So, as usual, I am wondering, how inadequate is our immigration system? I find this very interesting summary, it clarifies, fairly succinctly, how incredibly broken our system is in America, especially for unskilled workers. I won’t spoil the ending, but remember this number, 147, it will astound you when you realize what it represents.
But even if Congress were willing to expend the necessary funds to upgrade systems and supply the manpower needed to expedite the millions of applications already in the queue and awaiting processing, the major flaws in immigration policy would still exist.
Flaws codified into law that almost ensure that for the vast majority of would-be immigrants there is simply no legal path to take.
Here is where that number – 147 – comes into play, and why I asked that it be kept in the back of the mind.
I few weeks ago the annual Yearbook of immigration statistics from the Department of Homeland security came out listing every green card, work visa, tourist visa etc. issued for the past year. It’s about as dry and boring a report as one could managed to muddle through …but it supplies invaluable insight into what is really going on with the dysfunctional immigration system.
In 2006 the government issued a little over 1.2 million green cards to new immigrants to live in the US legally. Additionally, 1.7 million more non-immigrant visas were issued to temporary workers and their family members to work in the US (1/2 million more than the number of green cards issued to new permanent residents, a troubling statistic unto itself).
So at face value it appears that there is amble opportunity for those wishing to enter the country permanently to do so legally. But as Mark Twain said there are three kinds of lies “lies, damn lies, and statistics” ..and in this case one must delve into the numbers to see what story they really tell.
Of the 1.2 million green cards issued last year, 581,106 of those went to wives, children and parents of current US citizens. And additional 222,225 went to various other family members of citizens and legal residents, for a total of 2/3 of all green cards going to someone who already had a US citizen or resident relative.
The next largest category of immigrants after the “family based” status were those who entered as “employment based immigrants”. 159,081 immigrants were awarded green cards last year to legally work in the US. ( 12.6% of all immigrants). The vast majority of them being immigrants with high skills, “specialty skills” “extraordinary skills” or “advanced degrees”.
This is codified into the system.
The yearly cap on unskilled workers is placed at a 5000 maximum. This despite the fact that according to the Dept. of Labor, the US economy produces between 400,000 and 500,000 new low-skilled jobs a year and the vast majority of the nearly ½ mil unauthorized workers who enter the country each year find work in these unskilled sectors.
But as unrealistic as the 5000 cap appears, the situation is actually far worse.
Last year the total number of unskilled workers allowed into the US legally was roughly half the official cap: 2513. Out of nearly 3 million people allowed to enter the country either as temporary workers or stay as legal residents, only 2513 were unskilled workers.
But here comes that number I asked you to keep in the back of your mind ….remember it 147?…
Of the 2513 unskilled workers allotted green cards last year, 2366 were already here living and working in the US. They simply “readjusted” their status to permanent residents (most likely from some temporary worker status) …that leaves 147
147 new un-skilled workers without US citizen or legal resident family already here were allowed to enter the US last year legally and receive green cards.
147 out of 1,266,264.
147 …so tell me again how there is a legal path for all who are willing to work and wait patiently.
How long is one expected to wait… because if the ½ a million who enter each year through improper channels were to go home and wait patiently for their turn, it would take over 3000 years before they would get that chance when only 147 are allowed in each a year.
But the rhetoric will most likely continue, despite all factual evidence to the contrary. Lou Dobbs will nightly inform his minion that only the shiftless and slovenly disregard the law. O’Rielly will bluster away how he “respects and supports” those who “do it the right way” and Rush will whine that reform isn’t fair to all those “waiting in line”…But disingenuous blowhards and misleading experts cannot change the truth, or hide the facts. The current immigration laws, and the systems in place to enforce them, are woefully inadequate and all the wall building, workplace raids, deporting and incarcerating will not change that fact…and until they are addressed rationally and reasonably the “immigration crisis” will never end.
So, Medic, where was your voiced objection to the discussion at BVBL? Strangely silent.
Medic, ramming Latino kids with your shopping cart? I have three words for you:
Dis. Gust. Ting.
Plenty TH,
I didn’t say I enjoyed running over the little hispanic kids nor did I say it was only those. Since you are so interested in drudging up the past, please post the comment here so others can see it in its entirety. Maybe you should bring up the entire post instead of paraphrasing, because you OBVIOUSLY missed some of it. OH wait, that is the thing people like you do, you pick and choose which part fits your way of thinking or suits you and post that. I see now.
