“When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. … .They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.”
Former President Donald Trump
2015 Announcement for President
Since the day he announced he was running for president, Trump has made vilification of immigration the signature part of his platform and agenda. He promised to build a wall that Mexico would pay for and he failed miserably on that promise one he became presidents. He had the federal government focus on replacing existing structures, already paid for by U.S. taxpayers, and diverted funds from other federal construction projects. As Republicans continue to tie themselves to Trump politically, they are now echoing the former president in calling for restrictive immigration policies and enhanced border security.
In typical inflammatory rhetoric, Trump said at his first rally since leaving the White House:
“Illegal aliens are overrunning their borders. Nobody’s ever seen anything like it. Our poor borders, they were so perfect. They were so good.”
DER FÜHRER TRUMP’S TRIP TO THE BORDER
On June 30, former president Donald Trump traveled to the U.S.-Mexico border to assail President Joe Biden’s reversal of many of his policies on immigration, including the border wall he started and claimed that Mexico would pay for it, which never happened. Immigration is perceived by Republicans as once again emerging as a weakness for Democrats in the midterm elections.
During his June 30 border visit, Der Führer Trump launched into grievance-filled rants as he re-litigated the results of the 2020 election with false claims of voter fraud. Trump introduced the more than two dozen House Republicans who traveled to see him at the border. Conspicuously absent was that both Texas United States Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn did not attend the event.
Trump is starting up his political rallies again ahead of the 2022 midterms. His trip to the border reflected the extent to which he is focused on settling scores against political opponents and positioning himself for a potential run for president in 2024.
As is always the case, Trump focused on himself and he took credit for solving the border problem and argued his administration’s policies were so successful that the issue of immigration did not factor into November’s election. Trump criticized the Biden administration for not finishing the wall while lamenting the reality that the barrier was not painted black. The color black is one of Trump’s long-standing preferences for the wall because he believes it would make the structure too hot for people to climb. Der Führer Trump lamented and said:
“Everything could have been completed. … It would have been painted [black], not sitting there, rotting and rusting. It would have been perfect. … We did a hell of a job. … Now we have an open, really dangerous border.”
Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott attended the border visit with Trump. Abbott is said to be running for President if Trump does not. Abbot is seeking to inherit the tough-on-immigration mantle from Trump and is one of the leading proponents for of a border wall. Abbot for his part praised Trump and had this to say:
“One of the things that he did better than anything else and definitely better than any other president is he stepped up and he secured our border, and kept Texans and Americans safe. … We have a sick country. It’s sick in elections, and it’s sick on the border.”
Texas Governor Gregg Abbot proclaimed his state will finish the boarder wall at an estimated cost of at least $26.5 million per mile and ignore the breakdown of the Texas “power grid” this past winter resulting in millions going without power and freezing.
https://www.texastribune.org/2021/06/16/texas-border-wall-greg-abbott/
REPUBLICANS SICK PUBLICITY STUNT
House Republicans visited the border the night before Trump’s visit to witness crossings in La Joya, Texas. The Republicans were seen taking photos of unaccompanied children. No offer of help to them, but taking photos’ of desperate people they could use to exploit for political gain, which is about as sick as it gets. They later slammed the Biden administration for what they said was a “humanitarian crisis”.
Congressional Republicans got out of their vehicles and briefly accompanied migrants traveling along a gravel road after crossing the Rio Grande. Some were children joined by their mothers, while others traveled alone. Reps. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) and Mary Miller (R-Ill.) exited their vehicles to walk with the migrants, asking them questions that were translated by a Spanish-speaking member of the media who was covering the trip. This group said they were from Guatemala and planned to surrender themselves to border patrol agents.
The Republicans are expected to cite their emotional moment as they hammer the Biden administration for policies, they say have escalated a dangerous environment at the border, including empowering drug cartels and putting unaccompanied migrant children at risk. But Democrats aren’t shrinking from that fight, pushing back hard against a Trump immigration legacy widely derided for its separation of migrant families at the border.
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/06/30/house-republicans-migrants-trump-border-497190
Republican Indiana Congressman Jim Banks, the chair of the Republican Study Committee who led the House Republicans’ June 30 trip to the border, had this to say about immigration:
“It’s one of a number of issues that show a stark difference between the Trump policies and the failures on President Biden’s watch that are creating a recipe for a red wave, historic 2010-like election where Republicans are going to win back the majority in the midterm by a landslide because of the border crisis. ”
Republican U.S. representative for North Carolina Madison Cawthorn, said the visit reaffirmed his belief that the border needed to be closed. He said nothing about how the unaccompanied children should be handled but only that the border should be closed.
