Aa
Immigrants don't take welfare without paying taxes. You're thinking of corporations.
http://www.tolerance.org/immigration-myths
"Myths about immigration and immigrants are common. Here are a few of the most frequently heard misconceptions along with information to help you and your students separate fact from fear.
When students make statements that are mistaken or inaccurate, one response is to simply ask, “How do you know that’s true?” Whatever the answer—even if it’s “That’s what my parents say”—probe a little more to get at the source. Ask, “Where do you think they got that information?” or “That sounds like it might be an opinion and not a fact.” Guide students to find a reliable source and help them figure out how to check the facts.
Most immigrants are here illegally.
With so much controversy around the issue of undocumented immigrants, it’s easy to overlook the fact that most of the foreign-born living in the United States have followed the rules and have permission to be here. Of the more than 31 million foreign-born people living in the United States in 2009, about 20 million were either citizens or legal residents. Of those who did not have authorization to be here, about 45 percent entered the country legally and then let their papers expire.
It's just as easy to enter the country legally today as it was when my ancestors arrived.
Ask students when their ancestors immigrated and if they know what the entry requirements were at the time. For about the first 100 years, the United States had an “open immigration system that allowed any able-bodied immigrant in,” explains immigration historian David Reimers. The biggest obstacle would-be immigrants faced was getting here. Today there are many rules about who may enter the country and stay legally. Under current policy, many students’ immigrant ancestors who arrived between 1790 and 1924 would not be allowed in today.
There’s a way to enter the country legally for anyone who wants to get in line.
Ask students if they know the rules to enter the country legally and stay here to work. The simple answer is that there is no “line” for most very poor people with few skills to stand in and gain permanent U.S. residency. Generally, gaining permission to live and work in the United States is limited to people who are (1) highly trained in a skill that is in short supply here, (2) escaping political persecution, or (3) joining close family already here.
My ancestors learned English, but today’s immigrants refuse.
Ask students to find out how long it took for their ancestors to stop using their first language. “Earlier immigrant groups held onto their cultures fiercely,” notes Reimers. “When the United States entered the First World War [in 1917], there were over 700 German-language newspapers. Yet, German immigration had peaked in the 1870s.”
While today’s immigrants may speak their first language at home, two-thirds of those older than 5 speak English “well” or “very well” according to research by the independent, nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute. And the demand for adult ESL instruction in the United States far outstrips available classes.
Today’s immigrants don’t want to blend in and become “Americanized.”
Ask students what it means to blend in to American society. In 2010, about 500,000 immigrants became naturalized citizens. They had to overcome obstacles like getting here, finding a job, overcoming language barriers, paying naturalization fees, dealing with a famously lethargic immigration bureaucracy and taking a written citizenship test. This is not the behavior of people who take becoming American lightly.
The reality is that the typical pattern of assimilation in the United States has remained steady, says Reimers. “The first generation struggled with English and didn’t learn it. The second was bilingual. And the third can’t talk to their grandparents.” If anything, the speed of assimilation is faster today than at any time in our past, mainly because of public education and mass media.
Immigrants take good jobs from Americans.
Ask students what kinds of jobs they think immigrants are taking. According to the Immigration Policy Center, a nonpartisan group, research indicates there is little connection between immigrant labor and unemployment rates of native-born workers. Here in the United States, two trends—better education and an aging population—have resulted in a decrease in the number of Americans willing or available to take low-paying jobs. Between 2000 and 2005, the supply of low-skilled American-born workers slipped by 1.8 million.
To fill the void, employers often hire immigrant workers. One of the consequences, unfortunately, is that it is easier for unscrupulous employers to exploit this labor source and pay immigrants less, not provide benefits and ignore worker-safety laws. On an economic level, Americans benefit from relatively low prices on food and other goods produced by undocumented immigrant labor.
Undocumented immigrants bring crime.
Ask students where they heard this. Nationally, since 1994, the violent crime rate has declined 34 percent and the property crime rate has fallen 26 percent, even as the number of undocumented immigrants has doubled. According to the conservative Americas Majority Foundation, crime rates during the period 1999–2006 were lowest in states with the highest immigration growth rates. During that period the total crime rate fell 14 percent in the 19 top immigration states, compared to only 7 percent in the other 31. Truth is, foreign-born people in America—whether they are naturalized citizens, permanent residents or undocumented—are incarcerated at a much lower rate than native-born Americans, according to the National Institute of Corrections.