What I did post was they were running in the store and came around the corner and ran INTO MY cart. I looked over the end of it and told them to stop running and go find their mother.
The 14th amendment was enacted to allow slaves ALREADY present and those born to SLAVES ALREADY present, to be granted citizenship. That was the ONLY intent of the 14th. PC has managed to get it twisted into what it is today. BTW, TH, it will SEVERAL years before I can even think about drawing SS. By that time, the likes of Obama will have it to the point that I will have paid into a system that is no longer solvent and will see no benefit.
Censored,
Did I post in regards to the particular thread? No, I didn’t because I have no direct or general knowledge about it or those involved.
See this is where I differ from a few, if I have not researched it and have a general understanding of the subject matter, I let it alone. I do not have to type a post or attack people just to see my name come up on the blog.
See, before you know ALL of the facts, you start in. I forgot which thread that was in, but I will look for it.
AHH,
with a little research:
http://www.bvbl.net/index.php/2008/06/16/but-can-the-employees-speak-english/#comment-68118
/\/\3|)iç 64 (Winner of the BVBL 40k and 50k post award) said on 16 Jun 2008 at 11:46 am:
I have hit one of the little bugers rounding the corner at Shoppers. I peered over the cart and told them to stop running and to find their mother. I guess because I didn’t feel responsible for the accident, I was less than human. I look at it this way, if the little tike had been by his mom’s side instead of running around the store, the accident would not have happened. I felt no responsibility in it what so ever since my cart was parked and I was looking at a product on the shelf. 🙂
HMM,
I didn’t say anything about hispanic, nor did I say anything about doing it on purpose. Again, before you start in on trying to start $hit, be prepared!!
Waiting for the apologies that will most likely NOT come along. LOL, why would I expect people to act like adults and take responsibility for making a false accusation.
BTW,
yes I have admitted when I was wrong and I have apologized to a person that posts on this blog. She knows who she is.
Medic, I’m curious about why you call anyone out here – calling it “childish” to note the hypocrisy at BVBL. I didn’t mention the poster’s name. I think everyone at BVBL knows it. Why didn’t you make the same argument there – not to screw with someone’s employment? Is it okay if it’s JS or someone with similar political beliefs? Why not go and tell them that’s it’s unacceptable to be messing with someone’s livelihood?
/\/\3|)iç 64 is the winner of the BVBL 40k and 50k post award. Is /\/\3|)iç 64 trying to be the winner of the Anti-bvbl 40k and 50k post award? I see he/she is posting here quite a lot. Don’t see too much of him/her on the dark screen.
* shaking head*
censored,
Again, I do not know all of the information, so I will not go off on a tangent about slamming someone about what they posted. Seems you might be better off to adhere to the ole proverb, keep your mouth shut and let others think you are a fool then open it and remove all doubt.
Marie, does it bother you that I am not posting much over there and posting here? BTW, I am a he.
I can now see why people complain about this blog. Seems anyone without the blog posters little world opinion is easy fodder for their attacks and such. Interesting. Chase everyone off and you will not have anyone to “debate” the issues with since everyone will be in agreement.
I left once to get away from the bull$hit. I came back thinking that MAYBE things had changed and the blog as a whole was able to move on, but I see that not much has changed and this will soon be a blog of posters that will eventually run everyone off until the little clique is in place. Interesting since I thought this was suppose to be a place that was DIFFERENT than the other blog. I can’t see much difference right now except the layout and the fact anti is in the URL.
Medic Said
“I agree they should be educated to take those jobs, however, they can not be when the class is dragged down by ESOL learning and ILLEGAL aliens that do not have the same learning support at home”.
Really? Interesting. My son just finished kindergarten at a PWC school that is 60 %Latino. I chaperoned several field trips last year and my son’s particular class had 18 students, 12 of which were Latino. (13 if you include my son who is mixed.) Every kid in that class spoke English. Maybe not as perfectly as my son, but those who say that the kids are dragging down the native speakers are wrong. My son was not held back in the least and was identified as gifted (along with another Hispanic kid and one white kid). A couple of the white kids had to go to summer school, but I guarantee you it wasn’t because the other kids held them down. The two white kids that had to go to summer school just weren’t the sharpest tools in the shed.
Medic Said: You say the vast majority of ILLEGAL aliens are employed, how is this possible LEGALLY? What identity has been stolen/compromised to provide them with the “proper” documentation to work there? Case in point, many of those rounded up recently in MS face felony ID theft charges. The only reason there are jobs for them here is because they are able and willing to work for a lower wage, such as the janitor and housekeeping jobs. By pooling their resources, they can live 10-15 per house and still have money left over to buy the SUV’s and send some home.
