As we approach the March 4 Texas primary, all eyes are on Texas. The following are excerpts from area newspapers and advocacy groups.Texas Border Residents Report:
"If Barack Obama wants to win Texas big, if he wants to win the hearts of the real Texas grassroots, if he wants to garner the Hispanic vote, if he wants to be the champion of the poor, he needs go no farther then the Texas-Mexico border. It is here that the poorest region of all America exists, where hundreds of thousands of neglected Veterans live, where the highest percentage of Texas Hispanics live. He would need to convince us that he will stop the border wall, that he will stop the internment camps (Detention Centers), that he will stop the ICE raids and the ENDGAME, that he will end the militarization of American soil and the harassment of American citizens of color, that he will treat our neighboring country and Number 1 trading partner with love and respect, that he will stop the economic slavery of NAFTA, that he will insure that children are not imprisoned for profit, that he will not allow private and public land to be seized for something as totalitarian as an “iron curtain”. He will have to convince “we the people” of South Texas that that he will stand WITH us in leadership."
Border locals complain DHS uncompromising
By SUZANNE GAMBOA Associated Press Writer © 2008 The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Border residents complained to a House panel Thursday that the Homeland Security Department has been unwilling to listen to them as it builds a security fence along the U.S-Mexico border.
The complaints stem from the federal government's effort to build 700 miles of fence along the southern border, required by a 2006 law signed by President Bush. The Homeland Security Department wants to finish about 370 miles by the end of the year. But local officials said the department has ignored them and their concerns in its rush to meet that goal. For example, some landowners want the department to leave in place barbed wire fencing that costs $8,000 to $10,000 a mile. The fencing is being ripped out as vehicle barriers are erected along the border, said Nan Stockholm Walden, an Arizona farmer and rancher. "There's been a breakdown in trust," she said. "There seems to be no willingness to compromise or listen at all and that's where people become suspicious and tell DHS they won't let them on their land." The Homeland Security Department has filed dozens of condemnation lawsuits against landowners in Texas, Arizona and California to get access to their property. Recently, Homeland Security agreed to a local plan to improve levees on the Rio Grande near Hidalgo County in response to opposition to plans that would put homes behind the fence. The hearing was held by a House Appropriations subcommittee that approves the Homeland Security Department's budget.
Last year, Congress required the Homeland Security Department to consult with other government agencies as well as local officials as a condition of getting money for the border fence. Subcommittee chairman David Price questioned how meaningful the consultation has been. He said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff is ignoring "the fact that consultation leads to an outcome that may be superior". Eagle Pass Mayor Chad Foster asked the panel to "use your muscle to bring them to the table and work with us." "We were told that the (Customs and Border Protection) had held 18 town hall meetings that, on investigation, turned out to be meals in restaurants and phone calls," said Foster, chairman of the Texas Border Coalition of elected officials and business owners. Foster's city has been sued for access to city owned property. Eagle Pass has opposed plans for a fence that would run through the municipal golf course. But city officials have agreed to improve a golf cart path so Border Patrol vehicles can use it and have agreed to have light towers erected to illuminate the course. Border Patrol Chief David Aguilar, speaking to reporters, defended his department's consultation with local officials and communities. "I think it is important to recognize there is a massive amount of outreach going on," he said. He said the city of Eagle Pass is the only land owner in the El Paso, Marfa, Laredo and Del Rio Border Patrol sectors that has refused to allow the Border Patrol on its land. Many residents in the Rio Grande Valley, including the city of Brownsville, has refused the Border Patrol access.
"While DHS certainly has a duty to secure our borders and ports of entry and to enforce our immigration laws, the department also has a duty to be considerate of citizens' rights — especially law abiding citizens — while carrying out the mission of securing our borders," said Rep. Hal Rogers of Kentucky, the committee's top Republican.
By SUZANNE GAMBOA Associated Press Writer © 2008 The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Border residents complained to a House panel Thursday that the Homeland Security Department has been unwilling to listen to them as it builds a security fence along the U.S-Mexico border.
