Immigration

■ Immigration is probably the most misunderstood issue in America. There is so much misinformation, lies, false narratives and fear mongering stoked by the GOP with help from Fox, conservative mass media and social media platforms.

1.Immigrants cannot vote, a majority cannot receive government assistance, they commit significantly less crime than native born Americans, they are more entrepreneurial than Americans. They do NOT carry illegal drugs or Fentanyl into America. Most cross our Southern border legally claiming, “asylum status”.  They are fleeing unsustainable conditions that in large measure is blamed on American actions (US demand for illegal drugs, lax gun laws in Texas and emerging Climate Change effects).  

2. The majority of immigrants on our Southern border are NOT illegal. Most claim as “Asylum seekers” which is a legal process. When they arrive at the border, they seek out border agents and accept detention in order to start the process of applying for Asylum. There are others that do flee away from border agents, but they are not asylum seekers. If they get caught, they mostly are sent back to their home country or Mexico.

3. Most illegal drugs/Fentanyl that enters America are caught at official border crossings. Over 90% of the traffickers of illegal drugs are Americans using their car or trucks to hide the drugs while crossing the border for profits. Immigrants in mass fleeing over our border do NOT carry illegal drugs!  Their only intent is finding a safe haven for themselves/family. The notion of immigrants fleeing over our border packed with illegal drugs is just a BIG LIE! It’s classic fear mongering. Typically, they only carry water and food to survive a long journey! 

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Updated Facts !  The Congressional Budget Office stated that the current level of immigrants into the US will generate an additional $7 TRILLION benefit to our economy over the next 10 years, creating jobs and opportunities and paying substantial amount of taxes.  Immigration doesn’t take jobs away; it creates wealth and opportunity for our nation. 

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4. Immigrants at our southern border are part of a humanitarian crisis that is affecting Latin America nations at record historic levels! The vast majority of fleeing immigrants are NOT traveling into the US, they are arriving (being accepted) at nearby Latin American nations that are poorer and smaller than America. Every nation in the Western Hemisphere is being affected by political instability/violent drug related crime and adverse effects of Climate Change. We desperately need comprehensive immigration reform; not constant fear mongering/lies and misinformation by the Republican Party. The GOP continue to obstruct efforts on passing immigration reform!

5. The major reasons why Latin American nations are fleeing their home is drug related crime/corruption and violence along with the adverse effects of Climate Change. All of these crisis were created by American actions.

■   America’s drug addiction funds the violent drug cartels who have ravaged small vulnerable nations with corruption and violence. Over $15 billion/year flows from Americans buying illegal drugs to the drug cartels in Mexico/Central America!  Cartels buys American guns, buys local/national governments and create widespread violence/corruption in these small vulnerable nations. 

■  Lax gun laws in Texas have funneled over 300,000 guns/assault rifles/year into Mexico and Central America which has destabilized these small vulnerable nations. This region has strict laws regarding the possession of weapons, but Republicans in Texas make it easy for the cartel to buy and transport Texas guns into Central America.

■  American and the developed world for decades via excess development have created the adverse/extreme weather events/Climate Change which is crippling Central American nations with drought/massive floods and horrific hurricanes! They are fleeing a disaster we created.

A majority of immigrants are fleeing an unsustainable existence created in large measure by the actions of American Society. They are victims fleeing a house in flames we help set. We bear a responsibility to address this humanitarian crisis with dignity and respect, not indignation and a wall topped with dangerous razor wire.

6. Immigration is a complex issue and intentional confusion by the GOP has been successful in falsely defining the issue of immigration. Calling immigrants criminals, rapists and drug dealers is immoral and abhorrent and offensive to this vulnerable group of human beings. Clearly, the GOP are on the wrong side of the issue. The evidence is overwhelming.

7.Republicans demonizing immigrants is attacking the core DNA of America and our economic success for over 248 years. We are a nation of immigrants. Constant flow of immigrants energizes our economy, creating entrepreneurial spirit that creates dynamic new businesses and new jobs. Just about every American is an immigrant or related to immigrants!

