Congressman to Obama: Push immigration or I’ll tell Latino voters to stay home

[Fate]

What does "immigration reform" mean exactly?

Some combination of border security, a more sensible visa process, a guest worker program, a national ID card, and amnesty depending on your political affiliation.

[KRonn]

What does "immigration reform" mean exactly?

Some combination of border security, a more sensible visa process, a guest worker program, a national ID card, and amnesty depending on your political affiliation.

[Faeelin]

Nope, not wrong, just flimsy evidence that illegal immigrants are less likely to commit crimes, given that 100% of them *are* committing crimes

Well we all commit some crime at some point in our life, no? I've jaywalked, for instance.

Obviously walking across the street isn't the same thing as crossing the border illegally, but I don't see how breaking a law to get into the US means you are more prone to being a violent criminal. And I suspect that if the statistics had shown that violent crimes had gone up in Arizona you would blame illegal immigrants.

[Jaron]

Most illegal immigrants are very poor. Very poor people need money and are desperate to get it. I can safely conclude then that poor people are more likely to commit crimes. Its not a color thing or an immigrant thing so much as economic. If we exported half of our ghetto blacks from Detroit and Chicago to Everyville, Canada I'm sure crime would increase too.

[derspiess]

Bill Clinton sez the answer to our federal budget problems is MOAR IMIGRUNTS

http://news.yahoo.com/s/huffpost/20100428/cm_huffpost/555415

[Barrister]

Nope, not wrong, just flimsy evidence that illegal immigrants are less likely to commit crimes, given that 100% of them *are* committing crimes

Well we all commit some crime at some point in our life, no? I've jaywalked, for instance.

Obviously walking across the street isn't the same thing as crossing the border illegally, but I don't see how breaking a law to get into the US means you are more prone to being a violent criminal. And I suspect that if the statistics had shown that violent crimes had gone up in Arizona you would blame illegal immigrants.

Regulatory offences aren't criminal offences.  You are not committing a crime by jaywalking.

[ulmont]

Regulatory offences aren't criminal offences.  You are not committing a crime by jaywalking.

Beeb, you're talking Canadian again.  In Georgia, all traffic offenses not specifically otherwise defined - including jaywalking - are misdemeanors.

[Jacob]

Bill Clinton sez the answer to our federal budget problems is MOAR IMIGRUNTS

More people, working, consuming goods, paying taxes and contributing to the economy, would tend to help the federal budget.  You don't agree with that?

[Barrister]

Bill Clinton sez the answer to our federal budget problems is MOAR IMIGRUNTS

More people, working, consuming goods, paying taxes and contributing to the economy, would tend to help the federal budget.  You don't agree with that?

You have to balance it against government services consumed by more people.  More immigrants may help the economy, but it is not patently obvious that it would.