Actual Negative Impact of Illegal immigration

[aftermid 0]

Other than the use of public services, can anyone give me a specific example of the negative impact of an illegal immigrant has had directly on you. Examples my be: “I lost my job because an illegal immigrant would do it for less…” or “I didn’t get into Law School because they chose a less qualified illegal immigrant” or "Illegal immigrants moved into my neighborhood and have set up open air drug markets."

Please refrain from comments like: ‘my tax dollars…’ I think we can all agree that much of your tax dollars are spent in ways that in no way benefit you.

Please limit responses to actual encounters and not statistical rhetoric.

[billvon 3,114]

I'll give an example of how I was helped by illegal immigration -

When my wife accidentally landed in Mexico a few years back, several kids came running up to her and showed her the best places to climb over the fence. She thus avoided the Federales, who love to make life miserable for skydivers on their side of the fence.

[livendive 8]

Illegal immigrants drive 30 mph below the posted speed limits, presumably to avoid being pulled over. This forces me to spend more time driving and less time doing whatever it is I'm driving to do...and it fucking pisses me off.

Blues,
Dave

"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

[Darius11 12]

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Illegal immigrants drive 30 mph below the posted speed limits, presumably to avoid being pulled over. This forces me to spend more time driving and less time doing whatever it is I'm driving to do...and it fucking pisses me off.

Blues,
Dave

Yes i can agree with Dave on this one.

Oh and they make me look lazy.

I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not." - Kurt Cobain

[Gravitymaster 0]

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I'll give an example of how I was helped by illegal immigration -

When my wife accidentally landed in Mexico a few years back, several kids came running up to her and showed her the best places to climb over the fence. She thus avoided the Federales, who love to make life miserable for skydivers on their side of the fence.

[Gravitymaster 0]

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Other than the use of public services, can anyone give me a specific example of the negative impact of an illegal immigrant has had directly on you. Examples my be: “I lost my job because an illegal immigrant would do it for less…” or “I didn’t get into Law School because they chose a less qualified illegal immigrant” or "Illegal immigrants moved into my neighborhood and have set up open air drug markets."

Please refrain from comments like: ‘my tax dollars…’ I think we can all agree that much of your tax dollars are spent in ways that in no way benefit you.

Please limit responses to actual encounters and not statistical rhetoric.

In this area illegals are hurting business, particularly contractors because they low bid jobs due to minimal overhead. They are paid in cash by general contractors, so no payroll or income taxes are deducted. I want GC's who hire them prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, illegal's sent back to their countries and the borders sealed while we try to work out the best solution to this problem.

[rehmwa 2]

Wow, do you think you'll get any serious responses here?

Some of them are gluttons for being attacked, but most aren't.

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Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[aftermid 0]

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Wow, do you think you'll get any serious responses here?

I'm just curious how many people have had a first hand negative encounter with illegal immigrants.

I live in a major city with a significant hispanic population and have never had any negative experiences with any immigrants in general.

In developing my opinion on the issue, I'm reluctant to trust assertions made by politican and the media on both sides, because they tend to be pretty selfserving.

If other people have had first hand encounters I'd like to hear about them.

[narcimund 0]

I lived in Portland for a long, long time. There's a significant agricultural labor pool which (I would suspect) is largely composed of illegal immigrants.

I've never had any personal grief because of it.

However, back when I was a child I occasionally made a tiny amount of money picking strawberries. I gather the mexicans do that instead of white kids these days.

I don't know for sure if that's because the mexicans have pushed the kids out or if white kids don't want backbreaking labor any more. I suspect the latter.

First Class Citizen Twice Over

[rehmwa 2]

Yeah, but then to get dog piled on here isn't worth the effort now is it? Frankness and honesty are not valued on these boards lately.

Look at the weak and apologetic responses so far. No one wants to put one out there.

Our last neighborhood has increasing (over time) homes having multiple families moving in. The roads became crowded with extra vehicles, the houses became more and more worn down, the property values decreased, the neighborhood became more littered. We moved eventually. {Now will someone please call me names for the anti-PC crime of moving from a degrading neighborhood}

Is this an effect of illegal immigration? or just more poor legal citizens moving into the neighborhood? I don't know. It wasn't hispanic either for those that seem stuck on that aspect.

Flip answer - if we weren't so worried about too many people in the country already, maybe CanuckinUSA would have been able to stay longer legally. A lot of people would have enjoyed that.

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Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[quade 4]

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I don't know for sure if that's because the mexicans have pushed the kids out or if white kids don't want backbreaking labor any more. I suspect the latter.

Neither.

The impact of illegals isn't that they "take our jobs" but that they lower the value of the jobs we have because they are willing to work for sub-minimum wage. If the "white kid" wanted to pick strawberries, the farmer would have to pay him minimum wage, but he doesn't have that issue with the illegals. (and I'm not picking on farmers here just using them as an example of any employer) Nor does the farmer have to concern himself with any of those other "pesky" federal health and safety regulations.

