# Why are the Feds not paying for the refugees? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 5, 2024, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-feds-not-paying-for-the-refugees/995646 "2024-01-05T14:33:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2024, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-feds-not-paying-for-the-refugees/995646/141 "2024-01-06T21:11:07Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Asylum seekers can get work permits from the Federal government allowing them to do exactly that - BUT at present Congress isn’t issuing additional work permits. Pretty sure that is somehow connected to political games and the current dysfunction in Clowngress. And that is why those asylum seekers need support. They would cheerfully get (crappy) jobs and support themselves, but the GOP wont let them. Oh, Republicans will _hire_ them, of course, they can be paid less. Most farmers and ranchers are republicans, and of course they hire illegals. > [@SunUp](#): > > While @mundylion can speak for themselves, I’m pretty sure that the question asked and so answered was about decriminalizing illegal border crossing, rather than the “open borders” bugaboo of right wing media. Right. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2024, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-feds-not-paying-for-the-refugees/995646/142 "2024-01-06T21:28:00Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > You get that there are legitimate reasons to be upset, but are disgusted by the NIMBYism? How much is NW IN ponying up for migrants? Setting up some tents? 😉 > > My main question is - what exactly is Chicago supposed to do with the people, and where is the money to come from? And I find persuasive complaints from long time resident citizens who question why there is money to spend for the new arrivals, when they have long heard that money is lacking for anti-poverty programs. You know, sometimes I just don’t feel like writing a dissertation… For some reason Indiana, including NW Indiana, is not getting busloads of migrants dropped off in our neighborhoods. I suspect it’s because Indiana is a Red State and the point is to “own the libs”, piss off the Dems, and screw with Chicago. We do have migrants, homeless, and a certain number of undocumented people in our area. Personally, I don’t think it’s any worse (or better) than in the past. Nor is it only Spanish-speaking brown people - about 15 years back we had a very White looking dude of Canadian origin arrested and deported. I totally get the anger of people who have needed help for decades and not received it being angered at these newcomers getting help before they do. I don’t want to delve into that because that’s not what annoys and disgusts me. What annoys and disgusts me are people who are better off who very clearly _do not want_ migrants to be housed in their “nice” neighborhoods. It’s very much an attitude of house them on the wrong side of the tracks in those _other_ neighborhoods with the poor and the unwashed and the unloved. People who are full of empathy for migrants until they’re asked to make even the smallest sacrifice to help these people, at which point it’s “not in my backyard”. > [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > I’m not an NYT subscriber so I can’t see the NYT article at all. Perhaps loyal NYT subscriber Saint\_Cad, who has surely read the full article, would be willing to share the relevant excerpt? I am not @Saint_Cad but I am a NYTimes subscriber, so here is a gift link for you and every one else: > **[Biden Administration Has Admitted One Million Migrants to Await Hearings...](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/06/us/politics/asylum-biden-administration.html?unlocked_article_code=1.Lk0.P5Ww.ITOTRCgAAVGx&smid=url-share)** > > The presence of asylum seekers in the United States is both a humanitarian challenge and a political flash point in a divided country. ---
**Author:** ![mundylion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mundylion/32/3604_2.png) [@mundylion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mundylion)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2024, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-feds-not-paying-for-the-refugees/995646/143 "2024-01-06T22:07:21Z")
You are correct, the question posed was something like Would you be in favor of removing criminal penalties for illegal border crossing. [https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/columnists/byron-york-in-debates-democrats-move-toward-open-borders](https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/columnists/byron-york-in-debates-democrats-move-toward-open-borders) I suggest that the position switch, from try to enter illegally and we will arrest you, to try to enter illegally and we will give you a ticket was a big deal to those deciding to make the attempt. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2024, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-feds-not-paying-for-the-refugees/995646/144 "2024-01-10T16:41:25Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Because the financial information has not been released yet by Mike Johnston. However there are concerns among workers that they are going to take a financial hit because the money is running out. Maybe he’ll pull money from somewhere. Mayor Johnston just announced he is cutting $180M out of the city budget to put that money to aid migrants. To compare, I saw a new article that the total the Feds have provided total including planned costs is $11M No final word yet on what is [going to be cut](https://denverite.com/2024/01/09/mayor-mike-johnston-asks-for-city-agency-spending-cuts-to-fund-denvers-migrant-response/) but city workers are expecting to not only lose their raises for 2024 but also having to take unpaid furlough days despite what the city says. At the very least expect a hiring freeze. CPR 5 minute audio [here](https://www.cpr.org/2024/01/10/listen-mayor-mike-johnston-asks-for-city-agency-spending-cuts-to-fund-denvers-migrant-response/). A lot of issues we brought up here are discussed. Well worth a listen IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2024, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-feds-not-paying-for-the-refugees/995646/145 "2024-01-10T21:42:39Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Can’t the cities just refuse to accept more refugees until the Feds start paying? That’s what the border states want to do as well, but they are told they are required to let them in. So is it fair that Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California should bear all of the burden of our country’s, flawed unenforced, immigration laws, simply because all of congress doesn’t want to address it? ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2024, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-feds-not-paying-for-the-refugees/995646/146 "2024-01-10T21:47:06Z")
