Thoughts on Immigration Raids: Take 1

I've been thinking about Illegal Immigration a lot these days, for several hours a day, since I'm doing a huge project one of my grad classes on the subject. I'm still unsure where I stand as far as policy recommendations. There are a few things I do know, though:

Lots of people are really passionate about the subject but are passionate because of what other people have told them, not because they've sought out the facts themselves. This pertains to people on any side of the issue.

"Illegals" and "aliens" are degrading terms that dehumanize illegal immigrants. They make us forget that they're people who were created (in my view) by God, just as we were. It allows us to separate from them, causes us to view them as "enemies" rather than trying to understand why they would risk their very lives to enter here illegally only to work as a slave. That brings me to this quote:

"'At some point we have to say they are moral agents and they have to be accountable for their decisions,' says Mark Krikorian, head of the Center for Immigration Studies in Washington. 'They knowingly put their children in that position, and I find it hard to describe that as anything other than child abuse.'" (Christian Science Monitor, March 16, 2007, "After New Bedford immigration raid, voices call for mercy and justice," by Alexandra Marks and Christian Lupsa)

Could it then be called child abuse for parents to not leave a dangerous, crime-ridden, drug-ridden, impoverished nation where the children would likely starve, be murdered, beaten, abused, and have no hope for the future except to see their children go through the same? Which is more abusive?

And another…"Supporters of illegal immigrants agree that compliance with the law is important. But they also note that there are millions of jobs Americans will not do, which is why the immigrants come." (Christian Science Monitor, March 16, 2007, "After New Bedford immigration raid, voices call for mercy and justice," by Alexandra Marks and Christian Lupsa)

They do jobs Americans would not do because Americans wouldn't stand to be slaves in their own nation. I've even heard myself use this article, but it's unacceptable that we should be okay with illegal immigration because they're willing to work in sweat-shops and we are not.

That's it for now. I just had to get that out.