Is the Obama Administration serious about universal healthcare reform? Yes. At this point, any old Democrat health plan will do.
Will healthcare reform include coverage for illegal immigrants? Contrary to the infamous two-word wisecrack blurted out by a now well-known rightwing racist Senator from South Carolina, the answer is, “No way, Jose.”
If Congress worms its way to pass legislation on healthcare reform within the next few weeks, why would it not become effective until 2013? The obvious answer is that it will be less of a political issue in the 2010-midterm elections. But there appears to be a scheme a-brewing to provide coverage to not only a fair number of currently uninsured 45 million Americans but also to a few extra million immigrants.
On October 2 The New York Times printed an article on actions being implemented by the U.S. States Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) that will reshape the social (unrest?) and cultural (shock?) makeup of America, resulting in an unprecedented change in political arenas, perhaps resulting in an eventual emergence of viable third party candidates. It may also become the defining moment that brings to fruition President Obama’s willful intent of “fundamentally transforming the United States of America.” In the meantime, demographics may give Democrats the upper hand, especially among Hispanics.
The Times’ article reported that CIS is taking the first steps to accommodate an anticipated stampede of illegal immigrants seeking visas in response to President Obama’s stated intention to propose to Congress legislation toward comprehensive immigration reform. As quoted by CIS director Alejandro Mayorkas, “We are under way to prepare for that.”
It’s a given fact there are well over 10 million illegal immigrants in the U.S., of which approximately 6 million are said to typically seek legal status each year. Since the CIS anticipates millions of immigrants will apply for legal status within a matter of weeks if immigration legislation passes Congress next year, the agency is on an immediate hiring spree to play catch-up with a current backlog of pending paperwork. More jobs, bigger government.
Some lawmakers have already expressed concern that, as CIS becomes overwhelmed with large volumes of applications, haste will result in poorly processed paperwork and lax review of background checks will create a national security crisis.
Regardless of what may come from immigration reform, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano this past week revealed a strategy that will overhaul the way immigration violators are held in detention centers. With over 60% of detainees classified as non-criminals, Napolitano said an initiative is under way “to make immigration detention more cohesive, accountable and relevant to the entire spectrum of detainees we are dealing with.”
Which means, in the coming weeks Napolitano will submit to Congress plans to renovate vacant hotels and nursing homes, and convert residential houses to provide less restrictive oversight of low-risk violators of immigration laws, primarily women and children. By doing so, savings are expected to lower the cost from $100 per day to about $14 per day for each detainee.
It’s believed the new policy will greatly reduce the annual cost of $2.4 billion currently spent on approximately 380,000 immigrants, of which many were arrested during the past two years when ICE agents followed a practice of raiding neighborhoods, factories and other workplaces known to employ immigrants, thus terrorizing people and traumatizing children.
Rather than targeting employees, current practice puts businesses on legal notice to verify the legal status of immigrants.
The perfect example is the 1,800 employees of American Apparel in Los Angeles who were terminated in early September by the company as a result of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents identifying discrepancies and mismatches in employment records when compared to immigration records of the Social Security Administration. That is to say, they were proven to be illegal immigrants.
The action came as a result of a 17-month investigation by ICE that began with the Bush Administration. LA Times journalist Tim Rutten called the action a “callous” turn of events under President Obama. It doesn’t seem to phase otherwise law-abiding, intelligent people that hiring and, at times, harboring illegal immigrants with subsidized housing are lawless un-American activities.
With the government displaying a change in sentiment toward the humanitarian aspects of non-violent immigrants, legal or not, new laws of this land will bring about change that we’ll all have to live with.
Provisions are now in the works to address detainee concerns about the lack of proper treatment for medical and mental health conditions. The fact that seriously ill detainees have died while in custody cannot be ignored. Therefore, they will have healthcare before uninsured Americans.
So, will President Obama’s healthcare reform include coverage for illegal immigrants? “No way, Jose.” By the time it’s implemented in 2013, many of those illegal immigrants will have become naturalized citizens.
Showing posts with label immigration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label immigration. Show all posts
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Monday, April 13, 2009
The Immigration Situation
Imagine a human traffic jam of 12 million illegal immigrants in seemingly endless lines along highways branching from every nook and cranny of America as they’re herded back to their countries of origin. Imagine American patriots bordering a parade route spanning coast to coast, border to border, cheering and holding red, white and blue signs spelling out, “Adios!”
At 7 million strong, 56% of illegal immigrants are from Mexico, another 22% from Latin American countries and the remainder from Asia, Europe and Africa. Whatever the nationality, the demographics of immigration reform will be devastating to many and inconsiderate of the individual. Congress must be more productive with legislation than what resulted from the Senate immigration hearings for the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007. Less than a month after the bill was introduced (May 9) it failed to pass a third test vote (June 7) by a margin of 45 to 50, well below the 60 votes needed.
