In this Sept. 13, 1984 file photo, House and Senate conferees, including Sen. Ted Kennedy (l.) meet at the start of their first session on the immigration reform bill on Capitol Hill.
(Ira Schwarz/AP/File)Photos (1 of 1)
Kennedy and immigration: He changed the face of America
The senator's career-long crusade for a more open America had a profound effect on who lives in the country now. Like JFK, he said the US is a nation of immigrants.
By Gail Russell Chaddock | Staff writer/ August 28, 2009 edition
Washington
The next round of immigration reform promised by President Obama will be the first in more than 50 years that does not involve Sen. Edward Kennedy.
His record on the issue has quite literally changed the face of the nation.
From the 1965 overhaul that ended a system of national quotas to the failed drive launched in 2007 for comprehensive reform, Kennedy has been at the front lines making the case for a more open immigration system.
Taking a long view – compromising when needed, reaching for more the next time – he achieved it.
Senator Kennedy’s tactics varied and coalition partners shifted during his 47 years in the Senate, but the core principle he defended never varied: The US is a nation of immigrants, he said.
“I look across this historic gathering and I see the future of America,” he said at an immigration rally in Washington on April 10, 2006.
In speeches, Kennedy often invoked the Golden Steps he could see from his Boston office, where new waves of immigrants, including his eight grandparents, came off the docks into East Boston – and a world where “No Irish Need Apply.”
1965: Quotas
In 1965, Kennedy led the drive for immigration reform in the Senate. Although some Irish groups lobbied against the bill, Kennedy said the current system of national quotas that favored northern Europe violated the American values.
“This bill goes to the very central ideals of our country,” he said during floor debate. “Our streets may not be paved with gold, but they are paved with the promise that men and women who live here – even strangers and new newcomers – can rise as fast, as far as their skills will allow, no matter what their color is, no matter what the place of their birth.”
In response to critics, he also famously claimed that the change to a system opening immigration to all nations and favoring family unification would not change the mix of the country.
“The bill will not flood our cities with immigrants. It will not upset the ethnic mix of our society. It will not relax the standards of admission. It will not cause American workers to lose their jobs,” he said during the Senate debate.
In retrospect, the mix of immigrants, legal and illegal, shifted dramatically in favor of Latin America and Asia – a fact that Kennedy, in later years, would attribute to illegal immigration.
“That 1965 law was first big thing that that he really drove himself. Since then, he’s been making immigration policy for the country,” says Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies in Washington.
1980: Refugees
In 1980, Kennedy drafted the Refugee Act of 1980, which set up a system to qualify for political asylum consistent with international law. The numbers seeking refugee status – 1.1 million in the first 10 years – exceeded expectations.
1986: Amnesty
In the campaign for the 1986 amnesty law, Kennedy predicted that the law would grant citizenship to no more than 1.3 million people. “We will secure the borders henceforth. We will never again bring forward another amnesty bill like this,” he said.
But by 2007, the number of people in the country illegally had jumped to more than 12 million.
His later years
Kennedy also drafted legislation in 1990 to expand opportunities for citizenship to skilled workers and, more recently, to open doors for Iraqi refugees.
At the end of this Senate career, he was working on a comprehensive immigration plan that would propose a path to citizenship for some 12 million people now in the US illegally, as well as stronger border enforcement and employee sanctions.
In a failed 2007 bill, “what was driving him was that we had the chance to bring 12 million people out of the shadows,” said Mary Giovagnoli, director of the Immigration Policy Center.
His persistence was evidence of his incremental approach to comprehensive reform. “He really did believe that there were issues you could give on and then come back later and fix,… that when you didn’t get all you wanted the first time, you kept coming back and making it better,” she says.
His impact on the individual lives of immigrants in the United States was profound, advocates say. “I was always struck by the sheer number of immigrant families in Massachusetts who have been helped by the senator,” says Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration Forum. “Senator Kennedy was legendary for helping people move through the system.”
