# Do you think it is reasonable for taxpayers to pay $113 BILLION a year for Illegals/Anchor Babies? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 19, 2011, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-it-is-reasonable-for-taxpayers-to-pay-113-billion-a-year-for-illegals-anchor-babies/589526 "2011-07-19T00:43:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-it-is-reasonable-for-taxpayers-to-pay-113-billion-a-year-for-illegals-anchor-babies/589526/21 "2011-07-19T02:54:26Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > Why, yes, citizens can sponsor their parents’ residence in the USA. When those citizens are adults & able to support the old folks. As babies, not so much. Exactly. Anchor-babies are a myth. Except in rare cases where extraordinary hardship on the child can be demonstrated, a minor who is a citizen cannot sponsor someone’s residency or citizenship. An illegal immigrant who gives birth to a child in the U.S. is not automatically given any legal status to stay in the U.S. because of their so-called “anchor-baby.” By law, the parents and any other non-legal immigrant relatives simply must leave the U.S., presumably with their U.S. citizen child, unless maybe they are willing and able to leave their child with legal relatives who would assume guardianship. Upon reaching the age of 18 the child can sponsor siblings, and upon reaching the age of 21 they can sponsor their parents. (who must not be in-country to apply) But since the average wait for sponsored legal immigration is ~20 years, that means the “baby” will be ~40 years old before they _might_ be able to become an “anchor” for their family. But since prior violation of immigration laws is grounds for rejection, parents who gave birth to a U.S. citizen while in the country illegally would most likely not be granted approval. The idea that millions of illegal immigrants are exploiting some gaping loophole in the immigration laws to stay here legally is simply false. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-it-is-reasonable-for-taxpayers-to-pay-113-billion-a-year-for-illegals-anchor-babies/589526/22 "2011-07-19T03:05:39Z")
> [@PandaBear77](#): > > Why the hell SHOULD they??? They’re here illegally. They are intentionally breaking the law by being here. If they want SS they can oh, GET legal like millions of honest immigrants have. (Incidentally, you don’t necessarily have to be a citizen to get Social Security. You do have to be here legally, though.) Getting legal may require going back to their country of origin and coming back the right way .. a hardship, yes, but that’s just too damn bad. Yes, it’s hard as hell to come over here legally … yet people still manage to do it, so it’s not impossible. \*\*I have a really hard time understanding \*\*why anyone who has already shown that they have no respect for the law should be aided in any way by the government whose laws they are ignoring. (And just to clarify, I am talking about people who came here illegally _of their own volition_ - not kids who were dragged into the US illegally by their parents. I’m well aware that situation is different, damned if I know what the answer is, but I do see the distinction.) > > And I gotta ask … and I’m asking this out of **sheer ignorance** … do other industralized nations have this problem – as in, people sneaking across their borders illegally and expecting the government to take care of them and/or have the same rights as citizens? If they do, what countries are they, and what are they doing about it? My\*\* bolding\*\*. When my father’s parents came from Ireland, they passed physicals at Ellis Island, convinced the officials they weren’t anarchists & were allowed in. To get jobs, become citizens & have kids. It was easy in those days. Now you need money & lawyers. It’s really hard for the undocumented to get government aid. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-it-is-reasonable-for-taxpayers-to-pay-113-billion-a-year-for-illegals-anchor-babies/589526/23 "2011-07-19T03:07:00Z")
> [@PandaBear77](#): > > And I gotta ask … and I’m asking this out of sheer ignorance … do other industralized nations have this problem – as in, people sneaking across their borders illegally and expecting the government to take care of them and/or have the same rights as citizens? If they do, what countries are they, and what are they doing about it? You acknowledge that illegal immigrants don’t receive social security. But, as Der Trihs points out, they pay money into the social security system. So they are putting money into a system they cannot collect money from. And your conclusion? They’re sneaking into this country so the government will take care of them. If anything, the exact opposite appears to be the case - they’re sneaking into this country so they can take care of the government. Maybe other industrialized countries have the same situation - people sneaking into the country to secretly work and pay taxes - and the only difference is we’re the only country that thinks it’s a problem. ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-it-is-reasonable-for-taxpayers-to-pay-113-billion-a-year-for-illegals-anchor-babies/589526/24 "2011-07-19T03:07:00Z")