As presented by then-Senator Obama, an amendment stated that "... parents of U.S. citizens would no longer be counted as immediate families... most parents seeking to join their children and grandchildren in the United States would be denied green cards. The rest of the current family preferences – siblings, adult children, and many parents -- would be eviscerated.” In other words, No way, Jose! your children born on American soil can stay, pero no otra familia! In real words: no family reunification.
Although more than 20% of immigrant children live in poverty, life in the U.S. is better than the destitute living conditions in their home countries. What further hardships would these and other children endure if either or both parents were deported? Through their fears of family separation they’re faith gives them hope that American lawmakers will provide them an equitable means for amnesty.
A Pew Institute Hispanic Center report states that 56% Hispanics are confident that police will treat them fairly. This is far better than 37% blacks. And 46% Hispanics, compared to 38% blacks, believe police won’t use excessive force. This suggests that Hispanics have, to a large degree, reached a comfort zone of maintaining residency in America.
From February 27 through April 4, Representative Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., hosted a cross-country United Families tour to "stop the immigration raids and deportations that are tearing our marriages, families and children apart." Testimonies from immigrants related personal tragedies resulting from worksite enforcement by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents that terrorize whole communities.
Texas and California were the most visited of the 11-state, 17-city tour. Both states have seen dozens of hospitals close their doors providing services regardless of citizenship, legal status or the ability to pay as required by the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act of 1985. The numbers of non-paying illegal immigrants are cited as the cause of the closures.
As stated by John Vison, president of the American Immigration Control Foundation, "The child [of the illegal immigrant] is an automatic American citizen, thus entitled to all benefits of American citizens. This gives a certain financial incentive for people coming from other countries illegally to have children here." Such is the reason why pregnant women risk their lives crossing the Rio Grande to enter American hospitals to give birth.
Acknowledging this custom, Joe Riley, CEO of the McAllen Medical Center in Texas, said, “Mothers about to give birth that walk up to the hospital still wet from swimming across the river in actual labor … dirty, wet, cold,” he said. “We have uncompensated care of over $200 million a year.”
There seems to be a large disregard for the millions of American families whose lives have been unjustly disrupted due to lost wages, jobs and medical benefits that put them at danger of indigent status (homelessness) and life-threatening conditions. In many cases, American citizens have lost the means of attaining their inherent share of the American Dream, fast becoming an Impossible Dream.
As dialogue proceeds toward a statement to be delivered by President Obama in May, media will play a large role in providing coverage of the plights of both American citizens and the undocumented workers who have left them fewer job opportunities.
A split screen marathon might be appropriate. On the left, illegal immigrants would speak in broken English telling woeful tales of family separation due to “un-American” practices as expressed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. On the right, sons and daughters of American pioneers would counter in real life anger stories of lost jobs and homes. Stuck in the middle, out of viewer sight, would be naturalized Americans who have also been affected by undocumented workers.
Others will have to work out the details of immigration reform while I sit here cross-legged, chanting OM and meditate on the high cost to American taxpayers.
At 7 million strong, 56% of illegal immigrants are from Mexico, another 22% from Latin American countries and the remainder from Asia, Europe and Africa. Whatever the nationality, the demographics of immigration reform will be devastating to many and inconsiderate of the individual. Congress must be more productive with legislation than what resulted from the Senate immigration hearings for the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007. Less than a month after the bill was introduced (May 9) it failed to pass a third test vote (June 7) by a margin of 45 to 50, well below the 60 votes needed.
As presented by then-Senator Obama, an amendment stated that "... parents of U.S. citizens would no longer be counted as immediate families... most parents seeking to join their children and grandchildren in the United States would be denied green cards. The rest of the current family preferences – siblings, adult children, and many parents -- would be eviscerated.” In other words, No way, Jose! your children born on American soil can stay, pero no otra familia! In real words: no family reunification.
Although more than 20% of immigrant children live in poverty, life in the U.S. is better than the destitute living conditions in their home countries. What further hardships would these and other children endure if either or both parents were deported? Through their fears of family separation they’re faith gives them hope that American lawmakers will provide them an equitable means for amnesty.
A Pew Institute Hispanic Center report states that 56% Hispanics are confident that police will treat them fairly. This is far better than 37% blacks. And 46% Hispanics, compared to 38% blacks, believe police won’t use excessive force. This suggests that Hispanics have, to a large degree, reached a comfort zone of maintaining residency in America.
From February 27 through April 4, Representative Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., hosted a cross-country United Families tour to "stop the immigration raids and deportations that are tearing our marriages, families and children apart." Testimonies from immigrants related personal tragedies resulting from worksite enforcement by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents that terrorize whole communities.
