Congress went away, not the issue
Friday, April 28th, 2006
By Chris Fitzsimon
Congress left for its Easter recess before passing any legislation on immigration, which could be the "sleeper" issue in the 2006 congressional campaigns. A compromise bill that had bipartisan support fell apart just before Congress left town, but the issue still will be there when they return.
The issue is a growing concern among voters. Estimates are that 10 million to 12 million illegal immigrants are in this country, most of them from Mexico and other Latin American countries. North Carolina has an estimated 700,000 Hispanics, more than half of whom are legal residents.
The flood of immigrants across the nation’s southern border has resulted in demands for improved enforcement of border security. Border states are overwhelmed by illegal immigrants, who use up resources provided by legal residents — health care, education, social services, etc. A comprehensive study found that even in North Carolina, far removed from the border, the Hispanic population is a net drain on the economy.
Legislation has taken two tacks: Enforcement of immigration laws to stem the tide of illegals entering the country and programs to assimilate current illegal immigrants into the economy. Disputes arise as to how much emphasis should be placed on either tactic.
Few legislators seriously propose deporting all illegal immigrants. Sending 10 million people back to their native country would be incredibly costly and difficult. (more…)
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