This has a ripple effect thoughout not just that one industry, but depresses wages and working conditions of "regular" working people all across the country.

On the flip side, this behavior helps keep prices down so the "regular" working folks have access to less expensive goods, but overall the net effect is that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[narcimund 0]

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If the "white kid" wanted to pick strawberries, the farmer would have to pay him minimum wage.

Is that new? It certainly wasn't the case when I was 12. We got paid by the flat of strawberries and if it came to less than minimum wage that was our problem.

I don't know if that was legal then or now. It's what happened then.

Come to think of it, I think there are exemptions to minimum wage for certain agricultural situations -- like this one.

First Class Citizen Twice Over

[justinb138 0]

My gripe is more with the immigration policies and (lack of) enforcement than the illegals themselves.

There was a Dallas police officer murdered recently by an illegal immigrant that should have been deported many times (had a pretty bad criminal record prior to the murder, IIRC).

[masterrig 1]

[ the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

[beowulf 1]

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net effect is that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

That would happen no matter what the situation is. As expenses go up businesses pass that cost on to the consumer.

[rehmwa 2]

I wonder who's for amnesty but against subcontracting work out of the country at the same time.....

but we are getting generalized here instead giving specific examples so the thought police can belittle us (just assuming here, getting a bit cynical lately)

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Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[Trent 0]

How's this... my roommate got run into by an illegal. Fortunately, traffic was so bad that the guy couldn't run away... but the cops came and basically said that there was nothing they could do since the dude was illegal and didn't have any insurance. They didn't even arrest the guy. But that's just one semi-personal experience. You do have the wide-ranging social and economic impacts, but you didn't want that kinda stuff, right?

Oh, hello again!

[masterrig 1]

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I wonder who's for amnesty but against subcontracting work out of the country at the same time.....

but we are getting generalized here instead giving specific examples so the thought police can belittle us (just assuming here, getting a bit cynical lately)

______________________________

Yessir, I savvy cynical! I understand what you're saying.


Chuck

[billvon 3,114]

Some random negative things that have affected me personally:

Border patrol helicopters force us to go around on jump run occasionally (not really a problem any more)

905 was closed a few times because of a van with 37 immigrants running into a pole after a police chase.

Almost hit someone running across 905 once, but other than scaring me it didn't do anything bad to me.

Not sure if those are examples of problems with illegal immigration or our attempts to corral it, though.

[kelpdiver 2]

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Please refrain from comments like: ‘my tax dollars…’ I think we can all agree that much of your tax dollars are spent in ways that in no way benefit you.

Please limit responses to actual encounters and not statistical rhetoric.

nice way to frame it so you get few responses to counter your mindset.

Most of the effects of illegal immigration are indirect, and for the direct ones, how would one even know? Rarely do you know that citizenship status.

[masterrig 1]

The rancher I work for as well as neighboring ranchers, have had their fences trampled-down, cattle getting out. Trash left behind, their homes and out-buildings broken into, various items stolen, like guns and valuables. Not to mention, vehicles stolen and other assorted damage done...


Chuck

[rehmwa 2]

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nice way to frame it so you get few responses to counter your mindset.

I thought it was a setup too for the opportunity to climb on a podium and point down at the ignorant and scream "RACIST". But aftermid says he's sincere and the PC gestapo hasn't crashed down on anyone yet, so find a direct example.........

Like - my butler can't outsource the detailing of my ferrari to his cousin because the detailing shop now uses illegals for the work.

Or - I can now afford a more expensive cavier with the gardening expense cut down so much, but it doesn't go with my wines as well so I have to settle for expensive cheeses.

you know, simple stuff like that

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Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[justinb138 0]

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How's this... my roommate got run into by an illegal. Fortunately, traffic was so bad that the guy couldn't run away... but the cops came and basically said that there was nothing they could do since the dude was illegal and didn't have any insurance. They didn't even arrest the guy. But that's just one semi-personal experience. You do have the wide-ranging social and economic impacts, but you didn't want that kinda stuff, right?

I know two people this has happened to. In both cases, they were ticketed for no insurance, etc... and left, never to be heard from again (or show up in court, etc..).

Neither had a driver's license.

[aftermid 0]

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nice way to frame it so you get few responses to counter your mindset.

I think people have given pretty good specific examples so far. Some are things comming from the East Coast I would have no reason to think of as impacts of immagration.

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Most of the effects of illegal immigration are indirect, and for the direct ones, how would one even know?

A great example of why so much legislation fails to even address the problem it is inacted for. It is far more effective/efficient to solve problems by looking at direct relationships than focusing on indirect relationships.

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Rarely do you know that citizenship status.

Feel free to generalize. Assume the the immigrant is illegal.

[masterrig 1]

Feel free to generalize. Assume the the immigrant is illegal.