The Democrat chair in question is Rep. Debbie Wasserman Shultz of Florida. She heads the DNC. And in the following clip, she actually slams Republicans for wanting to make illegal immigration a “crime.” Which, being illegal, it already is.
“The Republican solutions that I’ve seen in the last few years is that we should just pack them all up and ship them back to their own countries, and in fact, that it should be a crime. We should arrest them all.”
DWS alleges several fun things in this clip. One, Democrats apparently don’t think that illegal immigration is illegal. Two, they seem content with maintaining an economy in which we have 9% unemployment while millions of people who are here illegally are taking some of the jobs Americans would otherwise fill. Three, they’re apparently content to have massive illegal immigration drive wages down. This is all in the aim of eventually legalizing and then naturalizing the millions of illegals, to create millions of new votes for what otherwise is a wounded political party bereft of any ideas beyond “Give the government more power.”
As for her contention that the Republicans believe in arresting all illegal immigrations and shipping them back to their countries of origin, the “round ‘em all up” approach hasn’t been the GOP’s position or anyone else’s. DWS is, to put it charitably, lying to the folks she’s addressing. There is no single Republican approach to illegal immigration (which is already illegal, and which usually begets other crimes such as identity theft), but to the extent that there is consensus, it emphasizes border security before dealing with the millions who are already here illegally. And attrition, via cutting off benefits to illegals, stopping the practices of sanctuary cities, and going after employers, undoubtedly rates higher in any broad list of methods for reversing the flow of illegals than any direct “round ‘em all up” approach.
Warner Todd Huston has much more on this over at RWN.
Not “undocumented immigrants.” My grandparents were immigrants, and they came to this country legally. Let’s use the correct term: Criminal aliens. =>[.]<=
The truly terrifying part about this is that Liberals position on immigration defies logic and pragmatism! Overpopulation, congestion, urban sprawl, crumbling infrastructure, diminishing resources, lack of affordable housing, overcrowded schools, hospitals, jails, water and energy shortages, depressed wages, increased tax burdens, crime, pollution, the marginalization of American workers, students, taxpayers and voters, the balkanization of our communities, the overall decline in quality of life, are all the result of unconstrained immigration and lax border security. Like it or not folks, too many people competing for the same limited resources is NOT, and NEVER WILL BE, sane sustainable social, economic or environmental policy! There are no problems confronting America’s citizens that would not be immediately and measurably improved by securing our borders and enforcing our immigration laws.
China, Mexico, Great Britain, the European Union, Asia, the Middle East, the former Soviet Union, have all implemented zero tolerance policies for illegal aliens. These same nations have likewise implemented strick enforcement practices to identify and remove illegal aliens already operating in their communities. Further, these same nations have put in place policies aimed at curtailing legal immigration, limiting such to only that which is prudent, only that which which is demonstrably necessary, readily assimilated, and limited only to that which is in the interests of their native populations. It’s dangerously misguided to suggest that the United States not do likewise!
Oddly, while it’s a crime to enter the country illegally (or overstay your visa), it’s not a crime to be here illegally. Being here without proper documentation is evidence that you committed a crime, but it’s only that. The GOP wanted to close that loophole.
Of course, the donx are allergic to requiring anyone to prove citizenship for obvious reasons.
“…she actually slams Republicans for wanting to make illegal immigration a “crime.” Which, being illegal, it already is.”
I’ve wondered if this woman is actually Obama in drag.
The “progressive” left’s worldview is absolutely impenetrable to human logic; you can point out that the Democrat party opposed civil rights up until the late 70′s, was responsible for the KKK & up until last year still had a “former” member of the Klan as a US senator, and that despite their beliefs, David Duke ran for president on the Democrat ticket while still a member of the KKK at the time…but they’ll scream you’re the racist by default because you’re a Republican.
You can show them all the data there is on increased taxes actually contributing to budget deficits and that “progressive” tax schemes simply punish people & business for being successful, yet they’ll whine about the rich needing to “pay their fair share”.
You could lead them through the mountains of evidence that public schools are a money pit & a breeding ground for social predators and that, conversely, alternative schooling is better for educational and social development by leaps & bounds, but they’ll say the problem is that public schools just need more money…YOUR money.
So if anyone thinks that they have even the most rudimentary grasp on the the so-called immigration issue, disappointment is sure to follow.