> [@PandaBear77](#): > > Why the hell SHOULD they??? They’re here illegally. They are intentionally breaking the law by being here. If they want SS they can oh, GET legal like millions of honest immigrants have. (Incidentally, you don’t necessarily have to be a citizen to get Social Security. You do have to be here legally, though.) Getting legal may require going back to their country of origin and coming back the right way .. a hardship, yes, but that’s just too damn bad. Yes, it’s hard as hell to come over here legally … yet people still manage to do it, so it’s not impossible. Go walk on the moon. If Buzz Aldrin could do it, so can you. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-it-is-reasonable-for-taxpayers-to-pay-113-billion-a-year-for-illegals-anchor-babies/589526/25 "2011-07-19T04:44:50Z")
> [@PandaBear77](#): > > Why the hell SHOULD they?!?!? I didn’t say they should. However, they are paying into it. As it is, it’s just another way that we exploit them. > [@PandaBear77](#): > > They’re here illegally. They are intentionally breaking the law by being here. If they want SS they can oh, GET legal like millions of honest immigrants have. No they can’t. We don’t want them here legally and would never allow them legal immigration; we want them here illegally because that makes them more exploitable. We can get more money and work out of them, while paying them less (or nothing if their employer has the INS haul them off before they get paid) giving them fewer services and treating them like expendable garbage in the process. Illegal immigrants don’t complain about poor and dangerous working conditions. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-it-is-reasonable-for-taxpayers-to-pay-113-billion-a-year-for-illegals-anchor-babies/589526/26 "2011-07-19T05:43:59Z")
[QUOTE=PandaBear77] If they want SS they can oh, GET legal like millions of honest immigrants have. [/QUOTE] How? Which type of visa do you suggest they apply for? I have a Ph.D and a US employer, but my first employer wouldn’t sponsor me for an H1, just a J1. My second one did sponsor me for an H1, but I got hit by the 212e clause (residency requirement) and had to get a waiver first. And they wouldn’t sponsor me for permanent residency. Even with money, connections and desirable job skills, immigrating to the US is not so simple. And I don’t think most illegal immigrants have the resources I did. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-it-is-reasonable-for-taxpayers-to-pay-113-billion-a-year-for-illegals-anchor-babies/589526/27 "2011-07-19T05:53:25Z")
I call bullshit on the premise of $113 billion. I also call racist on the phrase “anchor babies”. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-it-is-reasonable-for-taxpayers-to-pay-113-billion-a-year-for-illegals-anchor-babies/589526/28 "2011-07-19T06:18:16Z")
I just want the trash cleaned up, the US flag not desecrated, other nations flags flown in place of the US of A flag and I think competency in English after a predetermined time depending on the age one comes here be mandatory. I also do not think schools need to teach in languages other than English where that is the only language they will try to or accept learning. Little kids are not the problem. The teenagers and their parents are. But then I think any kid who beats or strikes a teacher as in the public education environment is a criminal of the worst sort… YMMV ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-it-is-reasonable-for-taxpayers-to-pay-113-billion-a-year-for-illegals-anchor-babies/589526/29 "2011-07-19T06:33:48Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > “Anchor babies” are US citizens, and thus entitled to the same rights and benefits as other US citizens. If you’ve got a problem with that then you’ve got a problem with the Constitution (14th Amendment). This. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-it-is-reasonable-for-taxpayers-to-pay-113-billion-a-year-for-illegals-anchor-babies/589526/30 "2011-07-19T06:37:06Z")
Looking at the poll results. I love this board 😃 ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-it-is-reasonable-for-taxpayers-to-pay-113-billion-a-year-for-illegals-anchor-babies/589526/31 "2011-07-19T07:09:28Z")
