Immigration Still Crucial in Mayoral Race
Despite a reduction in immigration, the issue has been a hot topic in 2009 mayoral races.
As the national recession continues, immigration in Texas is declining at a significant rate. Rising unemployment and lower levels of business activity are deterring immigrants from crossing the border.
In a Houston Chronicle article, Hope Yen discussed drastic differences in levels of immigration. According to a study released by the Pew Hispanic Center, the number of emigrating Mexicans fell by 249,000 from March 2008 to March 2009. This is nearly 60 percent lower than the previous year.
Texas is seeing levels of immigration as low as they were one decade ago. Most immigrants in the U.S. and Texas are staying because jobs might not be available at home, while others are waiting for an economic recovery.
According to the data, the number of immigrants who returned home was roughly 450,000 — a number that has not changed for some time.
Meanwhile, Houston is looking to strengthen its crime fighting efforts, turning over illegal immigrants to federal authorities.
Houston plans to combine the efforts of the Houston Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. This plan is designed to sweep Houston jails for illegal immigrants using a federal database, and will train jailers in questioning possible illegal criminals inside the Houston jail system.
Each mayoral candidate not only desires a balance that fights crime and removes illegal criminals, but also one that avoids wasting resources and profiling.
City Controller and mayoral candidate Annise Parker wants to ensure we do not engage in racial profiling, a practice known to lower community cooperation with police officers.
“The city should participate in the program and have designated individuals trained to identify dangerous illegal immigrants and coordinate that information with ICE,” Parker told Houston Chronicle. “It is our responsibility, as local elected officials, to try to find a balance in protecting our people from predators and maintaining respect for those people who are here peacefully, working hard and contributing to our economy and our tax base.”
Gene Locke, UH alumnus and 2009 mayoral candidate, said he wants balance, but views immigration enforcement as a priority.
“We need to have a policy that basically says if you commit a crime and you’re not in this country legally, you will be deported,” Locke said to the Chronicle. “The bottom line is that we need to have our police department working closely with other federal agencies to identify those people who are committing crimes in this city, incarcerating them, and if they’re not here legally, deporting them.”
Mayoral candidate Peter Brown supports the inter-agency plan. But, he wants to focus on police officer training and ensure that police will not resort to racial profiling.
The economic downturn and decrease in immigration are issues Houstonians will continue to tackle well into the next mayoral agenda. Electing the strongest candidate will be crucial toward meeting our goals of lower crime and an improved city.
Andrew Taylor is an economics junior and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com
Andrew Taylor 
Most politicians are indoctrinated with tunnel vision, they only see campaign contributions and inventing a long drawn out career. They seem to be completely isolated from the American people, whether US workers, senior citizens or homeless veterans are ignored. To me catering to the 20 plus illegal immigrants seem to be more important to the status quo in Washington, than following the oath of allegiance to our nation. Right now the US population is up in arms, because the Democrats have authored a bill to give free government health care, to foreign nationals and their families. Can anybody tell me why American families are forced by law, to pay for people of other countries? We should have health care, but it should be the individual choice?
You either paid your premiums, co-pays and deductibles, to the giant insurance corporations and hoped they didn’t kill of their service, if they suddenly decided you were a risk. Or you tried a new avenue available to many Europeans, that of a government health insurance plan? YOU! Should choose? What’s best for your family? Not some politician who is a stockholder in one of those wealthy insurance giants? Not only have citizens and legal residents been the prey of private medical care providers for decades, with some unable to afford the crippling premiums. That our hard earned dollars are whisked away in taxes to pay for a large bowlful of benefits, including free health care, for just anybody who can slip past government officials, at our border, ports or overstaying a tourist visa.
In Europe this obscene travesty of immigration laws, may cause a collapse of governments in the near future. Activists like me see the destruction of our culture and irreversible OVERPOPULATION. Instead of these calculated cash going to support foreign national families, it should be going to refurbish our highways, bridges and tunnels. Inside America our infrastructure is falling apart. Instead of nation building, we should us our money to stabilize our own economy. Early immigrants gave much to this America, whereas the last ten years have eroded our welfare safety net to our own people. They did not come here to bleed America dry as they do today. Crime Yes! But not on the ever increasing scale, as it does today.
If the Democratic leadership move forward with Immigration Reform or AMNESTY, American will further hemorrhage from those who are already here, and they in turn sponsoring their families, but the open door welcome for the following hordes sitting patiently in foreign lands? Trillions of dollars are on the line, because of the numerous federal mandates on taxpayers.
The only power Americans have is the vote and even that is been compromised? As one voice we must pressure our Senators and Representatives, to empower E-Verify as part of the Save Act. 202-224-3121 Our concentrated effort of millions of phone calls, is making these subservient lawmakers to corporate welfare very nervous. They like their jobs, their exceptional health care and the benefits that go with it? Support for the bi-partisan SAVE Act, which will expand E-Verify and protect American Workers! We must focus on the zenith to this major problem-the jobs that attract illegal aliens. It would phase in a requirement for every employer to use the electronic E-Verify system. Remember also that the US chamber of Commerce, the ACLU, the Council of Foreign Relations are not friends of the ordinary American Worker, as they are anti-Sovereignty, Open border and are sustained by corporate grant givers, to destroy any Immigration Enforcement laws.
DEMAND NO AMNESTY! NO FAMILY UNIFICATION KNOWN AS CHAIN MIGRATION! NO MORE HEALTH CARE OR ANY OTHER KIND OF BENEFITS FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. CLOSE THE BORDER AND ENFORCE THE FENCE WITH THE NATIONAL GUARD! GOOGLE–NUMBERSUSA, AMERICANPATROL for honest answers.
brittanicus
July 28, 2009 at 11:59 pm