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Comments
2. Herman King | 08.28.09
Why in the world would any decent person mourn the coward of Chappaquiddick, the man who did everything he could to turn this nation into a third world country while he and his rich clan lived safely in gated communities?The fawning over Kennedy turned my stomach. Turn the other cheek indeed! And I wonder what’s in that sealed letter he gave Ombama for the pope?
3. Coach Pedro Rita | 08.28.09
Yes, America the Country of Freedom and opportunities. It’s time to look who made this Country and give a real opportunity for those that work very hard to make United States of America the Country of freedom and opportunities.
Illegal immigrants or legal immigrants looking forward for their Citizenships like me will not get anybody’s job since we have a job already and working very hard to make our economy to get better.
Remember that most of illegal immigrants leaving in this country with no papers are working and will start to pay taxes after getting their papers.
I am looking forward for the Amnesty to everyone that pays taxes already no matter legal or illegal.
4. MD Cocho | 08.28.09
This is a good article. It shows how humane bills have unintended and unattractive consequences. Sen Kennedy was right to get rid of favoritism for immigrants from Northern Europe. However, his Family Reunification Act, no matter how balanced its intentions, actually had the consequence of favoring immigrants from Latin America over immigrants from other regions. Sen Kennedy promised that this act would not flood the country with uniform immigrants from one region. But looking at the statistics, in the last twenty years, anyone can see that this is exactly what happened. Is this new favoritism better than the old?
5. Helen Holden | 08.28.09
Mexico has the opportunity to be as successful as the rest of us, unless they all come to this country and bring it down. Mexicans are hard working. If they stay in their own country and help Mr. Calderon make it a great country instead of fighting to get into our country they can be very successful. They need to stay home and fight there for freedom, successful businesses, fight crime at home and start to demand a free democracy in Mexico. It appears that Mr.Calderon is doing his best, but he needs the support of fellow citizens. We need to secure our borders as Mexicans are coming here to get guns, and then bring drugs into this country to ruin Americans. If they cannot get into this country, they will stay home and build Mexico into a fine country of their own.
6. Dana Garcia | 08.28.09
Back when I was young, my Methodist relatives were mistrustful of the Kennedys, fearing their intention to bring in more Catholic immigrants to overwhelm the traditional stock, who were largely Protestant. Having imbibed the liberal pro-immigration values of public school, I thought my relatives were unduly fearful.
Now, they look positively insightful.
7. Roland Martin | 08.28.09
Ted Kennedy can be credited with leading much social change, and he deserves his eulogy but not all of his legislative leadership produced what he promised. Immagration is only one example. Read his words as he reshaped immigration policy. In response to critics, he also famously claimed that the change to a system opening immigration to all nations and favoring family unification would not change the mix of the country.
“The bill will not flood our cities with immigrants. It will not upset the ethnic mix of our society. It will not relax the standards of admission. It will not cause American workers to lose their jobs,” he said during the Senate debate”.
In fact he was wrong on all counts. His fatuous dream of an open, non discriminatory, immigration prograsm has led this country to a crisis of heroic proportions. How do we turn off the flow of impoverished immigrants who are changing the culture of this nation.
8. Deport Deport | 08.28.09
Yep, Kennedy changed the face of America all right, but in a terrible way. In fact, his participation in immigration has put this nation in great peril. Back in the day when immigrants came LEGALLY, they were people who came here with the American dream, as most immigrants do, but they were prepared to make it on their own. They wanted to be Americans, learn the language, our history and assimilate into our culture. They worked hard to make a living WITHOUT the government handouts that illegals EXPECT now. They came with skills to make a living, and that does not include mowing lawns or washing dishes. They raised their children to be respectful, honest, good citizens and participated in and demanded that their children got a good education. That is why this nation prospered. Now we have 20+ million illiterate or low educated illegals who break as many laws as it takes to remain illegal, drop babies as quick as they can produce them (without ever paying a hospital bill), do not have the means to afford all those kids (so we have to pay welfare for the anchors) and have no plans to assimilate into American culture. I don’t see why everyone is gushing over Kennedy….he is to blame for the mess we are in now with rampant illegal immigration and totally lax enforcement.
