# Immigration and the 2016 election **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 25, 2015, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigration-and-the-2016-election/723484 "2015-06-25T23:06:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2015, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigration-and-the-2016-election/723484/41 "2015-07-06T10:00:34Z")
> [@Merneith](#): > > **adaher** - I agree it makes no sense to fine MacDonald’s or Walmart $10,000. that’s why I’m talking jail for their executives. You want to focus on the little people first - that’s what we’re doing currently and it’s not working, according to you. Stop doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results. My point was that those types of companies aren’t looking to hire tons of illegal labor. Whether they hire an American or an immigrant, they are paying the same. If they have illegals here and there, it’s due to oversights. But a lot of resources are expended on inspecting their employee files because a) they are easy, and b) easy revenue. The companies hiring illegals aren’t as convenient to get to in many cases, plus when they do a raid they actually catch illegals, whereas most of what they find at Wal-mart are simply citizens with an expired DL in their file. The idea is to make it look like you are doing something while doing as little as possible, because workplace raids piss off powerful Congressmen. > [@](#): > > Find the person putting out the food and kick them in the head until they stop. If that’s too scary or too much trouble, then I guess we don’t really have a problem, after all. Then start doing more workplace raids again. That’s been dialed back in recent years in favor of inspecting employee files in places where they know darn well there aren’t any illegals. Stop spending money finding out if the flight attendants at Delta are illegal and go check out the factories and farms. You have to go where companies are paying sub market wages, because that’s where the illegal labor is. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2015, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigration-and-the-2016-election/723484/42 "2015-07-06T11:31:03Z")
Dude, I keep saying “put people in jail”. I don’t want to hear about all the reasons why Walmart isn’t a problem or they don’t hire a lot of people or anyway, those are just minor illegal immigrant problem. If illegal immigration is a problem, then jail the people who hire illegal immigrants. That’s the plan. I’m _all_ _about_ raiding the workplaces. I’m just not going to waste my time raiding the workplaces of the people making .05 an hour. The sweatshop owners, the HR departments, the twentyfive-acre-garden-havers, the berry farmers, the restuarant chains, the dockyard owners … these people create the mess, they’re the ones I’m coming for. Of course, like I said, this is going to have bad results for the rest of us, in terms of lost productivity, higher prices and general economic disruption. But if illegal immigration is a serious problem, and you lot keep telling me it is, then we have to take serious steps to solve it. Or, you know, maybe you’re wrong and it’s just not that big a deal after all. Because if you’re not willing to make the sacrifice to stop it, this Liberal isn’t going to waste a lot of money on ineffective side shows like rounding up the just brown strays. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2015, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigration-and-the-2016-election/723484/43 "2015-07-06T18:02:43Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Once you’ve made it so that people can’t get deported five times and then come back a sixth time and kill someone, then we can worry about employers. Watch it, Univision might cancel your show. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2015, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigration-and-the-2016-election/723484/44 "2015-07-06T18:58:43Z")
FWIW, scabs are workers who cross a picket line to fill the jobs of striking workers. In the absence of a strike, nobody is a scab. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2015, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigration-and-the-2016-election/723484/45 "2015-07-06T21:55:56Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > Then why won’t the Dems join the Reps in seeking to achieve the first step in any sensible immigration problem: locking down the borders? [Because that would be impossible.](http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2011/06/26/90b_spent_on_border_security_with_mixed_results/) > [@](#): > > HIDALGO, Texas — As Congress debates border funding and governors demand more aid to curb illegal immigration and other problems, government records show that taxpayers have spent $90 billion over 10 years to secure the US-Mexican border. > > The Associated Press tallied the combined costs using White House budgets, reports obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests, and congressional transcripts. > > Among the expenses: > > ■ Deployment of 1,200 National Guard soldiers for one year: $110 million > > ■ One rail cargo X-ray screening machine: $1.75 million > > ■ Average annual salary of a Customs and Border Protection officer: $75,000 > > ■ Cost of a drug-searching dog: $4,500 > > For taxpayers footing these bills, the returns have been mixed: fewer illegal immigrants but little impact on the terrorism issue, and no stoppage of the drug supply, officials said. So: The border has not been secured against drug smuggling – but, WRT illegal immigrants, there has been some improvement. More importantly, after spending all that money on it, obviously **the border is already as secure as it is ever going to get.** Everything that reasonably can be done is being done. (No, a wall sretching from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific is not a reasonable thing.) That article is from 2011 but I know of no more recent developments indicating anything different. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2015, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigration-and-the-2016-election/723484/46 "2015-07-06T21:58:31Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Such ideas as enforcing existing laws? How controversial! Deporting millions of immigrants certainly would be controversial. Also completely insane, inhuman, stupid, and devastatingly disruptive to the American economy. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2015, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigration-and-the-2016-election/723484/47 "2015-07-06T22:42:18Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Because that would be impossible. Complete nonsense. This is a fact only in your head. > [@BrainGlutton](#): > > So: The border has not been secured against drug smuggling – but, WRT illegal immigrants, there has been some improvement. More importantly, after spending all that money on it, obviously **the border is already as secure as it is ever going to get.