The complaints stem from the federal government's effort to build 700 miles of fence along the southern border, required by a 2006 law signed by President Bush. The Homeland Security Department wants to finish about 370 miles by the end of the year. But local officials said the department has ignored them and their concerns in its rush to meet that goal. For example, some landowners want the department to leave in place barbed wire fencing that costs $8,000 to $10,000 a mile. The fencing is being ripped out as vehicle barriers are erected along the border, said Nan Stockholm Walden, an Arizona farmer and rancher. "There's been a breakdown in trust," she said. "There seems to be no willingness to compromise or listen at all and that's where people become suspicious and tell DHS they won't let them on their land." The Homeland Security Department has filed dozens of condemnation lawsuits against landowners in Texas, Arizona and California to get access to their property. Recently, Homeland Security agreed to a local plan to improve levees on the Rio Grande near Hidalgo County in response to opposition to plans that would put homes behind the fence. The hearing was held by a House Appropriations subcommittee that approves the Homeland Security Department's budget.
Last year, Congress required the Homeland Security Department to consult with other government agencies as well as local officials as a condition of getting money for the border fence. Subcommittee chairman David Price questioned how meaningful the consultation has been. He said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff is ignoring "the fact that consultation leads to an outcome that may be superior". Eagle Pass Mayor Chad Foster asked the panel to "use your muscle to bring them to the table and work with us." "We were told that the (Customs and Border Protection) had held 18 town hall meetings that, on investigation, turned out to be meals in restaurants and phone calls," said Foster, chairman of the Texas Border Coalition of elected officials and business owners. Foster's city has been sued for access to city owned property. Eagle Pass has opposed plans for a fence that would run through the municipal golf course. But city officials have agreed to improve a golf cart path so Border Patrol vehicles can use it and have agreed to have light towers erected to illuminate the course. Border Patrol Chief David Aguilar, speaking to reporters, defended his department's consultation with local officials and communities. "I think it is important to recognize there is a massive amount of outreach going on," he said. He said the city of Eagle Pass is the only land owner in the El Paso, Marfa, Laredo and Del Rio Border Patrol sectors that has refused to allow the Border Patrol on its land. Many residents in the Rio Grande Valley, including the city of Brownsville, has refused the Border Patrol access.
"While DHS certainly has a duty to secure our borders and ports of entry and to enforce our immigration laws, the department also has a duty to be considerate of citizens' rights — especially law abiding citizens — while carrying out the mission of securing our borders," said Rep. Hal Rogers of Kentucky, the committee's top Republican.
Posts
55 comments:
The "Hispanic Vote", here we go again attaching special importance to a certain ethnic group. Hispanics make up only about 40 million in this country opposed to 260 million Non-Hispanics and not all Hispanics vote and some are not eligible to vote. A mere pittance of the entire population.
Why should Obama or any other candidate stop the border wall? It has already been approved by congress and our existing president.
Stop ICE from enforcing our immigration laws via raids and detaining illegal aliens in camps until their immigration hearings? What for? It is the law!
Get off the skin color kick, dee. This isn't about skin color. Mexicans can be very light in skin color or very dark so you aren't making any sense here. I am asked for my I.D. constantly. Does that constitute harrassment?
Mexico doesn't treat us with respect so why should we respect them? Children imprisoned for profit? Yeah, sure thing dee. It has nothing to do with their parents being here illegally and trying to keep the family together now does it?
"Iron curtain"? What utter BS you spew, dee. It is a double layered fence to deter illegals and terrorists from entering our country by foot and to assist the BP to do their jobs better.
If this is the attitude of most Texans then Texas can kiss my behind. Maybe they should annex themselves to Mexico then because they sure aren't Americans with that attitude. Same goes for those Texas landowners who care more about their own selfish interests rather than the security of our nation.
The "Hispanic Vote", here we go again attaching special importance to a certain ethnic group. Hispanics make up only about 40 million in this country opposed to 260 million Non-Hispanics and not all Hispanics vote and some are not eligible to vote. A mere pittance of the entire population.