“The bill will not flood our cities with immigrants. It will not upset the ethnic mix of our society. It will not relax the standards of admission. It will not cause American workers to lose their jobs,” AND “We will secure the borders henceforth. We will never again bring forward another amnesty bill like this,”
Those statements were outright lies. If the last statement was correct, then why was he included in the 2007 shamnesty plan? Why did no one hold him accountable for his miserable failures on immigration and why did they let him continue in an area he obviously screwed up terribly?
Sorry, Kennedy was no hero in my book. Our country is screwed up partially due to his great ideas !!
9. nawalfleet | 08.28.09
Dear beloved america
Those people who comes first from the old world in europe ..opressed they endured lot of troubles lot of struggle against the weather,against power of nature agaist the agressive of old aborigines to errect this great nation..but if you accept illegal immigration&political assylum how do you know they deserve this&they are not terrorists or somtimes by false political assylum want to change the structure of america &enslave the real one who make america…&if you are kind&want to save one sheep what is about other sheep which is unable to immigrate&suffer in their original coutry….you should not change the strutur or the idenity of america which was found in the begging of its..but every year you can make statistics&see what nations you can accept with no change in your property or idenditi or affect your welfar in order you are not surprised one day that you are become the aborigines of america…you can better the conditions of those people in their countries either by helping their econemy or by war if they have bad leaders like taliban or quaida…but also give those people who proves by action&deeds their love,loyality,creativity citizenship i prefer latin american then eastern europe like poland,russia,chec,then chinese&bothist because they are polite creative people….at anyhow there is a proverb says difference in oppinion is quite healthy…nawal(medevra)
10. Chico Scott | 08.28.09
Dear Representatives,
I’m 41 years old, and have been fortunate enough in my life that racism has not been a major factor. However, I can’t help but see the connection between the fight over health care reform and the fight over desegregation. I am not however comparing those two issues, because there is very little in common between them. But the vitriol and venom in the opposition to ANY kind of reform from a certain segment of the American population reminds me of the fight against desegregation and the passion with which Americans objected to that necessary and inevitable step in our cultural evolution. And in this comparison I am convinced that this fight is a noble one, although imperfect. I employ you to be patient and steadfast, and to be open and honest and humble in this effort to make our country a better place to live for all Americans. In this you will honor the life and works of Senator Edward Kennedy. Thank you.
11. Jack | 08.28.09
Why are the natives always picking on immigrants? You should be the last one to talk and denigrade immigrants — unless you are pure Native Americans, we are all the descendents of of the first illegal immigrant into these American continents. The truth is that people who rail against immigrants and immigration think that they are better than anyone else. They got into the club and want to keep everyone else out. Selfishness! What makes you so special just because you had the random luck to be born into this country.
12. brent | 08.28.09
I came to America from England in 1963, not to escape anything, but because I had been persuaded by 2 university professors to continue my education with them in New York City. I arrived with a green card at Ellis Island and was immediately given instant draft status for Vietnam.
My first point is, I was legal, my second, I was absolutely certain my home country was better. I had no intention of staying after college, but I did, when I found the generosity, beauty, and access to any career.
The world outside the US has changed since Kennedy’s day. It is more criminal and better armed, thanks to the US (I agree with H.D.Schmidt on that). There is more to escape, but also a more sinister attraction, the US mecca of crime and drugs. Naturally, overland is easier than by sea, and since no Canadian wants to leave their peaceful, safe country for a locked-down place like ours, that leaves only the south.
We should all realise that governments wish only to increase their tax base, and help large corporations maintain low wages, thus the maniacal drive to populate. Every finite place has its limit, and if we are bent on filling every corner of this country, we shall need a better organised admission policy, and a better reception attitude than we have now. If we honestly believe every race in the world can live in harmony in one community, why don’t we see how it works in a controlled observation for the next century? Let’s build a racial ‘ark’ somewhere and put our welcome guests inside, two-by-two. Might work, might not, but at least we shall not have to rely on silver-spoon or affirmative-action politicians for our policy guidance.