Undocumented immigrants don’t pay taxes but still get benefits.
Ask students what are some ways Americans pay taxes, as in income tax and sales tax. Undocumented immigrants pay taxes every time they buy gas, clothes or new appliances. They also contribute to property taxes—a main source of school funding—when they buy or rent a house, or rent an apartment. The Social Security Administration estimates that half to three-quarters of undocumented immigrants pay federal, state and local taxes, including $6 billion to $7 billion in Social Security taxes for benefits they will never get. They can receive schooling and emergency medical care, but not welfare or food stamps.
The United States is being overrun by immigrants like never before.
Ask students why they think this. As a percentage of the U.S. population, the historic high actually came in 1900, when the foreign-born constituted nearly 20 percent of the population. Today, about 12 percent of the population is foreign-born. Since the start of the recession in 2008, the number of undocumented immigrants coming into the country has actually dropped.
Many people also accuse immigrants of having “anchor babies”—children who allow the whole family to stay. According to the U.S. Constitution, a child born on U.S. soil is automatically an American citizen. That is true. But immigration judges will not keep immigrant parents in the United States just because their children are U.S. citizens. Between 1998 and 2007, the federal government deported about 108,000 foreign-born parents whose children had been born here. These children must wait until they are 21 before they can petition to allow their parents to join them in the United States. That process is long and difficult. In reality, there is no such thing as an “anchor baby.”
nyone who enters the country illegally is a criminal.
Ask students whether someone who jaywalks or who doesn’t feed a parking meter is a criminal. Explain that only very serious misbehavior is generally considered “criminal” in our legal system. Violations of less serious laws are usually “civil” matters and are tried in civil courts. People accused of crimes are tried in criminal courts and can be imprisoned..............."
"Myths about immigration and immigrants are common. Here are a few of the most frequently heard misconceptions along with information to help you and your students separate fact from fear.
When students make statements that are mistaken or inaccurate, one response is to simply ask, “How do you know that’s true?” Whatever the answer—even if it’s “That’s what my parents say”—probe a little more to get at the source. Ask, “Where do you think they got that information?” or “That sounds like it might be an opinion and not a fact.” Guide students to find a reliable source and help them figure out how to check the facts.
Most immigrants are here illegally.
With so much controversy around the issue of undocumented immigrants, it’s easy to overlook the fact that most of the foreign-born living in the United States have followed the rules and have permission to be here. Of the more than 31 million foreign-born people living in the United States in 2009, about 20 million were either citizens or legal residents. Of those who did not have authorization to be here, about 45 percent entered the country legally and then let their papers expire.
It's just as easy to enter the country legally today as it was when my ancestors arrived.
Ask students when their ancestors immigrated and if they know what the entry requirements were at the time. For about the first 100 years, the United States had an “open immigration system that allowed any able-bodied immigrant in,” explains immigration historian David Reimers. The biggest obstacle would-be immigrants faced was getting here. Today there are many rules about who may enter the country and stay legally. Under current policy, many students’ immigrant ancestors who arrived between 1790 and 1924 would not be allowed in today.
There’s a way to enter the country legally for anyone who wants to get in line.
Ask students if they know the rules to enter the country legally and stay here to work. The simple answer is that there is no “line” for most very poor people with few skills to stand in and gain permanent U.S. residency. Generally, gaining permission to live and work in the United States is limited to people who are (1) highly trained in a skill that is in short supply here, (2) escaping political persecution, or (3) joining close family already here.
My ancestors learned English, but today’s immigrants refuse.
Ask students to find out how long it took for their ancestors to stop using their first language. “Earlier immigrant groups held onto their cultures fiercely,” notes Reimers. “When the United States entered the First World War [in 1917], there were over 700 German-language newspapers. Yet, German immigration had peaked in the 1870s.”
While today’s immigrants may speak their first language at home, two-thirds of those older than 5 speak English “well” or “very well” according to research by the independent, nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute. And the demand for adult ESL instruction in the United States far outstrips available classes.
Today’s immigrants don’t want to blend in and become “Americanized.”
Ask students what it means to blend in to American society. In 2010, about 500,000 immigrants became naturalized citizens. They had to overcome obstacles like getting here, finding a job, overcoming language barriers, paying naturalization fees, dealing with a famously lethargic immigration bureaucracy and taking a written citizenship test. This is not the behavior of people who take becoming American lightly.
