Like millions of others, I watched with intrigue the first—and potentially only—Donald Trump and Kamala Harris presidential debate. One of the most important topics discussed was illegal immigration and how the Biden/Harris administration allowed millions of illegal immigrants to enter the country.
If you're willing to flee your country and attempt to enter America illegally, things must be dire at home. Maybe job opportunities are nonexistent, perhaps the government has confiscated your business, there might be a civil war, or maybe you're even running from the law.
Since San Francisco is a sanctuary city, many illegal immigrants end up here. A sanctuary city is one whose municipal laws tend to protect undocumented immigrants from deportation or prosecution, despite federal immigration law. In general, illegals and legal cohabitate in peace here. We have a sort of “don’t ask, don’t tell” type of unspoken policy given we have a culture of helping all people live a better life.
However, some of these illegal immigrants, like those from Honduras, have multiple arrests yet continue selling fentanyl on our downtown streets without repercussion. This epidemic is a failure of both our political leaders and our ultra-liberal judges, who keep releasing these criminals despite their multiple convictions.
We need new leadership that will be tougher on crime and illegal immigration. Allowing drug dealers and thieves to repeatedly commit crimes is not empathy or compassion; it's cruelty to others.
Although I haven't overdosed on drugs, been shot, or had my car windows smashed in 12 years, I did have a potential costly encounter that was likely with an illegal immigrant.
Loading ...My Run-In With a Likely Illegal Immigrant
One day, I was driving my four-year-old daughter to swim lessons when I reached a three-way intersection with stop signs. The car in front of me, an old Toyota Prius, had the right of way and started to go. As I moved forward to take my place in front of the line, the driver suddenly slammed on her brakes in a panic, causing me to bump into her. I was going less than 3 mph, so this wasn’t some type of violent crash.
After she finally gathered the courage to drive forward, I followed her, and we both pulled over to check for damage. We were calm and I asked her why she had stopped so abruptly when she had the right of way, but she couldn't understand me. A Hispanic man nearby kindly translated for us.
He explained that she panicked when she saw a truck approach the stop sign, even though it was her turn to go. She remained visibly anxious as we spoke. When I asked if she wanted to exchange insurance information and IDs, she declined. I then asked the translator why, and he mentioned she didn't have any.
So be it. I didn't press as undocumented immigrants in San Francisco are common and we weren't getting anywhere.
She pointed to her bumper and said it was fine. I checked mine and saw no obvious damage either. Then, I wondered if, despite her sudden stop, the accident was my fault, which it very well could have been because I was behind.
Finally, I also thought of my friend who just experienced an insurance fraud scam where the other driver, despite being the one at fault, tried to sue my friend for $10,000. Thanks to reader feedback, there is a good possibility I was involved in a car insurance fraud scheme. Read the post to decide for yourself.
$3,500 in Damages
We were barely running on time for my daughter's swim session, so I agreed that everything was fine, and the woman seemed relieved before driving off. But later, after swimming, I noticed a crack on my bumper. Ugh. What a bummer.
I went to the dealership to inquire about the cost of replacing my bumper, and they quoted me $2,700 before tax and labor. The final cost would easily exceed $3,500, so I decided not to fix it. Hooray for driving a nine-year-old car.
If someone can’t speak English, doesn’t have a government ID, and has no car insurance (it's legally required in California), it’s reasonable to assume they might be an illegal immigrant. She likely wouldn’t have had the $3,500 to cover the cost anyway if she was found at fault. If the law got involved, maybe she would have had to leave the country.
Ultimately, my encounter with this person became an expense I had to bear, potentially because it was my fault. Fortunately, I can afford it if I decide to fix my bumper. But what if I couldn’t? What if the accident was completely her fault and it caused my car to be inoperable?
Worse Than Financial Cost Is Potential Safety Cost
Beyond the financial cost, though, is the potential safety risk, which I only now realize after reflecting on the situation.
What if, instead of a minor accident, it had been a violent encounter? What if a man had stepped out of his car with a knife and stabbed me? It wouldn't be fair to leave my family without a husband and father because of someone else's criminal behavior.
Next time, I need to think twice before getting out of the car to deal with an accident, especially if the driver's windows were tinted black like her's was.
In California, on the vehicle's front side windows, tint must allow for 70% light transmission, so 30% tint is the legal maximum. Hers had less than 30% light transmission, which meant I couldn't see inside.
I’m thankful everybody was alright and nothing came of the incident. There was no argument or shouting match of any kind. Just a desire to understand what happened and how to fix it. However, not everybody is so fortunate.