Let’s think about it a bit,
1 ILLEGAL aliens working 10 hr day @ $6.55/ hour = $66.50
10 ILLEGAL aliens working 10 hr days @ $66.50/day = $655.00
10 ILLEGAL aliens working 22 days per month = $14,400
with a given of 22% for “taxes” = $11,239 a month
with a given that 40% is sent home = $6,743 to live on a month or $80,926 a year.
Now let’s think about the US citizen:
1 US Citizen working a 10 hour day @ 6.55/hr = $66.50
1 US citizen working 22 days per month = $1,440
with a given of 22% for taxes = $ 1,123 a month to live on or $13,487 a year”
So let me get this right? You are trying to argue that one citizen working at minimum wage should be able to live on their own? Who works a minimum wage job and expects to support a family? People who work minimum wage jobs (even American citizens) have ROOMMATES!
“With a given that 40% is sent home”! Wow, that’s pretty bold and unsubstantiated. And, how do YOU know 40% of take home pay is sent out the country in remitttances? How many “illegals” do you personally know? Just wondering, because I know about 100 and even the one person that I know that sends a lot of his money home to support his wife and 3 kids only sends 25%. The vast majority send less than a few hundred dollars a month, which usually equates to 5-10% of their take home pay (after taxes). Don’t just throw out percentages as a “given” with nothing to back it up. I only have as backup the people that I know, and I know there is NO WAY it is even close to 40% for an average immigrant.
Sorry you don’t like to be challenged, which is what I am doing. I don’t think I am being particularly nasty, just trying to show others not to buy your fear mongering BS.
No, Medic it does not bother me in the least that you are posting over here. I was just surprised to see that you do not post much on BVBL and that you have increased your posts here. Actually, I appreciate other points of view and find I can always learn something from them. As long as the debate does not resort to name calling, I am fine with it and I value everyone’s right to express differing points of view. I do not particularly agree with you but that is ok.
All these posts are the opinions and the ideals we have formed based on our own individual life’s experiences. I thank God we are not “cookie cutter” people. The world would be so boring.
Medic,
When I have time, maybe tonight, I will go through and find my past posts where I reference the CFR. You can actually do a search on their site if you don’t want to wait for me to repost. Either way, I will repost. Maybe I”ll even do a topic thread on one of their articles.
twinad,
In Kindergarten, it is easy to maintain classroom decorum. Much easier than it is in HS, I know this for a fact because my mother teaches at the HS school for “problem students”. Congrats on your son and his accomplishments.
OK, you know more about EXACTLY how much is sent home on a regular basis, however, if you will notice that was a hypothetical and not stated as fact. Since none of the “employees” exact wage is, it is hard to say. I was being generous in saying 40% going back home. If it is less, then it is not hard to change the HYPOTHETICAL used.
I have no issue with being challenged in the least, I take issue with being attacked and have things posted as what I said when indeed it was NOT what I posted. You are the one calling out names now as fear mongering BS. I have not said anything you post is apologetic BS. You are entitled to your opinion as am I. I just do not feel I should be attacked here because I do not see things in an Amnesty light. I see ALL ILLEGAL aliens as humans whether you want to believe it or not. They have made a choice to come here ILLEGALLY, now they have to live with that choice and face the consequences of possible deportation. You do not like the fact that they have to and maybe you are a bit biased since you are with one that is not here LEGALLY if I remember correctly from your previous posts. If that is not true, then I apologize in advance.
If the ILLEGALS are paying taxes, who is getting the credit for the taxes paid?
TWINAD
Many do not know the real facts. They base everything on myths and innuendos. I know about 50 or more undocumented immigrants. They all work and work long hours. Hey, they ALL pay taxes. They file their Federal and State income tax every year. They believe paying taxes will be their ticket to get papers. They use the federal tax id’s and pin numbers issued by our Federal Gov’t, not fake SSN’s as some believe. Most all work as subcontractors. They all send money home to help brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers but it is no where close to 40% of their pay. A few US dollars in Mexico and Central America goes a long way to support a family. All their children speak English and make better than average grades in school. They do not live 15 to a household and they do not all own SUVS. I wish people would just STOP, get the real facts and develop informed views.
Marie,
I agree we should not be cookie cutter people as well.