Why should Obama or any other candidate stop the border wall? It has already been approved by congress and our existing president.
Stop ICE from enforcing our immigration laws via raids and detaining illegal aliens in camps until their immigration hearings? What for? It is the law!
Get off the skin color kick, dee. This isn't about skin color. Mexicans can be very light in skin color or very dark so you aren't making any sense here. I am asked for my I.D. constantly. Does that constitute harrassment?
Mexico doesn't treat us with respect so why should we respect them? Children imprisoned for profit? Yeah, sure thing dee. It has nothing to do with their parents being here illegally and trying to keep the family together now does it?
"Iron curtain"? What utter BS you spew, dee. It is a double layered fence to deter illegals and terrorists from entering our country by foot and to assist the BP to do their jobs better.
If this is the attitude of most Texans then Texas can kiss my behind. Maybe they should annex themselves to Mexico then because they sure aren't Americans with that attitude. Same goes for those Texas landowners who care more about their own selfish interests rather than the security of our nation.
Who asks for your I.D.? A bank teller doesn't count.
Anyway, Dee, who are you leaning towards, Clinton or Obama?
One has to present I.D. under several circumstances. Surely you aren't lame enough not to know what they are?
Ever hear of eminent domain? I have. I was forced to give land to the city for a road and my compensation was a pittance of what it was worth. I have no sympathy for the border residents. They aren't treated any differently than any of the rest of us.
We better damn well get that fence !
So beyond typical circumstances no one ever asks for your I.D., that's all you had to say instead of giving the impression that you've ever been harrassed for it. SHEESH!
Mirror,
I like both Obama and Hillary. One day I lean toward Hillary (because so many people are bashing her), and then I see something like these comments from the Border advocates so I start leaning towards Obama.
As you know Hillary is "all over" southern TX right now. I am hearing lots positive about her. My blogger friend "Dos Centavos" -- on my Blogger List, has a very good video he took of Dolores Huerta who supports Hillary Clinton. I love Dolores!! I am one of her long time fans. So that day I was really supporting Hillary.
Then I hear from my border activist contacts (I am on their mailing list) and they are leaning towards Obama.
I guess I have to decide before March 4.
Dianne, I don´t agree with emminent domain either.
I think the problem many of the border advocates have is there are many natural borders in TX(e.g. Rio Grande) and also ICE isn´t taking long time tourist or environmental sites into consideration. (e.g. Border Golf Course)
The border towns have so much commerce between countries, they are already feeling the impact.
When my sisters and I visited a border town last year there were thousands of people walking back and forth across the bridge to work and shopping and visiting. This barrier fence is such a culture shock for them.
Pat,
You keep thinking I write these news stories or articles. This is a Houston newspaper article and then an excerpt from a Border Advocates group.
mirror, harrassed? I don't call being asked for one's I.D. as being harrassed.
LOL! yeah, dee we should worry about some bridge or a golf course over border security. I am sure there will still be legal ports of entry all along the border for people to go back and forth with proper I.D.
Pat,
What is sad is, you just dont get it.
What is sad is,
Dee just doesn't get it
She will see her grandkids get a bad education because their school is so packed with illegals
she will see her taxes go up for this reason
she will see her children get lower wages
finally she will get sick and go to a hospital that is overcrowded and will die as a result of the immigrants she has invited in
dee, just what is it that I don't get?
You don´t get that you don´t live near the border. Your own yard is not impacted.
You are so full of anger that you don´t understand you are talking about people. Human Beings.
No, I don't live near the border but anyone who does that chooses selfish interests opposed to border security for the whole country, isn't really an American and isn't treating the rest of us Americans as human beings who want our country secured. That's enough to make any sane person angry.
What they are saying is "I don't care if the rest of my fellow Americans are blown to kingdom come by terrorists or overun with illegal aliens just so I can keep things the way I like them."
dee,
As you are a soon to be retiree, I was wondering in you agree with House speaker Nancy Pelosi who wants to put a Windfall Tax on all the stock market profits(including Retirment fund, 401Ks and Mutual Funds)-all to help the 12 million plus illegal immigrants and other unemployed minorities.
