what is it exactly that is the "drone" on the economy caused by illegal immigrants??
542912
PANCHA - Que?  No Drain?  Es Su Loco??  These illegals do not pay taxes, yet they take free services such as indigent care from the hospitals, etc....THAT IS WHAT IS CALLED A DRAIN.\n\nThey also take money they earn and send it to mexico.....THAT IS A DRAIN!  \n\nWhy not think with your head instead of your heart.
20909
immigration has been causing the population to increase.  this has stimulated the economy, causing prosperity to many.
674134
It is and there have been some arrests recently. The reason companies hire illegals is that they can pay them little and remain competitive. If we are serious about stopping this, then we must be willing to pay higher prices for the goods they help produce. If the companies have to pay decent wages and benefits, it WILL raise prices to the consumers. So, instead of calling these companies greedy, we need to decide just how greedy are we? Greedy enough to look the other way so we can pay low prices?
555953
I think it showed that they have no allegience to the US, or else they would not intentionally try to harm the economy.  However, I don't think they did...and this business about protesting until the government gives them their way...sounds like a temper tantrum to me..and one that needs to be stopped.  And this does not make me racist...it makes me sensible..illegal is illegal, period.  And to the people who are going to talk about the laws 200 years ago...times have changed, laws have changed.. Check out citizenship laws in Mexico...they don't allow illegal immigrants, much less give them drivers lisences, translate all into a foreign language for their convenience, or allow them to protest.
596139
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!deportation will  cost 300 billion dollars!!!!!!!!!\n\n deportation and legalization beyond  tghe good and evil\n \n\nbefore  all you start taking out  you mouth and complain about  something that  does not  afecct you  i want  pleas  to   take in consideration this   points\nA)america's economy grew exponetailly during  the  90's    requaring more  workers in the labor  force thus  creating the immigrant  nececity (regardless of what you  wackos think)\nb)america (this apply to american people only) has become  more  sofisticated and educated  no person would pick lettuce  having a  b.s in bs\nc)america eats  more  adnd work more hours therefore the  expantion of fast food chain trougth out  america  has increase  creating a  demand  for stable low wage  workers  that america   can not provide give  the birth  rate of american people\n-fast food chain  are  the  biggest consummers  of  meat,chiken,beacon potatoe and  someother  vegies\n get  the idea?\n touris from  eurpoe  has been  growing since the  e.u  cration  requaring more toilet cleaners,cook,every level\n  well you  got the idea    immigration  is a nececity  for\n the immigrant  and the nation
264575
Businesses are the true criminals here. Those who come here illegally to have a better way of life wouldn't come if no one hired them. And no one would hire them if they couldn't do it cheaply and without any insurance. And the illegal immigrants aren't trying to hurt any one but they need a certain amount to live and the businesses just don't pay enough...so the rest of us have to pick up the slack through our taxes while the businesses line their pockets with the profits from the underpaid workers. The only thing we can do is:\n\n1) legislate (yeah, right. like the businesses don't have our government in their pockets.)\n\n2) boycott (Can we really boycott everyone? Nope.)\n\n3) Ignore the problem and hope it doesn't cause the earth to stop spinning and that USA still means the same thing 20 years from now.\n\nHey junior_03yes (BELOW): You must be from California, because there are white farm workers all over this nation...just nut here in CA. You should get yourself an RV and do a little road trip.
325300
Immigrants contribute 7 billion in social security per year. they earn 240 billion, report 90 billion, and only are reimbursed 5 billion, "where are the 85 billion?"  They also  contribute to the U.S. economy 25 billion more than they receive in healthcare, etc., etc., etc.  According to the anti-immigrant politicians and hatemongers, "immigrants are a drain on society."  If this is true, then during the day on May 1st the stock market will surge, and the economy will boom.  If not, we prove them wrong once and for all.  We know what will happen!