That’s right. Arrest them, deport them. That’s right. Get rid of them. They don’t belong here. DAMN RIGHT.
I am not a democrat or republican. I consider myself an economic realist. For example, I support some levels of medicare and medicaid because I think it is cheaper than the cost associated with old people rotting on my streets and spreading disease to myself and my family.
I suppose If you took Ayn Rand’s philosophy and added the fact that stupid people, sick people, insane people, and simply lazy people are more economically dealt with by offering some sort of support than abandoning society and forming your own fantasy land with only smart and strong people. I live in reality, not fiction.
In regards to illegal immigration, we need to identify the problem and think of the most economic solution. Lets think of the money, not a bunch of hot headed politicians trying to get you mad so they can keep/get their jobs. Not a bunch of angry people mad about the economy and looking for soft targets. Lets think about the money. Let’s think about reality. Let’s not focus on good and bad; right and wrong. We can fight about that until the end of time.
Let’s focus on the simple immigration issue of new illegal immigrants and the cost effective way of reducing that number. Right now we don’t have a whole lot of money.
First off, we can eliminate the extremes. Making all incoming people legal immigrants would be a disaster. We’d be the home of every single impoverished person on the planet. It would lead us to economic disaster (for a long time). Luckily, I have never, ever, in my entire life, heard a single person support that. Ever. Not once.
Next, the “Round em’ all up”. It costs thousands and thousands of dollars to deport someone, if you know who they are, where their original home is, and their home country acknowledges and accepts them back. It can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to deport someone who won’t speak. Think about it. If you looked latino, and were caught up in some immigration raid, and refused to speak, where would they send you? How much time would be spent dealing with that? Do you think Mexico would take you? What if you were white and refused to speak? Maybe you were actually here illegally from Poland… or Canada… what will they do? Seriously, deportation is ONLY expensive because it is currently fairly simple and people deal with it well. it can be EXTREMELY expensive if people start fighting it. It can also get EXTREMELY violent. Unlike the “free immigration for all”, this “round’em up” is extremely popular among groups with actual political power. Seriously, it’s about the stupidest and most immature idea I can possibly imagine, yet… there it is. Every day. (this is one of the reasons I had to stop going to Tea Party meetings. It was just like talking to a few concerned citizens while being surrounded by angry children with torches)
The problem is really like dealing with a river flooding. That water’s coming and we need to find a place to put it. We can damn some of it up, but that’s about it. It is coming whether we like it or not. So, we can make immigration a bit easier, a bit cleaner, and find places for impoverished immigrants to go and be of assistance, or we can simply keep making it more and more difficult for honest immigrants with some financial backing to get here, which leaves us with a bunch of people who have no other options… people with nothing to lose. People with no money, education, people who consider jumping the border or overstaying a visa to be a non-crime.
Realistically, we can control the “flow”, but we can’t stop it. Making it more illegal is an extraordinarily immature way to deal with a real problem. Being all up in arms about how it is a crime and only criminals are here illegally is just idiotic. It makes the right wing sound like a bunch of morons. Seriously. I’m no democrat, but I’d rather spend a day doing watercolors of Obama with a bunch of liberals than spend another session with Tea Party kids talking about Mexicans.
That flow is coming, and has been coming, and will continue to come. Perhaps we can place a substantial chunk of the budget into controlling it a tiny bit more, but they’re coming. The only question is just how illegal it will be for them to be here. How underground do you want them? How much money will you force ME to pay in additional taxes so YOU can hide this problem?
You can talk about money in social welfare and other crap all you want, but that’s going to get spent anyway. The reason for medicaid and public education isn’t to give American children some kind of frosting on their desert, it is to make America a competitive nation in an EXTREMELY competitive world. If we are going to have people here… legally, illegally, whatever…. it is in the best interest of the nation that they be educated and healthy and hard-working.
So. Let’s try a touch of realism. Let’s get off the endless parade of high-horses and make some hard calls. Let’s be unpopular. Let’s just get the job done without looking like a bunch of angry children.
Maybe we can even let go of the democrat/republican agendas and try to think of what is the best for America. Maybe we can remember that America is more than just the GOP or DNC. Maybe we can devise a plan that the most right-wing of your left-wing friends would be “OK” with. Maybe we can devise a plan that the most right-wing of your left wing friends would ALSO be ok with…. even if we don’t like it completely.
And if you are stuck with “Round’em all up”… go get an ice cream with your mommy and leave reality to the adults.
