Should US change immigration policy in light of job losses?

[peejay 327]

Change immigration policy in light of job losses?

Posted: 05:00 PM ET

From CNN’s Jack Cafferty:

With the U.S. economy hemorrhaging jobs, it might be time to reconsider this country’s immigration policy.

Just last month our economy lost nearly 600,000 jobs, hitting an unemployment rate of 7.6%. Since December 2007 the economy has shed 3.6 million jobs, with almost half of those losses occurring in the last 3 months alone.

Meanwhile, there are millions and millions of legal and illegal immigrants who have jobs in this country. These job losses also come at a time when President Obama is under increasing pressure from Hispanic groups, who helped get him elected, to loosen up on the more aggressive immigration policies of the Bush administration. They’re calling on the new president to push for comprehensive reform that would balance law enforcement with new legal avenues to citizenship.

But some might wonder if now is the right time to make it easier for more people to get into this country when millions of Americans are struggling to find work. Remember when all we heard was that illegal aliens do the work Americans are unwilling to do? I wonder if that’s still the case today.

Others insist that this is the wrong time to close immigrants out. Tom Friedman writes in the New York Times about the importance of opening the U.S. economy to a smart and energetic immigrant workforce. Friedman says protectionism didn’t cause the Great Depression but did helped make it “great”. Writes Friedman, “When the best brains in the world are on sale, you don’t shut them out. You open your doors wider. We need to attack this financial crisis with green cards not just greenbacks.”

Here’s my question to you: Should the government change its immigration policy in light of the tremendous loss of American jobs?

http://caffertyfile.blogs.cnn.com/2009/02/...-of-job-losses/

[DeadPoolX 9]

Change it how? No matter what you do, you're setting yourself up for a fall.

1. If the U.S. cuts down on immigration, the result will be even higher illegals entering the country. With job losses left and right, the resentment towards illegals will rise even higher than they are now since they'd be seen as "still having a job."

2. If the U.S. lowers the standard for immigration, the illegal situation will unlikely change a whole lot. Maybe it would a little, but only for those who'd really want to come in legally and deal with the government. Of those who'd be entering legally, they'd be in the same tight spot that Americans are in now. This would not only raise the unemployment rate but make job hunting even more cutthroat.

[alienlovechild 75]

Meanwhile, there are millions and millions of legal and illegal immigrants who have jobs in this country. These job losses also come at a time when President Obama is under increasing pressure from Hispanic groups, who helped get him elected, to loosen up on the more aggressive immigration policies of the Bush administration. They’re calling on the new president to push for comprehensive reform that would balance law enforcement with new legal avenues to citizenship.

The Democrats will pass some kind of amnesty to cement Hispanics as permanent feature in their political base.

Tom Friedman writes in the New York Times about the importance of opening the U.S. economy to a smart and energetic immigrant workforce.

That makes sense for skilled and educated immigrants but the U.S doesn't base most visas on that.

[peejay 327]

Meanwhile, there are millions and millions of legal and illegal immigrants who have jobs in this country. These job losses also come at a time when President Obama is under increasing pressure from Hispanic groups, who helped get him elected, to loosen up on the more aggressive immigration policies of the Bush administration. They’re calling on the new president to push for comprehensive reform that would balance law enforcement with new legal avenues to citizenship.

The Democrats will pass some kind of amnesty to cement Hispanics as permanent feature in their political base.

Getting reelected is more important than what is best for the USA and US citizens.

As long as fools see Dims as "change" rather than a flip side of the same worthless coin...just bend over and take it. And hand them the K-Y so it won't hurt as much as it will.

[panamania79 2]

Meanwhile, there are millions and millions of legal and illegal immigrants who have jobs in this country. These job losses also come at a time when President Obama is under increasing pressure from Hispanic groups, who helped get him elected, to loosen up on the more aggressive immigration policies of the Bush administration. They’re calling on the new president to push for comprehensive reform that would balance law enforcement with new legal avenues to citizenship.

The Democrats will pass some kind of amnesty to cement Hispanics as permanent feature in their political base.

Getting reelected is more important than what is best for the USA and US citizens.

As long as fools see Dims as "change" rather than a flip side of the same worthless coin...just bend over and take it. And hand them the K-Y so it won't hurt as much as it will.

Astroglide is much better.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Make the employers use the Verify system. End of illegal workers and as word gets out, less will come illegally. Keep legal immigrration the same. Plenty of jobs for all. It's simple, crack down on the US employers who son't obey the law. The rest of it will take care of itself.

[panamania79 2]

Make the employers use the Verify system. End of illegal workers and as word gets out, less will come illegally. Keep legal immigrration the same. Plenty of jobs for all. It's simple, crack down on the US employers who son't obey the law. The rest of it will take care of itself.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Make the employers use the Verify system. End of illegal workers and as word gets out, less will come illegally. Keep legal immigrration the same. Plenty of jobs for all. It's simple, crack down on the US employers who son't obey the law. The rest of it will take care of itself.