13. Trotski | 08.28.09
I have to say that I am impressed by the insightful posts on from this article so far because it is not the usual vitriol one sees whenever immigration is mentioned.
Chico Scott has hit the nail right on the head about the voracity of those who oppose health care reform and immigration reform — it does smack of desegregation and the Civil Rights movement filled with fearmongering and typecasting.
I cannot believe that the America I know is a country that would turn a sick or injured person away from a hospital for lack of money and I can’t believe that the United States is a country that wants to create a class of people again like we had in the days of slavery — undocumented people with no rights and no ability to ever improve their lot in life. There are plenty of welfare states in the world that government provides cradle-to-grave security to its citizens — the United States isn’t one of them. Immigrants who come here work hard for very little. If they don’t, they starve just like the rest of us would if we didn’t provide for ourselves and our families.
It is my hope that the silent majority of Americans understand that the American dream is about opportunity as well as hard work. The vast majority of the people who make it to the United States, by their very definition, are risk-takers looking to improve their way of life. Walking across a border does not a hardened criminal make! These people aren’t looking for a handout, they’re looking for a hand — a chance to join our great society.
14. Maggie | 08.28.09
Jack, I don’t see selfishness, I think that Americans just want to be treated as well as the illegals. Free medical, government housing, free edducation (taxes optional.)
Americans just want people to follow the law and the law provides for a constructive entry into the country. Why do left wingers have a problem with this? Is it the paperwork that confuses you? Is it that others may have earned a place before you and you just simply cannot wait your turn? It isn’t that people don’t legally migrate to this country, they do. We have very generous immigration policies.
I think it is the illegals that are selfish and feel too “special” to follow the rules and there’s that “free” issue if they come in illegally, yes, there’s always that.
15. Bob | 08.29.09
Open immigration policies combined with a welfare state results in corporations externalizing their costs to society. Ted Kennedy favored both. Becasue the costs of maintaining a new mouth to feed, cloth, shelter and education can be pushed on the taxpayer, a corporate business can be ‘profitable’ even though the inputs of their process (when you include the FULL cost of the new immigrant) exceed the value of the output, in other words, economically degenerate
It’s no coincidence that c a country that favors economically degenerate policies is going bankrupt, and has to borow more and more to keep afloat
Ted Kennedy’s legacy is an elite smuggly patting itself on the back in gated communities like Hyanisport, while the general welfare of the average citizen slips ever toward a 3rd world existence
Thanks, Ted
16. Susan | 08.29.09
I read these comments and I just laugh. They are base on the individuals experience in his or her own life. I feel like their is a civil war brewing in the future. I never seen such a divide whether is is Democratic vs republican, immigration reform vs no reform, healthcare reform vs no healthcare reform. I sit back and watch people go at it. Gone are the days when people would respect other people’s opinions and people would compromise, gone are the days that people would admire other people’s point of view. I just hope my son grows up with the fight for his values and morals, but respect others. Agree to disagree.
17. Gaston | 08.29.09
I am a first generation Eurasian, came to the States in 69, graduated from High School & served in the US Army for next 15 years. Thank you Senator Kennedy for making my dream possible. All of us immigrants from every parts of the world have an opportunity to contribute to this great nation made possible by your contributions & dedications to social justice & human dignity. We, in the immigrant communities would never forget your valuable contribution & the Democratic party commitment to a humane, immigration reform & health care affordability for all Americans regardless of income level.
18. BrianSDCA | 08.30.09
It is sorry to say, that immigration and especially illegal immigration has turn into a mass importation of poverty at the cost of the middle class. Low wage earners produce large families that they can not afford without government assistance. Elderly parents of immigrants that never worked in the U.S. are granted residency and receive complete government provided health care. Uncontrolled population growth is not Green and degrades the environment for everyone.
