Home \ Issues \ Inglis on the Issues \ Immigration: Where Do We Draw the Line
"From Brooms to Boardrooms" - A Real-Life Immigration Story
Any solution to the illegal immigration problem must have a balance that reflects the American spirit. We're a nation of laws, and we must value the rule of law. At the same time, we're a nation of immigrants, and America must remain open in order to remain America.
U.S. Rep. Bob Inglis started his Upstate Immigration Tour in October to get a first-hand account from key government agencies, hospitals, schools, businesses, farmers and construction sites on how illegal immigration is affecting the Fourth District.
To read a summary of each visit click on the links below.
Oct. 3 – Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE), Greenville
Oct. 5 – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Greer
Oct. 5 – Social Security Office Visit, Greenville
Oct. 6 – Spartanburg Regional Hospital
Oct. 6 – Greenville Hospital System
Oct. 10 – Immigration Walk Talk town meeting; Berea High School, Berea
Oct. 13 – Immigration Walk Talk town meeting; Chapman High School, Inman
Oct. 24 – Arcadia Elementary School, Spartanburg
Oct. 24 – Spartanburg County Sheriff's Department Ride-Along
Oct. 31 – Construction Site; Greenville
Oct. 31 – Park Place Corporation, Greenville
Nov. 28 – Gramling Brothers Farm, Inman (w/ SC Nursery & Landscape Assoc., Gilbert’s Nursery, King’s Sunset Nursery)
Nov. 29 – S.C. Department of Motor Vehicles Office Visit
Nov. 29 – S.C. Department of Social Services Office Visit
Nov. 29 – S.C. Internal Revenue Service Office Visit
Nov. 29 – Immigration Walk Talk town meeting (Greenville Library System, Symmes Branch, Pelham Rd.)
Dec. 1 – Met with the Management Team of Ryan's Steakhouse to discuss employment and hiring process
Dec. 1 – Immigration Walk Talk town meeting (Boiling Springs High School, Cafeteria)
Dec. 1 – Fourth District Hispanic Interest Forum: “Immigration: Finding the Balance”
First, thank you for the assistance I have received from your Greenville office concerning the LEGAL IMMIGRATION of my soon to be wife from Brazil. Please note that I capitalized the words Legal & Immigration to point out an obvious distinction between it and the illegal aliens invading our country. Three things I wish to point out: 1) Nobody in the media nor the House or Senate has said anything nor made any connection between all the abortions that have gone on over the last 20 plus years and the lack of an American workforce. 2) Illegal behavior must not be rewarded! 3) Our Constitution gives us Citizenship to children born in this country even if their parent(s) is here illegally. This needs to be changed as this provides another way to "beat the system". If these people want to immigrate to the US, GREAT! Do it legally!
First, thank you for the assistance I have received from your Greenville office concerning the LEGAL IMMIGRATION of my soon to be wife from Brazil. Please note that I capitalized the words Legal & Immigration to point out an obvious distinction between it and the illegal aliens invading our country. Three things I wish to point out: 1) Nobody in the media nor the House or Senate has said anything nor made any connection between all the abortions that have gone on over the last 20 plus years and the lack of an American workforce. 2) Illegal behavior must not be rewarded! 3) Our Constitution gives us Citizenship to children born in this country even if their parent(s) is here illegally. This needs to be changed as this provides another way to "beat the system". If these people want to immigrate to the US, GREAT! Do it legally!
All illegals should be deported. If they choose to live in America, they need to know we have laws and coming here illegally is breaking the law. Deport them and if they love this country so much they can come back legally. Also, I believe anyone employing illegals should pay a huge fine and their business shut down for at least 6 months. Would paying illegals make up for 6 months of not operating their business or paying acceptable wages to americans? We are too soft on the illegals and too soft on the ones who employ them.
