Illegal Immigration

[Elusive_Death]

The New Colossus

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame.
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"


Every developed economy in the world is experiencing an increase in this illegal immigration (as it is called). In some cases it is simply refugees trying to find a safe haven and some freedom but in a large number of cases it is about quality of life.

Governments of developed countries all over the world are struggling to cope with this trend and as we now live in a world of International Trade it is almost impossible to police. The worst thing is that the legitimate refugees (as opposed to economic refugees) are being branded as illegal immigrants as well, which flies in the face of the U.N. convention on refugees.

There are potential problems with uncontrolled movements of people that governments have to try to address, such as the spread of human disease, unwanted political elements (terrorists?), introduction of unwanted plant and animal species and the risk of the introduction of pests and diseases in plants and animals that could result in economic or environmental disasters. There are also the public opinion polls to be dealt with, so politicians will posture and expostulate about how they are "getting tough on these illegals". The truth is that it is almost impossible to police the movements of people these days. I live on an island and even here there is a perception that we are being over-run by illegal immigrants. I say perception because I still believe that the reality is that the numbers are far less than most people think.

Here in Australia we have found a group to target our distaste upon in the form of so called 'boat people'. The truth is that most of the economic refugees are flying in with a tourist visa and simply never leave but our government focuses on those who arrive in a small boat because the media can get dramatic pictures of these arrivals compared to pictures of an airport arrival area. So these 'boat people', who just happen to be mostly legitimate refugees who are usually too poor to be able to afford a ticket on an aeroplane, who have fled their home-land in fear for their lives and the lives of their families, who may have spent years in refugee camps in ridiculously awful conditions and who may even have been forced to flee because of conflict caused directly or indirectly by our own governments, are now being treated as criminals. To be honest, I hang my head in shame of what my government (of all political persuasions) has done/is doing to these poor people. I used to think Australians were a people of generous spirit who would try to do their best to help others who are in great need. That seems to have changed.

I don't know what can be done. After all, we sell the "Western World" as a desirable place to be with our obvious displays of wealth and a perception of unrivaled freedom. If I lived in a cardboard box with no luxuries, I might think about getting out of there and making a better life elsewhere, especially if my own government/ruling class was known for treating it's poorest citizens and minority groups with contempt. It used to be that these poor people had little or no perception of a better life and suffered their lot in life, thinking there was no hope of anything better. But we live in the information age now and even the poorest person is able to learn much of the world and to see that there should be more for them, if they can find a place where they can work hard and earn enough to feed and house their families. If only there was a way to share the wealth we have with the whole world, without that wealth ending up in the hands of a few while the majority goes without. If we could do that then there wouldn't be much reason for anyone to leave their own country and risk their life to try and seek a better life elsewhere. I am not rich but I live in a country where my standard of living is still much higher than many other countries. I have never felt the urge to leave everything I know and travel abroad to a place where I might not even know the language just to seek out a better life, leaving my family and everything and everyone I know behind.


Sorry, that's it. I don't have any solutions to offer. I just know how I feel.

WOW, I bow my head i dont think anyone can argue on that very lovely and awesome job. U had me hooked on the whole subject (which is hard cuz i have ADD) If i could give u 100 plus rep i would sadly i can only give u plus 1 rep

[armbarchris]

Illegal immigration is just that: ILLEGAL.
If some one wants to be in another country, then they can do it through the due legal process. Passports, citizenship, whatever applies. If they don't want to for whatever reason (and the reason is always something negative: don't want to pay taxes, their a criminal, drug runner, terrorist or some other undesirable, or perhaps their just lazy) then they need to stay in their own country. Anyone found in another country illegally- I don't care who, why, where their from- needs to be deported immediatly.

(Mods, feel free to get rid of this next part if you think it's pushing the rules)
On a more practical level regarding the area of the world I live in:
I think that Arizona's new immigration law (which is almost the same, word for word, as the federal law only with an added part about the federal government not doingit's job) and a gian wall between the US and Mexico are both GREAT ideas.

[Elusive_Death]

hmmm obviously u dont know what u are talking about first of all if ur illegal u still have to pay taxes u just dont get anything back. Second how is coming over illegaly being lazy you dont know half the things they have to do to come over. I think u need to read up and then make ur points.