> [@DavidNRockies](#): > > But it seems on-topic to mention that many of the people who’ve entered, or are entering, the country “improperly” wind up working for artificially low, exploitative wages, and for legal residents or citizens. It is already illegal for employers in the US to hire undocumented workers…doesn’t mean that it doesn’t happen, but there are laws in place against it…just don’t know how well ICE goes about attempting to enforce these laws. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2024, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-feds-not-paying-for-the-refugees/995646/147 "2024-01-10T21:52:45Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > So is it fair that Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California should bear all of the burden Of course it isn’t. They should work with the federal government to ensure that burden is shared, rather than purposefully dropping people off at gas stations in the middle of the night after ensuring that nobody in the target location knows that they’re on the way. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2024, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-feds-not-paying-for-the-refugees/995646/148 "2024-01-10T22:04:21Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > They should work with the federal government Rightly or wrongly, this is how they are working with the federal government…nothing else is getting the Feds attention…but maybe the Feds will listen to the mayors and governors in Colorado, Illinois, and New York. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2024, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-feds-not-paying-for-the-refugees/995646/149 "2024-01-10T22:27:01Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Of course it isn’t. They should work with the federal government to ensure that burden is shared, If you listened to the CPR article I linked to, this is what Denver, New York and Chicago want. Right now the Governor of Texas is in charge of the immigration plan. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2024, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-feds-not-paying-for-the-refugees/995646/150 "2024-01-10T22:40:41Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > They should work with the federal government to ensure that burden is shared > [@Omar\_Little](#): > > nothing else is getting the Feds attention Half the federal government, i.e., GOP congresspeople, thwart every effort to sanely address the immigration issue. So who are these states supposed to work with, and whose attention should they be getting? ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2024, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-feds-not-paying-for-the-refugees/995646/151 "2024-01-10T22:55:41Z")
> [@Akaj](#): > > Half the federal government, i.e., GOP congresspeople, thwart every effort to sanely address the immigration issue. I understand your comment, but our immigration laws have needed fixing for the last 20 years, and neither party has tried to tackle this issue…the solution has always been each administration deciding what or what not to enforce or ignore of the current laws. It’s a failure across the board. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2024, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-feds-not-paying-for-the-refugees/995646/152 "2024-01-10T23:23:36Z")
Ahhh, both sides! Both sides! One side has ideas and puts forward proposals. The other side is the party of “no” So both sides! ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2024, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-feds-not-paying-for-the-refugees/995646/153 "2024-01-10T23:32:52Z")
This is a problem the federal government has created by not properly securing the nation’s border. So I see no problem with the federal government dealing with the consequences and I see absolutely no problem with states and cities acting in their own best interests when there is a dysfunction at the federal level. Furthermore, there are a lot of folks who are perfectly willing to advocate for ridiculously unworkable policy and ideologies when the costs and impacts are 1000s of miles away. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2024, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-feds-not-paying-for-the-refugees/995646/154 "2024-01-10T23:38:37Z")
---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2024, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-feds-not-paying-for-the-refugees/995646/155 "2024-01-10T23:48:41Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > This is a problem the federal government has created by not properly securing the nation’s border. In the **octopus** view of the world, what defines a secure border? And how much would it cost? > [@octopus](#): > > Furthermore, there are a lot of folks who are perfectly willing to advocate for ridiculously unworkable policy and ideologies when the costs and impacts are 1000s of miles away. And many of those are Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2024, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-feds-not-paying-for-the-refugees/995646/156 "2024-01-11T00:24:22Z")
