I've had it.

[BeerSwillr]

I've had it with illegal aliens, illegal immigration, and the complicit attitude of US immigration policy!

My 16 year old has been looking for a summer job for the last 3 months, what he's found has been surprising. Not only are there no summer jobs available, there are no jobs available, period, for someone with no experience.

So you say he's not looking hard enough? That the jobs are there, you just have to find them. HA!

All the entry level, low skill jobs that would normally be taken by teenagers and young adults during the summer are being taken by illegal immigrants, at least here in Texas. The few places that don't hire illegals have to contend with 10 or more applicants for each open position.

So who is this hurting you ask? Just a few teenagers who will be back in school in a couple of months? Just a few teenagers that will contribute little to the overall economic picture? WRONG!

You know the answer. It's hurting everyone. Teenagers would spend almost every penny they earned, contributing immensely to the overall economic health of the US. They would be in the malls, movie theaters, and restaurants spending their hard earned pay, leaving their parents free to spend their money on something else.

The illegal aliens? They used to maintain a low profile. Now, they don't bother. They can be seen everywhere; mowing lawns, planting trees, roofing & framing houses, working at the lube shack, pouring concrete, gathering at several official and unofficial day worker hang-outs in the mornings (when it would be extremely easy for immigration to swoop in and arrest them.)

Where you don't and won't see them is out spending their money (except for at Wal-Mart.) You don't see them at Bennigans, Chilis, Tony Romas, Cinemark, the mall, car dealerships, etc.

Know why?

They don't have any money to spend on the US economy because they're sending everything except a small subsistence back to Mexico.

The illegals are not here to help us or the US economy. Anyone that says they are here to take jobs that US citizens don't want is being disingenuous.

They're siphoning off millions of dollars a year from the economy. Not only by taking jobs, but a host of other ways; education benefits, medical assistance, government assistance, thievery, robbery, drug dealing, you name it, they're involved in it.

And what is the Department of Homeland Security™ doing about this? They're putting on a dog and pony show.

They're outlining major new methods of monitoring ports of entry, airports, etc. with biometrics, fingerprinting, radar, facial recognition technology, and who knows what else, while at the same time doing nothing to monitor thousands of miles of open space where, apparently, it is relatively easy to cross into the US.

It seems to me that simple reconnaissance flights over that vast unmonitored territory would be able to identify these border violations and put a stop to, or at least slow, this illegal invasion of our country.

The Department of Homeland Security™ is largely ignoring the issue. Illegal entry into the US continues unabated across our borders.

It makes me sick.

What can we do about it? Other than mew weakly and post articles like this on the large wasteland that is the internet?

Contact your elected officials and let them know what you're thinking. Let them know you will hold them accountable. It's all in our hands.

http://www.senate.gov/

http://www.house.gov/

http://www.whitehouse.gov/

[Joe Hadenuf]

Excellent post!

[kevao]

I just can't understand you people who think a sovereign country can't survive with porous borders and unrestricted, unchecked illegal immigration. Sure, maybe a terrorist or two will slip in through our open borders; and, yes, illegal aliens comprise 28% of our prison population. But just think of all the great benefits we reap by having 350,000 illegals per year swamp our health care and public education systems.

[ought-six]

"Or do we leave them as fugitives to hide and become criminals and push drugs and steal to eat from you and me, and grow a subculture that hates us, etc. Which of those alternative is best for us in the long run?"

We stop them at the border, with force if necessary. That will give their compadres that are already here something to think about. And what is Mexico going to do about it? Fight us?

[Conspiracy Guy]

Yes. There is a BP station on a busy street near an affluent neighborhood that looks like a soccer game getting ready to start. I'd like to drive up in an INS van and watch em scatter. No they wouldn't scatter they would probably come over and try to pay the hush money.

[Conspiracy Guy]

It is my one sore spot with GWB.

[Tiffany]

1) They are undocumented immigrants, not illegal aliens. They have a legal right to be here, and the borders should be opened up.

2) They were here first, so they have more right to work here, receive aid, etc., than any of you.

3) They do help the economy. In fact, our economy has tanked since so many immigrants have been kept out. Thank God Bush is not totally in line with you on this subject.

4) What I'm reading on this thread is pure racism and a latent hatred of those of Latino descent, and if you don't watch it I'm going to hit the abuse button.

