A Voice For The Undocumented Immigrants

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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The Bus Stop Safety Dance

Okay, there's really not going to be any dancing, but I thought the title was catchy.
If you recall, in my post yesterday called Do The Shuffle, I was debating on whether or not I should let my kids ride the bus to school in the morning or continue to drive them (you'll have to read the blog to find out my reasoning). Well, I called the bus garage and found out that I wouldn't be giving up as much sleep, so we opted for the bus.
I get my kids up, get them dressed, and we make our way down to the stop. Now, I should interject here and explain the location and whatnot. I live off the main street in our town. It's an extremely busy street with 4 lanes of traffic, plus a turning lane. The bus stop is at the corner of my street and the main street. Thankfully, my kids don't have to cross the road, but still...it's really busy. The stop is in front of a business with rude employees (that's another post for another time..lol).
Anyways, I get my kids up, they get dressed, and we get down to the stop. The guy at the bus garage told me the bus runs at 7:20. Knowing what I know about buses, we got down there at 7:10. Good call on my part, because it ran about 7:15.

While the kids are getting on the bus, I saw 3 cars just go zooming past it in the left hand lane, completely ignoring the school bus stop sign. The bus driver honked his horn and appeared to get at least one plate number.
As a mother, this made me angry and a little curious, so I came home and took to the internet to find out some information to hand along to you guys.
According to PreventInjury.org, in 2001, an estimated 4,500 children were injured in a bus-related accident. In 2002, 26 children age 14 and under were killed. That's a ridiculous amount of children to me. And I know they were all related to traffic incidences...my own kids have gotten hurt on the bus, because...well, they're my kids and got my clumsy gene.
According to School Bus Information Clearinghouse, last year, 5 children were killed in 5 different states. Between 1900 and 2000, an average of 6 kids die each year in a school bus accident, which typically involves an unavoidable, severe circumstance. However, also last year, 26 children were killed getting on or off the bus OR while waiting for it. THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE!
People know that school is in session. They make a big to-do about it every year and remind drivers to drive safely. These are our children, after all. But in today's fast paced mindset, stopping simply isn't going to happen, because it's a gimme world out there and people are more concerned with their own lives and not paying attention to the lives of others.
These children are our future and as adults and parents, we need to ensure that our future is a bright one, full of hope and people who want to make a difference in this world. Teaching that starts at home, but is carried over in school, so let's make sure our kids arrive safe.
Because it's not just THEIR future and lives at stake. It ALL of ours.

~Sarah