Texas and California were the most visited of the 11-state, 17-city tour. Both states have seen dozens of hospitals close their doors providing services regardless of citizenship, legal status or the ability to pay as required by the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act of 1985. The numbers of non-paying illegal immigrants are cited as the cause of the closures.
As stated by John Vison, president of the American Immigration Control Foundation, "The child [of the illegal immigrant] is an automatic American citizen, thus entitled to all benefits of American citizens. This gives a certain financial incentive for people coming from other countries illegally to have children here." Such is the reason why pregnant women risk their lives crossing the Rio Grande to enter American hospitals to give birth.
Acknowledging this custom, Joe Riley, CEO of the McAllen Medical Center in Texas, said, “Mothers about to give birth that walk up to the hospital still wet from swimming across the river in actual labor … dirty, wet, cold,” he said. “We have uncompensated care of over $200 million a year.”
There seems to be a large disregard for the millions of American families whose lives have been unjustly disrupted due to lost wages, jobs and medical benefits that put them at danger of indigent status (homelessness) and life-threatening conditions. In many cases, American citizens have lost the means of attaining their inherent share of the American Dream, fast becoming an Impossible Dream.
As dialogue proceeds toward a statement to be delivered by President Obama in May, media will play a large role in providing coverage of the plights of both American citizens and the undocumented workers who have left them fewer job opportunities.
A split screen marathon might be appropriate. On the left, illegal immigrants would speak in broken English telling woeful tales of family separation due to “un-American” practices as expressed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. On the right, sons and daughters of American pioneers would counter in real life anger stories of lost jobs and homes. Stuck in the middle, out of viewer sight, would be naturalized Americans who have also been affected by undocumented workers.
Others will have to work out the details of immigration reform while I sit here cross-legged, chanting OM and meditate on the high cost to American taxpayers.
The Immigration Bill
The stories are well-worn tales of heart-rending misfortune and fears of persecution from law enforcements agencies and the many cities and towns that have had to lay down creative laws to give them pause of remaining in neighborhoods. The cries of malfeasance for actions that are of disregard to family values of illegal immigrants are like that of a Mexican jumping bean, spastic in motion, flippant in spirit and yet, after a lifespan of 9 months, another crop populates into action.
Unlike the egg laid inside the bean that goes through a metamorphosis until a harmless moth emerges, immigration reform will be a very costly burden to not only the next generation of American taxpayers but also to present-day working men and women until death do they depart from the liability.
According to the non-profit organization Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), in 2005 the cost to Florida taxpayers amounted to $1.7B annually, a seemingly “cheap” figure when compared to the jump in price to $3.8B in 2008, taking into account the costs of K-12 schooling, health care and incarceration.
Out of fairness, FAIR acknowledges that if the estimated taxes paid by illegal immigrants are taken into account, the cost is reduced to “only” $2.3B. Of course, the organization doesn’t stop there. The report goes into the fact that if the jobs held by illegals had been gainfully earned by American workers taxes paid would be more representative of real-life contributions to the federal budget.
In 2007, the Heritage Foundation estimated the national annual cost was $2.5 trillion.
The Inter-American Development Bank estimated that in 2006 over $3B dollars earned by immigrants in the U.S. found their way to Latin American countries. If that doesn’t bring your patriotic blood pressure to dangerous levels, every Florida household contributes almost $700 per year to sustain the presence of undocumented workers and their families. Damn! As if you thought those reduced payroll taxes given to American workers are a federally sanctioned gift of stimulus dollars, think again. At best, it’s a washout.
The Center for American Progress, in 2005, estimated deportation costs to taxpayers would be as much as $230B over a five-year period, yet here we are 5 years down the dead-end road to immigration reform and the amounts have surely increased. Costs include detention, legal fees and transportation expenses.
On the other side of the deportation issue, FAIR had its own cost estimate of $275B over a five year period to allow illegal immigrants to remain in the country. The 2004 assessment includes the cost in American worker jobs, lost taxes and the continuing costs of maintaining non-reimbursement of social services.
The figures suggest deportation would be less costly than the status quo of continuing to be a host country to illegal immigrants. A free-for-all amnesty scenario would be a free-fall of American culture and the economy.
Truly no one really wants families to be split apart for any reason other than death by natural causes. It’s even exemplary that illegal immigrants have the determination and means to seek homeownership but how in the world of justice do they obtain mortgage loans in the first place?
It’s unfathomable that banking institutions can justify loans to any person without a valid Social Security Number. Since many immigrant workers’ jobs are supposedly temporary, there should be a concern that default rates would be higher than that of Americans. I don’t get it.
