. It simply makes good economic sense.
Please ake our presidential poll on the right side of the homepage. You might be surprised who is winning.
Robert Emmet Mara has been in Baltimore since 2006. A native New Yorker, Robert came to Baltimore to do three things: work with kids, renovate houses and write a second book of fiction. Since his arrival, he has managed to do all three and more.
He has sought better oversight for his still blighted Harwood neighborhood from the city and has been asked to speak to various community association leaders on the subject of city agency relations.
“…the only logical way out of the illegal immigration mess is to start over again. Grant a federal amnesty….”
Is this ‘guy’ Freakin NUTS or just STUPID, or perhaps BOTH….!!!!—Just an FYI You LibTard NutCase….the 1986 amnesty was Only meant to amnesty 3 MILLION, BUT due to Fraud (committed by ILLEGALS) More than 3 times that amount were Given a FREE ride, But this Stupid NutCase Wants to give MORE than 12+ MILLION ILLEGALS a Free Pass to Rob this Country….NO Thanks, cuz YOU may have Cr*p fo Brains, But the rest of the Thinking Public Does NOT……nuff said!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It doesn’t
matter who takes the Commander in chief’s job, the ultimate public servants job
in the Oval Office, but under the Obama regime the absolute promise of blanket
immigration reform is sacrosanct. Should Mitt Romney take the Oval office, he
could still be intimidated by the greed leeches, the K Street lobbyists and the
elitists in his own party, to keep the illegal migrants and immigrants coming. The
open border zealots are in both political parties and only the TEA PARTY
proponents will stop them. The costs will just accelerate and all to be paid by
the public, while the instigators pay nothing.
California is
a Sanctuary State for illegal aliens, shielded by a Liberal Governor Jerry
Brown, and a near Socialist Sacramento assembly, that have an outrageous nerve
to ask for more money for education. The school system is drowned in illegal
alien children, which are forced on the taxpayers by the courts in
uncompensated financial requirements. A state measure 30, a so called temporary
tax to fund schools and 38 which is another measure for even extra funding for
schools to employ thousands of more teachers is a ridiculous burden. This is the never ending cycle when
California voters are being scammed to empty their pocket books. This is just another travesty of an educational
system broken, as more of the taxpayer’s money is just be absorbed to pay for
the overcrowded schools, but not just in California, but across the 50 states
to pay for the education of illegal alien children. Just go into the schools in
Los Angeles, and half the staff in the office is bilingual and the classrooms
are overloaded with kids who can hardly comprehend English. It surprised me
before I left California that the school my son was in, that an American flag
was even flying? States as California and many others have no real protection
against voter fraud, whether at the voting precinct or especially absentee
ballots. Other methods of election frauds is a legal voter, ushered from one
state to another; where they once resided. Assuredly, there will certainly be
irregularities in states with large illegal alien populations, but before or
after the election anybody being found to be a non citizen will be prosecuted,
in either party.
There are very serious allegations being
aired that the Democrats are committing Massive Voting Fraud in the crucial
Bell Weather State of Ohio. Reports are emanating from unnamed polling agents in this
important Swing State of Ohio, no American President has ever won without
taking this very noteworthy State, of doable colossal voting fraud being
perpetrated on the American people. The Dem-Liberals are bussing in scores of
Somalis who cannot speak a word of English, and who may very well all be
illegal immigrants, to the polling stations and aggressively advising them to
vote for the Democratic candidates in the State. These pointed practices are
illegal, and at the end of the day could be the deciding factor in who occupies
the White House on November 7th.
Californians
or come to that, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, New Mexico in the Southwest need more
tax money, but the issue is it just attracts illegal migrant and immigrant
females in smuggling a large majority of unborn babies across borders or on
international flights. The American federation of Immigration Reform (FAIR) in
a report estimates that over 400.000 babies are smuggled into America annually
through this method. All those children receive free delivery and as they are
credited with immediate citizenship, the parent or parents are able to settle
here for good. This is a carefully orchestrated situation that the politicians
say little about, as they have already been coerced by the migrant
organizations as the radical La Raza, Communist founded groups as the ACLU. The smuggling of the unborn is the
origination of the children of the Dream Act. Hundreds of billions of dollars
are needed every year, because the parents recognize the more children they
conceive, the more difficult it is to deport them. Then even should the parents
leave the child is still a holder of a U.S. passport and can return at a later
date.
