We Don't Need a Trump Wall

In 2015, a Pew Research Center study found that more than one million Mexicans left the U.S. for a variety of reasons, including the recession and a lack of jobs.  The exodus included complete families and even children who were born in this country. While there was still an inflow of new illegals, it does prove that a lack of jobs can reverse illegal immigration.

To that point, we don't need a wall.  What we need to do is enforce the federal law that makes it a crime for employers to hire illegals, and for communities to declare themselves sanctuary cities.  That  law -- Section 1324 of Title 8 of the United State's Code -- makes it illegal to smuggle, transport, harbor, encourage or induce, or aid or abet an illegal alien or aliens.   The fines can be stiff:

First offenders can be fined $250-$2,000 per illegal employee.

For a second offense, the fine is $2,000-$5,000 per illegal employee.

Three or more offenses can cost an employer $3000-$10,000 per illegal employee. A pattern of knowingly employing illegal immigrants can mean extra fines and up to six months in jail for an employer.

- See more at: http://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/penalties-for-employers-hiring-illegal-immigrants.html#sthash.ULDOE7St.dpuf

First offenders can be fined $250-$2,000 per illegal employee.

For a second offense, the fine is $2,000-$5,000 per illegal employee.

Three or more offenses can cost an employer $3000-$10,000 per illegal employee. A pattern of knowingly employing illegal immigrants can mean extra fines and up to six months in jail for an employer.

- See more at: http://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/penalties-for-employers-hiring-illegal-immigrants.html#sthash.ULDOE7St.dpuf

First offenders can be fined $250-$2,000 per illegal employee.

For a second offense, the fine is $2,000-$5,000 per illegal employee.

Three or more offenses can cost an employer $3000-$10,000 per illegal employee. A pattern of knowingly employing illegal immigrants can mean extra fines and up to six months in jail for an employer.

- See more at: http://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/penalties-for-employers-hiring-illegal-immigrants.html#sthash.ULDOE7St.dpuf

First offenders can be fined $250-$2,000 per illegal employee. - See more at: http://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/penalties-for-employers-hiring-illegal-immigrants.html#sthash.ULDOE7St.dpuf

• First time offenders: $250 to $2,000 per illegal employee
• Second time Offenders: $2,000 to $5,000 per illegal employee
• More than the above:  the fines can range from $3000 to $10000 per illegal employee and can include jail time.

I am sure that if Congress added a reward system for identifying violating employers, in general, would stop hiring illegals.

Simply, the cutting off of the ability to find work and sanctuary could both slow and reverse our illegal immigration problem.

References:

More Mexicans leaving US than entering, study says: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/11/20/more-mexicans-leaving-us-than-entering-study-says.html

1907. Title 8, U.S.C. 1324(a) Offenses: https://www.justice.gov/usam/criminal-resource-manual-1907-title-8-usc-1324a-offenses

Penalties for Hiring an Illegal Immigrant: http://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/penalties-for-employers-hiring-illegal-immigrants.html

The Financial Consequences of Amnesty For 4.5 Million Illegals

Just recently, the White House admitted that President Obama's executive action giving illegal immigrants permanent residency, would also give them Social Security and Medicare benefits. In defense of this, they are claiming that this will actually benefit programs like Social Security because these people will now be paying payroll taxes in support of those programs. This in turn, will help balance out our aging population

Well, on the surface that all sounds great.  However, a majority of those who would benefit from Obama's executive order can't speak English; have few, if any, high level skills and little education. Many are functionally illiterate in their own language, and as a result, are incapable of learning English. Over their entire lifetimes they will only be able to work in low level jobs. Taking all this into consideration, you have to understand that the President will be  creating a large and permanent underclass.  In this country, those kinds of people will always take more from the government than they put in.

Take, for example, paying taxes. Only 53% of all Americans pay any federal income tax.  However, most of those who make up the remaining 47% -- especially those who have low incomes --  actually get money back from the government for having children and by qualifying for Earned Income Tax credit.  So, if most of these people are low income workers, what benefit are they going to be to our tax system when they don't pay income taxes?

Then, there's Medicare and Social Security.  The White House claims that these programs will only be strengthened by having them pay into the Federal Insurance Compensation Act (FICA) fund (the payroll tax that collects the funds needed to support Medicare and Social Security).  Of course that would be true only if they weren't so far skewed to the low income side of the equation.