** Everything that reasonably can be done is being done. (No, a wall sretching from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific is not a reasonable thing.) > > That article is from 2011 but I know of no more recent developments indicating anything different. More nonsense. The only thing preventing the border from being secure is the will to do it. You really don’t think the combination of a fence, patrols and modern technology can secure a border against poor people walking in? Sure it can. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2015, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigration-and-the-2016-election/723484/48 "2015-07-06T22:43:20Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Deporting millions of immigrants certainly would be controversial. Also completely insane, inhuman, stupid, and devastatingly disruptive to the American economy. Not if they left of their own volition. Romney had the right idea. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2015, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigration-and-the-2016-election/723484/49 "2015-07-06T22:48:13Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > Not if they left of their own volition. Romney had the right idea. I seriously doubt Romney or any president could turn America into a worse place for Mexican immigrants than Mexico, without causing serious problems for America as a whole. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2015, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigration-and-the-2016-election/723484/50 "2015-07-07T01:15:55Z")
Well, if we did what most Democrats claim they support, make it impossible to get jobs, wouldn’t that cause a lot of self-deportation? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2015, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigration-and-the-2016-election/723484/51 "2015-07-07T11:19:01Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Well, if we did what most Democrats claim they support, make it impossible to get jobs, wouldn’t that cause a lot of self-deportation? No idea what you’re talking about. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2015, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigration-and-the-2016-election/723484/52 "2015-07-07T12:09:10Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > You really don’t think the combination of a fence, patrols and modern technology can secure a border against poor people walking in? Since we have all those things now, no, apparently not. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2015, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigration-and-the-2016-election/723484/53 "2015-07-07T12:12:07Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > Not if they left of their own volition. Romney had the right idea. Romney did not have an idea of any kind. Anything that makes America so inhospitable to immigrants that they leave of their own volition will be even worse for us who were born here. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2015, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigration-and-the-2016-election/723484/54 "2015-07-07T12:25:49Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Romney did not have an idea of any kind. Anything that makes America so inhospitable to immigrants that they leave of their own volition will be even worse for us who were born here. Even if that were true—which I do not grant—it would be in the short term. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2015, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigration-and-the-2016-election/723484/55 "2015-07-07T12:47:47Z")
[Trump stirs things up again.](http://www.politicususa.com/2015/07/06/republicans-meltdown-donald-trump-calls-jeb-bushs-wife-illegal-mexican.html) “Jeb Bush has to like the Mexican illegals because of his wife”. Way to stay classy, Donald. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2015, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigration-and-the-2016-election/723484/56 "2015-07-07T13:03:18Z")
The intelligent and wise Ann Colter had a great line last night. To paraphrase: “Saying that fences don’t work is ridiculous. It’s like saying buckets don’t work.” HA! If she is wrong about fences, there are an awful lot of people, companies and governments wasting an awful lot of money buying all these things that don’t work. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2015, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigration-and-the-2016-election/723484/57 "2015-07-07T13:22:30Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > The intelligent and wise Ann Colter Thanks for the chuckle. Actually a belly laugh. No, a super fence wouldn’t work. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2015, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigration-and-the-2016-election/723484/58 "2015-07-07T13:24:51Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Thanks for the chuckle. Actually a belly laugh. > > No, a super fence wouldn’t work. Why? ---
**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 7, 2015, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigration-and-the-2016-election/723484/59 "2015-07-07T13:33:07Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > The intelligent and wise Ann Colter had a great line last night. To paraphrase: > > “Saying that fences don’t work is ridiculous. It’s like saying buckets don’t work.” > > HA! If she is wrong about fences, there are an awful lot of people, companies and governments wasting an awful lot of money buying all these things that don’t work. Now you’re getting it. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2015, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigration-and-the-2016-election/723484/60 "2015-07-07T13:34:47Z")
People will find a way. It’s a very long border, you can’t very well fence every mile. Even if you could, millions of people cross it every year at the official ports of entry. A perfect fence would just create a market for phony passports. And if you managed to find a way to prevent that, then you’ve just raised the prices of all your California fruits and vegetables. Too many people businesses need the cheap transient labor that Mexicans will do that Americans will not. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigration-and-the-2016-election/723484.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigration-and-the-2016-election/723484.md?page=4)