Posted on 07/05/2006 9:55:09 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
PHILADELPHIA - The economy of the country's largest city and the entire nation would collapse if illegal immigrants were deported en masse, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg told a Senate committee hearing Wednesday.
New York City is home to more than 3 million immigrants, and a half-million of them came to this country illegally, Bloomberg testified.
"Although they broke the law by illegally crossing our borders ... our city's economy would be a shell of itself had they not, and it would collapse if they were deported," he said. "The same holds true for the nation."
The hearing, led by Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., in Philadelphia, was one of several being held nationwide as congressional Republicans take to the road to discuss overhauling the nation's immigration laws.
House GOP leaders called for the hearings last month in a blow to President Bush's ambitious election-year plan that includes a guest worker program and path to citizenship for millions in this country illegally.
Specter and fellow senators are trying to build support for a Senate bill that would allow a majority of the illegal immigrants in the country to eventually become legal permanent residents and citizens after paying at least $3,250 in fines, fees and back taxes and learning English.
The competing bill passed by the House focuses on enforcement and has no provision for illegal immigrants or future guest workers.
Bloomberg encouraged Congress to offer illegal immigrants an opportunity to earn permanent status.
"Members of the House of Representatives want to control the borders. So do all of us here," Bloomberg said. "But believing that increasing border patrols alone will achieve that goal is either naive and shortsighted or cynical and duplicitous. No wall or army can stop hundreds of thousands of people each year."
A House subcommittee planned a meeting Wednesday at a San Diego Border Patrol station to examine security lapses that could expose the U.S. to terrorism. The same panel planned another hearing Friday in Laredo, Texas.
Republican-led House committees also plans hearings outside Washington in mid-July on making English the nation's official language, and on how enforcement of immigration laws affects American workers. A mid-August hearing in Arizona will focus on costs to local and state governments.
More crap from a socialist, bobble-headed liberal-demokkkRAT scumbag, aka RINO.
More lies from the open borders loonies. Our economy would most certainly not collapse if we were to rid ourselves of the illegals.
IBTOBL
"A House subcommittee planned a meeting Wednesday at a San Diego Border Patrol station to examine security lapses that could expose the U.S. to terrorism."
San Diego Border Patrol 'testifying' on CSPAN now.
Coming from the jerkweed that ordered the police to look for fireworks purchases out of state.
Now what happens to any of us if we do not pay a parking ticket?
The economy in danger of collapse is the Mexican economy. It would collapse if they had to support their people instead of exporting them to us.
guess the poor fool has never visited the DMZ in Korea.
Bloomberg is truly a special brand of idiot.
I was going to use a Yiddish word [that I have heard on TV 1,000 times]. However, Webster's online definition indicates that it's not nice. Oy! So, I'll say he's a schlemiel.
" "Although they broke the law by illegally crossing our borders ... our city's economy would be a shell of itself had they not, and it would collapse if they were deported," he said. "The same holds true for the nation." "
Possibly, if they were deported all at once it would make things tough for a week or two but since they did not all come here together and their hiring was a "ramp up" type occurence I think we could probably find folks to fill teir positions in our economy.
Might have to bump the pay up a little (and I think THAT is what has employers worried the most)
Unfortunately, he's right about the economic impact. Illegals provide the only source of FREE MARKET labor in this country, and we've allowed this situation to go on for so long that there really are some significant pockets of the country where many citizens would suffer severe economic consequences if the illegals were suddenly all deported. However, in the long run, all areas would get a big economic boost, as such a huge amount of money is being spent on various public services for illegals.
Losses from thefts allow insurance companies to raise rates and invest the surpluses into higher yielding funds on Wall Street.
Everyone knows he's in no position to rant against immigrants. He should shut his pie hole.
First off, deport all illegals. Second, take the "grasshoppers", then turn them into "ants".
Reality check:
Is there any gov't sponsored/developed program that will be so embraced by the Illigal Immigrant community that they will all suddenly appear and self-identify?
Exactly.
the same was said about Slavery in America. It's just not true.
I actually researched it some time ago and something like 22% of all persons incarcerated are not here legally but of course they're incarcerated for *real* crimes. I'm really surprised Mexico hasn't said more about the execution of Ramirez-Resendez.
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