Bacon's Rebellion

Democracy Thrives in Sunlight

You Say Illegal Immigrant, I Say Illegal Alien

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by

James A. Bacon
in

Members of the Coalition on Illegal Immigration agreed that illegal immigration is a big problem, but they didn’t agree on much else.

The group, represented by a dozen or more municipalities, assembled in Culpeper yesterday to explore issues, exchange information and possibly press for legislation. But they even quibbled over the proper term for calling illegal immigrants. Reports Donnie Johnson with the Free Lance-Star:

“Illegal alien is the proper term,” said Herndon Town Councilman Dave Kirby. “There’s no such thing as an illegal immigrant according to the IRS because all immigrants are eventually issued a green card. An alien enters this country illegally and is deportable.”

The lack of easy consensus is probably a good thing: We don’t want any lynch mobs forming. There are no simple solutions for illegal immigrants/aliens. Indeed, some purported remedies might be worse than the problem. The general tenor of the gathering seemed temperate and responsible, according to accounts in the Free Lance-Star and Times-Dispatch. The coalition may have something positive to contribute to the illegal immigration/alien debate.

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8 responses to “You Say Illegal Immigrant, I Say Illegal Alien”

  1. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    A big issue in Fairfax County is the starting time for high school students, which is generally around 7:30 am. Many teenagers would perform better if the starting time were pushed back. Since no one wants 7 year-olds standing at the bus corner at 6:30 am in the dark, a solution to the high school start time will require additional resources for transportation. I’ve been informed that the cost would be in the range of $30-40 million.

    Fairfax County Public Schools spend an average of $81 million annually on NCLB compliance efforts. School officials will often acknowledge that much of those costs are incurred to deal with immigrant children and children born in the US of immigrant parents who are not English speaking and who are often illiterate in their own language. Off the record, they will sometimes state that these children are mainly illegally in the US or so-called “anchor babies.” These are not the children of Korean engineers or Indian biologists who are here in full compliance with our laws, according to what people tell me.

    If there were vigorous enforcement of the immigration laws against employers, it would be reasonable to suspect that the number of these high-needs children might decrease significantly.

    Suppose those NCLB compliance costs could be cut in half. That would allow enough money to address the high school start time issue without a tax increase or the need to cut other programs.

    I thought I’d toss this out for thought, since this type of article would never appear in the MSM.

    TMT

  2. Tobias Jodter Avatar
    Tobias Jodter

    The burden of illegal aliens on the Fairfax County School system remains unaddressed. Because of the perceived “crackdown” on illegals in Prince William County many of the illegals have moved and are moving to Fairfax County. Our kid’s elementary school had a very large and unexpected spike in the student population for the 2007-2008 school year – which I believe is a direct result of this.

    And after speaking to some of my “illegal” neighbors this week I am informed there are more on the way…

  3. Larry Gross Avatar
    Larry Gross

    Gee.. and it used to be that folks were concerned about restricted growth policies driving growth to where it wasn’t wanted.

    my my. How things do change.

    I had posited the other day that the GOP might have an easier time in places like NoVa if they foucsed on issues other than immigration.

    1. What is the single biggest issue facing Virginia today?
    NoVA RoVa
    Transportation 38 16
    Economy 8 17
    Immigration 17 7
    Education 4 6
    Teorrism 0 1
    Iraq War 6 3
    Growth/development 1 0

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/metro/elections/2007/polls/postpoll101107.html

    Boy.. was I wrong!

    I keep thinking, I must be reading this poll wrong…

    Perhaps the GOP has it right after all..

  4. Groveton Avatar
    Groveton

    “The cynic knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.”.

    -Oscar Wilde

    Illegal immigration has costs. No doubt about it. However, whether we like it or not, it also has benefits.

    I note that Prince William County has a laser focus on reducing the social benefits available to illegal immigrants. However, they seem to lack that same focus when it comes to employing illegal immigrants.

    I also find it interesting that the illegal immigrants are moving from Prince William County to Fairfax County. Commentators on this site have routinely claimed that Fairfax County has no affordable housing. Have the illegal immigrants all “hit the lotto”? Or, is there really affordable housing in Fairfax County if you are willing to live in an apartment instead of a single family home?

  5. Groveton Avatar
    Groveton

    Regarding the CNU poll of what is important to voters….

    I’ll make the prediction now….

    By the time of the upcoming presidential election the econonomy will be, far and away, the most important issue facing Virginia and America.

    Once again a Clinton will run over the Republicans on the way to the White House by saying, “It’s the economy, stupid!”. And, like her or not, she’ll be right.

  6. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    Groveton – I would not be surprised to see the economy as a bigger issue in 2008. Many areas are becoming unraveled.

    But 2008 is not 1992. The illegal immigration issue will continue to fester and grow. While there are benefits to cheap labor, the average Joe or Jane or even Jose or Juanita, Hee Sun or Samir is not reaping the benefits, but are incurring or perceiving that they are incurring substantial costs with illegal immigration. Spread that jelly on the toast of a slow economy and it will be a big issue in the 2008 election.

    I don’t know how the issue will cut, but I do think that candidates who ignore the issue do so at their peril.

    TMT

  7. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    As a law enforcement officer, married to an FCPS teacher, I can tell yout hat illegal immigration is a huge problem. With respect to housing, very often we find that people are renting out their homes, that are supposed to sleep an average family, to 25-30 illegals. They do this in the middle of a quiet neighborhood. Also, people will sublet their apartments in exactly the same way. The problem with these illegals is that there is no accountability. ICE has mandates that they can’t deport a person convicted of grand theft, for example, if the theft is under $15000, which most of these thefts are. I understand that ICE needs to prioritize, but this is ridiculous. What is the local law enforcement department to do? We can’t deport ehm, as much as we’d like to.

    As for the school issue, my wife, I know for a fact, has about 25-30% of her classroom being illegals. Do you know the kind of resources that takes away from the children of law-abiding, tax-paying citizens? My wife can’t even speak to the parents of these children because they don’t speak English. How is she supposed to do her job? Please, someone tell me.

  8. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    The invasion of our country by illegals and the impotence of our government to enforce the law is forcing us in a dark direction. These are the first rumblings of modern sectionalism. Insurrection and perhaps Civil War loom on the horizon. Immigration itself is a good thing. “Gate-Crashing” by millions of people is more dangerous than the foolish people of our time understand. Something must be done now, or we will face dire consequences in the coming decades. Do not let your compassion blind you. Study history and you will see the true danger here. This issue will be the one that divides our Nation. Mark my words and remember.

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