PRESIDENT BIDEN’S APPROACH TO BORDER CRISIS
The Biden administration has struggled to find its footing on the immigration and asylum seekers at the border. The Biden Administration has had difficulty dealing with the surge of unaccompanied minors crossing the border, as shelters became overwhelmed and officials strained to process the influx of children. The situation at the border has improved somewhat but the administration has not rescinded the Trump-era public health rule that allows the United States to expel migrants, including people seeking asylum, during the coronavirus pandemic.
What President Joe Biden has done is to task Vice President Kamala Harris with working to address the root causes of migration. Biden has sought to reverse the Trump administration’s approach to immigration on many fronts including canceling construction contracts for further walls at the border. The Biden Administration has worked to rebuild the asylum system and has focused on addressing poverty and violence in the Northern Triangle countries of El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala as a way to stem migration.
A link to quoted news sources are here:
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/06/30/house-republicans-migrants-trump-border-497190
https://www.cbsnews.com/video/trump-pans-bidens-immigration-policies-during-trip-to-southern-border/
DEBUNKING LIES ON IMMIGRATION AND ASYLUM SEEKERS
Ever since Der Führer Trump descended down from his escalator in Trump Tower to announce his candidacy for President, many lies have been spread by him and his cult like supporters. Following are the big 7 of lies:
LIE 1: IMMIGRANTS ARE BRINGING A CRIME WAVE TO THE UNITED STATES
THE TRUTH:
Decades of research has shown that immigrants are less likely to commit serious crimes than native-born citizens.
Research also shows that high rates of immigration are associated with lower rates of violent crime and property crime. This holds true for both documented and undocumented immigrants.
From 1990 – 2013, immigration in the United States increased significantly, including the number of undocumented immigrants, which more than tripled. During that time, the violent crime rate in this country declined 48%.
The reasons for lower crime rates among immigrants are not fully understood. One theory is that people who choose the intense emotional and social sacrifice that comes with migrating are less likely to engage in risky or criminal behavior that would put their new lives in danger. Another theory is that immigrants revitalize neighborhoods and generate economic growth, which helps decrease the crime rate.
RESEARCH SOURCES:
American Immigration Council:
https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/criminalization-immigration-united-states
Cato Institute:
https://www.cato.org/publications/immigration-reform-bulletin/criminal-immigrants-their-numbers-demographics-countries#
https://www.cato.org/blog/illegal-immigrants-crime-assessing-evidence
LIE 2: UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS ARE RECEIVING EXTENSIVE PUBLIC BENEFITS
THE TRUTH:
Undocumented immigrants do not qualify for welfare, food stamps, Medicaid or most other public benefits.
Most government assistance programs require proof of legal immigration status and even legal immigrants cannot receive many benefits until they have been in the United States for more than five years.
Undocumented immigrants can receive schooling and emergency medical care. A recent report by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce states that “economists view expenditures on healthcare and education for children as investments that pay off later, when those children become workers and taxpayers.”
Numerous studies have found that immigrants pay more in taxes than they receive in government services and benefits.
Legal immigrants use federal public benefit programs at lower rates than U.S.-born citizens.
RESEARCH SOURCES:
U.S. Chamber of Commerce:
https://www.uschamber.com/sites/default/files/documents/files/022851_mythsfacts_2016_report_final.pdf
American Immigration Council:
https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/addressing-common-questions-immigration
National Immigration Forum:
https://immigrationforum.org/article/fact-sheet-immigrants-and-public-benefits/#:~:text=Undocumented%20immigrants%2C%20including%20DACA%20holders,SSI)%2C%20and%20Temporary%20Assistance%20for
Cato Institute:
https://www.cato.org/immigration-research-policy-brief/immigration-welfare-state-immigrant-native-use-rates-benefit
LIE 3: UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS DON’T PAY TAXES
THE TRUTH:
Households led by immigrants contributed a total of $308.6 billion in federal taxes and $150 billion in combined state and local taxes in 2018.
Undocumented immigrants are taxpayers – they pay sales and property taxes and many pay income taxes. Undocumented immigrants in the United States paid an estimated $20.1 billion in federal taxes and $11.8 billion in combined state and local taxes in 2018.
