I was gratified to hear gubernatorial candidate Fred Smith recently declare that illegal immigration is “the number one issue in this governor’s race.” Gratified … because illegal immigration is an extremely important issue that affects every other policy area — education, healthcare, even transportation and the environment. That being said, I don’t think Smith or anyone else can run a campaign on immigration alone. Especially with the economy stalling, jobs and economic issues are going to become more important to voters. As this happens, support for controlling illegal immigration may slip.
Here at Civitas we have been polling on immigration since our inception. We have questions on in-state tuition for illegals (70 percent oppose (April 2007)); benefits for illegals (72 percent want to eliminate (January 2007)); and the 287(g) program (87 percent support) that permits local police officers to work with federal officials to deport criminal illegal aliens.
Over the past two years, we have seen illegal immigration become one of the top issues of concern to voters. In September 2005, when we asked what issues need the most attention from state government, respondents said: lower healthcare costs, improve public education, and create jobs, with control immigration in the 5th spot out of 7 categories. A year later, immigration was tied for first with improve public education. Two years later, immigration was holding steady, tied for second with healthcare. This past February, though, this trend changed. In our latest DecisionMaker Poll, immigration slipped to 4th place, just behind create jobs.
So, will we see support for controlling immigration begin to slip as the economy slows? Some folks — both Republicans and Democrats alike who don’t really mind illegal immigration — would like to think so. I don’t share this opinion, though.
The reality is that illegal immigration is bad for our economy. It costs native workers and recent legal immigrants jobs. It depresses wages for low-skilled legal workers and minorities. It also reduces long-term productivity. Indeed, according to the Center for Labor Market Studies, during the last recession (2000-2004) 100 percent of all net new jobs went to immigrants. During the same period, native workers lost jobs.
Voters (and candidates) concerned about the economy need also to be concerned about immigration. Again, this is not to say that most candidates can win on immigration alone (McCain, at least, has managed not to lose the nomination in spite of his support for an amnesty). But if voters can be made to understand that illegal immigration means fewer jobs and economic opportunities for legal workers, then immigration can certainly be brought to bear upon what is shaping up to be the top campaign issue (along with healthcare) for 2008.
OBAMA = “OPEN BORDER” AMNESTY FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS
As citizens of North Carolina, we have a right to expect the federal government to enforce the laws regarding who may cross our borders. Border protection is for our security, to protect us against terrorism and to prevent illegal immigration. Border protection is also about national sovereignty; preserve our language, culture and way of life for future generations. The federal government’s disgraceful failure to do so has led to the immigration crisis we face.
The failure of the federal government has forced the citizens of North Carolina to pay for the welfare, housing, medical and school costs for a growing underclass of citizens who are unable to legally work. Our social safety nets and our quality of life are strained.
? There are over 300,000 illegal Hispanic immigrants living in North Carolina. That is 4% of the population of our state. We are now the eighth largest home for illegal Hispanic immigrants in the nation!
? The number of illegal Hispanic immigrants in North Carolina is expected to double – to 600,000 – by 2010, as a new wave of 17 million illegal Hispanic immigrants cross our borders.
Yet Senator Obama’s Positions Have Been For “Amnesty”
Floor Statement of Senator Barack Obama on Immigration Reform, 04/03/06:
“We must allow undocumented immigrants to come out of the shadows and step on a path toward full participation in our society. In fact, I will not support any bill that does not provide this earned path to citizenship for the undocumented population.”
Senator Obama’s record:
1.When CNN asked Obama about immigration while he was in Texas on February 23rd:
•Not once did Obama mention the fact that illegal immigrants had broken the law;
•Not once did he say there was a national security component to the issue.
•Not once did he mention border fences, enforcing current immigration laws, or even tightening restrictions on visas.
•The closest he came to addressing these concerns of more moderate and conservative voters was saying “we could be a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants at the same time.”
2. The USBC (United States Border Control, a watchdog group) rated the candidates based on their votes cast during their most recent term in either the US House or US Senate. Senator Barack Obama scored a (D); the only person to score lower was Governor Bill Richardson (F-).
Next, Bill Richardson’s record (we’ll let you know why it’s important)
1. Voted Against The SECURE FENCE ACT OF 2006
2. Signed Into Law Driver Licenses For Illegal Immigrants
3 .”AMNESTY-CENTRIC:”
?10/25/07: “We need comprehensive immigration reform in this country — one that includes a path to legalization,” Richardson said.
? “I don’t use that word (amnesty)– no, no, no,’ he said. Adam Nagourney claims that Bill Richardson sounds like a Republican because he doesn’t use the word to describe his plan for letting illegals become citizens.