It was nice to be on your town hall meeting conference call the other day but had to drop off to pick up my son before I could comment to you on some of my concerns and issues. So on that note let me begin: Your approach to immigration is one that I am not 100% in agreement with. Let me start off by saying that the federal, state and local governments have a stake in this issue. Why do I say that, quite simple, our tax dollars are being wasted on this parasite called illegal immigrants. Go to the social services department here in Greenville, 80% are Spanish speaking. They talk amongst themselves to learn how to get medical and other aid. Come to find out all they need is a birth certificate and a social security card. Nothing wrong with that you might say, well the states social services department is not validating with the Social Security Administration that the SSN being used is valid, as you propose for employers.
I myself have a problem with immigration. I realize that they get more benefits than I do. and I lived here all my life. Me and my wife both work and are raising kids. But if there is ever a need to be a need in our life. The goverment will not give us any help. The goverment gives illegals special loans for homes and cars and etc. I cannot get this in Mexico. America does not take care of their own people. It is not right for tax payers to take care of another country's people. I guess that is the reason they open up businesses so quickly. I am ashamed of you America.
I have lived in Brazil for 20 years and returned in 1988. One major mindset among their cultures is to beat the system. They take bribes to do their jobs, they really believe laws are made to be broken. This same mindset is being encouraged when our country is looking the other way on illegals. How blatant do they have to be when they fly a foreign flag, their President visits our country demanding we do more for them, and they claim the Southwest is theirs? Our government needs to make demands of Mexico to be honest with its own people to quit stealing from its citizens and give them fair wages. Our present system is justifying slave wages for these people, making the employers rich, and helping Mexico get rid of its poor people. Seal up the border, send them home, uphold our laws!
We urgently need your help to put a stop to mandatory foreign language voting. The House of Representatives will soon vote on whether to require ballots in foreign languages for another 25 years. This requirement is mandated by section 203 of the Voting Rights Act, which is up for renewal this summer. Section 203 was not a part of the original VRA and should not be a part of this renewal of the VRA. We must act now or be stuck with this wasteful and divisive policy for another two and a half decades. Only U.S. citizens can vote in federal elections and to become a citizen one must know English. There is no good reason to force American cities and states to provide ballots in other languages at the cost of millions of dollars per election. Please stop the foreign language voting mandate today.
I lived in Phoenix, AZ for 3 years. Everyone should see what has been done to that state because of the illegals crossing the border. Phoenix is crime ridden, filthy with trash everywhere. While I was there, there was an incident that involved illegals being herded across the border into AZ. Several (approx 14) died from heat and dehydration. The survivors were given medical care, a place to live and jobs, if they would rat out the people in charge of bringing them over. Meanwhile, I worked 13 hrs a week and earned $8.00 an hour and did not have any health care and made too much to qualify for any Medicaid or food stamps. But the illegals got everything free. I was irrate; born and bred in the USA and I could not get any help. Now you know why its is legal to carry weapons in AZ.
Big corporations who dole out big money will win this one if you blink just one time. To hear the President of our country telling me that illegals are here in our country doing work that Americans won't do is a wake up call. For him to say that tells me that his hand is as deep in corporate America's pockets as it will go. Shame on him! Stop the illegals by enforcing the laws on the books already. Punish the employers of these illegals and the problem will be resolved. It may take awhile to do this and the economy may suffer a bit in the beginning but when these people have been removed from all the government help lists the economy will see a huge gain. And most importantly, we don't need new laws to do this.
I am not sure where this bill sits at now in the House and Senate but still want you to know that these people and their offspring should be sent back to their country as soon as they are caught. Having them here illegally is putting a burden on the states resources and harming the people that really need the aide. I am tired of the politicians especially Senator Graham who think these folks will vote for them in the future and ignoring our point of views and requests on a daily basis. Do what is right for the country not big business or because the sitting President wants it to happen.
Tie legal immigration and Social Security together and that will solve a number of issues. Immigrants will have a financial reason to register and become legal, as it will allow them to invest and build a future. We need to speak out against those who claim that by doing so, we are "giving" immigrants Social Security. We are instead allowing them to invest in America. We will increase the number of contributors to Social Security and help shore up that declining pot. It will increase the costs to hire immigrants, and help to prevent them from being able to price their service below that of citizens. It will alllow us to know who they are, where they are and what they are doing, freeing our Security Services to investigate those few unregistered, instead of the many.
