"America was indebted to immigration for her settlement and prosperity. That part of America which had encouraged them most had advanced most rapidly in population, agriculture and the arts." James Madison
The new legal immigration law proposed by Trump and two Republican members of Congress today is one more step in turning the United States into an opportunist country, eschewing the idea that this country is to be a land of opportunity for all, and especially for those from other countries who wish to create a better life for themselves and their family. Gone is the ideal of a country that says “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” It is now being replaced by an ideal of a “What’s in it for me?” America.
During the announcement, Trump stated “the measure "will reduce poverty, increase wages and save taxpayers billions and billions of dollars." The current system, Trump said, "has not been fair to our people, to our citizens, to our workers." He said the new system would favor applicants "who can speak English, financially support themselves and their families, and demonstrate skills that will contribute to our economy." It would also prevent new arrivals from collecting welfare."
By proposing a “merit-based” system of immigration, the Trump Administration is limiting Visa applicants to those individuals with a skill set that in most, if not all instances, allows the applicant to earn an income that is at the very least livable ( if not comfortable and beyond) in their country of origin. Those who are under-skilled and unable to earn a living wage in their country of origin, those who have come to this country typically to increase their standard of life and increase their skills, are shut out.
Further, the statement that it would “prevent new arrivals from collecting welfare” belies the facts. According to the "Immigration Myths and the Facts" publication from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (14 April 2016): "Undocumented immigrants are not eligible for federal public benefits
such as Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families(TANF), Medicaid, Medicare, and food stamps. Even most legal immigrants cannot receive these benefits until they have been in the United States for five years or longer, regardless of how much they have worked or paid in taxes. Given these restrictions, it is not surprising that U.S. citizens are more likely to receive public benefits than are noncitizens... the Urban Institute concluded that immigrant families are less likely to use the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP (commonly referred to as “food stamps”),than native-born families. While more than two-thirds of children in poor families with U.S.-born parents received SNAP in 2008 and 2009, less than half of children in poor families with foreign-born parents received SNAP in the same years. Similarly, 18 percent of children with native-born parents used TANF, compared to 12 percent of children with immigrant parents. Notably, children in poor families with native parents are more likely to have public health insurance coverage than those with immigrant parents."
The fact sheet (emphasis on “fact”) goes on to debunk many myths about immigration that this new immigration law relies on and replaces them with facts regarding the contributions of immigrants, such as :
- Immigrants typically do not compete for jobs with native-born workers, and immigrants create jobs as entrepreneurs, consumers, and taxpayers.
- Immigrants give a slight boost to the average wages of Americans by increasing their productivity and stimulating investment.
- Immigrants have economically revitalized many communities throughout the country.
- Today’s immigrants are buying homes, becoming U.S. citizens, and learning English.
- Undocumented immigrants pay billions of dollars in taxes each year.... more than half of undocumented immigrants have federal and state income, Social Security, and Medicare taxes automatically deducted from their paychecks. However, undocumented immigrants working “on the books” are not eligible for any of the federal or state benefits that their tax dollars help to fund.
Unfortunately, we live in a time in which the president of the United States and the Republican members of Congress who choose to align with him, cannot e trusted to tell the truth or represent the facts in any other way than that which benefits their “special interests”, which is not aligned with the ideals and values of the American people as a whole. They can be counted on to present misleading statements and cherry-picking of data to promote their exclusionary and “ME First!” agenda of self-profiteering and a focused drive for a homogenous population.
It has been clear – or should have been clear – that we, as Americans, can no longer trust or rely on our government to tell the truth or act in the best interests of all of its people. It is equally clear that we can rely on those in this administration to utilize a moral compass that is best expressed as: "Our greatest strength is that your Republic is completely controlled by its laws. Even its morals or ethics are deemed to exist only as they are expressed in its law. And thanks to your Brothers, the masses completely identify what is legal as being moral, and what is illegal as being immoral. It is our strength because, given the intelligent and problem-solving nature of men like us, we have found and will always find a way to seep through the cracks or get around the corners of those laws to do what we want, “legally” and “morally”!”
The United States is a "a government of laws, and not of men (John Adams). However, this administration seeks to be a government of men; to “seep through the cracks or get around the corners of those laws”, and where they can’t, to pass laws that are in line with and advance the their own “special” brand of morals and ideals.
From: Metaphysical Outlaws In America