Elena,
If you would give me the phrase you wish me to use I can and will search for it. I just want to make sure I am seeing exactly what you are referring to and not something totally off the wall. I would like to have an informed debate about it. I think that would be appreciated in any forum. I have read quite a bit about the 14th from various websites, including law school ones. It has not all been from one side.
Medic said “with a given that 40% is sent home.” Those were your exact words, not mine.
That kind of statement does not say to anyone “hypothetical” as you try to claim above. When something is a given, it is generally considered as fact. So if you were just throwing a number out there, don’t say it’s a given if you mean it’s hypothetical.
I am a legal, home grown citizen. I am married to an “illegal” and I assist a lot of “illegals” with financial matters so that is how I know so much about their finances. Yes, some “illegals” live 10 to a household; again, the vast majority do not.
Twinad,
giv·en Audio Help /ˈgɪvən/ Pronunciation Key – Show Spelled Pronunciation[giv-uhn] Pronunciation Key – Show IPA Pronunciation
–verb
1. pp. of give.
–adjective
2. stated, fixed, or specified: at a given time.
3. addicted or disposed (often fol. by to): given to making snide remarks.
4. bestowed as a gift; conferred.
5. assigned as a basis of calculation, reasoning, etc.: Given A and B, C follows.
6. Mathematics. known or independently determined: a given magnitude.
7. (on official documents) executed and delivered as of the date shown.
–noun
8. an established fact, condition, factor, etc.
My use is from the 5th definition and yours is the 8th.
Since I didn’t state the example I was using as fact, it can be inferred that the 2nd and 5th definition were used. The 6th definition could be inferred as well since I was using the term in a mathematical equation.
If I had stated that the example was a fact from research done, then the 7th definition would be correct.
As far as the worker living on minimum wage, they have to work 2 jobs to barely survive. Even if they have a room mate, I personally would NEVER move into a place unless I could afford it on my own. Been there done that when I was young.
As I am sure the vast majority do not pay taxes while accepting cash. If that is the case the 22% in the example above would not be pertinent. Which increases the total. I was using the minimum wage as an example. I am sure most do not work for minimum wage so the numbers I posted are under what is actually being paid and brought home.
That should read the 8th not 7th in my post.
Medic,
It is simply NOT TRUE that most “illegals” are paid in cash. ALL of these raids that are conducted…do you seriously think these firms pay cash to some employees and pay others via check? Do you not see the number of Latino’s in lines at banks on Friday and Saturday to get their checks cashed? Anyone who is paid with a check PAYS taxes. It’s lucicrous to posit otherwise. Once again, only daylaborers are paid in cash and they represent a tiny minority of illegal workers. They are usually the newest immigrants or immigrants that for one reason or another don’t want to work every day.
If they are paid by check, where does the taxes withheld get credited to? As in the raid, many are being held on FELONY IDENTITY THEFT.
Who said the ILLEGALS are latinos? I have not specified which race they are. I have used the general term ILLEGAL alien.
You are saying that the people in the lines at the banks are ILLEGALS.
Why are you assuming those latinos in line are ILLEGAL?
Hi TWINAD, I have always admired your openness and honesty. However, you probably should have kept the following to yourself:
“I assist a lot of “illegals” with financial matters so that is how I know so much about their finances”
That could include taxes and if that is the case I certainly wouldn’t tell anyone. That would mean assisting known illegal aliens with filing bogus tax returns would could get you into a bunch of trouble. I don’t think that the feds look too kindly on people filing falsified tax returns for known illegal aliens.
Hello,
thanks for your concern, but no, I do not assist with preparing taxes. They go to tax preparers for that to get a Tax Id number and get their taxes done. I’ve seen plenty of tax returns because many of them don’t understand it and WANT to understand it, so I will explain it to them. I don’t even prepare my own taxes anymore let alone others. I help more with letters they get from banks to translate and my name is now on a number of bank accounts because many people are worried if they get caught up in a raid they will no longer be able to access their money to get access to an attorney. Nothing in the law says they can’t add someone to their bank account if they so choose.
Medic, read this info and become enlightened about how someone can pay taxes without a SS#.
http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96287,00.html#what
Medic,
Anyone who gets paid by check has taxes directed to the exact same place as everyone else. “Illegals” are no different. “Illegals” use a bogus SS # that may or may not be tied to someone else. Honestly, I sincerely doubt very many Jose’s are working under the name John Smith with John Smith’s SS #. They get a fake # and it matches their REAL name. I hardly consider that Identity theft, although some do, but I also think this is lame. If someone has a job and has done nothing wrong but enter this country illegally, I think they should be able to get a SS # and work here legally. This is why there is a huge (in the billions) amount of SS taxes that are not tied to anyone because if the name and SS # don’t match, the money is in that unidentified “pot”.
