Background Currently, an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in US About 7 million from Mexico Concentrated in California, Texas, Florida, NY, New.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

Background Currently, an estimated 12 million illegal

immigrants in USAbout 7 million from MexicoConcentrated in California, Texas,

Florida, NY, New Jersey, & Arizona Foreign-born Americans will exceed

15% of population by 2025 (highest ever)

What are the Key Issues?

1. Border Security

2. Businesses who hire illegals/Jobs

3. Tax dollars

4. “Mixed” families

5. How will they vote?

1. Border Security

Are we really worried about illegal immigrants crossing the border?

Key issue with border security revolves around terrorism

2. Businesses who hire illegals/Jobs

Americans - immigrants are a threat to their jobs & wage levels (unemployment at 7.4%)Also a drain on services – schools, police,

health care Businesses – immigrants take jobs Americans

no longer want What should the penalty be (if any) for

businesses who hire illegals?

3. Tax Dollars Illegals do not pay taxes; in many cases their

children (if born in US) still take advantage of federal programs, i.e. schools

If family stays in Mexico (for example), US dollars go back to Mexico, hurting our economy

4. “Mixed” Families

Parents enter the US illegally, but children, born in the US, are citizens – Anchor Babies

What do we do with them?Deport entire family?Deport just the parents & put kid(s) in foster care?Let the parents stay with children?

Estimated 1 million children enter US illegally but have grown up with American customs for years

What do we do with them?

5. How will they vote? Hispanics are now largest minority group How they will vote is the biggest roadblock

to getting federal legislation passed Most Hispanics would typically vote…

Democrat

What has been suggested???

1. Enforce laws and deport all illegal immigrants

2. Blanket Amnesty – all illegals become citizens

3. Earned Citizenship – a new program that requires illegals already in US to receive citizenship by meeting certain criteria within a certain timeframe

All politicians typically favor increasing border security…some have even suggested building a wall/fence

Earned Citizenship/Immigration proposals…

Typically include some/all of the following:

1. Illegals must pay back taxes they owe

2. Pass criminal background check

3. Learn English

4. Pass citizenship test

5. Increase penalties for businesses who hire illegals

6. Increase border security

7. New temporary worker program (allow migrants to work in US for limited time)

Arizona Law Police have broad power to arrest

anyone they think may be in US illegally Crime for all noncitizens not to carry

immigration papers

Two Views of the AZ Law

1. Needed for Border Security & crime

2. Racial Profiling

Political Cartoons

Political Cartoons

Political Cartoons

Political Cartoons

Political Cartoons