$113 billion out of a $13.6 trillion economy–_ **120** _ times the size of that $113b? Chump change. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-it-is-reasonable-for-taxpayers-to-pay-113-billion-a-year-for-illegals-anchor-babies/589526/32 "2011-07-19T07:40:51Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > Looking at the poll results. I love this board 😃 I’d be happier if everyone had refused to respond to the poll and just asked the OP if he’d stopped sexually molesting underage children yet: yes or no? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-it-is-reasonable-for-taxpayers-to-pay-113-billion-a-year-for-illegals-anchor-babies/589526/33 "2011-07-19T08:50:27Z")
> [@Cyclone](#): > > [http://www.fairus.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=23198&security=1601&news\_iv\_ctrl=1741](http://www.fairus.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=23198&security=1601&news_iv_ctrl=1741) > > Evidently, there are about 12,000,000 illegals in the United States holding down about 7,200,000 jobs. This while U. S. employment is at 9.2%. Which means that at least 4.8 million illegals are unemployed - and when we subtract them from the unemployment figures since they’re not entitled to be working in the first place, that makes our unemployment only about 6% or so. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-it-is-reasonable-for-taxpayers-to-pay-113-billion-a-year-for-illegals-anchor-babies/589526/34 "2011-07-19T09:20:58Z")
I’ve never started a poll here, but I’d like to know some things: Should Democrats stop raping their daughters? Should BILLIONaires be forced into bankruptcy so Welfare Mama can get a new Cadillac? Should we let Al-Qaeda kill a million people, if the alternative is to pat grandma down for concealed weapons? … Great moments in American political debate! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-it-is-reasonable-for-taxpayers-to-pay-113-billion-a-year-for-illegals-anchor-babies/589526/35 "2011-07-19T12:08:05Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > Open the border completely. Human rights are human rights, and it’s immoral to discriminate based on where someone was born. I’m perfectly fine with some requirements for entry, but I find it rich that the majority of people who complain the loudest about undocumented immigrants have ancestors who came into this country with absolutely nothing, and limited marketable skills and were welcomed in with a smile and now they want to slam the door. It’s a classic “I got mine, screw you.” Selfishness in the extreme. > [@CookingWithGas](#): > > Some are. Some aren’t. I don’t know the proportions. Which would be same as with citizens, some pay (income) taxes, some do not, all pay sales taxes, pay property taxes if only via the rent they pay to a landlord, pay use taxes via auto registrations and whatnot. Does proportion really matter? ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-it-is-reasonable-for-taxpayers-to-pay-113-billion-a-year-for-illegals-anchor-babies/589526/36 "2011-07-19T12:11:21Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > Looking at the poll results. I love this board 😃 > [@Princhester](#): > > I’d be happier if everyone had refused to respond to the poll and just asked the OP if he’d stopped sexually molesting underage children yet: yes or no? Yeah, I declined to vote because the question and the “facts” assumed by it’s premise are so flawed. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-it-is-reasonable-for-taxpayers-to-pay-113-billion-a-year-for-illegals-anchor-babies/589526/37 "2011-07-19T12:19:24Z")
(missed the edit) And I gotta say, the insinuation that “spending all that money” on furriners was a waste compared to spending it on 38 more weeks of war, makes me go :eek:😕:(:mad::rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-it-is-reasonable-for-taxpayers-to-pay-113-billion-a-year-for-illegals-anchor-babies/589526/38 "2011-07-19T12:24:12Z")
I’m totally against anchor babies. Terrible idea. I mean, those little suckers float like you wouldn’t believe. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-it-is-reasonable-for-taxpayers-to-pay-113-billion-a-year-for-illegals-anchor-babies/589526/39 "2011-07-19T12:33:51Z")
The only ones being taken advantage off are the illegals. We should be spending magnitudes more taking care of them. ---
**Author:** ![Who\_me\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/958977/32.png) [@Who\_me\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_me_1)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-it-is-reasonable-for-taxpayers-to-pay-113-billion-a-year-for-illegals-anchor-babies/589526/40 "2011-07-19T13:40:11Z")
Since [fairus.org](http://fairus.org) is a piece of shit site and has a decidedly slanted view of anything to do with immigration, I voted yes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-it-is-reasonable-for-taxpayers-to-pay-113-billion-a-year-for-illegals-anchor-babies/589526.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-it-is-reasonable-for-taxpayers-to-pay-113-billion-a-year-for-illegals-anchor-babies/589526.md?page=3)