And the pathetic part about it is how easy it would be to do if the employers would do what the law required. Why do so many employers hate America? They are the ones who propagate the problem. Of course the answer is simple, money. As long as it goes in their pocket, who cares about the rest of America or the effects it has on the rest of the country. If I didn't know better, I would think that Wall Street and the banking industry thought the same way.

[panamania79 2]

Make the employers use the Verify system. End of illegal workers and as word gets out, less will come illegally. Keep legal immigrration the same. Plenty of jobs for all. It's simple, crack down on the US employers who son't obey the law. The rest of it will take care of itself.

And the pathetic part about it is how easy it would be to do if the employers would do what the law required. Why do so many employers hate America? They are the ones who propagate the problem. Of course the answer is simple, money. As long as it goes in their pocket, who cares about the rest of America or the effects it has on the rest of the country. If I didn't know better, I would think that Wall Street and the banking industry thought the same way.

They hate America because they love lining their pockets with the green stuff and they don't want to pay a decent wage plus health benefits,401k,retirement,etc.Believe it or not,in certain industries in RI,they don't even pay workman's comp. insurance (even though it's illegal). And don't let them fool you,both are making out like bandits !

Edited February 13, 2009 by panamania79

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Make the employers use the Verify system. End of illegal workers and as word gets out, less will come illegally. Keep legal immigrration the same. Plenty of jobs for all. It's simple, crack down on the US employers who son't obey the law. The rest of it will take care of itself.

And the pathetic part about it is how easy it would be to do if the employers would do what the law required. Why do so many employers hate America? They are the ones who propagate the problem. Of course the answer is simple, money. As long as it goes in their pocket, who cares about the rest of America or the effects it has on the rest of the country. If I didn't know better, I would think that Wall Street and the banking industry thought the same way.

They hate America because they love lining their pockets with the green stuff and they don't want to pay a decent wage plus health benefits,401k,retirement,etc.Believe it or not,in certain industries in RI,they don't even pay workman's comp. insurance (even though it's illegal). And don't let them fool you,both are making out like bandits !

I believe it, it goes on in my area too. Did anyone on Wall Street care when oil was $150 barrel and we were paying $4 for gas? Not as long as the profit was going in their pocket. Another thing that bothers me is Citizens oil with Joe Kennedy. He's on tv thanking Venezuela for donating the oil, yet Exxon didn't give one gallon, even though they made 45 billion in profit. Pathetic.

[panamania79 2]

Make the employers use the Verify system. End of illegal workers and as word gets out, less will come illegally. Keep legal immigrration the same. Plenty of jobs for all. It's simple, crack down on the US employers who son't obey the law. The rest of it will take care of itself.

And the pathetic part about it is how easy it would be to do if the employers would do what the law required. Why do so many employers hate America? They are the ones who propagate the problem. Of course the answer is simple, money. As long as it goes in their pocket, who cares about the rest of America or the effects it has on the rest of the country. If I didn't know better, I would think that Wall Street and the banking industry thought the same way.

They hate America because they love lining their pockets with the green stuff and they don't want to pay a decent wage plus health benefits,401k,retirement,etc.Believe it or not,in certain industries in RI,they don't even pay workman's comp. insurance (even though it's illegal). And don't let them fool you,both are making out like bandits !

I believe it, it goes on in my area too. Did anyone on Wall Street care when oil was $150 barrel and we were paying $4 for gas? Not as long as the profit was going in their pocket. Another thing that bothers me is Citizens oil with Joe Kennedy. He's on tv thanking Venezuela for donating the oil, yet Exxon didn't give one gallon, even though they made 45 billion in profit. Pathetic.

VERY ! See those commercials late at night of the poor little old lady,and then you see Joe Kennedy ? We should be used to it by now since we live in Kennedy Country.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Open the borders! When the workforce heads north, I will head south. The winters are getting too cold anyways, and life is less expensive south of the border. Adios Alta California! Hola Baja California!

[spookyturtle 9,466]

VERY ! See those commercials late at night of the poor little old lady,and then you see Joe Kennedy ? We should be used to it by now since we live in Kennedy Country.

The program does a lot of good. I don't understand why no American oil company donates to the program. It really irritates me to hear him thanking Venezuela for helping, but oil is oil and need is need. Our oil companies should be ashamed of themselves.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Make the employers use the Verify system. End of illegal workers and as word gets out, less will come illegally. Keep legal immigrration the same. Plenty of jobs for all. It's simple, crack down on the US employers who son't obey the law. The rest of it will take care of itself.

One provision removed from the stimulis bill would have renewed E-Verify. As of current law, it expires next month.

[panamania79 2]

Open the borders! When the workforce heads north, I will head south. The winters are getting too cold anyways, and life is less expensive south of the border. Adios Alta California! Hola Baja California!

You do have a point.New England winters really SUCK !