> [@DavidNRockies](#): > > But it seems on-topic to mention that many of the people who’ve entered, or are entering, the country “improperly” wind up working for artificially low, exploitative wages, and for legal residents or citizens. Well, yes and no. They may be paid lower than legal green card migrants, etc, but after the IRS clamped down (another reason why the GOP hates the IRS, note that most ranchers and farmers are republican) few are willing to take the risk of paying “illegals” under the table. They get fake SSNs and on paper, on the surface, everything seems on the up and up. See, if you pay “illegals” under the table, you are committing several tax crimes- as well as furnishing the INS/ICE with _prima facie_ evidence you KNEW they were illegals. BUT if you show the Feds W-2s with SSNs, you have plausible denial. > [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Ahhh, both sides! Both sides! > > One side has ideas and puts forward proposals. The other side is the party of “no” > > So both sides! Well, I suppose an idiotic “wall” is an “idea” … of sorts. Yes, the Dems do have ideas but they have been blocked by the GOP. Here’s an idea- give the refugees work permits , and let them work. then they are not a burden on anyone. > [@octopus](#): > > This is a problem the federal government has created by not properly securing the nation’s border. Are we expecting Mexico to invade? 🙄 I note no one is screaming about the _Northern_ border. This isnt about “securing the border” this is about racism, pure and simple. If they were blonde, blue eyes and white of skin, they’d be welcomed. (We do have a significant number of undocumented workers from Canada too, but they are okay- right? because they aren’t brown and they speak English 🙄 ) Look- what is wrong with migrant farm workers? let them in, give them work permits. We need the labor force. Immigrants aren’t hurting you, even if illegal. They are hard working people that WANT to work, and work at jobs that Americans don’t want. And immigrants commit less crimes than citizens. They are the _opposite_ of a problem, they are a positive benefit. > [@SunUp](#): > > In the **octopus** view of the world, what defines a secure border? And how much would it cost? Maginot line. $9billion in todays dollars. trumps wall- $18Billion. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2024, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-feds-not-paying-for-the-refugees/995646/157 "2024-01-11T00:35:04Z")
There’s very often a substantive degree of separation between the bigger corporations and the laborers they employ – the Farm Labor Contractors. This often provides a certain amount of both plausible deniability and reduction of legal exposure and obligations under labor laws: > **[Sub-contracted Workers](https://www.farmworkerjustice.org/advocacy_program/sub-contracted-workers/)** > > Leer en español/Read in Spanish > > > > Many farmworkers are hired to work on farms through intermediaries, often called "farm labor contractors" or "crewleaders." Some of these labor contractors are quite large and have subcontractors. In some instances,... ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2024, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-feds-not-paying-for-the-refugees/995646/158 "2024-01-11T00:38:43Z")
> [@DavidNRockies](#): > > There’s very often a substantive degree of separation between the bigger corporations and the laborers they employ – the Farm Labor Contractors. Yep. Very true. But they have to show those W-2s, and full time on the ranch or farm workers are hired thru Farm labor contractors, who bring in workers for planting or harvesting. And they have to pay reasonable wages, and then they will bill the farm for those plus a nice mark-up. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2024, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-feds-not-paying-for-the-refugees/995646/159 "2024-01-11T01:28:35Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Are we expecting Mexico to invade? 🙄 I note no one is screaming about the _Northern_ border. This isnt about “securing the border” this is about racism, pure and simple. If they were blonde, blue eyes and white of skin, they’d be welcomed. (We do have a significant number of undocumented workers from Canada too, but they are okay- right? because they aren’t brown and they speak English 🙄 ) Or, it could be that the numbers from Canada are so much lower that it’s not seen to be such a problem. > At the recent pace, there would be almost **170,000** such encounters at the northern border this year, which, for context, is barely five per cent of the comparable number for the southern border with Mexico, which is trending toward **three million** encounters. (Article uses 2023 projections.) The article also points out that a lot of the irregular immigrants from Canada are actually Mexican and East Indian, which sorta undercuts the argument that the lack of attention to the northern border is a racism issue. > **[ANALYSIS | U.S. Republicans are now warning: Migration from Canada is a...](https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.6763492)** > > Specifically, they're sounding the alarm on a little-noticed trend: a surge in irregular migration into the United States from Canada. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2024, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-feds-not-paying-for-the-refugees/995646/160 "2024-01-11T01:32:33Z")
You know, I’m warming to the idea of a wall. The great wall of China is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the nation. Hadrian’s wall is scenic, too. Let’s build a wall. Yeah, they work better against armies than against furtive individuals. And yeah, they are a bit less relevant with modern warfare. But what the hey. Just make it really impressive and imposing and hopefully scenic. And maybe it will ultimately pay for itself in tourist revenue. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-feds-not-paying-for-the-refugees/995646.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-feds-not-paying-for-the-refugees/995646.md?page=9)