It turns out, I was the target of a car collision setup to scam car insurance companies! Another reader emailed me and said she had experience the same thing at the same intersection.
Example Of Car Insurance Scam From Brake Checking
Here's another example of a brake check scam. Given the car behind didn't bump into the car ahead, the car ahead decided to reverse into the car behind! The scamming driver is always driving a cheap car. They also try to have more people inside the car to claim more injuries.
Here's another video posted on Reddit where the brake check scheme actually worked. Notice how the car is also a beater with four people getting out holding their necks. Keep your distance folks and beware! If you can get a dashcam, you will protect yourself as well.
Tougher on Crime, Please
In 2015, Kate Steinle was walking with her father on a busy pier in San Francisco when she was shot and killed by Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez, an undocumented immigrant with seven felony convictions who had been deported five times. Despite this, Lopez-Sanchez was found not guilty two years later. WTF.
On December 31, 2020, Troy McAlister—a repeat offender—struck and killed two pedestrians, Hanako Abe and Elizabeth Platt. McAlister had been arrested five times that year and served only 11 days in jail. His release was part of a plea deal brokered by District Attorney Chesa Boudin, focused on justice reform.
McAlister's release, despite his criminal track record, was appalling. San Francisco voters had enough, and in June 2022, ~60% voted to recall Chesa Boudin. Brooke Jenkins was appointed as the new District Attorney.
This recall sparked hope that San Francisco would finally take a tougher stance on crime. Then, in November 2023, the city cleaned up downtown for the Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference, showing that leaders could address crime and public safety—if they wanted to.
Why Are Political Leaders Soft on Crime?
It’s baffling why some political leaders go easy on those who commit heinous crimes. Is it guilt for ancestral wrongdoings? Is it the misguided belief that people can always reform after multiple arrests? The answer may lie in their personal backgrounds.
Chesa Boudin, Former San Francisco District Attorney
Chesa Boudin's parents were members of the radical Weather Underground. When Chesa was 14 months old, his parents left him with a babysitter to participate in an armored car robbery. The botched heist left two police officers and a Brink’s truck guard dead.
Boudin spent much of his life visiting his parents in prison, gaining an unusual perspective on the criminal justice system. His parents were convicted of murder and robbery, but to Chesa, they were loving and kind.
It’s no wonder he became an advocate for criminal justice reform. If he couldn't save his parents, he wanted to save others from the harsh sentences his parents endured. The problem was, Boudin often seemed more empathetic towards the criminals than the victims.
London Breed, San Francisco Mayor
After Mayor Ed Lee’s sudden death in 2017, London Breed became San Francisco’s mayor in July 2018. Today, she faces criticism for being soft on crime, defunding the police, and overseeing corruption . The November 2024 mayoral race is tight as people want change.
Breed’s background may explain her stance. She grew up in low-income housing surrounded by crime.
Her brother, Napoleon Brown, is serving a 40-year sentence for killing Lenties White in 2000. In 2005, a San Francisco jury found that Brown had pushed White, a 25-year-old mother of two, out of a car into traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge while they were fleeing a robbery.
Breed argues that her brother has been treated unfairly by the justice system. She points out that due to California's Three Strikes law, Brown is serving double the usual sentence for manslaughter and lesser crimes. However, last year he was caught with heroin at Solano State Prison, which resulted in an additional two years being added to his sentence.
Naturally, London Breed loves her brother, who would never try to rob or harm her. Given her personal connection, it's understandable why she might be more lenient on crime and avoid alienating some of her supporters. But she needs to put her biases aside and focus on the safety of the vast majority of San Franciscans who are not criminals.
Ultimately, London Breed was voted out given she was too soft on crime. She was also an ineffective leader with multiple corruption cases under her leadership.
Pro Legal Immigration
There’s a long, arduous process to become a legal U.S. citizen because it matters. We want people who respect our laws and contribute positively to society.
We cannot allow illegal immigrants, especially those with criminal histories, to overwhelm our cities. The repercussions will impact law-abiding citizens in various ways—from minor incidents like unpaid fender benders to more serious crimes such as theft, assault, and even murder.
Before I had a wife and kids, I didn’t think much about illegal immigration or lawlessness. I’ve been in plenty of fights and know how to defend myself. However, now that I’m a husband and father, my family’s safety is my top priority since they can’t protect themselves as easily. I hope that once elected, either Harris or Trump will make safety a top concern.
Foreign-born workers make significant contributions to our economy, but they should be welcomed only if they enter the country legally. We have too many problems of our own to deal with already.