You see, the FICA tax is a fixed percentage tax on your gross wages.  The amount paid diminishes with low income individuals; meaning that he middle class and the upper middle class will foot the bill for most of the future payouts.  Thus, when a low income worker goes on Medicare, he/she receives the same benefit as everyone else; while having paid relatively little into the system. The same is also true with Social Security.  Therefore instead of strengthening these two benefit programs, these newly minted beneficiaries are only going to help speed them toward insolvency.  If you don't think this isn't already a problem, just look at this chart on Social Security:

Of course, this projected insolvency was calculated before Obama's action on immigration. There might be a short term increase in funding from these younger workers paying into the system, and thus, delaying insolvency.  But, when they do start retiring, the impact on will be significant and rapid because too few dollars were added to the fund to pay for their benefits.

In my opinion, the long-term survivability of the benefits to our nation's seniors is being put at risk so this President can garner future Hispanic votes for Democrats.  Similarly, this nation's debt will only increase as we payout an increasing number of tax dollars in Earned Income Tax Credit refunds.  This is why there should have been a fully explored and debated reform of immigration through Congressional means.  Instead, we have another go-it-alone action that will have far reaching consequences; long after Obama is out of office. Then some other President or Congress will be saddled with the cleanup.


References:

Under Executive Action, Immigrants Are Entitled To Social Security Benefits: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/12/03/368216062/under-executive-action-immigrants-are-entitled-to-social-security-benefits

Illegal immigrants could receive Social Security, Medicare: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/illegal-immigrants-could-receive-social-security-medicare-under-obama-action/2014/11/25/571caefe-74d4-11e4-bd1b-03009bd3e984_story.html

Commonsense Immigration Reform Will Strengthen Social Security: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/07/01/commonsense-immigration-reform-will-strengthen-social-security

TPC Tax Topics | Who Doesn't Pay Federal Taxes?: http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/taxtopics/federal-taxes-households.cfm

Policy Basics: The Earned Income Tax Credit: http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2505

What is FICA? - CNN Money: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/money101/lesson18/index4.htm

 Social Security to Become Insolvent Far Earlier Than Expected: http://www.mrctv.org/blog/chart-social-security-s-end-date-fast-approaching-far-earlier-expected

Chart: Medicare insolvency projection: https://kaiserfamilyfoundation.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/7305-08-exhibit-6.png

As President, Obama Does Have The Constitutional Right To Grant Amnesty To Illegal Immigrants

Many Republicans, including Rush Limbaugh, are claiming that the President has no constitutional authority to grant amnesty to 4.5 million illegal immigrants with U.S. born children.

But, sadly, the Constitution does give him that right in Article II, Section 2 with the following words regarding presidential powers:

...shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment".

Further, as Wikipedia notes:

The U.S. Supreme Court has interpreted this language to include the power to grant pardons, conditional pardons, commutations of sentence, conditional commutations of sentence, remissions of fines and forfeitures, respites, and amnesties.

So, what he is basically doing is pardoning millions of immigrants of the crime against the United States for entering the country illegally. As a Constitutional law professor, Obama had to have known this all along.  Yet for nearly 6 years, he claimed he didn't have to the constitutional right to stop deportations because he didn't have the power to override immigration laws that were already on the books.  This is true, but he only said that to delay using his executive pardon power until such time as it would no longer affect his reelection, or the election/reelection of any Democratic members of Congress.  For that reason, Latinos should really be upset with the President.

Lastly.  Because the President has this right, his action will never be challenged in the courts.  As a result, the amnesty will never be reversed; even by future Republican presidents.  Pardons are forever. That, then, brings us to this question...are people who are legally free to reside here now eligible for citizenship? Personally, I just don't know.

References:

Pardon: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pardon#Federal_law

22 Times President Obama Said He Couldn’t Ignore or Create His Own Immigration Law: http://www.speaker.gov/general/22-times-president-obama-said-he-couldn-t-ignore-or-create-his-own-immigration-law

Video: Obama In March 2011: Can't Stop Deportations Through Executive Order: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfZ3kaKZoIw

Obama's Choice For Illegals: Unemployment In Exchange For Amnesty?

By all accounts, President Obama's executive order will give at least 4.5 million illegals with U.S. born children permanent and legal residency through the existing green card system.  As a result they  will no longer have to work in the shadows; constantly in fear of deportation.