979150
Here are a few more statistics to make your eyes bleed.\n\nFBI Fast Facts\n2006 (1st Qtr) INS/FBI Statistical Report on Illegal Immigration.\n\n62% of all 'undocumented immigrants' in the United States are working for cash and not paying taxes, predominantly illegal aliens, working without a green card;\n\n95% of warrants for murder in Los Angeles are for illegal aliens;\n\n83% of warrants for murder in Phoenix are for illegal aliens;\n\n86% of warrants for murder in Albuquerque are for illegal aliens;\n\n75% of people on the most wanted list in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Albuquerque are illegal aliens;\n\nMore than 380,000 'anchor babies' were born in the United States in 2005 were to parents who are illegal aliens; making those 380,000 babies automatically U.S. citizens. 97.2% of all costs incurred from those births were paid by the American taxpayer;\n\nMore than 66% of all births in California are to illegal alien Mexicans on Medi-Cal whose births were paid for by taxpayers;\n\n24.9% of all inmates in California detention centers are Mexican nationals here illegally;\n\n40.1% of all inmates in Arizona detention centers are Mexican nationals here illegally;\n\n48.2% of all inmates in New Mexico detention centers are Mexican nationals here illegally;\n\n29% (630,000) convicted illegal alien felons fill our state and federal prisons at a cost of $1.6 billion annually;\n\nMore than 300,000 illegal aliens in Los Angeles County are living in garages.\n\nMore than 53% of all investigated burglaries reported in California, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona and Texas are perpetrated by illegal aliens;\n\nMore than half of all gang members in Los Angeles are illegal aliens from south of the border;\n\nMore than 43% of all Food Stamps issued are to illegal aliens;\n\nMore than 41% of all unemployment checks issued in the United States are to illegal aliens;\n\n58% of all Welfare payments in the United States are issued to illegal aliens;\n\nNearly 60% of all occupants of HUD properties in the United States are illegal aliens;\n\n14 out of 31 TV stations in L.A. are Spanish-only;\n\n16 out of 28 TV stations in Phoenix are Spanish-only;\n\n15 out of 24 TV stations in Albuquerque are Spanish-only;\n\n21 radio stations in L.A. are Spanish-only;\n\n17 radio stations in Phoenix are Spanish-only;\n\n17 radio stations in Albuquerque are Spanish-only;\n\nMore than 34% of Arizona students in grades 1-12 are illegal aliens;\n\nMore than 24% of Arizona students in grades 1-12 are non-English-speaking;\n\nMore than 39% of California students in grades 1-12 are illegal aliens;\n\nMore than 42% of California students in grades 1-12 are non-English-speaking\n\nIn Los Angeles County, 5.1 million people speak English. 3.9 million speak Spanish;\n\nMore than 71% of all apprehended cars stolen in 2005 in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and California were stolen by illegal aliens or transport coyotes”;\n\n47% of cited/stopped drivers in California have no license, no insurance and no registration for the vehicle. Of that 47%, 92% are illegal aliens;\n\n63% of cited/stopped drivers in Arizona have no license, no insurance and no registration for the vehicle. Of that 63%, 97% are illegal aliens;\n\n66% of cited/stopped drivers in New Mexico have no license, no insurance and no registration for the vehicle. Of that 66%, 98% are illegal aliens;\n\nLess than 2% of illegal aliens in the United States are picking crops , but 41% are on welfare;\n\nOver 70% of the United States annual population growth (and over 90% of California, Florida, and New York) results from immigration;\n\nThe cost of immigration to the American taxpayer in 1997 (latest know calculation. Can you imagine what it must be in 2006? WOW!) was a NET (after subtracting taxes immigrants pay) $70 BILLION a year, [Professor Donald Huddle, Rice University];\n\nThe estimated profit to U.S. corporations and businesses employing ILLEGAL aliens in 2005 was more than $2.36 TRILLION dolla
310400
Mexico is exporting its overpopulation, unemployment.  \n\nMexican President Vicente Fox is asking Canada to open its doors to his nation's human overload. Canadians need to respond with their heads, not their hearts\n\nMexico is exporting its overpopulation, unemployment and criminal gangs. American politicians and too many employers are complicit in this process. \n\n\n\n\nTHREE MILLION ILLEGALS IN ONE YEAR!\n\n"It is fair to estimate, based on a TIME investigation,\nthat the number of illegal aliens flooding into the U.S.\nthis year will total 3 million - enough to fill 22,000\nBoeing 737-700 aircraft, or 60 flights everyday for a\nyear."\n\n\nIn 2002,U.S. households headed by illegal aliens used $26.3 billion in federal government services but paid only $16 billion in taxes, an annual cost to taxpayers of more than $10 billion.