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Reader Questions And Suggestions
What are your thoughts on illegal immigration? Why do you think the Biden/Harris administration wasn’t tougher on illegal immigration until an election year? Have you ever had a negative or positive experience with an illegal immigrant? And what are your overall thoughts on the presidential debate? How much does law, order, and safety mean to you as you've gotten older?
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Once again, you are timely and prescient about warning us about brake check scams and car insurance fraud.
There is a viral video of what you experienced caught on a dash cam. But in this case, the scammers failed to get the rear car to bump into them, so they stopped and reversed into the rear car instead! And then comically, they look perplexed and hold their necks as they get out of the car.
And now, the beater car they used has been abandoned, but the internet sleuths found it. And coincidentally or not, the scammers also look Hispanic. They probably are documented immigrants because they exchanged IDs. But who knows.
Car collision scams occur way more than people realize! Get a dashcam folks, and keep your distance!
https://nypost.com/2024/10/23/us-news/viral-staged-accident-in-nyc-probed-by-nypd-as-experts-warn-fraud-crash-cases-are-on-the-rise/
I pay my nanny $18 an hour and she is undocumented. If I had to pay an American citizen, it would cost at least $28 and closer to $35 an hour, so I’m saving $80-$120 a day. Many people in my neighborhood do the same.
So they’re just definitely a benefit for illegal immigration. If you can find the right ones who are trustworthy. Problem is letting in murderers and rapists will go on to do bad things in our country. We’ve got to send those people back.
I wish you wouldn’t get the two things mixed up like this — illegal immigration and being soft on crime / violent crime rates are two basically unrelated topics, given that there is no convincing evidence at all that the two are correlated. If anything, there is convincing evidence to suggest the opposite — that undocumented immigrants commit crime at lower rates, for the obvious reason of the threat of deportation. The fact that you are mixing these two topics — which seems quite intentional — is a tell more about you than anything else, that you are heavily biased against people who, as a token of gesture, even you acknowledged as doing nothing other than being forced to undertake such dangerous journeys due to circumstance and seeking a better life.
If you were in their position — you didn’t have the resources to be able to seek legal entry within a reasonable amount of time and there was no hope in your home country — you would do the same thing for yourself and your family. Always keep that in mind before you denounce undocumented immigration wholesale.
Sounds good. I don’t think I’m confusing the two. I just shared my car accident story, where the driver refused to share insurance and ID and didn’t speak English. It turns out, I was probably part of a staged car collision scheme to extract money.
Feel free to send the documentation you are referring to. What are your thoughts on illegal immigration and if you are in an accident With someone who refuses to provide documentation?
In terms of safety, I think so long as people are adequate with self-defense and know how to use a knife or other weapons, they should be fine.
I totally understand your positive view on having more illegal immigrants, especially if you are wealthy and employ them or own real estate and can rent to them or sell to them when they use government funds. But at some point, people should probably follow the law, or else what’s the point?
Gonna just try to state facts as I see them: it doesn’t appear at all that you were trying to “just share your car story” — you started out your post with the view that “We need new leadership that will be tougher on crime and illegal immigration”, which literally puts the two unrelated topics side by side. You also posted statistics about people coming in over the border. To top it all off, you mention certain high-profile cases of violent crime often trotted out by the blood and soil white supremacists to advance their agenda, as if those things have *anything* to do with your particular car accident story. And finally, you finished off the post with the arguably cruel statement of “immigrants should only be welcomed in our country if they come in legally”.
Given all that, a rational third-party observer can *only* come to the conclusion that you are confusing two basically unrelated topics. Or that you are intentionally mixing up the two topics to advance your agenda against undocumented immigrants.
For the evidence related to undocumented immigrants and lower crime rates, all you have to do is google “undocumented immigrants and crime”. This is not new information. It’s widely known among folks who are interested in data about immigration.
Got it. And no worries. Can you share your background and why you are a supporter of illegal immigration? I understand taking advantage of the system for a better life, but I’m more focused more on safety and following the law now that I have children.
But I think so long as we are proficient in self-defense and have enough money, than the effects of illegal immigration wont be that great.
Sharing your background will help me understand where you are coming from. Thanks.
Sam, my view is that my particular background is completely irrelevant to the discussion. This is what white supremacists and their ilk do all the time: as soon as they are challenged on their assumptions, they immediately ask, are you one of “those” people, and write them off. I would advise: don’t try to understand where a particular individual is coming from, you already know that people are different and certain groups have similar tendencies with their views about contentious issues like immigration. Do try to understand what is good or bad about the arguments or claims being made.