The reality is that the typical pattern of assimilation in the United States has remained steady, says Reimers. “The first generation struggled with English and didn’t learn it. The second was bilingual. And the third can’t talk to their grandparents.” If anything, the speed of assimilation is faster today than at any time in our past, mainly because of public education and mass media.
Immigrants take good jobs from Americans.
Ask students what kinds of jobs they think immigrants are taking. According to the Immigration Policy Center, a nonpartisan group, research indicates there is little connection between immigrant labor and unemployment rates of native-born workers. Here in the United States, two trends—better education and an aging population—have resulted in a decrease in the number of Americans willing or available to take low-paying jobs. Between 2000 and 2005, the supply of low-skilled American-born workers slipped by 1.8 million.
To fill the void, employers often hire immigrant workers. One of the consequences, unfortunately, is that it is easier for unscrupulous employers to exploit this labor source and pay immigrants less, not provide benefits and ignore worker-safety laws. On an economic level, Americans benefit from relatively low prices on food and other goods produced by undocumented immigrant labor.
Undocumented immigrants bring crime.
Ask students where they heard this. Nationally, since 1994, the violent crime rate has declined 34 percent and the property crime rate has fallen 26 percent, even as the number of undocumented immigrants has doubled. According to the conservative Americas Majority Foundation, crime rates during the period 1999–2006 were lowest in states with the highest immigration growth rates. During that period the total crime rate fell 14 percent in the 19 top immigration states, compared to only 7 percent in the other 31. Truth is, foreign-born people in America—whether they are naturalized citizens, permanent residents or undocumented—are incarcerated at a much lower rate than native-born Americans, according to the National Institute of Corrections.
Undocumented immigrants don’t pay taxes but still get benefits.
Ask students what are some ways Americans pay taxes, as in income tax and sales tax. Undocumented immigrants pay taxes every time they buy gas, clothes or new appliances. They also contribute to property taxes—a main source of school funding—when they buy or rent a house, or rent an apartment. The Social Security Administration estimates that half to three-quarters of undocumented immigrants pay federal, state and local taxes, including $6 billion to $7 billion in Social Security taxes for benefits they will never get. They can receive schooling and emergency medical care, but not welfare or food stamps.
The United States is being overrun by immigrants like never before.
Ask students why they think this. As a percentage of the U.S. population, the historic high actually came in 1900, when the foreign-born constituted nearly 20 percent of the population. Today, about 12 percent of the population is foreign-born. Since the start of the recession in 2008, the number of undocumented immigrants coming into the country has actually dropped.
Many people also accuse immigrants of having “anchor babies”—children who allow the whole family to stay. According to the U.S. Constitution, a child born on U.S. soil is automatically an American citizen. That is true. But immigration judges will not keep immigrant parents in the United States just because their children are U.S. citizens. Between 1998 and 2007, the federal government deported about 108,000 foreign-born parents whose children had been born here. These children must wait until they are 21 before they can petition to allow their parents to join them in the United States. That process is long and difficult. In reality, there is no such thing as an “anchor baby.”
nyone who enters the country illegally is a criminal.
Ask students whether someone who jaywalks or who doesn’t feed a parking meter is a criminal. Explain that only very serious misbehavior is generally considered “criminal” in our legal system. Violations of less serious laws are usually “civil” matters and are tried in civil courts. People accused of crimes are tried in criminal courts and can be imprisoned..............."
We see how Mexico treats Americans...Marine still in jail in Mexico.
You're right, and thanks for correcting me. I did mean "come here legally, forget to re-up your papers and then are now here illegally".
I overheard commentary on some news show this morning that it is assumed that a lot of these people cannot financially afford the $5-7k it takes to get muled into this country so the drug cartels mule them in for future favors or at a very cut rate for future favors. Basically, "you do this for me or we'll murder your whole family".....
Yeah, and you don't go into Mexico breaking laws.
I overheard commentary on some news show this morning that it is assumed that a lot of these people cannot financially afford the $5-7k it takes to get muled into this country so the drug cartels mule them in for future favors or at a very cut rate for future favors. Basically, "you do this for me or we'll murder your whole family".....
Yeah, and you don't go into Mexico breaking laws.
"So if you're here legally and forget to re-up your papers, you are now here legally." I think you meant they are now here ILLEGALLY... yes, there should be consequences, because they've now broken our laws. If I let my driver's license or license plates lapse, I've broken the law and I'm subject to punishment/fine... I have, in fact, been pulled over because I didn't have my new license sticker on.. only thing that saved me was that I had my new registration with me and I got a VERY stern warning to have the new sticker on within 24 hrs and the same officer was lying in wait the next morning when I went to work to make sure I did...