When asked how the new tax dollars would be spent, she replied: "We need to raise the standard of living of our poor, unemployed and minorities. For example, we have an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in our country who need our help along with millions of unemployed minorities. Stock market windfall profits taxes could go a long way to guarantee these people the standard of living they would like to have as Americans."
Regardless of your political affiliation...if you are RETIRED, or expect to be, it will affect you.
What do you think dee?
I am watching the Rosa Parks story now. People told here to obey the rule of law, but she said the law was wrong and she challenged it.
The Border Residents feel as Rosa Parks did.
Anon, I think you read too many ANTI blogs. Here is what SNOPES said about your Pelosi reference:
SNOPES PELOSI REFERENCE
The SNOPES report says:
However, the item reproduced above, quoting Rep Pelosi as disdaining recent stock market gains and endorsing a 100% on windfall profits gained from stocks (with the proceeds to be "redistributed to the poor and working class") DOES NOT correspond to ANYTHING she actually SAID or PROPOSED.
Pelosi didn't say it.
that quote is just not true
Thank you Anon2. Anon1 frequently comes on and makes up and posts these blatant statements from the ANTI blogs. Sad!
Rosa Parks was a citizen. As a Black citizen she and other Black citizens were not treated as equal to White citizens. It was a whole different scenario. Seditionist Hispanic citizens and their illegal counterparts trying to ride on the coatails of Rosa Parks is a disgusting joke.
The ANTIs said all kinds of nasty things about Rosa too in their time Pat. A lot like the ANTIs today.
My friends and I marched for Civil Rights in the 60´s Pat.
Side by side, marching for Civil Rights.
I see many of the ANTI blogs bemoaning the Civil Rights Movement of the sixties, saying the Lefties gave the store away.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Antis then, Antis now.
BACK to the border fence, our congress passed it, it better be done. If they have to buy land, then buy the damn land. If people don't want to sell their land, tough. I didn't want to sell my land for $1.00 either (YES FOLKS $1.00) but I had no choice or I would not have been able to build my house on MY OWN LAND so I "sold" it to the city for a road they may someday build.
No sympathy from me for the border folks.
Dianne,
You are talking about ENTIRE Universities. You are talking about long held land. You are talking about cattle. You are talking about locations with Natural Barriers (e.g. Rio Grande).
At some point, Sanity Must Prevail! That is all they are asking!
dee, so there are still "some" racists in this country today. What is your point? What has that to do with Rosa Parks of yesterday and the Civil Rights Movement of yesterday? We will never totally obliterate racists off this entire planet and they aren't all of the White variety either. There is no "new" Rosa Parks out there today, not even close!
I frequently read anti sites and rarely do I ever see a deragatory remark made about Black citizens anymore. They discuss illegal immigration. They are anti-illegal immigration. That is the purpose of their forums. The bulk of anti's are not anti-Black and they are not anti-immigrant and they aren't anti-hispanic as you pro's like to lie and claim.
There is only one college near the border that I know of where part is in Mexico and part is in the U.S. I am sure they can come to some kind of agreement. The sky isn't going to fall in if they have to make some adjustments to accomodate a fence for border security.
The insane ones are the ones who care more about their own selfish interests or some cattle or the river being there. There will be no cattle, no river or no privately held land at all if terrorists sneak through that border and blow us all to hell. Some people have the dumbest priorities. What about the common good for this ENTIRE country. Does that mean nothing to you?
What college is that Pat? Just curious about what you really say you know.
I liked the Rosa Parks story today. It reminded me about the Civil Rights movement.
Like Rosa said, the rule of law was wrong then and she needed to help change it.
We need to bring the 12M out of the shadows and bring them into legal status.
So many similarities.
Obama is going to help us help the Black and Latino movements join together!
I don't recall the name of the college. I just read about it. You are the one who mentioned it in here and you don't know the name of it?