?In late 2003, when he showed up at a rally for the “Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride” and told them, “¡Viva la raza! . . . Thank you for coming to Santa Fe. Know that New Mexico is your home. We will protect you. You have rights here.”
?Bill Richardson said construction of a fence along the Mexican border to block illegal immigration was “a terrible example of Washington’s misguided policy, that it “gets in the way” of U.S. relations with Mexico.
?In a speech at Georgetown University in December 2006, Richardson criticized criticized proposals by House Republicans for that called for deportation of illegal immigrants.
Why is Bill Richardson’s career relevant? Because is the current top contender to serve as Obama’s Vice President: Governor Richardson recently shocked the country by abandoning his long, successful relationship with the Clintons to endorse Obama. How did he pull off this coup? By offering Richards the one job he wanted: Vice President.
• Richardson brings geographic strength: New Mexico, although small, has been important in the last two presidential election cycles. A southwest governor challenges John McCain in his own backyard. Richardson helps Obama compete in Nevada and Colorado.
• Richardson also brings the experience to the ticket that Obama lacks. He has administrative experience as a two-term governor. He has foreign policy experience as UN Ambassador and earlier positions. His experience as Secretary of Energy will allow him to speak with authority about our energy problems including soaring gas prices. Very few Democrats have the resume of Bill Richardson, which even includes 14 years in Congress. He adds gravitas to the ticket. Read his impressive biography.
• But even more importantly, Bill Richardson brings a demographic that suffers Obama. Nobody wants to talk about it, but Hispanic voters are leery of Barack Obama. That is a phenomenon that is perhaps substantially about race, although Obama’s willingness to cozy up with South American dictators while slamming NAFTA plays some role as well. For whatever reason, Hispanics are not voting for Obama and he needs a much stronger showing among this important demographic group to have any chance of winning in November. Bill Richardson brings the Hispanic voters to Obama.
Rarely can a one man bring so much to a ticket. But what will an Obama/Richardson ticket bring to North Carolina?
OBAMA + RICHARDSON = “AMNESTY”
NC’s Schools & Quality of Life = Home for Millions New Hispanics
Stop and really think of what an Obama Presidency will mean for the North Carolina quality of life we want to preserve.
MWILLIAMSNCS@YAHOO.COM
Is it really true that Illegal Immigration is bad for the Economy??
I doubt it. When you realize that most jobs that Immigrant workers occupied when they come to this country are basically the sames ones that most American people reject for reasons I still can’t comprehend like pay being too low, the job is too dirty, their Criminal History, or simply laziness.
The Media and all the people who are against Immigrants have created a myth about what is really true about Illegal Immigration. Not once have they stopped and think about the benefits these people bring to this Great Nation.
Benefits like paying their taxes and thus helping the economy. Most of us think that Illegal Immigrants don’t pay taxes and they take advantage of this country. That’s a lie. All of them pay taxes. They pay taxes when they shop, when they purchase cars, when they purchase new homes, when they work, etc.
One thing that we don’t realize is that everytime an Illegal Immigrant works he/she gets deductions from SS, FICA, State Taxes, FICA MED, and all of those “wonderful” deductions all of us have when we work but they don’t have the right to claim the benefits of any of them like we do.
For example when a U.S. Citizen retires he/she gets access to the benefits from Social Security.
An Illegal Immigrant doesn’t have the right to do that because they have to have a valid SS# in order for them to do so but they get deducted from their employers those fees every week they get paid no matter what just like any american citizen.
Another thing that helps the economy is the fact that most Illegal Immigrants who work and pay taxes every time they work don’t claim their taxes at the end of every year like most americans do which means that the government keeps all that money.
Do they break the law when they cross the border and should pay a fine for it, oh yeah!! but people shouldn’t treat them like criminals. I understand that there’s people who come to this country illegally and their only purpose is to commit crimes and other stupid stuff but not all of them come with those intentions and we know it.
And lastly, let us remember that this Awesome Country was founded by people who had a dream but were illegal immigrants at some point, too.
Thanks, Pedro, for your comments. It is true that many illegal aliens pay taxes, but the average immigrant household pays less in taxes — by $10,000 — than in services it uses. See this study by Heritage for more information: http://www.heritage.org/Research/Immigration/SR14es.cfm
This is not to say that immigrants are taking advantage of the welfare system more than anyone else (people are people). But because most immigrants are low-skilled and uneducated, they, like other low-skilled, uneducated folks, use more in welfare services.
As for your comment that America was founded by illegal immigrants, that is absolutely false. The Pilgrims, for instance, received permission from the London Company before settling in territory owned by the company. Subsequently, the colonists received a royal charter. Here we hit upon the essential problem with illegal immigration — the fact that it is illegal and undermines the rule of law.