Ask Santana

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According to (2011 The Associated Press)," Santana said in an impromptu news conference after the ceremony. "This is about fear. Stop shucking and jiving. People are afraid we're going to steal your job. No we aren't. You're not going to change sheets and clean toilets."  These are the two things I have against Mr. Santana’s statement 1st, like most anti-immigration advocates, he never addresses the immigration laws of other countries – particularly Mexico’s, or Costa Rica’s. However, Mexican authorities are known for their brutality and their refusal to allow illegal immigrants to protest against their treatment by Mexican authorities; in fact, Mexico’s, Arizona and Atlanta’s are similar. But, their similarities end with their actions; our government allows illegal immigrants to protest against their own treatment, and does not engage in the brutality that Mexico utilizes against them when they do so.

 

These are excerpts from articles outlining both Mexico’s and Costa Rica’s treatment of immigrants both legal and illegal, the 1st excerpt taken from USA Today is of Mexico’s, which is the largest single source of illegal immigrants in the United States, treatment of illegal immigrants: From USA Today (et al, Updated 5/25/2010 7:53 PM) "There (in the United States), they'll deport you," Hector Vázquez, an illegal immigrant from Honduras, said as he rested in a makeshift camp with other migrants under a highway bridge in Tultitlán. "In Mexico they'll probably let you go, but they'll beat you up and steal everything you've got first."

2nd excerpt From KarenRealEstate.com located in Costa Rica, ”If you are a pensionado (pensioner) or a rentista (renter), you will not have to pay taxes in Costa Rica, but you will have restrictions regarding the rights you have here. You can have your own business but you cannot be employed; for this you will need a permanent residence and obtain a work permit. You will need to have a rather large amount of documents ready. Unfortunately, there is no way around this; the first three documents listed below are mandatory for all types of residency, and are valid for a period of 6 months following their issue.

These are:

•             Police Certificate of Good Conduct

•             Birth Certificate

•             Marriage Certificate

However the list continues, the most important document mentioned which relates to the heading of my column is – Income Certificate for Pensionado and Rentista:  “This is required for only the applicant, and it is valid for 6 months. Pensionados -proof of a pension of at least US$1000/month stating that it is for life, and that it will be paid on Costa Rican soil.” This in combination with being able to own your own business, but cannot be employed would be difficult for impoverished U.S. citizens to accomplish considering our own socio-economic crisis; despite the fact that we refuse to acknowledge that we are still in crisis and facing an imminent jobs recession.

I am aware that utilizing Costa Rica will bring backlash from liberal opponents to what I’ve just said, so let me further express to you in writing how Costa Ricans’ feel about having individuals legal or illegal break their no work prohibition from Christopher Howard’s blog (et al, Live in Costa Rica 13 January 2011) “immigration police will be increased and in some cases they will deport anyone who is caught working without the proper documentation. This is not a major issue but what it boils down to is that you have people who are guests in a country and who are breaking the law.” What is also expressed in Howard’s blog is a desire to be protected from “hard core fringe elements” due to being surrounded by other South American countries that Costa Ricans hope will absorb less desirable immigrants on their way to Costa Rica.

Thus; attempting to utilize Costa Rica’s stance upon immigration as a rebuttal to my article is futile. In short, illegal immigrants are not a welcomed source of immigration to any nation that truly places the wellbeing of its native born citizens above corporate profits due to their impact upon both its national job market and those citizens still dealing with both historical and institutionalized discrimination.

To further add insult to my opponents’ argument against illegal immigration laws two of the countries that are attempting to sue the U.S. along with Mexico over its immigration laws Bolivia, and Argentina also possess and enforce tough immigration laws. In fact, both countries are known for deporting illegal immigrants on a routine basis; thus, attempting to launch a suite against the U.S. over its immigration policies is nothing short of blatant hypocrisy.

What no one seems to ask is if rather or not those Latin American countries seeking to sue the U.S. over its immigration policies are doing so as an attempt to sacrifice the U.S.’s declining wellbeing in an effort to protect their own countries from being overcome by the effects of illegal immigration; while also having the world community focus on U.S. anti-illegal immigration laws as they take measure to strengthen their own anti-immigration laws. These seem to be questions that pro-immigration groups and lobbyists are either afraid, or prefer not to be asked.