Why do Blacks and Latinos need uniting? Are they divided now? What "movements" and what are these "moevements" about?
We don't have a law against immigration like we had laws about Blacks not being able to drink out of certain water fountains long ago. There is nothing unfair about our immigration laws nor nothing unfair about having them. All countries have them and for good reason. There is no discrimination involved here like back in the Civil Rights Era and there is no similarity between the two issues.
Yes, bring the illegals out of the shadows and send them home where they belong. I am all for it!
The time for change is now.
Comprehensive Immigration Reform is needed now!
Yes, we need change alright. Time to secure our borders and rid ourselves of illegal aliens and treat seditionists like we did back in the days when they prosecuted commies.
Once Comprehensive Immigration Reform is passed, a significant number will be legal and no more exploitation. CIR is needed now.
Dee
You asked for amnesty in 1986
you promised that there would be no more amnesties
After the 1986 amnesty you snuck million of additional undocumented workers in
you lied then, and you will never be trusted again.
There will not be CIR
you burned your credibility
it's over
I couldn't care less about the illegals being exploited. Its their own damn fault for not obeying our immigration laws. I only care about how American citizens are being exploited by their presence here. Secure the border, go after the employers and the illegals will go home.
The cartoon makes at least one good point, one that I have made repeatedly: physical and electronic barriers at the borders alone will not and cannot achieve secure borders. There is no simple solution to this problem and those who give lip service to secure borders are deluding themselves and others into thinking there is.
I firmly believe that border security depends on a number of coordinated approaches:
1. Major infrastructure improvements including roads paralleling the fence, fences and walls, electronic and aerial surveillance devices.
2. Changes in the rules of engagement so that the first time offenders who are apprehended can be involuntarily deported expeditiously without recourse. No decision by an immigration judge should be necessary in these cases but probably is.
3. Repeat offenders should do time at hard labor building the border defenses.
4. Internal enforcement is paramount otherwise the flood will continue and our country will slip from our grasp.
5. Internal enforcement begins with re-advertisement of all jobs held by illegals and ends with the swift deportation of a significant percentage of them. Without this essential element the border will continue to be porous despite infrastructure immprovements.
6. Hot pursuit and lethal force for drug runners and coyotes.
"...[where] hundreds of thousands of neglected Veterans live,"
Neglected veterans exist all over the country. If South Texas has a greater density of these veterans, one has to wonder why more of them did not learn a useful skill in the armed forces or take advantage of educational opportunities related to military service as so many other veterans have done. What is unique about these hundreds of thousands of 'neglected veterans' at the border? Are they somehow deficient in motivation, intelligence, ambition and are just lying about waiting for a government handout? Legitimate veterans' problems must be dealt with with compassion but indolence should not.
"...and Hispanics live."
Poor Hispanics are not unlike the poor to be found everywhere. Their primary source of salvation must be themselves. They must find a way to get an education or learn a useful skill so they can pull themselves up by their bootstraps. There are plenty of programs around to help them. We should not expect our politicians to yield to those whose primary characteristic is indolence.
"He would need to convince us that he will stop the border wall, that he will stop the internment camps (Detention Centers)..."
What are these people thinking? They are essentially asking that border enforcement be abandoned and that we return to the days of catch and release. The border wall or fence is only one element of a broad set of new and improved infrastructure, staffing and apprehension procedures needed to secure the borders and protect national sovereignty from immigration's unarmed invasion. No politician can or should propose that these measures be abandoned.
"... that he will stop the ICE raids and the ENDGAME, that he will end the militarization of American soil..."
The ICE raids are an essential element of border security. If anyone knows he is safe once he has escaped from the border area, then border security will be a farce as it is now. If anything, heads should roll at ICE for its lackadaisical approach to internal enforcement. We need more raids not less with quick deportations after finger printing, photos and DNA samples. Obviously, the writer and his ilk do not believe in secure borders. Let's ask the terrorists in this country to focus their efforts on South Texas.
"...the harassment of American citizens of color..."