19. Bababoowee | 08.30.09
Nobody in this country is legal unless you are a Native American. So those people saying that they are here legally, I will only believe that if you documents or “green cards” were issued by Native Americans or else, you are illegal aliens as well. Why? because the first European sailors, from Columbus to Vespucci, came here illegally, Thus, all their descendants and their crewmens’ decendants are all illegal aliens as well. As I have said, unless there is somebody who can produce any documents issued by Native Americans, whether during Columbus’ day or today, EVERYBODY in this country is AN ILLEGAL ALIEN…
20. Bababoowee | 08.30.09
A follow-up to my comment. The so-called LEGAL immigrants of this country claims the these so called ILLEGAL ALIENS should be driven out of their country, right? Let me remind you, The Original ILLEGAL ALIENS are the conquistadores so came to different countries and claimed their own. Now, since these ILLEGAL Conquistadores drove the REAL LEGAL Natives into hiding, they made their own LAWS, including immigration laws. That funny because since they are ILLEGAL ALIENS themselves, how can a so-called LEGAL IMMIGRANT documents be a LEGAL one when it was issued by ILLEGAL Conquistadores? It’s as simple as 1+1-2, so if the current border crossers issues a document to another border crosser, should that document be considered a LEGAL document too. The same way your ILLEGAL forefathers issued to their ILLEGAL descendants.. So whose the ILLEGAL and LEGAL residents of this country now?
21. fela | 08.30.09
So we NOW have to feel guilty for what happened on this continent hundreds of years ago? This great COUNTRY was built and protected by many generations of Legal immigrants. According to Bababoowee, we have to let this beautiful country go down the tubes to satisfy his exercises in logic and tender feelings towards the natives living several hundreds years ago. BTW, for the record, they all came from Asian continent, and were ‘illegal’ immigrants at that time. Bottom line - Baba, contrary to what you might think about your empty ‘logic’, it is just that - empty. Where will YOU go when this country is turned into another third world cesspool?
22. Bababoowee | 08.30.09
Senator Kennedy,
We thank you for your effort about immigration reform and educating these people on the reality of migration. The world never had any border during the Ice Age, anybody can roam the world at will. Only these conquistadores made those borders. Now, why do people migrate to another country? It’s because these borders made it difficult to live in their respective countries due to different reasons (economic and corruption, usually). We sent our help to Africa and other countries when starvation happened to these countries, for humanitarian reason. Why can’t we allow the 3rd world country below us to have their people come in, when their respective countries cannot give them livable place to live. Should we show humanitarian upon our immediate neighbors first, before we sail the ocean and give help to the other countries
They branded Senator Kennedy as one of the Amnesty advocates while not even thinking that the Native Americans weren’t even given a chance to at least think about giving their forefathers amnesty for coming over here.
I am not pro or con about immigration.. I would just like to present the reality about this issue..
23. Bababoowee | 08.30.09
Fela, there were no illegal immigrants yet during their time of migration, u know why? Because there are no borders yet during those times. Anybody can go to anywhere in the world and settle where they think suits their needs. But when u go to a territory with existing settlers on it and take their land away, that’s not migration anymore but invasion. And that’s what happened when the European sailors came here. There were settlers already and not empty land anymore. This is not an empty logic but reality check. Where did these Legal immigrants, that you are claiming, got their legality to settle here? From Native Americans? show me proof of any documents you could dig up and I will rest my case. Look at your logic. You think that allowing people from third world countries will make America third world country too. What kind of logic is that. Would it be better to think that absorbing these immigrants would boost the economy by providing more labor power than being pessimistic and think that they would pull down America because they came from third world countries? If not for the Chinese, would there be a railroad that will cross the West and East coasts? Meaning, immigrants coming from anywhere in the world combined with knowledge and technology existing here would result a more productive environment.
24. MaryJ | 08.30.09
Why can’t we allow the 3rd world country below us to have their people come in, when their respective countries cannot give them livable place to live.
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Because it will turn our country into the same unlivable mess as the ones the Third Worlders are trying to leave behind. Countries don’t make people; people make countries. Change the people, you change the country. As is happening in the US before our eyes, with large swathes becoming Third World outposts due to mass immigration of poor, uneducated and unassimilable immigrants.
If the Third Worlders want First World standards of living in their countries, then they need to adopt First World standards of culture, education and behavior. Many do not want to. See the Zimbabweans who just wanted their old tribal cultures; now their country is starving to death.
