Comments on: From the Fact Check Desk: President Obama’s Speech on Immigration Reform

By: Juan Hernadez

Juan Hernadez — Mon, 16 May 2011 17:50:40 +0000

In order to come to the US legally some years ago, I had to wait on a waiting list for almost ten years. While waiting for my visa to come up, I decided to learn English right there in Mexico and to learn a trade since I don’t have a college degree. Today I’m a truck driver, my children are doing fine at school, and we consider America to be our country because this great nation has given us what Mexico couldn’t: The opportunity to develop ourselves. They should not allow people to come to America just by crossing the borders like trespassers. It’s not right. Through the legal immigration process all aliens have to go through a screening system that tells Inmigration whether they are criminals or not. Besides, many of the illegal guys I have met here hate America and their dream is to make a bunch of money, no matter how, to go back home and live a good life. That’s the way most of them think. They don’t care about this country.

By: kevin

kevin — Fri, 13 May 2011 18:25:35 +0000

Listen to the speech and you will hear something even more disturbing than mere demagoguery. When the President talks about the (unfinished) wall and enforcement of immigration laws, the largely Hispanic audience responds with sustained booing. They do not want either the wall or enforcement of any immigration laws. The President overlooks this fact in his pursuit of political advantage. The Republicans could use that response in campaign ads, but will be gutless as always. Some Republican candidate for President could use this to great effect rallying anti-immigration sentiment, but I doubt they will (see Steyn’s America Alone) use it.
I am a high school teacher in Houston, Texas. I understand both the push and pull factors involved in the immigration debate. Texas will have a plurality of voting aged Hispanic citizens within the next couple of decades. Those citizens will have been born here as all US citizens are. The question of legalization of their non-citizen relatives is an entirely separate question. I feel the question of allowing foreign workers should be separate from the question of a legal path to citizenship. The US economy can use the increased labor force, but to dilute the concept of citizenship and respect for the rule of law is unacceptable.

By: BOB BUMMER

BOB BUMMER — Fri, 13 May 2011 07:03:53 +0000

The illegal Jessica Colotl is still in Georgia despite cahrges of driving without a valid drivers license 2 years ago. In fact she just graduated from Kennesaw State University with a degree in political science.

By: Butch

Butch — Fri, 13 May 2011 03:06:53 +0000

Just seal the border first. Figure out how to deal with the existing illegals once we’ve stopped the flood.
B.

By: susan

susan — Thu, 12 May 2011 21:44:36 +0000

Crossing the border without documents is a civil infraction, not a crime. It only becomes a crime if a judge has ordered somebody deported and they come back. These people are coming here because they’re poor and have been displaced by NAFTA. Since when it is a crime to work for a living.

By: 9volt

9volt — Thu, 12 May 2011 19:40:16 +0000

BENGT, tell me, what part of illegal is legal? and it’s statute, not statue.

By: Bengt

Bengt — Thu, 12 May 2011 15:58:01 +0000

@9Volt,
You are correct that illegal entry is a crime (even if you are a US citizen). However, illegal presence is not. A significant share of aliens being deported are visa over-stayers. Others have run out the statue of limitations for illegal entry, or entered too young to be considered criminally liable.

By: 9volt

9volt — Thu, 12 May 2011 15:14:10 +0000

BENGT, you’re wrong. Illegal entry into the U.S. is a misdemeanor, and becomes a felony for repeat offenders. Look it up!

By: Bengt

Bengt — Thu, 12 May 2011 02:23:22 +0000

Messrs Tapper and Ryan,
In the next to last paragraph, why do you say “meaning those in the country illegally but OTHERWISE [my emphasis] not committing a crime.”? Being here illegally is not a crime; it is a civil offense (like not paying your mortgage).

By: gk

gk — Wed, 11 May 2011 23:26:27 +0000

epu wrote:”Pelosi said in 2008, scolded Bush for not releasing oil from the 700 million barrels in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve when gas prices were under $3/gal”
.
Good one… here is another relevant quote from genius partisan Pelosi:
.
[E]ven if [Osama bin Laden] is caught tomorrow, it is five years too late. He has done more damage the longer he has been out there. But, in fact, the damage that he has done … is done. And even to capture him now I don’t think makes us any safer.
-Nancy Pelosi, September 7, 2006
.
But oBama claims that we are now safer after assassinating bin laden. Which is it?