“flow” from place to place as economies change. It happened then, it happens now, it will continue to happen.
It is our responsibility to deal with it in the most ECONOMICAL way.
So, in dealing with this “flow” of people, we have not taken RESPONSIBILITY for our own actions and inactions. We have a large flow of people coming in, and have not proportionally opened our LEGAL options. So, rather than getting an even cross section, we get the desperate, the extreme poor, the people with absolutely nothing to lose.
Actually, unlimited access ( at least for favored groups) IS the default position of most of the anti-border crowd.
If you have never heard that opinion… you just aren’t listening.
What are saying is the most economical way to deal with illegal immigration?
I like that while the last guy posted as “Reality”, he is clearly unfamiliar with his namesake. While it might cost “thousands and thousands” of dollars to deport someone, it costs TENS of thousands of dollars EACH YEAR to keep them here, whether they’re roaming the streets or – even more expensively – in the jails and prisons.
I’m so sorry, but your libertarian approach is missing more relevant information that it provides.
This is not the complex issue that some people make it out to be; we need to identify and then find them; it’s not all that hard to do. After that, but before deporting them outright, we discern if they even had any skills to work here & contribute to THIS society, we determine if they ever even intended to be loyal to THIS country, and we determine if they can even speak English (it IS the official language, after all).
If they don’t or won’t meet that criteria, then it’s Hasta Luego for them…In other words, we do exactly what we’re supposed to do when someone applies for citizenship here LEGALLY. Because as it turns out, there’s several reasons why applicants need to be screened.
Why is this so hard for the so-called moderates to understand?
Senator Marco Rubio of Florida is not the major activist against illegal immigration, for the TEA PARTY. That’s one of the most serious issues on their agenda for the 2012 election. Any TEA PARTY leader, who is not, will be quickly removed. Minnesota Republican Michele Bachmann and Tea Party sweetheart is a major contender in revitalizing the massive, out-of-control problem. Kentucky Republican Rand Paul, a freshman and tea party favorite is ready to fight the illegal immigrant invasion. Whether it’s Florida or some other State, economic illegal aliens will soon head your way to Sanctuary Cities or even States like California. Those State legislators not implementing E-Verify or Secure Communities will be crucified in 2012.
Illicit Companies and open border interests are just one cause of financial fall of America. Democratic leaders discounted the Tea Party and measured them as nothing more than a small group of discontents. The GOP, on the other hand, understood that it wasn’t and were smart enough to encourage them into their party. People have been wondering for a long time, who Congress works for? The American people or big business lobby? That question is simply answered, when the United States, unlike other nations doesn’t make it a felony to trespass on to our sovereign territory. Decades of complete brain oblivion–intentional or not on the part of both political parties in Congress, has cost us millions of US jobs, lowering of wage, and higher taxes specifically in the lower working classes. We are forced to pay for their children’s education, the whole household’s health care and many well concealed programs by government.
While Americans are in foreclosure, cars reprocessed and unable to pay their bills, there are an estimated 8 million gainfully employed. Illegal aliens are still pouring across the border or flying from other nations and are not being tracked as in Mexico. The Third Party will stem this illegal economic occupation once and for all. The Tea Party will not vote for any new Amnesties, better labeled as Immigration Reform. The People’s power is omnipotent, but we must stand together against many entities who are only interested in profit and exploitation. We can join NumbersUSA and band together by demanding a–MANDATORY E-VERIFY–nationwide, from our federal, State representatives or call Senate—202-224–3121/ House—202-225–3121.
Snork, I do not think it is a crime to overstay a visa. You can be deported and face civil penalties but not criminal ones.
I feel like the sane people in this country are being dragged through the looking glass and into a third world wasteland by an agenda that is not of/by/for the wellbeing of the American people.
Snaggle-toothed Charlie Uncle Nan Tare.
Bottom line: The states most affected by illegal immigration should assert and reassert themselves via nullification as to any so-called federal laws that weaken strict enforcement of immigration. Since the central govt. is not willing to clean up this mess as it is supposed to do, then the states involved will have to take the burden on themselves. The Peoples Republic of California I’m sure won’t go along, but Arizona, New Mexico and Texas are fully capable to do so.
In the same speech, she enunciated her unwavering support for Israel, whose immigration policies don’t exactly match ours:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizenship_and_Entry_into_Israel_Law