Can we agree that the "why" are they coming isn't immediately import? People are coming for various reasons.
Why they are coming is important. Most are coming to work. What industries do we want/need them to work in? Agriculture obviously, but outside of that everyone from meat-packing plants to janitorial services are hiring them.
Can we agree that the current management of the issue is abysmal?
It's not great. But I also am skeptical of the garbage "estimates" from the right wing media machine. On one hand, they say "we can't possibly know how many are flooding across the border," then on the other hand they say it's 11 million. Righttttt.
Can we agree to speak about the future rather than the past?
Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat their mistakes.
Pretty simple, right? Ok, I'll start..
A possible solutions that comes to mind is expanding the "Sponsor" program. Those who have made it to the shores of SFLA in many cases have family already established here that will provide housing/employment. It's working here. I see this as a possible win-win.
That could work pretty well. Most who come here already have someone who would vouch for them.
Sending the undocumented back to their respective countries does not stop them from trying again & again. What's the answer?
This is true. And I think most people here are wholly unaware of federal programs to allow Nicaraugans and Philipinos to come here for various public policy reasons from decades ago. So even if you "stopped" everyone, you'd still have immigrants coming in. The "close the border" talk is unrealistic, and ignores how modern agriculture works. It also ignores the fact that businesses need daily border crossings as people work on both sides of the border.
Do those who have overstayed their visa's get to stay? What are our best options?
Probably yes, unless they're felons or have legit criminal histories. 90% don't, just like the rest of the population.
Here's some food for thought - most undocumented workers buy SSNs from coyotes, so it's not uncommon to see a SSN used by 25 different people. Most of those people give that SSN to their employer, who doesn't e-verify it. That employer subtracts taxes from their paycheck. To avoid IRS trouble, most immigrants pay taxes under that number.
So now you've got 20-25 people all using the same SSN, and paying taxes under same SSN. Is the IRS returning that money? Of course not, they keep it.
The pearl-clutching about public benefits totally ignores this set of facts, which is proven correct time and time again.
If people want to really ensure our government has sufficient tax revenue, we need a stronger IRS. You know, I got audited over an IRA rollover question (which was easily defeated by yours truly), while meanwhile Trump is paying $700 in taxes a year, and Bezos pays nothing. That's not right. If both those guys paid a fair share, that could save Social Security.
Batter Up!
Another key question - what to do about big businesses who intentionally hire undocumented immigrants with the intent to underpay them. Trump did it to the Polish in the 70s, and he did it to the Guatemalan housekeepers decades later. Besides Trump, Tyson Chicken has done it over and over again. Doesn't seem fair that repeat offenders get off Scott free.
Take away the carrot, and maybe that deters some from coming here. But to let the EvilCorps of the world to keep on screwing the poor, that ain't the solution.
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