Illegal immigration has become a problem. However, we should help those who have been here a while. They have married Americans, have children and grandchildren here. If they are deported, our American families and children will suffer and be without a dad. I have grandchildren who have illegal fathers. They have lived here almost 20 years and make good money. They applied for the I-130 to become legal years ago but that hasn't happened. These families need for their dad to become legal and not threaten their families.
Bob-I am pretty much in line with your thinking on this vital issue. I am extremely upset watching both parties pandering for future "block voters" instead of doing what is BEST for the United States of America. I agree on verification of social secuirty numbers prior to hiring and then the VISA expiration checks with each quarterly tax statements. Much more enforecemnet on businesses large and small. Then secure BOTH borders, north and south. Eliminate all social services to ILLEGALS....I travel the world and often hear...how difficult it is to enter the U.S. legally and that has to be corrected as well. We are all "pro-immigration" as we are all decendants of immigrants. It just has to be done the proper and LEGAL way.
The reason so many of Americans are outraged at the politicians on the immigration issue is simple - we don't trust them. They have turned a blind eye to the law for the last 20 years and are only now tackling the issue because we are fed up and demand it. They think they can pass some quick bill and then go back to the status quo. Sorry guys that won't work this time. The House bill is a good start. The Senate bill will not fly.
Freedom is acquired, maintained and defended by Combat Military people and their supporters. No President, Congress, court or lawyer can give you freedom unless it is first acquired and maintained by the military. At present our Military is scattered all over the world meddling in wars and arguments not in our best interest while the United States is being over run by invaders. It is most disgusting to see the Constitution and the Oath of Office being trampled in the mud of the Rio Grande. The feeble and pathetic efforts by several administrations to stop this invasion is unbelievable.
The situation of having 12 million illegal aliens is unacceptable. There's little disagreement that this is bad. Who's responsible for this? The U.S. government is and we are as its constituency. Thus, we're faced with the reality that terrorists, drug-smugglers, and other criminals are, we can only assume, lost in an endless current of job-seekers. (And for those who balk at this, claiming businesses should pay more for Americans to fill those jobs – in many cases this would drive whole businesses South of the border or elsewhere. I don't see how this is helpful.) Our legal immigration system is a disaster. I'm not for unrestricted immigration, but what we have now is arbitrary, underfunded, absurdly slow, and subject to endless and often nonsensical interpretations by low-level, poorly trained personnel. The House has offered a mean-spirited nonstarter bill for which the sponsors and supporters should be ashamed.
I am retired from the Army and now drive a truck to Louisiana and back every week. I see first hand the destruction that illegals immigrants cause on our border with Mexico. We pick up in California every Friday, and these people abuse our laws and land daily. Do not allow these law breakers to stay here. They broke our law and need to go back to their country - no matter the cost. Thank you.
Illegal immigration is as it suggests illegal. Why is it that any other illegal activity, such as drug dealing or bank robbing, is considered a crime and punished yet someone sneaks across the boarder is not considered a criminal? I am new to South Carolina and as much as I love my new home, I am disappointed, even offended, that the builder for my home chooses to use non-English speaking (potentially illegal) Mexican labor. I think English should be made our official language.
What you are advocating amounts to "open borders" and is repugnant to those of us who reject "Socialist Globalism" for the United States. The whims and intents of parasites and enemies of our freedom and Constitution are preempting our laws. Karl Marx advocated "From each according to his ability to each according to his need." An out of control Senate and deluded President aspire to "Bananna Republic" status ala Marx. We are the envy of the world and envy engenders hatred even though our generosity is unmatched in the world. If you and your congressional colleagues won't bring immigration under existing laws then Third Party is our only alternative to Globalism. I was a Republican State Executive Committeeman and moved from (Rep.) Gresham's (Barrett) district to yours. I have supported you and Lindsey strongly but you are sloughing off of the Rule of Law. Please rethink this.