P.S. is ure RL name Bill o Reilly if so would explain ur ignorant post. KTHXBY

[armbarchris]

I think YOU should learn the launguage before your points.
Aside from sales taxes, how could one possibly pay taxes as an illegal?

[Elusive_Death]

I think YOU should learn the launguage before your points.
Aside from sales taxes, how could one possibly pay taxes as an illegal?

Im just happy biggots like you are dying off.

[SunTzu123]

hmmm obviously u dont know what u are talking about first of all if ur illegal u still have to pay taxes u just dont get anything back. Second how is coming over illegaly being lazy you dont know half the things they have to do to come over. I think u need to read up and then make ur points.

P.S. is ure RL name Bill o Reilly if so would explain ur ignorant post. KTHXBY

actually you wouldnt have to pay some taxes. Like Income tax if your bussiness did not declare you as a worker because they are underpaying you.

[FoxyBunny]

FIRST: If you cannot maintain a respectful attitude toward ALL members in here, you will be removed. My only warning in this thread and to the people here.

Now, with regards to your statement, Armbarchris, about illegals only come here illegally because of criminal intent or laziness or whatever, you are so completely and totally wrong. I want you to think hard about if YOU were living in a rural area of your nation. Your "hometown" is a small village without electricity or running water. There's a well down the way where you can pull up buckets of water and drag the heavy things back home. You'll need a lot to drink and cook. Bathing, washing clothes, cleaning anything....these are "luxuries" that require numerous backbreaking trips. Your home is a shack made of some discarded wood, bits of scrap metal from wrecked cars, and cardboard. It's one room, with a dirt floor and there is no furniture. This is where you grew up.

In your village, people try hard not to get too attached to their babies because most don't survive to their first birthday. The oldest person in your village is almost 50 and people marvel that she survived that long. You've seen vehicles, because the army passes through with their trucks sometimes. When they do, the women hide and you all pray they won't stop and take what little food you have. You are 40 lbs underweight because you have never in your life had enough food. A piece of fresh bread and some meat is like a feast for you. You don't remember ever NOT being hungry. You've never been to school, and you cannot even write your name. You spend your days working hard to try to grow a bit of food and to help your mother draw water from the well, as well as trying to find firewood to burn for cooking and warmth and light.

You know this is all there is, and you accept that. Until the day you hear that there are places where everyone sleeps in beds, and everyone has a table and everyone can shower every day in warm water inside their home! There is always enough food, and people have doctors and hospitals and even if you can't pay they will still help you. Babies seldom die, and people live to be really old...and happy! Soldiers don't take your food or rape your women. Houses don't leak with every rainfall or fall over in the wind.

If by chance you can get there, you could help your family. You could save them. But you have no papers, no passport. Only the rich can get those, and the government workers wouldn't even let a filthy peasant like you into the building to apply for one. You hear about how to sneak into this great country and you make plans and put your whole life into the attempt.

Sounds dramatic....like it belongs on some cheesy made-for-tv movie. But this happens EVERY DAY around the world.

It is small-minded to believe there is no such thing as people in desperate situations who sneak in only in hopes of a decent life. These people are usually not lazy, not criminal, not rude, and not a drain on society. They just want HOPE, which in many countries doesn't exist. Many people live their whole short lives with no hope whatsoever. Do you really blame them for reaching for a dream? I don't.

[Conrad_Jalowski]

In this particular matter I agree with Christopher.

In addition, I truly enjoy the poem describing the Statue of Liberty and its differences with the mighty Colossus of Rhodes.

[Rodri]

I don't want to argue the rights and wrongs of how individuals feel on this issue.

It does seem to me that we in the developed nations, who enjoy all the benefits of our fortunate birth are becoming more and more defensive about keeping what we have to ourselves and only letting in others that we have chosen. I know there are good reasons for this and I accept that.

But I can also understand why those who live in abject poverty are prepared to break laws and even risk their lives to try and get a little bit more for themselves and their families. Every immigrant, every refugee has an individual story to tell and if you stopped to listen to them, many of those stories would break your heart.

I wish the world was a fairer place but it is not. There is nothing fair about some of us having so much while so many have so little. It just seems to me that if there was a fairer distribution of wealth and justice on a global scale, there would little or no reason for people to leave their homes and seek a better life elsewhere. After all, we all love the place we are born the most. It is our homeland and always will be.