If you are truly interested in the valid reasons and motivations as to why some people support immigration in general — whether they come in illegally or no — you can find plenty of experts with a quick google search to look into who speak from a variety a perspectives, be it moral, economic, religious, sociological, historical or something else.
Sorry for asking about your background and offending. I just like to understand some information on who I’m conversing with so it’s not just one way.
As a minority, I’d be proud of who you are and your beliefs. If you are more confident in who you are, I think you’d be able to build better relationships. This is a safe space where we try to learn from each other.
Not offended at all. But my particular background is just not relevant to the actual discussion. I am a fellow Asian American male if that means anything. Also…my view is that there’s nothing to be really “proud of” in terms of who we are and where we come from. Usually we have no choice in the matter. But I get that some people need that sentiment for psychological boost to their minority sense of self, which is fine. But again, this has absolutely nothing to do with valid or invalid claims being made about immigration as a social policy.
I’m glad you’re not offended. I think it’s just common courtesy to share some background with someone you are communicating with as it helps to understand their perspective.
Did you end up buying the house and paying PMI in 2021? If so, how are your children enjoying the house?
Yes I bought the home, with 20% down. No huge issues with the house so far, knock on wood.
Congrats. A great feeling to be able to own a home a provide for your family.
JW, I think it’s fair for Sam to ask for your background. If you’re a hammer, all you see is nails.
JW, I think it’s fair for Sam to ask for your background. If you’re a hammer, all you see is nails.
I’m totally with you JW on supporting more undocumented/illegal immigrants. I hire about 50 of them each year at a much lower cost than Americans (about 70% cheaper). And the illegal immigrants don’t complain and are much more subordinate compared to entitled American workers who complain all the time and don’t work as hard.
These illegals have helped me make my fortune and I am forever grateful to the government and to them.
And Americans are forever grateful that your business continues to be able to exist and provide valuable services to the nation.
Yeah, totally a win-win situation
. My children are set for life and so am I. Many of my rich friends use illegal immigrants and pay them under the table for housekeeping, gardening, and even childcare work too.
Americans just need to learn how to accept the situation and take advantage.
But if illegal immigrants commit crime, then they need to be deported. We have to draw a line somewhere.
Depends on what crime, depends on how long they’ve been here and do they have American citizens as dependents, depends on their previous impact on their community, in short, it depends on a variety of factors such that you cannot just simply “draw a line”.
We are also faced with more fundamental questions such as: if the person has already done the time for the crime, punishing them any further with extreme measures arguably amounts to a misappropriation of justice.
You have to understand, philosophers and economists and other experts write entire books about immigration. It can never be as simple as “let’s draw a line somewhere and be done with it”.
Oh, drawing the line is easy. If you commit another crime, on top of the crime of coming to America easily, you should be deported or thrown in jail and fined.
If you don’t agree, I suspect you don’t have children to protect or have never been assaulted or battered.
Don, you’ve made fortune by employing illegal immigrants paying them less than living wage. Also, you’ve been breaking the law by doing so. I suspect that your US tax payments have reflect this crime.
I 100% agree. Our incompetent president letting millions of illegal immigrants pouring through the border is exactly what has caused crime to skyrocket in NYC. Now they are being put up in 4 star hotels and given prepaid Visa cards while the tax payers of NYC are footing the bill. Cash Jordan’s you tube channel chronicling all of this is mind blowing. It is also mind blowing that people are STILL voting for democrats despite all of this.
I live in Orange County and was in the Bay Area this past June visiting my close friend. We went to SF for a day trip from Cupertino and in the span of one day I walked past three stores being looted/smash and grabbed. At the first robbery, there were two cops standing outside who watched and then walked away. I saw drug dealers openly selling. I walked around people who may have been overdosed on the sidewalk or slumped over while standing like zombies. It was disturbing.
The following day we went hiking in the hills around Los Gatos. I had my puppy with me. At the end of the trail two park rangers had their hands on their gun holsters yelling at me to raise my hands over my head. In my right hand I had the dog leash and the left a full dog poop bag. Because I had my 6 month old dog with me, on this trail, they had to hold their firearms to issue me a ticket. I explained I was visiting and we didn’t park in the parking lot so I didn’t see the signs saying no dogs. They flipped out and when I tried to lower my hands they yelled even more… again hands on holsters… the whole thing took about 45 minutes… As we all stood there another older hiker went by and heckled me for having a dog and “destroying the environment”.
I’m by no means a scary looking guy. I was in a tank top and gym shorts. I also recycle etc and am a pretty decent person by any measure. This incident… the insanity of it between people in SF having a free for all and me making a tourist mistake with a puppy… it makes me question whether being a Democrat anymore makes sense. I certainly think it’s the lesser of two bad choices compared to Republican Party but… after that trip
I obviously just feel bewildered.