5) Any questions?!?

[johnb838]

My Texas Senators have been real nice about sending replys even when we disagree.

I've been saying for a long time that the illegals have aced the teenagers out of the labor market. I think it is real easy to say they wouldn't want the jobs anyway when they are not available to them to find out.

[johnb838]

I'd vote for Tancredo in the primary to put some pressure on W. I really like W and will definitely be voting for another term for him but he needs to feel the pressure from the base or he will triangulate too much.

[Tiffany]

1) They are undocumented immigrants, not illegal aliens. They have a legal right to be here, and the borders should be opened up.

2) They were here first, so they have more right to work here, receive aid, etc., than any of you.

3) They do help the economy. In fact, our economy has tanked since so many immigrants have been kept out. Thank God Bush is not totally in line with you on this subject.

4) What I'm reading on this thread is pure racism and a latent hatred of those of Latino descent, and if you don't watch it I'm going to hit the abuse button.

5) Any questions?!?

[Joe Hadenuf]

I just can't understand you people who think a sovereign country can't survive with porous borders and unrestricted, unchecked illegal immigration. Sure, maybe a terrorist or two will slip in through our open borders; and, yes, illegal aliens comprise 28% of our prison population. But just think of all the great benefits we reap by having 350,000 illegals per year swamp our health care and public education systems.

This is all so pathetic. Give this another couple of years, and the trouble waiting down the road is going to be right in our face.......

[Scothia]

Why are they so important to President Bush in '04? They can't vote (legally), and those who do will likely vote democrat (more than once). I don't understand why they are important to him. Can you elaborate on this?

Simple. Latinos are the fastest-growing minority demographic in the US. The Republicans are courting the Hispanic vote like Romeo after Juliet. They've made great headway with the Cubans in Florida, and are now looking to break into the Mexican mainstream as well. No way in Hades are they gonna do anything to rock this boat.

I live in Salinas, CA, part of the 38% non-Hispanic minority. A while back I was involved in a minor traffic accident, and the officer who responded said he was so amazed that the two parties actually called the police that he let us both go without tickets (we each deserved one.) He went on to say that about 80% of the traffic accidents in Monterey County are caused by undocumented drivers who just split before police arrive.

Our apartment building, in a very nice neighborhood only three blocks from the police station, just got tagged again, which means the other gang--both Mexican, of course--will be by to try to leave their mark as well. It's a constant problem. They paint, we call the city Graffiti Abatement team who remove it, they paint again. I'm really getting sick of this place.

[lonestar]

What bugs me most are the telemarketers whose accents are so bad I can't understand why they're interrupting me.

[Joe Hadenuf]

LOL!

[Abe Froman]

Spreading?? Bad in Texas?

I live in Minnesota, and when I got a resturant job as a senior in high school, nearly every one of the kitchen workers was Mexican except for the head cook. That was 10 years ago. In Minnesota, Mexicans have been flooding the fast-food industry for so long that they have moved into management. The local Wendy's and Taco Bell, Boston Market, and Burger King all have Latino managers.

It still isn't hard for a teenager to find a job however. My personal take on why it's hard to find a suburban American teen at McDonald's these days: kids don't want to go to work with several people with whom it's difficult to communicate, are non-peers, and have a different agenda in life. Suburban teens and semi-immigrant Mexican workers have little in common. Teens want to work where it's popular and friendly to work, and where they will be in contact with people who understand them and their culture. Popular places for teens to work now? (I volunteer with high-schoolers at my church) Places such as D'Amico and Sons, Caribou, Starbucks, or any other coffee shop, the local 9-hole course or golf dome, Circuit City, etc....places where they will talk to, help, and work with others of their own kind. I don't neccessarily condone this mild form of xeno-centrism, but I certainly understand it. I would want to work with my friends too.

[Tiffany]

It's the federal governments responsibility to protect our borders and our sovereignty.

I hope you're not serious. The borders should be open.

[EBUCK]

Gotta be some sort of a joker right? Real funny that clap-trap you wrote...

[Tiffany]

What's so funny?

[Reaganwuzthebest]

I hope you're not serious. The borders should be open.

You mean you didn't forget your sarcasm tag?

[BeerSwillr]

Thanks. I'll see if I can find it at my local Barnes&Noble

[ndafill]

They are. That's the problem.