It’s one of the safest parts of America, and it’s getting safer.It’s the U.S.-Mexico border, and even as politicians say more federal troops are needed to fight rising violence, government data obtained by The Associated Press show it actually isn’t so dangerous after all.
The top four big cities in America with the lowest rates of violent crime are all in border states: San Diego, Phoenix, El Paso and Austin, according to a new FBI report. And an in-house Customs and Border Protection report shows that Border Patrol agents face far less danger than street cops in most U.S. cities.
This is an interesting story, and it highlights the reality that almost everything people believe about immigration is wrong. Among those:
(1) That illegal immigration causes crime.
(2) That illegal immigrants don’t pay taxes.
(3) That immigrants today are assimilating more slowly than past immigrants.
Yes, there are some illegals who commit violent crimes, and there are some communities that suffer a disproportionate burden of dealing with undocumented aliens, and yes, some immigrants don’t learn English. But what we have here is a classic example of how the plural of anecdote is not data.
While I agree with the gist of what you’re saying, I think perhaps you might want to rethink the assertion that people wrongly believe that illegal immigration causes crime. If by “illegal immigration” we mean the act of a noncitizen entering this country without documentation, or remaining here in violation of the terms of any documentation, or both, then much of what that individual does is a crime. Thus, “illegal immigration” does cause crime.
Here is something else that people wrongly believe about “illegal immigration.” Many of us who are concerned about the influx of undocumented noncitizens are not tea-parties, tea-baggers, xenophobes, or racists. We see a problem with Americans exploiting individuals as a means to an end. And that is what many businesses in America do. They know that they can exploit individuals for cheap labor and use the fear of the legal system against those laborers, largely in part because those laborers do not understand our legal system but know that they’re doing something illegal. Their business models are designed around breaking laws and treating people like farm animals. While the immigrants may acquiesce to this, it is nonetheless an indignity that we incentivize. It reminds me of dwarf tossing in France.
Undocumented noncitizens live here in fear of removal proceedings. They often live here with the intent to remain here, despite knowing that they will not perhaps ever enjoy the legal protections that citizens enjoy. If you think that bodes well for the rate of assimilation of today’s immigrants then we’re on different planets.
Like most other laws that are created piecemeal by shameless politicians seeking to curry short-term favor with the lowest common denominator of their districts, our immigration laws make no sense. They are as convoluted as our Bankruptcy code and as slow-moving as the appeals process for a death-row inmate. I think most reasonable people on both sides of the issue recognize why people will come here and remain here illegally – generally divided into “push” and “pull” factors. The “pull” factors – those which we can most easily influence – remain untouched because there is no political will to fix them. So, in the meantime, retards on cable news and political blogs will just sling mud at each other. A classic example of this is the issue of noncitizens not paying taxes. Could any issue be less relevant to anything? Even if one asserts that they don’t pay taxes, is this really such a big deal in light of the way in which they’re treated and the conditions that they live in? They’re treated like a farm animal, but we’re upset that they’re not paying FICA taxes? Alternatively, let’s assert that they do pay taxes. They’re still being exploited. Their wages are still depressed due to the fact that they are working in the shadow economy. The taxes that they pay are under a stolen SSN or in the form of sales taxes that they pay at the grocery store. Well, I guess the system is working just fine!
Sorry for rambling on. Ignore all of that. Let’s argue over whether Mexicans are stealing US jobs or whether La Raza wants to take back California.
“Many of us who are concerned about the influx of undocumented noncitizens are not tea-parties, tea-baggers, xenophobes, or racists. We see a problem with Americans exploiting individuals as a means to an end.”
An admirable sentiment, and one I share. But I doubt that this view represents more than a tiny percentage of the population that considers illegal immigration a problem. I mean, the answer to your concerns is really, really simple — amnesty, green cards, and a quick path to citizenship. But try to get that passed!
“… I doubt that this view represents more than a tiny percentage of the population that considers illegal immigration a problem.”
Don’t let cable news shape your perceptions.
“I mean, the answer to your concerns is really, really simple — amnesty, green cards, and a quick path to citizenship.”
I’ve bounced another idea off of a few people. The problem as I see it is that the fear of removal proceedings is the big enabler for hiring noncitizens. The number of small businesses and contractors willing to hire people who are known to be ineligible to work is the most significant “pull” factor. We could address this by expanding eligibility for “S” visas or creating similar visas that lead to LPR status for undocumented migrants who report on illegal practices of employers or landlords (kind of a whistleblower provision). This would deter illegal activity and reward migrants who assist law enforcement. This would seem to satisfy those on the right who continually call for punishing the employers and satisfy those on the left who continually demand quicker and easier paths to citizenship.
Although I suspect the pressure/danger on whistleblowers then would come from the undocumented workers put out of work rather than the “authorities.”
Ultimately, I think Bush’s “guest worker” program isn’t a half-bad starting point for discussions, though the danger of creating a permanent aliened underclass is a major challenge.
My answer on all of this is high fences with a wide gate, but that means a “gate” wide enough to genuinely relieve “pull” factors… which I don’t think can be done politically.