Sam,
long time reader and I love all of your posts with your perspective. Especially as a new dad, I greatly appreciate all of your wisdom sharing and have also read your book.
If your kids were just being born now, and you rewound time, would you still have them grow up here or do you think other countries offer better safety/opportunity value propositions? I have limited and biased perspective having never left my roots. Not sure if you have an article for this.
For context we are early 30s couple with a newborn with around 250k HHI (fully funded retirements tracking average in your charts) in high col east coast city, but I have limited prospective having been born and raised in NYC and never left.
It’s still early. I think it’s good to have a flavor of big city living as well as small city living and living abroad. I lived abroad for 13 years and five countries and I appreciated the different perspectives and cultures immensely.
Starting in 2025, we will take our first international trips and do long travel. But we need a homebase, so that homebase is San Francisco for now. Eventually, I would like for that homebase to be Honolulu Hawaii.
I have had plenty of encounters with illegal immigrants, including sponsoring one family who then had to leave the country, apply, and was eventually accepted. I am happy to say they are doing well, with both parents and kids working and thriving.
In general, I find immigrants–legal or otherwise–hard working and family-oriented. Our country needs immigrants. Our legal system needs to be overhauled to deal better with illegal immigrants. FWIW, the bipartisan bill would have been an excellent start. I’m sorry it was shot down.
Our country does not “need immigrants” got along pretty well after WWII with less than 100 million. What we need are common values, shared culture, and people that are willing to assimilate.
You may want to consider getting a dash cam, preferably one with multiple angles.
Also, I have had issues with starting to move when the lead vehicle begins to leave a stop sign, or yield sign, but then they jamb on their brakes before their backend clears the sign.
Technically speaking, the driver following is supposed to wait until the vehicle in front completely clears the stop sign before they move up to take their turn. So, while it seems a bit procedural and unrealistic, taking the extra half second to wait for the lead vehicle’s backend to clear the stop sign, or yield, can prevent these types of collisions.
It looks like more people are starting to talk about this issue. Since Sam, who lives in a very liberal area, is bringing it up, it seems likely that folks in swing states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Arizona are thinking about it too. This makes me think Trump might be closer to winning than many believe. There could be a lot of people in liberal states who aren’t thrilled with Harris, which might mean that Trump has strong support in swing states that isn’t showing up in polls.
So, I’m predicting a clear win for Trump, including in key swing states like PA, MI, and AZ.
What do you think?
I think the race will be very close. A lot can happen between now and the election.
Here’s a perspective worth reading of Trump wins:
https://www.financialsamurai.com/what-a-trump-presidency-means-for-your-finances/
After doing some research and receiving new info, it looks like I was involved in a car collision setup.
Beware of the scams out there, especially on the road where you are more easily a target. There is also the parking lot scam to be aware of too, which was tried on me this year as well.
https://www.financialsamurai.com/car-insurance-fraud-as-a-side-hustle-is-not-worth-the-money/
As a child less unmarried Asian cat lady, I have very low tolerance of crime, especially violent crime, regardless of immigration status. I live in the East Bay and many people I know are afraid to go into the city due to the crime. That’s ridiculous, but SF needs to clean up.
Car insurance scam rings are everywhere in California actually. They recruit illegal in migrants who have a more difficult time finding work and promise to pay them a quick $500 to be the driver of a dumpy car or something. Then the organize witnesses and other passengers who file claims etc.
It sounds like due to no damage and an inexperienced driver who was too timid and shy, they gave up and weren’t able to scam you.
Drivers beware.
Thanks. I did a ton of research about it last night and I am astounded. A new post coming up. I can’t say for sure I was being scammed, but I have my suspicions based on some new information.
The bad driving is really a point that needs to be focused on by new immigrants, legal or illegal. The city of Springfield, Ohio is dangerous for drivers.
If the school bus last year that was forced off the road had 30 dead children instead of one, it would have opened up more eyes, but the action was the same. They have no licenses, no insurance, and they don’t obey traffic rules!
A shame. Your traffic incident is another example of how less experienced people can make things bad for others. To not have car insurance is illegal, and so is having black tinted windows.
It’s good to hear that nobody was injured and everything worked out well. I didn’t think about being cautious getting out of the car either in case of an accident. So that’s a good heads up as you never know Who are the other side is.
I wish the government would focus more on helping its citizens and getting more qualified, legal immigrants through the pipeline instead of doing so much to protect illegal immigrants. It makes no sense.
