Word has it that a new Caravan is starting to assemble in Honduras. Yet I hope this one doesn’t reach our border as it is costing us enough handling the last Caravan and we have not even allowed most of the people into our country.

People are very concerned about the health of the illegal immigrants and their children.  Sadly two of the children have died.  Tough situation for our border patrol people to deal with and even tougher for the parents yet the parents are the ones who put the children at risk.  Now it appears that some are taking a much more dangerous route across the desert and putting their children at even more risk.

We all can understand the plight these people are in, they come from a very poor country and America looks like the land of plenty.  If they can get into America everything is essentially free and of high quality. This is all very tempting, come to a country that gives you almost everything you could dream of, and you do not have to pay for it. Not with money or the blood, sweat and tears our ancestor paid.

That is the rub, this country which the Americans built and paid for is being used by outsiders who are living off the sweat of the working Americans. Thousands of people are streaming in with no skills, no profession and no money so they depend on the American worker who is paying taxes to support them. To give them free housing, free food, free education and free health care.

The difference is the legal immigrant must show he or she will not have to be supported by the tax payer. In many cases, a legal resident must vouch for the immigrant and if necessary take care of them. These illegals have some skills and /or money so they do not become a burden on others.

Some say that the illegals pay taxes, and for a few, that is true, any money they actually earn is taxed when they use it to buy something through sales tax. But pay income tax like the rest of us, who are we kidding, if they earn income they have to get off welfare and cannot send money back to their home country.  In big cities we see them hang out at Home Depot and other stores for work. We pick them up, work them and then pay them or maybe it is the house keeper, I’m sure we all send them a 1099 and pay their SS taxes.

So is it our fault they do not pay taxes and live off the system? No, because they are independent contractors and are responsible for all of that, but do they do it, no way. They are smart enough not to lose all the free stuff. Some will say that you cannot get all that free stuff if you are illegal. Yes the law says that illegals can not get all that free stuff, however there is just one little catch and that is you cannot require them to prove citizenship. You may ask in some places but proof is not necessary.

What a deal, American workers who built this country by hard work will support you if you can just get to the Promised Land.  If they work a little, good if I do not, so what, the gravy train goes on and on. Those that say we should bring them in or let them in should pay for them, not the rest of us, put up or shut up. Sponsor a family or two and let them move into your home or maybe you just pay for a place for them to live and buy their food and provide medical and etc. but that is not my choice. My money should go to those who are legal residents and really need help not those on this gravy train.

 

Disclaimer: 

All editorials, Letters to the Editor, columns and comments are the sole opinions of the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of Mesquite Local News.