What the executive action ignores is the fact that many employers, not all, hire illegal workers because they will accept low wages, work hard, work long hours and, more importantly, won't complain about either their pay or their working conditions.  In return, there is also an implied agreement that the employer won't turn them in to immigration authorities, unless of course, they give them a reason to do so.

So, what happens when the fear of deportation is taken away by executive action?

First of all, you need to understand that many of these people can't speak or read English.  Some are unable to read in their native language as well, being illiterate and having limited job skills.  So, if it weren't for the fact that employers can get away with paying low wages, these people would normally be unemployable.  And, that's exactly what Obama's executive action may do.

After becoming legal residents with their green cards in hand, those once-illegals must be lawfully paid at least the minimum wage or the prevailing wage for the kind of work being done.  Thus, the low pay advantage goes away.  Also, their newly found status means that they no longer have to fear exposure and possible deportation; so, they are free to complain about salary, working conditions, and long hours.  In essence, they will become no different than any other U.S. born worker.

Ultimately, employers will begin to hire better educated, English speaking, literate Americans over the former illegals.  What we will then wind up with is some number (possibly in the millions) of unemployable workers who will, because of their legal status, be wards of the state; living off of welfare and other poverty benefits.

Thank you, Mr. Obama!

References:

Green Cards and Permanent Residency: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permanent_residence_%28United_States%29

US Ordering 34 Million Green Cards for Illegal Plan: http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/green-card-immigration-surge/2014/10/19/id/601688/

Obama Plan May Allow Millions of Immigrants to Stay and Work in U.S.: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/14/us/obama-immigration.html




 

Senator Schumer's Misplaced World Cup Health Fears

Recently, Senator Schumer a Democrat from New York, held a press conference during which he asked  the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to alert health professionals around the country to be on the lookout for the chikungunya, or “chik-v,” virus.  The basis for his concern were the returning fans from the World Cup.   The stupidity of that conference is that, every day, with or without the World Cup, thousands of Brazilians and many more thousands of people fly into the United States from areas infested with the very mosquitoes who are likely to carry the chik-v virus. 

A quick check on Expedia.com showed that, every day, 52 flights originate in Rio De Janeiro that are destined for New York City.  Los Angeles has 48; and, Atlanta 44.

If, in fact Schumer is worried about a health risk, it should not be related to the World Cup and the chik-v.  He should be more concerned about what is currently happening on our southern border with tens of thousands of unaccompanied children and some adults seeking asylum in the U.S. These people, often not vaccinated, pose a bigger health risk to this country than a few fans flying back to the U.S. on tickets that cost them, at the very least, $2000, and who probably occupied some very nice hotel rooms during their stay.  These immigrant children and their sometime escorts are already known to have head lice, scabies, MRSA, drug-resistant TB, swine flu, and a whole host of other diseases they acquired as they trekked across countries, on foot, from Central and South America to arrive here in the United States.

Upon arrival, they aren't necessarily isolated in quarantine. Instead, they are herded into mass gathering places; only to sleep on the floor and, more importantly, infect others in those close quarters with whatever disease they might have.  Finally, they are being bussed to destinations all over the country so they can carry whatever contagions they have with them.

But, Schumer, being the good soldier that he is, wouldn't want to highlight the current immigrant problem.  It might spoil Obama and the Democrats grand plan for immigration reform.  At the very least, highlighting the health issues on our southern border might also make people aware of how feckless the President has been in controlling the influx.

Lastly, where is the Surgeon General on all these health issues.  Its his job to keep Americans advised; not some Senator from New York.  Again, we apparently have another incompetent in one of Obama's appointed positions.

Update:  Mexico detect first case of chik-v virus: http://news.yahoo.com/mexico-detects-first-case-mosquito-borne-virus-195858220.html

References:

Schumer Concerned World Cup Fans Returning To U.S. Might Bring Back Mosquito-Borne Virus: http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/06/22/schumer-concerned-world-cup-fans-returning-to-u-s-might-bring-back-mosquito-borne-virus/

Doctors Warn of Looming Health Crisis Due to Flood of Young Illegal Immigrants:  http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/06/21/Doctors-Warn-of-Looming-U-S-Public-Health-Crisis-Due-To-Flood-of-Young-Illegal-Immigrants

Swine Flu Confirmed at Shelter for Unaccompanied Minors:http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-Texas/2014/06/25/Swine-Flu-Confirmed-at-Shelter-for-Unaccompanied-Minors