Thanks, I appreciate it.
What the government is showing us is that you must depend on yourself and not the government for help.
Sorry, but Trump showed how he really feels about solving this problem when he bricked the bi-partisan bill in the House. Everything after that has been nothing but theater including the imminent threats to our pets.
Please argue the points of the bi-partisan bill that would have prevented 1,000s of people from crossing between ports or entry and encouraged them to present themselves at a port of entry for inspection. The bipartisan border bill, on an annualized basis, would have allowed over a million illegal border crossers access to the asylum system before the president could have shut the border. Even then, it was the president’s choice to shut or not shut. If your argument is that because it was a bipartisan bill it should have been passed; I’m sorry, but that’s a childish attitude.
Government is not House of Cards, it’s not The West Wing – It’s VEEP. We would all be better off if we remember this point. Our “leadership” at times, actively works against the interests of the citizens and legal residents of this country to benefit themselves.
I thought the bipartisan bill would still allow 2 million illegals’ in a year .
How is that going to solve this problem? no one is against immigration but just want what most countries do- have legal immigration .
and if i tried to go to live in mexico i would be arrested and deported asap
It WAS a terrible political theater bill. Deserved to die and good on Trump for advocating it’s death.
I’d encourage you to actually read the bill written by Senator Langkford, a border hawk.
https://www.lankford.senate.gov/issues/calling-out-bidens-chaos-at-the-southern-border-pushing-to-secure-the-us-from-bad-actors-around-the-world/
Trump prevented the bill from even being debated. If there were portions of the bill that needed improvement bring it to the fooor, debate and amend it. The fact that Trump killed it before it could even be debated is telling.
Not that this is going to change anyone’s mind, but here is what the bill actually said:
“It’s not that the first 5,000 [migrants encountered at the border] are released, that’s ridiculous,” Lankford said on the Senate floor. “The first 5,000 we detain, we screen and then we deport. If we get above 5,000, we just detain and deport.”
If you want to change a policy, you gotta change the law. This would have changed the law.
More laws will do nothing if the laws aren’t enforced. I thought in order to claim asylum, a migrant has to enter at a port of entry. How about anyone caught entering anywhere but a port of entry loses the chance to ever have legal status in the U.S. This would help end human trafficking and the hold the cartel has on our border.
No one who crosses between a Port of Entry illegally should ever be given amnesty or the hope of a pathway to legalization or citizenship. The only way to claim asylum should be to present oneself at a POE and go through the asylum process. The ridiculously stupid bipartisan border bill was pathetic on illegal immigration. It set a ridiculously high daily ceiling of illegal border activity and then authorized the president to act but didn’t mandate presidential action. Furthermore, the current administration radically changed actions like Parole to grant entry to thousands of people who, before, would never have received Parole. Our “leadership” fails us daily.
Interesting timing for this article on the day after Trump was exposed as a man “with a concept of a policy” about everything that spewed from his mouth but no actual substance.
I think most rational people would agree that a better plan than “status quo” for illegal immigration would be beneficial for all. It’s beyond frustrating that Trump torpedoed a rational bipartisan plan written by some of the most conservative members of congress for his own personal electioneering purposes hoping that he could benefit from failure.
Other than talking about locking up undesirables and mysterious made-up immigrants “who eat dogs and cats”, why did the GOP not enact any border reform bills during their time in office from 2016-2018 holding all 3 branches of government? It’s a well-known historical concept for a politician to rally around the concept of a demonized “other” group. Do you think it’s possible that Trump is using the idea of illegal immigration in this fashion?
I thought Trump was very pro building a wall and Hiden torpedoed it and let millions of illegals in every year to boost their power?
If you do something illegal and then commit a crime, you’re damn right you should be demonized!
Why are you letting people doing illegal things get away with crowding out legal American citizens? That makes no sense.
Who is Hiden and what role did they play during the Trump administration?
I’m glad you agree that Trump should be demonized and that it’s ridiculous he’s getting away with doing illegal things while good law abiding citizens are having a tough time.
Great article Sam! We need to see more commentary like this. My only quibble is that anyone who thinks voting for Harris will result in her lifting a finger to stop the flow of illegal immigration is kidding themselves. If you care about this issue then you only have one choice, vote for Trump.
We have immigration laws for a reason, and it is a total non sequitur for anyone to argue that those who oppose illegal immigration are anti-immigrant. So many of us are here because our parents or grandparents came here legally and it is perfectly logical to expect our government to enforce our laws, including our immigration laws.
“ total non sequitur for anyone to argue that those who oppose illegal immigration are anti-immigrant” bingo!