I also have a problem with the "children" coming in, because I've seen photos of some of them and they are not children to be pitied; they are young adults who should know better than to break the laws of another country. I've read reports (may or may not be true) that many are drug dealers, gang members, etc... those are people we don't need/want here.
Try going into Mexico and breaking their laws and see if you drum up all the humanitarian feelings that these illegal immigrants are bringing to this country...never going to happen..
I also have a problem with the "children" coming in, because I've seen photos of some of them and they are not children to be pitied; they are young adults who should know better than to break the laws of another country. I've read reports (may or may not be true) that many are drug dealers, gang members, etc... those are people we don't need/want here.
Try going into Mexico and breaking their laws and see if you drum up all the humanitarian feelings that these illegal immigrants are bringing to this country...never going to happen..
"Of those who did not have authorization to be here, about 45 percent entered the country legally and then let their papers expire. "
We talked about this exact thing at a recent gathering. This is part of the equation that seems to really set emotions into play... this and the kids.
So if you're here legally and forget to re-up your papers, you are now here legally. There should be consequences. If every illegal at this point (a week or so after expiration) would run to the immigration office and try to correct this problem, it would be less of a problem.
Instead, these people are taught to fear immigration, not the fact that they are breaking laws.
The notion of a clear line to citizenship gives me a migraine. There is so much wrong with the system and we are not addressing the issues. We offer excuses, we issue "play for free" cards...... Nobody wants to take a hard stand on this and get it shut down for a bit until it can all be overhauled.
We talked about this exact thing at a recent gathering. This is part of the equation that seems to really set emotions into play... this and the kids.
So if you're here legally and forget to re-up your papers, you are now here legally. There should be consequences. If every illegal at this point (a week or so after expiration) would run to the immigration office and try to correct this problem, it would be less of a problem.
Instead, these people are taught to fear immigration, not the fact that they are breaking laws.
The notion of a clear line to citizenship gives me a migraine. There is so much wrong with the system and we are not addressing the issues. We offer excuses, we issue "play for free" cards...... Nobody wants to take a hard stand on this and get it shut down for a bit until it can all be overhauled.
You believe what you believe, and I believe what I believe.
Obviously we do not agree.
I do not believe I am brainwashed in fact, I feel I am truthful and speak from my heart. I am far from brainwashed as I think things through and don't just believe what the media wants us to think.
It is imperative if we are to all get along that we respect the fact that we believe differently whether it has to do with religion or politics.
Obviously we do not agree.
I do not believe I am brainwashed in fact, I feel I am truthful and speak from my heart. I am far from brainwashed as I think things through and don't just believe what the media wants us to think.
It is imperative if we are to all get along that we respect the fact that we believe differently whether it has to do with religion or politics.
Please stop with the rich vs poor that the left has brainwashed you into believing. THE PRIORITY IS TO STOP PEOPLE FROM BREAKING OUR LAWS. THIS IS NOT JUST CHILDREN COMING ACROSS. HOW MANY TERRORISTS HAVE COME ACROSS? WE HAVE JUST INVITED THE NEXT 9/11 TO COME ACROSS INTO OUR COUNTRY.
There is something to be said about our country's priories being far from compassionate or fair when we are locking up impoverished desperate children while the big corporations are allowed to break laws, write new laws, and steal us blind.
“Here are a few of the most frequently heard misconceptions along with information to help you and your students separate fact from fear.”
That’s about as far as I could stomach.
That’s about as far as I could stomach.
No matter how much science you apply to it...
No matter how many articles by "respected" authors your post...
No matter how your sugar-coat it...
The border still needs to be completely shut down, NOW.
Close the border.
Stop the influx.
Make the ones that came here illegally either PAY a fine.
If they don't want to, or can't, go the hell home.
Teach THAT to your students.
No matter how many articles by "respected" authors your post...
No matter how your sugar-coat it...
The border still needs to be completely shut down, NOW.
Close the border.
Stop the influx.
Make the ones that came here illegally either PAY a fine.
If they don't want to, or can't, go the hell home.
Teach THAT to your students.
I should probably poke my eyes out for looking at that website.
Who really cares what myth or out there. You currently have people breaking our laws in record numbers.
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