Eventually American families find themselves either on the street or with temporary residency in tent cities, facing the likelihood that at some point communities will prompt local law enforcement to oust them from their canvas/nylon “homes”.
Solutions to immigration reform might be financial goldmines to certain businesses interests (agriculture, construction) but they remain political landmines to public servants seeking reelection in 2010, then those in 2012, then those in 2014… However discompassionate to both sides of the immigration issue, politicians are decidedly inconsiderate of the American taxpayer to put off ‘til tomorrow what should have begun a decade ago.
Perhaps the U.S. Department of Justice should give the Immigration and Naturalization Service the wherewithal to declare an end to the hide-and-seek games played by undocumented workers and their families.
Agents could scour the countryside, crying out “Olly Olly Oxen Free”!, a phrase going back to the days of yore when a town crier in jolly old England signaled those outside the castle walls to come forth to receive a message from the King, “All Ye, All Ye, Outs in Free!” Alas, “No one loves the messenger who brings bad news.” (Sophocles)
Immigration issues remain largely void of racism. As Americans continue to lose jobs, homes and patriotic dignity, there are no guarantees that the two sides of immigration will remain civil. We all got guns, don’t we?
Unlike the egg laid inside the bean that goes through a metamorphosis until a harmless moth emerges, immigration reform will be a very costly burden to not only the next generation of American taxpayers but also to present-day working men and women until death do they depart from the liability.
According to the non-profit organization Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), in 2005 the cost to Florida taxpayers amounted to $1.7B annually, a seemingly “cheap” figure when compared to the jump in price to $3.8B in 2008, taking into account the costs of K-12 schooling, health care and incarceration.
Out of fairness, FAIR acknowledges that if the estimated taxes paid by illegal immigrants are taken into account, the cost is reduced to “only” $2.3B. Of course, the organization doesn’t stop there. The report goes into the fact that if the jobs held by illegals had been gainfully earned by American workers taxes paid would be more representative of real-life contributions to the federal budget.
In 2007, the Heritage Foundation estimated the national annual cost was $2.5 trillion.
The Inter-American Development Bank estimated that in 2006 over $3B dollars earned by immigrants in the U.S. found their way to Latin American countries. If that doesn’t bring your patriotic blood pressure to dangerous levels, every Florida household contributes almost $700 per year to sustain the presence of undocumented workers and their families. Damn! As if you thought those reduced payroll taxes given to American workers are a federally sanctioned gift of stimulus dollars, think again. At best, it’s a washout.
The Center for American Progress, in 2005, estimated deportation costs to taxpayers would be as much as $230B over a five-year period, yet here we are 5 years down the dead-end road to immigration reform and the amounts have surely increased. Costs include detention, legal fees and transportation expenses.
On the other side of the deportation issue, FAIR had its own cost estimate of $275B over a five year period to allow illegal immigrants to remain in the country. The 2004 assessment includes the cost in American worker jobs, lost taxes and the continuing costs of maintaining non-reimbursement of social services.
The figures suggest deportation would be less costly than the status quo of continuing to be a host country to illegal immigrants. A free-for-all amnesty scenario would be a free-fall of American culture and the economy.
Truly no one really wants families to be split apart for any reason other than death by natural causes. It’s even exemplary that illegal immigrants have the determination and means to seek homeownership but how in the world of justice do they obtain mortgage loans in the first place?
It’s unfathomable that banking institutions can justify loans to any person without a valid Social Security Number. Since many immigrant workers’ jobs are supposedly temporary, there should be a concern that default rates would be higher than that of Americans. I don’t get it.
Eventually American families find themselves either on the street or with temporary residency in tent cities, facing the likelihood that at some point communities will prompt local law enforcement to oust them from their canvas/nylon “homes”.
Solutions to immigration reform might be financial goldmines to certain businesses interests (agriculture, construction) but they remain political landmines to public servants seeking reelection in 2010, then those in 2012, then those in 2014… However discompassionate to both sides of the immigration issue, politicians are decidedly inconsiderate of the American taxpayer to put off ‘til tomorrow what should have begun a decade ago.
Perhaps the U.S. Department of Justice should give the Immigration and Naturalization Service the wherewithal to declare an end to the hide-and-seek games played by undocumented workers and their families.
Agents could scour the countryside, crying out “Olly Olly Oxen Free”!, a phrase going back to the days of yore when a town crier in jolly old England signaled those outside the castle walls to come forth to receive a message from the King, “All Ye, All Ye, Outs in Free!” Alas, “No one loves the messenger who brings bad news.” (Sophocles)
Immigration issues remain largely void of racism. As Americans continue to lose jobs, homes and patriotic dignity, there are no guarantees that the two sides of immigration will remain civil. We all got guns, don’t we?
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