People calling others racists or bigots for being opposed to illegal activity are part of the problem, not the solution.
As a legal immigrant myself (mine was relatively easy due to marriage to a citizen but I came to the US on student visa first for further education), I saw how my friends with advanced STEM degrees struggled to stay in the US. While domestic students have little interest in pursuing advanced STEM degrees, the majority of government funded scientific research projects are actually carried out by foreign graduate students from China, India, Middle East, Eastern Europe, other Asian and Western European countries etc. After those well-trained foreign students graduate, they have to go through rigid immigration procedures if they want to stay in the US. First OPT, then H1B, then EB2/3 green cards, which would take several years. There is strict quota for people born in Chinese mainland and India due to the large quantity, so it takes even longer for Chinese and Indians. If they are lucky and have multiple publications, they may be able to obtain green cards with NIW or EB1 faster. During that time, they have to be very careful not to brush against laws including traffic tickets, and their legal status depends on the employers. US government apparently keep these talents who pay a lot of tax dollars, barely use the welfare systems and obey the laws in check with the “golden chains”: the lengthy and expensive legal immigration processes.
On the other hand, when so many people walk across the borders without being vetted and checked, and aids were blindly and generously given without limits (sure a lot of them need humanitarian aids), and the programs to incorporate them to the US society to function properly are very limited, it creates a large group of marginalized people in the society. A lot of illegal or undocumented immigrants would take low-paying labor jobs the locals would not take, which subject them to abuses and exploitations (maybe better than their home countries?). A lot of them have no skills for better job placements and they may fall into preys of crimes or join criminal activities. Afterall, they need to survive, and government aids only last so long. The government takes them in but could not provide the opportunities for them and just feed them some welfare, thus creating more and more people dependent on the government (or maybe that is the goal of the government?). The public services would collapse eventually while trying to serve so many people in need. Middle class people suffer the most because they could not afford to pay extra for decent services.
Illegal or undocumented immigrants pose a security threat to the society not because they are evil. They are just fellow human beings trying to survive and find a better life for themselves. They find a system that rewards their behavior and take advantage of that. Who would not? But when there is a large group of marginalized people who take over a lot of resources and negatively affect those who are here longer and feel more entitled, hostility, rage, fear, anxiety brew and those strong feelings in large number of people would be weaponized to create a more polarized and more dangerous society.
“After those well-trained foreign students graduate, they have to go through rigid immigration procedures if they want to stay in the US. First OPT, then H1B, then EB2/3 green cards, which would take several years. There is strict quota for people born in Chinese mainland and India due to the large quantity, so it takes even longer for Chinese and Indians. If they are lucky and have multiple publications, they may be able to obtain green cards with NIW or EB1 faster. During that time, they have to be very careful not to brush against laws including traffic tickets, and their legal status depends on the employers. US government apparently keep these talents who pay a lot of tax dollars, barely use the welfare systems and obey the laws in check with the “golden chains”: the lengthy and expensive legal immigration processes.”
Great point you bring up. It would be great if the government was consistent with their standards of who can get in and who cannot, and what happens as a result.
Great article, Sam. Brave and spot on.
Everybody wants a better life for themselves. But if you get into an accident or break the law, there should be consequences just like everybody else.
Unwilling to provide documentation and being unable to speak, English is a red flag. Anybody believing otherwise is being intellectually dishonest.
This is sad. We need to fix the corruption in our country, because if things continue in the direction they are headed, WE are going to be the illegal immigrants fleeing into OTHER countries.
As far as illegal immigration, the law is the law, and it needs to be enforced. The process of assimilation is crucial to the norms, customs, and laws of our country, too. Folks who have come here illegally need to be deported, unfortunately, otherwise we have fundamentally changed the voting base and makeup of the country, un-democratically. You wouldn’t let non-shareholders vote to change your company, so you shouldn’t let foreigners vote in your elections or change your country. Sorry.
Twenty years I worked at a home and auto insurance company that was backed by TD bank and Security National. I think it was like 10-20% of drivers were uninsured. This is not a new problem, but definitely sucks to be involved in a situation with such a party. Not sure about the US, but the government here had a claims process and coverage up to 200, 000k for situations like this. My language could be foggy and my detail might not be totally accurate, AND to get this money the process was slow and onerous.
It’s speculative to say whether the other party was insured or not in the narrative, because as another commenter rightfully said, there are many other factors at play.
Sorry to hear about your cracked bumper, that is a bummer. I swiped the side of my new Tesla a few months ago and was quoted $6500 for a new door, paint blending, blah blah. Decided not to fix it because there’s a good chance of something else happening with tight parking and kids. It really isn’t that bad and is cosmetic. Insurance already costs enough so I don’t want to put through a claim.