The Social Security Administration estimates that undocumented immigrants contribute about $12 billion each year to the cash flow of the program without receiving benefits in return because of their status.
In New York, undocumented immigrants contribute over $1.4 billion in state and local taxes annually.
In 2015, 4.4 million people paid $23.6 billion in total taxes using an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). An ITIN is a tax-processing number issued by the IRS to ensure that people can pay taxes even if they do not have a Social Security number.
DACA recipients and those who meet DACA eligibility requirements paid an estimated $1.7 billion in combined state and local taxes in 2018.
RESEARCH SOURCES:
The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy
https://itep.org/immigration/
Social Security Administration
https://www.ssa.gov/oact/NOTES/pdf_notes/note151.pdf
American Immigration Council,
https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/immigrants-in-the-united-states?emci=02adcc5c-9502-eb11-96f5-00155d03affc&emdi=35821c27-9802-eb11-96f5-00155d03affc&ceid=7428810
Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy
https://itep.org/state-local-tax-contributions-of-young-undocumented-immigrants/
American Immigration Council
https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/sites/default/files/research/immigrants_in_new_york.pdf
LIE 4: IMMIGRANTS TAKE JOBS FROM NATIVE-BORN RESIDENTS
THE TRUTH:
Immigrants do not generally compete with U.S. born workers. Instead, immigrants usually compete with the migrants who came before them.
Many immigrants with legal authorization to work here are highly skilled and sought after by U.S. companies because of shortages in the native-born skill base. Economists find that highly skilled immigrants have a significant positive impact on creating new jobs in the United States.
Undocumented immigrants often fill the lowest rung of employment in construction, agriculture and domestic services. Studies show that low-skilled immigrant workers and low-skilled native-born workers take on very different jobs, with native-born workers taking jobs that require work authorization and English language skills.
RESEARCH SOURCES:
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine:
https://www.nap.edu/catalog/23550/the-economic-and-fiscal-consequences-of-immigration
Urban Institute:
https://www.urban.org/urban-wire/immigrant-and-native-workers-compete-different-low-skilled-jobs
Cato Institute
https://www.cato.org/blog/three-reasons-why-immigrants-arent-going-take-job
LIE 5: UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS SHOULD HAVE “WAITED IN LINE” OUTSIDE THE U.S. IN ORDER TO IMMIGRATE HERE OR SHOULD HAVE “FIXED” THEIR STATUS AFTER ENTERING.
THE TRUTH:
(The below was written by the source ”NEIGHBORS LINK” before the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, there are more significantly more restrictions on U.S. Visas and Entry.)
THE LAW CREATES NARROW CATEGORIES OF ELIGIBILITY
Most people immigrate to the United States through one of three routes: family relationships, job offers, or humanitarian grounds. Both family and employment-based immigration are limited to specific situations and relationships. Humanitarian protection is only available to certain categories of people. All three routes are expensive, complicated and narrow. Most immigrants do not have the necessary family or employment relationships and often cannot get humanitarian protection. Therefore, even if immigrants have family and jobs in the U.S. or are fleeing persecution back home, these three routes may not be available to them.
EVEN ELIGIBLE IMMIGRANTS FACE SIGNIFICANT OBSTACLES
Immigrants eligible for one of the three routes often face significant obstacles. Under the law, no country can receive more than seven percent of the visas available each year. Therefore, people from countries such as Mexico, China, India and the Philippines, who often have U.S. citizen family members and are most interested in immigrating to the United States, usually have a very long wait. Often this can exceed twenty years depending on their family tie and country of origin.
IMMIGRANTS ALREADY IN THE U.S. OFTEN HAVE NO LEGAL WAY TO CORRECT THEIR STATUS
Once somebody has entered the United States without authorization or has overstayed their visa, the law typically prohibits them from getting legal status within the United States. To get status, an immigrant will usually have to leave the U.S. first and return to their country of origin. When this happens, they may be banned from returning to the United States for up to ten years. This is true even if they are married to a U.S. citizen and have U.S. citizen children. The limited exceptions to this rule only apply for select groups of people.
THE RULES HAVE CHANGED DRAMATICALLY
Immigration law has changed dramatically over the past 100 years. It has become extremely complex and confusing. Most of the people who immigrated to the United States more than 75 years ago would likely not be eligible under our current laws.