537459
The government does to reap benefits from cheap labor in the form of lobbyist (in support of big business) who support their campaigns financially. \n\nWhy is this not a no brainer for most people?\n\nNot only that, Mexican's aren't the only illegals in the country, there are large amounts of Asians (who cross the border illegally) and a growing number of Easter Europeans (who come as guest workers but stay even after their visa's expire) here illegally in this country.  \n\nI had a friend (Eastern European, from Bulgaria) who was brought here by a Bulgarian company that partnered with American companies to set up Bulgarian workers to work for American companies.  She worked pretty much like a slave for Six Flags (from sun up to sun down for $5.75) for months until she just quit.  In order to keep from becoming illegal, she became a student a "school" (I say school because the place was a small office in an office park that looked more like an apartment building) where she paid them $800 every 3 months.  She finally couldn't afford it anymore and stopped paying and is now illegal.  \n\nThere are more where she comes from and the number keeps growing as companies continue to ship people in to exploit them.\n\nThe U.S. Government inacted NAFTA, after which led to a huge jump in the number of illegal immigrants from Mexico.  That would be in my opinion the way in which the government is allowing illegal immigrant labor to keep wages low.  How is that a conspiracy theory?
601873
Yes. Illegal immigrants flooding north east to get the hell outta Aztlan and into the U.S. It's not about the land that "we stole," it's about the infrastructure and social systems (education, health care, etc.) designed to help citizens that the illegals come for.
314961
It´s a lovely idea, but doesn´t sound like anything the current US administration would go for.  After all, while hyping the immigration issue in the media and, frankly, whipping up racism, they are also quite happy to turn a blind eye to US businesses using cheap illegal labour. It´s happening in all western countries at the moment.  The media, backed by the government, incites its citizens to be worried about illegal immigration, while the economy actually benefits from the black market economy working with it. I´m in Mexico now on holiday, but staying with family.  It´s a hard place, with a bad atmosphere.  It definitely needs some help, but everyone here says the corruption is so far reaching, there is no hope.  Your idea is nice but too socialist for anyone in today´s political arena and, like Iraq, would require serious investment, commitment and integrity..... never forget it´s all about the money.
884465
Because illegal immigration (I'll assume that's what you mean) is a big deal. So what if the minimum wage got raised? Illegal immigrants cost us billions of dollars. And if you are aiding and abetting an illegal immigrant, it is a crime, so you can be arrested.
678369
Obviuosly you are one of those who think only rich housewives benefit from immigrant labor. Agribusiness and a lot of manufacturers in the south rely heavily on illegal immigrants. Why would it not go up? I'm surprised it didn't go up more, but I guess the big guys waited to see what the backlash was.
693960
Illegals drive down the standard of living for our middle class and reduce wages for our working class so that they become no longer self sufficient.  I suspect you are talking about a different country than I am.\n\nWhere I am, taxpayers are subsidizing cheap labor for corporations which benefits illegal workers who may have new opportunities we pay for and benefits corporations who expand operations abroad, but does very little for us.  They say the price of produce would go up if we had no illegals.  However, studies have shown that it would go up $10 per year for a family of four, because labor is such a small part of the price of produce.\n\nI'd pay $10 a year, heck, I'd pay $100 a year, if my kids' schools would return to the educational standards they had 30 years ago.\n\nNot to mention that my taxes would go down at least $1,500 per year from not having to pay for their services, according to other studies I have seen.
601266
You must be a nonlaw abiding person. Illegal means illegal. They are breaking the law. So how are they helping are economy?
626164
I believe it is headed in that direction regardless of what happens. Things are already to far in motion to just be ignored now. Whether the illegals are sent home, or made legal, prices on Ag goods will be rising within the next few years. If the illegals are granted amnesty, they will be demanding higher wages, so no matter what, prices are going to rise.