Hi Medic,
I am glad you are here. Some of us were wondering about your whereabouts fairly recently.
Medic,
Just do a search for immigration and illegal immigration, that should give you lots of choices!
“People WILL move if they are hungry enough. For those that do not, do not gripe and complain about being poor if you are not willing to go where the jobs are.”
Yup. Why do you think we have immigration, legal and otherwise?
Furthermore, some hungry people are stuck. If you are poor and starving and don’t have time to think, do you believe people feel empowered enough to move? An IT job doesn’t translate well to the majority who has had to struggle to keep a home, feed a family, or own a running vehicle.
Let’s get in touch with hard reality, folks, not our own cushy realities. As a nation, we are spoiled rotten and take it for granted that “people can make their own futures.” This is a myth for most of the world.
TWIN, you are an incredibly brave woman and I salute you for your honesty and courage. If anything will help us get this mess resolved, it will be people like you who stand up and tell their stories.
AHH Medic,
I found what you said later. See that in one of your sentences you said, this is no just about the “Hispanic Kids”. So you were referrin g to a latino kid despectively:
# /\/\3|)iç 64 (Winner of the BVBL 40k and 50k post award) said on 17 Jun 2008 at 9:41 am:
“I agree Howard!! The little buggers can cause damage or harm by roaming free. Who is supervising their behqvior or preventing them from causing a spill which an elderly person slips in and breaks a hip therefore ruining their quality of life because someone allowed their children to roam free. This isn’t free range time at the grocery store. I will say something to the mother that swats her child on the a$$. I will go up to her and say I see you love your child, she looks at me surprised that I would say such a thing and I remind her in the Bible it says spare the rod, spoil the child. I reassure her that hse has done nothing wrong and to keep up the discipline because it will pay off later on.
This isn’t about just the hispanic kids, it is about ALL of them. I wasn’t allowed to run free in the grocery store, my children weren’t allowed to run free in the grocery store and these children should be either.”
For any of you that want to know there is a bit of a debate over on the black screen as to whether or not ESOL students or “criminal students” as one poster called them, are the cause of some Manassas City schools not making AYP. I think that after one looks at the VA DOE website school report card, one will find that though acheivement gaps still exist in this country among races, the hispanic/LEP students are making headway, and LEP students are NOT…NOT…NOT the cause of destruction to the public school system as some would like us to believe. Maybe this topic could be it’s own thread, and people here could offer ideas as to how to further close the achievement gap for LEP and african american students. Just a thought.
DB,
Thanks for the post. Did they have nerve enough to use their own name or were the anonymous with such statement? There seems to be a lot of anonymous posters over there. I guess making those kinds of statements one wouldn’t want the prejudices to show through so glaringly.
“Criminal student” how pathetic to call a child that. And on what basis would one make such a repulsive statement? I don’t ever recall “criminal” being a subset.
No they did not use their name. I am happy to say however other teachers took up the cause as well as I. Still, our responses have gone no where. Despite of the fact that the facts (SOL results) are online at the VA DOE website, there have been no…NO responses. I am so tired of ESOL/LEP students being blamed for the fact that schools do not make AYP, I am also tired of teachers put to the blame as well. I wish that all would look at the results, and understand the facets of AYP.
DB,
I saw what was poste over there. It was very interesting, and yes all should take the time. What about the students roll in their education? They should be held accountable too. To continue to bash teachers is simply sickening to me.
Could you post their website link for us?
Chris, the results of state-wide tests are in the computer. Go onto google and type in VA DOE then pick a district/and or school.
DB,
Thanks. I’m posting the link it took me sometime to get right there.
I’m reviewing SMS & SJHS now. I’ll get back to you later with my thoughts.
https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/reportcard/
DB,
If you will write the thread I will post it for you. Send it to me at
[email protected].
That makes for an interesting discussion. Let me know when you have sent it.
MH,
I sent it to you.
DB
You are concerned about “…147 new unskilled workers…”.my question to you is: With five percent unemployment in this country, and most of those being unskilled workers, how does the number 147 justify your claim that the immigration system is broken?
With those kind of numbers, I’d say the 147 was 147 too many.
How low can you sink? Now the other side is suggesting children are criminals? How incredibly pathetic and sad they are.