At the age of 18 they can their sponsor the
parents, as then they are supposedly are able to financially support them. In most cases this is seldom happens in
perpetuity, for then the parents are then catered to by the U.S. government
after the sponsors no longer keeps them financially stable. Now enter–“THE
BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP ACT, which will eliminate these entries, so at least one
parent must have valid citizenship, for the child to gain citizenship. This
would be very financially beneficial to U.S. taxpayers that would halt this
activity, and would save over 100 billion dollars a year. This law will bring
to halt illegal aliens bringing their children here to take advantage of our
health services, educational system and many more free programs with cash
benefits. Our borders still remain wide open in many places, including Canada
for the illegal importation of drugs and people. For the record an estimate of
a million legal immigrants are admitted to this nation each year, but we should
recognize in this global market we should allow a steady stream of the
paramount top list of Scientists, Technology, Engineering and mathematicians
(STEM WORKERS) who would be highly beneficial to Americas future. What we don’t
need are more people with no qualification, no education and adding to our own
people who live in poverty.
Under another
Obama 4 year administration is a promise to the 20 million plus illegal aliens
a Path to Citizenship. So not only illegal aliens will be tempted to vote for
the man, but many will and Democrats will intentionally stay oblivious. The
cost according to the Heritage Foundation is well over TWO TRILLION DOLLARS to
complete the process, which includes Social Security, Supplementary Social
Security, retirement, pensions, health care, education and other different
financial programs; much of it paid for by taxpayers. At a working age,
American citizens begin paying for their retirement, having paid into these
systems, but illegal migrants and immigrants in the majority have not? In fact
they are even fraudulently using their children to collect 4.6 Billion dollars
in child credits, which this government and probably the previous ones don’t
think its worth prosecuting?
Adding
further to restrictions THE LEGAL WORKFORCE ACT (E-Verify) should also be
implemented, so businesses and the agricultural industry can no longer just
hire illegal workers without penal implications and harsh fines. As we need
temporary workers, then a fully regulated system should be installed as it was
with the 1940’s “Bracero” Program. This worked well, but greedy politicians in
collusion with the business community closed it down. Now we have a corrupt
system that has been highlighted by many companies being raided by ICE and the
owners punished. So getting back to the California state voting measures and
probably in other states, illegal immigration is a very expensive situation,
which needs a solution? But its not being continually taxed to pay for the
illegal entry of illegal aliens and their children. Honest immigrants wait
years to get an entry visa, while the other types get rewarded by Washington
and individual states with a cornucopia of free welfare programs. The Legal
Workforce bill could drive illegal aliens home, as if they cannot be hired,
then they will leave. Instead of listening to my personal suggestions, go to
TEA PARTY.ORG, NumbersUSA and JudicialWatch.org and you can judge the absolute
financial negative effects of illegal immigration. Remember–this November it’s illegal and a felony
for non citizens to vote, but then the Democrats have proven time and time
again they don’t care who votes. Illegal or not?
Regarding
third party candidates—the two party systems are in collusion to keep further
interference in their political games. That’s why the TEA PARTY (THE PEOPLES
PARTY) the moderate Conservatives have had to slip through the obstacles, by
infiltrating the Republican Party to claim a place in Congress.
Immigrants are required to carry proof of legal status. Violation of that statute is a federal crime.
How can anyone be ‘undocumented’ and not be a criminal? Criminal activity is ILLEGAL.
The problem goes away when the laws are enforced. You seem not to understand that point. This country is at the cross roads because we have 23 million out of work or needing more hours; we allow in 2 million legal immigrants per year, add in babies of illegals amounting to 300000 to 700000, 7 to 8 million jobs done by illegals, 16 trillion dollar national debt and the people who are at the bottom of the food chain are the ones most effected by legal and illegal immigration. These people are our own citizens and or new immigrants.
Vote No on question 4. We dont need to help illegals when we dont have the money or time to help our own. This is year 6 of this recession and many people still dont see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Tell your federal and state lawmakers; we do not want any amnesty or help going to illegals, mandate e verify on the national level; change the 14th so we dont give automatic citizenship to babies of illegals, enforce existing laws, and invalidate DACA.