Extended reading!

A series of articles where Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, and UC San Diego professor and New America Foundation fellow Tomás Jiménez engage in intellectual debates about important immigration issues for this year and the year to come, brought by Los Angeles Times.

A website that analyzes the politics of immigration. It's divided in five sections: Presidential race, Races to watch, News coverage, Blog and Polling. It has a four "experts" on politics that discuss and comment on issues like "What's driving the Latino vote?" It also reports all the latest news that are coming up about immigrations in different medias.

News about illegal immigrants, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times. A list of the highlights on the archives about illegal immigration and latest articles published on t he paper related to illegal immigration, all organized by date. I always find very interesting and of course well written and reliable sources in this list. A lot of amazing pictures too!

Center for immigration studies. Basically a website dedicated to the o research a of the economic impact (among other things) of immigration on America. It's given me a lot of information the economical issues I was a little unsure about. It has good graphs and instructive images to look at.

Americans For Legal Immigration: it's definitely an anti-immigration website, but it has a roundup of daily news, and link to events and rallies about illegal immigration. It also brings the reader's attention to why politics aren't acting on immigration issues.

It's always greener on the other side

It's hard to look objectively at things. Especially when I'm looking at an issue like illegal immigration. Sure, I'm not an illegal immigrant, neither are my parents, members of my family or any of my friends. I filed for a student visa, did all the paperwork and stepped through the immigration offices into America. And do I feel identified with Mexicans crossing the border? Yes, because in a way (I'm not trying to pretend like I have any idea of the things they have had to go through, because I'm sure they have been tougher than anything I've experienced) I know how it feels to be an immigrant.
Do I feel like I'm different from the people in my class? Yes.
Do I feel like people look at me differently because I'm from Latin America? Sometimes, yes.
And I'm in no way victimizing myself. Being Latina is something I take great pride in, and I wouldn't have it any other way, but if being an immigrant for me is hard, I can't even imagine what it could be for those who come illegally.
And that's why I think it's been incredibly enriching experience to investigate this issue, because lets be honest, if you're an illegal immigrant, you can spend all your life surrounded by people and opinions that reaffirm your own. Do I now share the views of those who are anti-illegal immigrants? Not really, but now I can definitely understand them.
I see news about online videogames where you can shoot at pregnant Mexican women crossing the border and still feel disgusted, but now when I go to websites like immigration08 I can tell their news are biased to only show the goods side of immigration.
Life isn't about being on one extreme or the other, it's about finding a path to meet in between. Because , if there's something I've learned, is that people often look out for themselves. While some complain about illegal immigrants taking their jobs, other benefit from it.
As well as some immigrants come looking for a better life and then steal from the Americans here because they don't find jobs to pay for their food or living arrangements, making the incarceration right one fifth above the rate of the American populations as a whole.
When will we start to look around us? What about what's not best for me, but for everyone of us. Why not look for a immigration reform that will help us all? instead of looking for the first thing that will get aliens back to their countries, or one that will give me a free ride into the country?
Why can countries like Cuba or Mexico establish an agreement where they decide to take a legal, organized and secure control of the immigrants without papers that have been detained in their countries, and the U.S. can't do that with any other country?
I think the research I've done has given me the opportunity to step into someone else's shoes. I can understand why Americans would feel it's not fair for illegal immigrants to take their jobs, and I agree with them. When someone is applying for a job legally, that person should have a right to take it over the one that's applying illegally, and I couldn't see that when all I read was news with partisanship for illegal immigration or discussed with people that were biased.
I know I said before that this has taught me that a lot of people look out for their own, but it has also made me realize there are so many selfless and generous people that go out of their way for those who come to American in need, and they are sometimes overshadowed by those who let their xenophobic rants spread all over the Internet.
People want to come to America because it's great country to live and grow, and Americans have worked hard for that to happen, and that can't be overlooked for illegal immigrants just because they want a better place to live. At the same time, they deserve the same chance as us all for happiness, and who are we to take that away from them.

Picture of the day

A sign warns motorist of undocumented immigrants crossing Interstate 5, north of San Ysidro Border Crossing, near San Diego, on Thursday, Aug. 8, 1996. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Shaking the magic 8 ball

So, how will an America without illegal immigrants look like?
We can't know for sure. What do I believe is going to happen?
People are going to try get into the country no matter what. So, we can't just turn your back on the issue and say "get out of my country," but I'm not saying we're supposed to greet them over the wall with open arms. Borders must be secured, and the illegal immigrants who are already here must be offered opportunities to stay under certain conditions (that would later grant them citizenship), or leave the country.
If not, the case scenarios are endless.
I can say that immigration will continue take the jobs Americans have a right to, as well as placing on strain on the unemployment benefits.
They will also decrease tax profits for government even more, by sending the money they earn back to their native country, taking a toll on the overall welfare of the state. They can also raise crime, violence and instability, assuming a lot of illegal immigrants steal before or between jobs.
Or I could say illegal immigrants will take the jobs Americans don't want to do. They will also continue to contribute to the country's cultural diversity and its so called and unique background. And, because right now almost two-thirds of illegal immigrants pay taxes, we can say that number has a potential to increase in the future.
So: what will actually happen? The election of the next President of the United States will have a big say in it.

