Land of the Free

“I don’t want my money going toward illegal immigrants in any way!”
“If they’re here illegally, then they are illegal!”
“The money spent on them comes from the American Citizens, not from the Federal Government!”
- Unnamed Internet Warriors

I’ve been sparring with for the last three days with some family and their extended circle over the issue of “Illegal Immigration” in America. I’m a firm defender of legal immigration and but let me be upfront, like I’m ever anything but upfront in these missives, I straddle the middle of the immigration issue when it comes to undocumented individuals.
I believe immigration is essential to the survival of the nation.

I believe that the asylum process is, if anything, not open and encompassing enough.
I believe that the legal immigration process has to be expanded and streamlined. Right now, we have the most complicated and exclusionary immigration process in the “Free World,” whatever that means in this day and age.

Ok, I think we can all agree that no matter what I say or what evidence I provide, no one with a stratified position will have their views and opinions changed by this. So be it, it is what it is, and there’s really no point in me continuing counterpointing the various claims made by people on the internet. Maybe in real life, I might have a chance of changing hearts and minds, but somehow I doubt it.

All of that said, there’s one more angle I wish to try. by. But hopefully, an angle that helps put the current situation in America in a bit of perspective.

Almost all of the Ant-Undocumented Immigrant crowd has unequivocally stated they don’t want their money via the federal government (and how I wish some of them would understand and get it through their thick skulls that it’s basic economic fact) used in any way shape or form on undocumented people entering or living in the United States. But they were thrilled when Representative Nancy Pelosi handed the Trump administration 4.6 billion ($4,600,000,000) for increased border security. So apparently they like some of their money spent on a useless wall and sticking families in concentration camps.

Ok, all of their views, no matter how distasteful and hypocritical, have been heard. I don’t agree with 98% of what they’ve said, but they’ve been heard and noted. Now can they say the same for the views from the left? Will they consider what we have to say about how OUR money spent? Do those of you fixated almost exclusively on the immigration situation know what I (and tens of millions of others) DON’T want OUR money spent on?

• Unending Wars: Since 2001, more than 6 trillion ($6,000,000,000,000) dollars have been spent for absolutely zero gain. Not to mention the thousands of American men and women (not to mention the hundreds of thousands of civilians) killed in these pointless wars.
• Corporate Subsidies: The United States of America spends an estimated (conservatively) One Hundred Billion ($100,000,000,000) on welfare to corporations yearly.
• The Trump Tax Cuts: America citizen now foot the bill for almost 2 Trillion ($2,000,000,000,000) in tax cut to the top 1% and the most profitable corporations on the planet.
• Foreign Aid: The United Staes spends almost Fifty Billion ($50,000,000,000) on aid to foreign countries. As an example, we basically pay for all of the Israeli defense budgets while they have things like Universal Education and Universal Healthcare.
• Runaway Defense Budget: The 2020 United States budget is seven hundred and eighteen billion ($718,000,000,000) dollars. To put this in a global perspective, The United States spends more on national defense than China, Saudi Arabia, India, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and Germany combined.

I could go on, but these are the most egregious examples.

So I ask, should I have to pay for all of this?

Should you have to pay for all of this?

Are you ok paying for all of this?

What’s worse for the nation, undocumented people coming into the country, or the way we are being fleeced by the rich?

The situation with immigration is a dog whistle as old as time. Anytime in history, the political and economic elite have felt threatened by the people they see as beneath them they try this. They turn already poor people against the people beneath them, and in the end, all that happens in hate and, in the worst cases death. This has happened in America several times in the past. It’s a tried and true tactic because it works.

A few facts about undocumented people before I finish:

• Undocumented Immigrants contribute more in tax revenue than they take in government benefits.
• Undocumented Immigrants workers often take jobs that boost other parts of the economy.
• Immigrants, in general, are crucial to offsetting a falling birth rate.

Almost all of us are the descendants of Immigrants, both legal and illegal. Without Immigration reform, America will be in danger of falling behind. Many of the greatest minds in American history were first-generation immigrants. Immigrants in all stripes contribute exponentially more to this country than they take. You’ve all allowed yourselves to believe a false narrative because the elite wants you scared of the other, so you don’t see what the real problems are and what you should actually be terrified of.

Anti-immigrant people are mad at smoke and shadows.