There has been high immigration here as well. It does make things feel more stressful, but I can’t blame anyone for trying to pursue his/her best life.
“but the government here had a claims process and coverage up to 200, 000k for situations like this” – That’s mighty generous of the Canadian government. I’ll look into it here in the U.S. Unfortunately, I think we are SOL if we get into an accident with an uninsured motorist. But I’ll look into it.
I can’t blame anybody for wanting to pursue their best life too. I just want more legal immigration.
“Uninsured Motorist Protection” is the official language. Its purpose was designed to help with major injury/ disability costs rather than get involved with fender benders.
This topic has me thinking about whether I want to increase my coverage against uninsured/ underinsured drivers- just since things have gotten so cut throat.
Got it. I looked it up here in California and the limit is $3,500. That’s not much given how much it costs to fix cars nowadays. But it’s better than nothing I guess.
I can see that I’m in the minority here but for what it’s worth this is my take on all this. The hypocrisy of the current administration is astounding. (And many past admins as well.) There are thousands of people who are currently Waiting in the system LEGALLY to come here. They have families ready to support them but they are in limbo. Instead, those who break the law are REWARDED for doing so.
I’m beyond sick and tired of hearing about the better life mantra. Tell that to those whose communities are being destroyed by hoards of people bringing their diseases and criminal behavior with them. There are elements who are coming here to foment crime and mayhem and that is unaddressed. People trafficking and child endangerment is off the charts. It’s not that the administration is unaware of it; they want it and welcome it.
How is it helping anyone to allow millions into this country who are a net drag on the economy? What about our homeless vets, mentally ill and others who are Born here? Those coming to Ohio are currently aided by an organization which provides this slave labor to interested hiring parties at a pittance of the cost they would pay if they hired American born people. Locals are totally unaware of the jobs that are available because it’s a hidden job market. Americans need not apply. So much for the “jobs Americans won’t do” mantra. Unemployment is High yet we’re importing slave labor. Qui bono?
For those interested the organization bringing in the Haitians in Ohio is here. https://live-irc-switchboard.pantheonsite.io/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Switchboard-Info-Guide-Job-Development-in-an-Economic-Recession.pdf In addition, the locals are footing the bill for the healthcare, education, housing and needs of all these people.
My husband escaped a Communist country in the 80s. You can BET he had to have a sponsor with MONEY who had to present a plan to Immigration which outlined how he was going to be mainstreamed into the country. We, in turn, sponsored others over the years and footed the bill; no one was ever on welfare nor did they receive public benefits. Why is this no longer the standard?
I spent years in Refugee resettlement after the Viet Nam war. I helped to resettle Vietnamese, Cambodians as well as Guatemalans and others. What’s happening is a national disgrace. It is destabilizing the country and ignoring the needs of the native born and legal status immigrants whose wages are now in a race to the bottom to compete against those who are subsidized.
If people cannot come legally they shouldn’t be allowed to come at all.
“There are thousands of people who are currently Waiting in the system LEGALLY to come here. They have families ready to support them but they are in limbo. Instead, those who break the law are REWARDED for doing so.”
Yes, it is a baffling conundrum. The line to immigrate to the U.S. legally is long. I don’t understand the hypocrisy either.
A lot of virtue signaling by privileged wealthy people who are OK with illegal immigration because they are the ones hiring them for childcare and other work.
When you’re rich enough to have security, send your kids to private school, and live in gated communities, you are more OK with illegal immigration and crime because it doesn’t affect you.
Exactly. It’s always those who own prime real estate live in communities where migrants cannot afford to live, with careers that migrants could not reasonably achieve that are the loudest and most supportive of the disruption unchecked migration causes.
It’s a hypocritical, narcissistic, and privileged stance. Wealthy people only care about it so that population and economic growth continues since birth rates are so low, and they need this rapidly deteriorating house of cards that is the US economy to keep standing.
You have every right to be frustrated and question this person’s status as a US citizen after describing the situation. We have been watching our country change slowing over time, with illegal migrants coming into our country without going through the proper channels. We all understand and want legal immigration into the U.S, (it is what has made our country great), however, the process needs to be better vetted as it was intended. I’ve met my share of what I assume are illegal aliens, in the Midwest and many have been cordial and kind, however, we should not dismiss the fact there needs to be much more stringent control of allowing into the U.S. for the safety and wellbeing of the tax paying majority. Thank you for addressing this issue as it continues to be a lightning rod, but necessary discussion point.