They tend to want First World living standards but not at the price of giving up their Third World cultures.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t work. People create countries; countries don’t create people.
25. Dake | 08.30.09
Kennedy, Kennedy. May peace be upon you. I have deep respect for this noble man, who was so caregous to stand up for those who is poor, sick and those who came from different countries like myself to this country. He was a man who managed not to be blind by biasness and stood up for fairness, justice.
We immigrants who came from Soviet Union will remember you as Noble man with a big heart and soul.
26. Bob2 | 08.30.09
Go Maggie & Helen. Bababowee whatever, this is not simple, you will not find the answer on AOL. 1+1-2?? Yes we evicted the Native Americans. Our ancestors were not very nice. Not many people’s ancestors were. War & profit & corporations will always rule. Yes that rots. Maybe we could give all the illegals Oklahoma. If they make it on the land there… Oh, but what about well educated or want to be & have the ability?? What if x immigrant is a doctor or qualified teacher? (i mean really isn’t it the undereducated, semi-unskilled you all are so worried about?) This is rocket science stuff. Many variables. Important stuff. Then again, War & profit & corporations will always rule. Yes that rots. Unlike the American Native Bureau of Immigration Affairs, ours is open & willing to grant admission to immigrants. Those too busy to follow the rules will please go sit back from where you came? or is that too harsh for those that must pay for this instead of their own families needs?
27. Bababoowee | 08.30.09
Bob, first of all, I just did a lot of typo because of my eagerness to type in my comment right away, and apologize for that. That answers why my 1+1=2 became that way. Now, I don’t think, profiling people coming from third world countries are less educated, is right to say. It only shows in your answers that your superior-thinking stood up and shadowed the real discussion in this topic. You were telling your opinion about Teddy Kennedy’s support in immigration reform and I respect that. What I am trying to straighten out is where did that so called legality of residency came upon. Where did it root from, to the point that it became a base point of branding other people “illegal aliens” when we ourselves are illegal aliens as well. This is based on the fact that, as far as I know, nobody processed or gave greencard to the conquistadores when they came here. Also, your ideology that about war, profit and corporation rules is out of the question. That is not the topic here but let me say about about it though. If somebody, let’s say from Beverly Hills, comes to your land in Wyoming with a yellow tape and started cordoning off your property then tells you that the land beyond the yellow tape is his, what would be your reaction? And when you started to react, he deployed his henchmen and declare war on you. That’s the explanation to your : war, profit and corporation? If your answer is yes, then doesn’t it look familiar? It just made a Beverly Hills man a Wyoming man now, but that doesn’t make him a legal Wyoming resident because of how he acquired the land, right? So how can our forefathers be legal residents of this land if they acquired it the same way?
Mary, you cut and paste the part of my opinion to the point of your liking and then reacted on it. Read it again. What I was saying was, if we are showing the world we believe in being humanitarian, then why should we show it an ocean away, when our neighbors south of the border are suffering the same and yet we don’t help them first hand first. Then again, not all of them are less educated, as you’ve mentioned. WE are not all well-educated as well.
I came from an immigrant family as well, just like you guys and I did not come from any country south of the border, but just somebody who is asking the reality of the legality of everybody’s residency. That is why I wrote this comment because I believe in what Senator Kennedy said that America is land of Immigrants. So why go against people who came in here, whether inspected or non-inspected on the border or port of entry, to be legalized if : first, they never committed any criminal act, pays their taxes or willing to pay back taxes, willing to embrace American spirit by first learning how to speak English, when in fact, if we will agree on the fact that we acquired this land illegally, we are not different from them anyway. It doesn’t matter if the acquisition happened hundreds of years ago, it’s the fact on how it was acquired we are talking about here. Let’s not say that, 200 years from now we will forget what happened to Pearl Harbor, just because it happened 260 years ago. It’s just the fact, the real fact I am trying to straighten out.
Thanks for sharing your opinions.
28. Bob | 08.31.09
27. Bababoowee | 08.30.09 said
” What I am trying to straighten out is where did that so called legality of residency came upon. Where did it root from, to the point that it became a base point of branding other people “illegal aliens” when we ourselves are illegal aliens as well.”