8.  Immigration is a word that most people cannot correctly define. There are several distinct elements of the general term “immigrants”

■ Documented immigrants

■ Undocumented immigrants

■ Asylum seekers

■ Refugees

Each group has different rights and opportunities to seek a entry into America and those rules are constantly being changed or are grossly outdated which complicates the process.  It’s been nearly 2 decades since the last laws were legislated. Without comprehensive immigration reform, our current system is a horrific patchwork of administrative disfunction without the whole system being updated via a comprehensive immigration reform.  Closing the border and building walls is NOT immigration reform, its inhumane, ineffective and extremely dangerous to our national economy. 

9.  All types of immigrants have been the fuel for economic growth in America for over 248 years. Each immigrant brings something special to America and the combination of so many cultures/religions/abilities and unique assets is and has been a major catalyst for American economic dominance in the world.

10. America needs immigrants just as much as immigrants need America as America ages and has fewer children. A shortage of working age people already exist as nearly 10 million essential jobs are unfilled today causing shortage, poor service and inflation.

11.   Nearly 10 million jobs are unfilled in the US. Less Immigrants/refugees means fewer essential jobs being filled, adversely affecting our economy, causing shortages and raising our inflation rate. America needs immigrants/workers!

■ 70% of workers in the US Agriculture industry are immigrants.

■ 25% of High-Tech jobs are filled by immigrants.

■ 24% of construction jobs are done by immigrants.

12.  Less immigrants in America means less jobs are filled, means greater disruption in the Supply Chain, means higher prices/inflation/depressed levels of GDP.

13.  Media/political focus is only on the Southern border as immigrants flow into America but they ignore the flow from America back to their native nations. It is substantial!

14.  Between 2013 to 2018, over 870,000 Mexican immigrants moved permanently back to Mexico.

15.  In 2020, over 178,000 Mexicans returned back to Mexico permanently via deportation or voluntary.

16.There were over 5 million deportations from the US between 2003 and 2020

17. Despite the increase in immigrants on our Southern Border, America’s overall population only increased by .58% in 2023! Yes, many crossed into America, but many also moved back to their native country, or Americans have left the US to work in other international locations or more are dying of old age as our population gets older.

America is not being flooded by immigrants. Yes, there has been a post-COVID spike in immigrants but that already has passed … down over 40% so far this year! This is a short-term crisis that will subside as immigrants get employment and housing which again will stimulate our economy locally and nationally.

18. Comprehensive immigration reform is essential ASAP. It would streamline, modernize and fortify our immigration process. Republicans do not want it. They want a fear-based wedge issue to win elections. American and the business community demand it to control and take massive advantage of immigration.

19. Every aspect of our economy demands the inclusion of immigrants/refugees for low paying jobs Americans refuse to do all the way up to high tech jobs involving computer science/math/emerging technology.

20. Immigrants are 80% more likely to start a new business then native Americans. They create jobs, not take jobs away from Americans. More people working creates more jobs for all. It’s how the economy grows. With an aging society and less American born children being born, immigrants are essential for our economic survival.

21.Record levels of immigration/refugees are occurring across the world due to climate change and political/economic instability. Europe has been heavily hit by over one million Syrian refugees and now millions of Ukrainians. In general, they have embraced these immigrants/refugees, and they expect economic benefits as their nations are aging quickly and in need of an infusion of new young workers.

22. 40% of undocumented immigrants arrive at an American airport and overstay their visits.

23. Undocumented immigrants arriving in America are good for the economy and have above average patterns of respecting the law with committing 50% less crime than native Americans born here. Why would any American community reject a young family arriving with strong work ethics that prioritize education for their children and respect our laws? They are a valuable asset.

24.The largest share of immigrants at our Southern Border are from small/vulnerable Central American Nations who are fleeing gun violence, drug cartels, corrupt governments and climate disasters. Much of these crises were generated by Americans insane level of addiction to guns and illegal drugs. American demand for drugs ($10 billion of American currency flows to drug cartels every year) created the violent drug cartels and exporting record number of American guns into their native nations.