Undocumented immigrants are NOT taking your jobs. The jobs weren't yours to begin with. If you really wanted that job, it wouldn't be available for them to take.
This is one of the most common arguments for the racists to make on why we should "send them back". The reality is that Americans are greedy. I'm just as guilty. I don't want to work a low paying job. I don't want to work a laborious job. I want to get paid the most money for doing minimal work.
Undocumented immigrants are coming this country to better their lives and/or the lives of their families. They will not only GLADLY work that low paying job, they will work their asses off and do it with a smile. They are happy to be living their version of the American dream.
Undocumented immigrants are NOT taking your benefits. First of all, if you are against undocumented immigrants, chances are you are a Republican. You're against socialism. Benefits are a form of socialism. Secondly, you have to be a lawfully present citizen to get any kind of benefits. Do they find ways around it? Absolutely. But so does Tammy Trailerpark when she tells the government that she is a single mom and doesn't know where her kids' dad is to get maximum benefits. Guess what...we all know he is sitting on the couch next to you. An undocumented immigrant may get fake documents but honestly, it isn't likely. Do they have babies who are eligible for benefits? Yes they do. Which brings me to my final point...chances are, they aren't going to apply because they are scared of being deported. Why risk it?
Undocumented immigrants are NOT coming here to sell drugs, rape or murder. Are some of them? Yes. But there are some Americans that do this. It has absolutely nothing to do with your race or ethnicity and EVERYTHING to do with the individual.
Under the current "president", we are becoming a country divided. Racism used to be a secret...no one wanted to admit it. Now, racists are out, loud and proud. They don't hide it. They have a very vocal mouthpiece in the most powerful position in the country. They feel safe, protected in their hate. So they are coming out in droves.
AND THEY ARE BRINGING GUNS!
The El Paso shooter published a manifesto (1) basically reiterating the venomous rhetoric Trump spits out on a daily basis. He basically SANCTIONED the tragedy in Texas. Trump doesn't seem to care that his words have power. People are listening and they are taking him VERY seriously.
DANGEROUSLY seriously.
Undocumented immigrants DO actually contribute to society. They pay sales tax. They pay property tax. They pay vehicle tax. In fact, undocumented immigrants pay an estimated $12 million in taxes (2) every years. They want to fly as far under the radar as they can.
In the fiscal 2016 year, ICE spent $3.2 billion to identify, arrest, detain and remove undocumented immigrants (3). $3.2 BILLION. That was at the taxpayers expense. It averages about $10,854 per deportation, which breaks down to around 294,822 people.
On the flip side, it costs about $725 per person to APPLY to be come a citizen
(4). APPLY, not be approved. Based on the information above, in 2016, it would have cost taxpayers about $213,745,950 to take those they were deporting and make them citizens. That would have saved taxpayers $2.9 BILLION.
Am I saying grant citizenship to every single undocumented immigrant? Absolutely NOT. Take the hardened criminals, the murders, the rapists, the drug dealers...lock them up. Send THEM back. But the law abiding family man busting his ass to provide for his family? Let him stay! I'd rather HE be here than ANY murderer, rapist or drug dealer; race and ethnicity be damned.
Bottom line, anti-immigration is basically legalized racism. The person screaming "send them back" is only doing it because he doesn't like the color of the other person's skin. YOU CANNOT CHANGE MY MIND ON THIS! You don't care that we are spending money on them...it costs more to deport them than to make them legal citizens. Stop hiding your hate under a veil of patriotism.
At least own it if you won't change it.
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This was spot on. Something dangerous is happening in this country and lives are in real danger. If we have another 4 years of this I only pray we, as a country can survive it.
ReplyDeleteIt is a scary climate right now, for sure. I’m not sure what is waiting on the other side of the hell we are in but it HAS to be better than this.
DeleteI love that you put quotes around "president" like I do.
ReplyDeleteI am terrified that all of the damage being done can never be undone. The reputation of Germany is forever linked to and stained by the despicable atrocities perpetrated by their citizens under Hitler and the reputation of the USA will be forever linked to and stained by the atrocities perpetrated by our citizens under trump. I'm not sure how to live with that. But then at the rate his administration is destroying the planet, I may not need to have to.