We all agree that no loyal American citizens should be harassed but if one wishes to be treated like a loyal American citizen, one must act like one. That includes favoring secure borders to reduce the risk from terrorists and agitating for the reinstatement of the rule of law.
The writer sound more like a citizen of Mexico than a U.S. citizen. He or she apparently has no concept of what citizenship means. South Texas sounds like a foreign country in every respect and as long as it does the residents have little claim on the privileges of citizenship. One cannot work to subvert the best interest of one's country and the be considered a loyal citizen. Who are these crazy people? Have they had no education in civics and citizenship? They represent the worst in our society when it comes to loyalty and allegiance to our great country.
'..., that he will treat our neighboring country and Number 1 trading partner with love and respect,..."
Mexico is no friend of the U.S.. It continues to dump its impoverished masses into our back yard expecting us to give them jobs and increase their remittances. What kind of country does that to its people and to its neighbors? Our trading partners in general, Mexico and China in particular, have done us a grave disservice. We need to drastically reduce the trade imbalance with these countries and restore middle class jobs in America. Cross border traffic is in such volume that no should feel safe from a concerted effort by terrorists and the incursions of cheap labor and their poverty stricken families.
"...that he will stop the economic slavery of NAFTA,"
At last here is something we can agree on -- scrap NAFTA, reduce cross border traffic and commerce to a minimum.
"...that he will insure that children are not imprisoned for profit,"
We can agree to the proposition that children should not be imprisoned only to make a profit. We would all be delighted if some nonprofit organization would take on this task. However, the writer fails to accept that these children and their parents have broken the immigration laws and whatever detention time they serve is purely their own fault. Most would be released to their homelands immediately if they were to waive a hearing with an immigration judge and accept involuntary deportation. You can't hang this on the U.S.. Any detention of children is the fault of themselves or their parents and it is juvenile to think otherwise. One has to wonder whether South Texans have any conception of citizenship or whether they are unable to think outside the taco.
".. that he will not allow private and public land to be seized for something as totalitarian as an “iron curtain”."
The use of these ad hominem arguments invalidate any valid point the writer might wish to make. The "iron curtain" kept people in not out. Totalitarian implies that eminent domain is not being exercised in accordance with the law. There are questionable cases of the application of that principle but this is not one of them. National security and sovereignty are involved. If you don't believe in both, you have little basis for claiming to be a loyal American citizen. More likely, you are a citizen in name only and do not support or adhere to our laws and way of life. You remain in essence a foreigner.
all this emphasis on the border is stupid
this is how it works.
let's say that there is amnesty for one million of illegals currently in the usa. These one million illegals invite all their friends and relatives in mexico to come visit them. All their friends and relatives cross the border legally on tourist visas. They cross at the border crossings.
once they are in the us they overstay their tourist visa and disappear in to the us population
that is why an amnesty combined with border enforcement won't work
Anon,
Reagan´s so called amnesty moved forward on the Republican agenda. He promised to protect the border, instead, Immigration laws were not enforced, again, part of the Republican agenda.
If you choose to "blame" anyone, that is where it starts.
Ultima,
The cartoon depicts the Administration continuing to provide their cronies no bid contracts all to their gain. This is similar to the ICE Fence Contractor´s no bid contract and his hiring illegal immigrants to build the fence.
These are all GOP scams.
The heinous Detention Centers are owned by GOP Cronies who received no bid contracts. They house entire families from time of arrest until their day in court and until their are enough of them to deport to their home country because the cronies are paid per head, per day.
MORE SCAMS!!
More ridiculous arguments by dee. Who cares whether it was the Republicans or Democrats who granted amnesty back in 1986? The point is that it was a failure because our government didn't secure our borders afterwards. It won't be any different with the Democrats this time around. They will grant amnesty and continue to leave the border wide open.
Another lame argument of hers is to scream "no bid contracts" and "imprisoning for money". It serves it's purpose, doesn't it? So who cares? Someone has to get paid. It takes the illegals off the street and keep their families together and that is the bottom line. That is really the part she hates, not the "no bid contracts". She would whine no matter how it was handled because she doesn't want the illegals off the streets.