This statement displays a complete and utter contempt for the laws of the People of the United States.
It declare that YOU can break laws, but I cannot
And this is Ted Kennedy’s legacy - a society where people feel they can pick and choose what laws apply. You try to change the laws thatr apply to me, yet you say the law is invalid when applied to you or those you sympathize with.
A true citizen applies all laws to all people, be it at Chapaquiddick or at the border
29. Bob | 08.31.09
27. Bababoowee, you actually make quite an arguement (although you didnt intend to) that Kennnedy’s legacy is a legacy of sedition on behalf of foreign peoples’ and a complete underminding of the sovereignty and respect for our laws, in exchange for 47 years of a LAWMAKER’S salary
A legacy of immigrants like you coming in and thinking you’re a self appointed Supreme Court. Complete contempt for the laws of our country (except for the laws YOU lobby for) and for the rights of the citizens
30. PincheGabacho | 08.31.09
Ted Kennedy unleashed a wave of third world immigration into this nation that has all but destroyed it. California is bankrupt. We don’t have enough electricity and water. Our roads are congested to the point where it takes an hour to move 5 miles. Wages have been driven down, while property values have skyrocketed. Our schools are over crowded. An illegal immigrant can go to our hospitals and have an anchor baby at a cost to the California taxpayers of $20,000, but we can’t afford to pay teachers. During the whole immigration debate, various people from organizations bragged about how immigrants were driving the economy. Now the economy has collapsed. I remember watching Geraldo Rivera talk about how we need illegal immigrants, “to do the jobs Americans won’t do”, and now California has 11.4% unemployment. All population growth in the United States, since the 1965 immigration bill has been caused by immigration. Our country cannot sustain at this level any longer. The entire country is going to go the way of California. This is reality.
31. Bob2 | 08.31.09
Not to be confused with Bob! So Bob your attack on Babawowee is rather harsh. You obviously do not like Sen. Kennedy. You conclusionarly assert unwarranted assumptions. By bringing in Chappaquiddick i assume you are stating that District Attorney Phillip Rollins did all possible under law to resolve the incident? I do remember that Sen.Kennedy plead guilty to the most severe charge available. Are you playing history revisionist or just plain anti anyone who ain’t us? again go Maggie & Helen. LL&P
32. Delmar Jackson | 09.01.09
The usa is not a nation of immigrants as Kennedy said, not yet anyway,it is a Nation of citizens, and most of the citizens are sheep.
For 40 years its citizens have wanted less legal and zero illegal immigration and after every election we have been betrayed by those we elect to public office on the issue of immigration.
It is time to stop being sheep.
If in the middle of the worst recession since the great depression we can not enforce our current immigration laws and enact tougher new laws then we are doomed, and then we will become a nation of colonizing immigrants for sure.
Everyone needs to join numbersusa.com and fax their senator for free. It is easy and painless, get millions of others to join, NOW.
Go to youtube and leave comments in the immigration videos and ask viewers join. write numbersusa(dot)com because youtube will not allow the normal .com address in the comments.
We need to work for those that show promise of enforcing our laws and work tirelessly to defeat those that are betraying us. begin speaking up, write letters, make phone calls, join other local groups, now is the time, for if not now, when? The only thing you have to lose is your country.
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1. H. D. Schmidt | 08.28.09
As a legal immigrant myself of 53+ years, it is my firm believe that if the Founding Fathers were to rise, they would absolutely be astonished and dumbfounded as to how America has and is self-destroying the America they gave birth, with how immigration has been treated, especially for almost a century. Hearing the constant cry that America has always been about having immigrants comming for a better America instead of Americans going all over the world and spreading the “gospel” of freedom to all nations, but instead wasting trillions upon trillions in what is now the most inhumane and horrendous war machinery ever, and doing really the same all previous Empires did, and that is, creating more and more problems for the world and to America itself. Yes, while now in truth another nation has invaded America and its language now as legal as English istself; yes now America is a tow headed monsters.