Sources:
American Immigration Council
https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/why-don%E2%80%99t-they-just-get-line
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-eligibility-categories
LIE 6: UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS ARE STRESSING OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS
THE TRUTH:
Children of undocumented immigrants made up 7.3% of the U.S. school population in 2014. Most of these children (5.9%) were born in the U.S. and are citizens. The rest (1.3%) are undocumented immigrants themselves. In New York, children of undocumented immigrants make up 6% of the total K-12 school population.
The Supreme Court ruled in 1982 that children, regardless of immigration status, must have access to public elementary and secondary education. The Court found that the harm imposed on our entire society by denying undocumented children from public schools was far greater than any resources saved from excluding them.
Our entire country benefits from well-educated children. As our population ages, it is expected that today’s immigrant children in elementary school will be an important part of the workforce in the coming decades.
There is significant opportunity in increased diversity in our schools. Research shows that increased racial, socioeconomic and ethnic diversity in classrooms provides students with a range of cognitive and social benefits.
RESEARCH SOURCES:
American Immigration Council
https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/plyler-v-doe-public-education-immigrant-students
Pew Research Center
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/11/17/children-of-unauthorized-immigrants-represent-rising-share-of-k-12-students/
The Century Foundation
https://tcf.org/content/report/how-racially-diverse-schools-and-classrooms-can-benefit-all-students/
Harvard Education Letter
https://www.hepg.org/hel-home/issues/27_2/helarticle/dual-language-programs-on-the-rise
LIE 7: IMMIGRANTS ARE NOT LEARNING ENGLISH
THE TRUTH:
Immigrants in the United States today are actually learning English slightly faster than their predecessors. Sixty-six percent of immigrants who speak a foreign language at home can also speak English “very well” or “well,” according to a study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.
In many parts of the country, the demand for English as a Second Language classes is far greater than the services available.
The most significant determinant of whether or not immigrants learn a new language is their age at the time of entry. Immigrants who arrive as young children learn a second language quickly while adults find it much more challenging.
Pew Research Center found that unauthorized immigrants in the United States are better at speaking English and more educated than they were a decade ago.
89% of native born Hispanics in the U.S. speak English well.
Pew Research Center
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/05/23/u-s-undocumented-immigrants-are-more-proficient-in-english-more-educated-than-a-decade-ago/
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine
https://www.nap.edu/catalog/21746/the-integration-of-immigrants-into-american-society
Migration Policy Institute
https://www.migrationpolicy.org/research/immigrants-united-states-how-well-are-they-integrating-society
Pew Research Center
https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/2015/05/12/english-proficiency-on-the-rise-among-latinos/
“NEIGHBORS LINK”
The above quoted source material and links to research was done by Neighbors Link. “Neighbors Link” opened in 2001 in the State of New York. It provides education, employment and legal services for immigrant families. The Neighbors Link mission is to strengthen the whole community through the healthy integration of immigrants. Their mission is achieved by filling a service gap for new immigrant families, offering education and empowerment programs, involving longer-term residents in volunteer opportunities and creating substantive partnerships with other local organizations.
https://www.neighborslink.org/about-us
The link to the source material is here
https://www.neighborslink.org/issues/immigration-myths-and-realities
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
Der Führer Trump’s biggest legacy as President of the United State will be his disgraceful “seeds of racism” he spread for all the world to see for the full 4 years he was in office. Trump is still going strong after losing the election. Trump empowered white supremist by never fully condemning their racism, such as the time when he said “there are good people on both sides” after a woman was run down by a white supremist in Charlottesville, Va. Der Führer Trump never misses and opportunity to show off his own racism to his most fervent defenders who have no problem with it, such as the two political shills who sent this blog their hate emails.
The truth, something that Trump has always been hostile to, is that the border is not open as Trump and the Republicans claim. The Biden administration is quickly expelling a majority of migrants under a public health order that’s been in place now since the beginning of the pandemic.
Many of the adult migrants who are being expelled are quickly turning around and crossing the border again which is what is making the numbers look bigger than they really are. The number of families and migrant children arriving at the border has actually been declining somewhat in recent months. The numbers are high , but not historically high necessarily.
The seeds of Trump’s racism sewn as President are bearing fruit today as we see an increase in violence against Asian Americans. It is Trump who continues to call the Corona Virus the China Virus. Scores of Asian Americans nationwide have reported being targeted in verbal and physical attacks linked to coronavirus fears. Harvey Dong, a lecturer in Asian American and Asian diaspora studies has said “It’s racist and it creates xenophobia. … It’s a very dangerous situation.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/03/20/coronavirus-trump-chinese-virus/