Pat,
Sad you do not care about facts, history or the impact on people.
All sides, pro and anti, should visit arizona and see if they like the results.
plenty of good things are happening there and plenty of bad things are happening as a result of the new laws
if you like what is happening in arizona then vote to roll out their law nationwide
if you don't like it then vote against rolling out their law
simple.
dee, just what facts and history am I not caring about? I live in today's world, not yesterdays. That doesn't mean I don't care it just means I don't live in the past unlike you who does.
Over one million of Mexico's poorest citizens now live inside and along our border from Brownsville, Texas to San Diego, California in what the New York Times called, "colonias" or new neighborhoods. Trouble is, those living areas resemble Bombay and Calcutta with grinding poverty, filth, diseases, drugs, crimes, no sanitation and worse. They live without sewage, clean water, streets, electricity, roads or any kind of sanitation. The New York Times reported them to be America's new "Third World" inside our own country. Within 20 years, at their current growth rate, they expect 20 million residents of those colonias. (One who has seen them personally in Texas and Arizona says,"It's sickening beyond anything you can imagine." By enforcing our laws, we could repatriate them back to Mexico and they might actually be able to force their government to deal with their social conditions and those of other Mexicans.
Ulty,
Obviously you do not understand Texas or the cost of living here.
In California, a 3 bedroom home on a 1-2 acre would cost $750K. In Texas, this same house may cost $100K.
A 2 bedroom Condo in CA = $450K
A 2 bedroom Condo in TX = $50K
Nice Houses.
Nicer quieter neighborhoods in TX.
So maybe in TX you don´t need the $250K job. You can buy the same on $40K.
It is all about perspective.
Dee,
this may be off the subject, but in the nicer parts of California a three bedroom house on a tenth of an acre will cost you $3 million dollars.
i include a link here
http://mbcon.blogspot.com/
Don't even ask what a house an an acre costs. As the saying goes, if you have to ask you can't afford it!
I think that it is very fair to say that in many parts of Texas an undocumented worker that works hard can support a family in a nice house, with an overall very nice lifestyle.
I think it is also fair to say that the undocumented worker will typically pay less in taxes than it costs to educate his kids, and therefore he is a drain on the taxpaying citizens of the neighborhood.
Dee, is this a fair characterization ?
Anon,
I think they pay taxes.
However, in TX, there is no State Tax. I believe most places take out federal and social security taxes from their paychecks and they do not get a refund. Additionally, they MUST pay sales taxes if they make any purchases.
Those are very pretty houses in CA but way too pricey. You could get the same here in TX for 1/5 the price.
I am still trying to figure out what this conversation about the price of houses has to do with Ultima's post. Oh, the old diversion tactic again. Ultima you pointed out some very scary facts about those border towns. Let's hear a pro deny it.
"Obviously you do not understand Texas or the cost of living here."
I'm sure cost of living info is available for all to see on the internet but I made no comments regarding it. Are you suggesting that people live in poverty in South Mexas out of choice because the cost of living is lower? It should be lower if one has to live in those conditions. The demand for everything should be much less. I don't quite understand the relevance of your point above. Please explain.
Ultima,
Your reference is ludicrous. Your talk piece is full of holes! I see your reference all over the ANTI websites. To that I say crap!
I have visited many border towns. My sister in law has relatives who have lived in a border town for decades. They are like anywhere else. I am sure you have more gang problems in the inner city than you do in many of those sleepy border towns.
So my reference to cost of living relates to what you can buy for less $$.
And if I see another ANTI blog refer to Hispanic neighborhoods as Bombay or Calcutta again, I am going to personally go sit on their blog for a day or so and personally help them understand the difference.
this is very important issue focus Immigration Talk with a Mexican American. it have analysed deep information. thanks for share.
Singapore Citizenship Singapore | Apply for Singapore Entrepreneur Pass
Post a Comment