"Immigration on the backburner"

That's the title of an article published today on the Daily Tar Heel that talks about how illegal immigration has been ignored in presidential debates.
The main reason they think it's being ignored: economy.
This subject has basically blocked a lot of subjects that used to be important in past years' debates.
The article also discusses how illegal immigration can be linked to the economical crisis we are facing:

Ron Woodward, director of immigration reform group NC Listen, said he feels that illegal immigration is inevitably tied to the souring economy, making it a viable topic for debate in the national arena.

As I said on my last post on polarized positions, I think this plus the similarity of the candidate's positions has made the candidates ignore illegal immigration almost completely.
Illegal and non-illegal immigrants want and NEED to know which candidate can back them up. This is a defining issue for so many families in America!
What they don't realize is that there are MANY (including myself!) who are still unsure of what each candidate stands on because they don't talk about it! Ignoring the subject won win you any immigrants - or those who oppose it.

Love it or hate it?

Illegal Immigration: you either you love it or you hate it.
No, not really.
At least, that’s not how it is for me. Even though you can run into some very extremist opinions on the net, like Jeff H. from Kentucky, who says in his blog:
“I hate illegal aliens. I don't want them in my countrymaking imbecilic statements such as "We were all immigrants once."

Others, like Rwarky, appreciate some of the aspects that illegal immigration brings into the picture:
“1) They do jobs I don't want to do.
2) Help make cities more vibrant.
3) I love Latin women.
4) They help divert attention from us African Americans.
5) I love Mexican and Central American food.”

Immigration first became such a debated topic in 1968 when an act was established to eliminate US immigration discrimination based on race, place of birth, sex and residence.
Some people complain about illegal immigrants taking their jobs, some about how without them, some markets would fail. Some believe all Americans should speak English and abide the American ideals, others, believe these immigrants and their cultures are the basic component of what America is today.
To be able to find a middle ground between these two very polarized positions, we have to consider the actual laws that illegal immigrants abide by in the U.S. Right now, illegal immigration is not considered a crime but a civil infraction, illegal entry is considered a misdemeanor. Forging immigration documents is, on the other hand, a crime.
Neither of the Presidential Candidates have such extremist views, thankfully. McCain created a comprehensive immigration reform on 07, but when he was criticized by his peers, he told voters the reform would not be implanted until the borders were secured.
Obama, has supported bills for employment authorization verification system, and temporary worker component. His main goals are to secure the borders, remove incentives to come illegally and work with Mexico.
Immigration hasn't really been brought up a lot in the Presidential debates, or in their speeches. Why? I think it has a lot to do with the fact that both candidates have very similar positions on it, and that both are trying to stand on middle-ground and trying to stay away from severe positions, so they can still count on people with and against immigration. And to me, it feels like they are underestimating our capacity to read through all of this and discover the real reason. Another big reason it hasn't come up though, is that economy has overshadowed everything else...
So how do these two opinions merge? Or better yet, how can we end racist and demeaning rants from haters by enforcing logical laws?
I believe the borders need to be secured, that’s a fact. Also, thousands of people die trying to cross the border every year, not counting the ones that do make it across but end up dying on the American side due to their lack of money or available medical services. But I also believe it’s not the first thing that needs to be done. I think the government should offer illegal immigrants programs for they to gain the American nationality by giving something back (social work, college studies, etc), or show proof that they are working and paying taxes. Also, I think illegal immigrant children should have to go to public schools or colleges. If any of the illegal immigrants don’t follow these rules should then have to go back.
The government can’t make everyone happy, but with rules and laws that limit and help illegal immigrants, we can make both them and Americans satisfied.

Now hiring: Cyber-guards

Welcome to American Border Patrol, from here you can volunteer to be a cyber-guard!
A vast number of web cams lined across the border, scan movement along the border (it could be a dog or a Mexican-- we need you to tell the difference!).
If you spot a pesky alien, you can let the border patrol know With just the push of a button. You'll be responsible for a successful bust!
And the best of all, you can do it all from the comfort of your own home. You can eat, listen to music, knit, pet your kitten (even watch TV if you're a skillful multitasker!): all while being a responsible American citizen.
Join now, serve your country while you can, and do it proudly.

PS: No money is offered, but you'll gain the pride of serving your country.