Please remain firm in representing the 4th district as we continue to demand in priority order: 1) secure our borders; 2) enforce our laws; and 3) make changes to our immigration policy as it relates to our best interest. We have already been left wanting by Senator Graham as he snuggles up to Senator McCain. No FENCE, No Graham is what my yard sign says.
Come November, my Conservative vote will go to those who who stand up for my rights as an American. Any elected offical who does not look to Americans best interests and beliefs does not deserve a position in my government. Mr. Inglis, I beg of you to stand up for those who have supported you. I beg of you to please be strong as our voice as Legal Americans.
Please continue to represent the will of your constituents here in the Upstate to protect the United States from the current illegal invasion of foreign nationals. What should be done is obvious to most people- enforce our laws and secure our borders. Those (including US citizens) who have profited from this illegal traffic and its cheap labor must be prosecuted and made to return their ill-begotten gains, no matter how wealthy the trade has made them. Please stay strong on this and do not lull us (again) with the "temporary worker" or "conditional amnesty" charades that will only encourage a larger invasion over the next decade, as they have since 1986. Iraq is not invading the United States, but Mexico is, on an unprecedented scale. Without enforcement of our laws, the takeover will be complete within a few decades.
I implore you to represent your constituents and not illegal aliens as senator graham does. I will not vote for senator graham in the future, but you can rest assured in having my vote if you stay strong on fighting the illegal alien invasion. Granting amnesty to foreign lawbreakers is counter-productive. Thanks.
Stay firm on the illegal immigrant problem. It is sad to see Graham and Bush drift. I hope you will run against him in the next election when he is up for re-election. I am fearful that the country will be taken over by the radical left next election because of their softness in this and many other issues.
I have always been a supporter and actually have an "Inglis for Senate" tee-shirt in my closet. Please support a strong House Bill restricting the activity of illegal immigrants from the USA. I hear that illegals provide "cheap labor" that US citizens will not do. Who is going to do these jobs if President Bush and the Senate grant the illegals a path to citizenship? Do we need to support more illegal "slavery" in the US? My thoughts are 1) be tough on employers that hire illegals. 2) protect our borders from invasion because it is a "constitutional" responsibility of every elected official. 3) enforce the laws that are already on the books. Frankly, I will not vote for the US Senator from Pickens County ever again because of this issue. We need your vote on a strong anti-illegal migration bill. Thanks!
Your and the House position to control immigration is appreciated. Keep up the good work.
Please don't give in to pressure from the President or the Senate on this matter. We're feeling abondon by those 2 institutions in their effort to offer a conditional surrender to illegal immigrants in our country. I voted for the President but he's wrong on this one. The law should be upheld not revised to accommodate people that obviously don't respect our laws. Please, Please fight for U.S.
Please discuse how American agricultural policies effect illegal immigration.
Seal the borders, arrest the illegals (felony) and deport them or look for a new job. Pretty simple right!
With the rift of the "illegals" comes the gang of MS-13. This gang is now located in most states and has been described as a security threat to the U.S. Sir, I strongly support the house immigration bill and would encourage you to solicit support from the Senators to help stop a watered down compromise bill to the liking of Kerry, Kennedy, and Hillary.
I want to commend the United States House of Representatives, and yourself in particular, for proposing and passing legislation that would move illegal aliens out of the United States and deny citizenship to illegal aliens. Hold your ground against the Senate legislative proposal. I am convinced that people now citizens can be employed in any job that an illegal holds.
The only word you need to consider is "Illegal", the rest should be simple. I am so tired of calling major companies and cannot understand the person on the phone. I do not care if you say you all, Yall, or youins, just say it in ENGLISH. Send them all back and admit them in the proper channels.
I am a Conservative. I vote Republican. If my elected officials support illegal entry into this country, then they loose my support! I expect my elected officials to do the right thing. Not submitting bills that condone illegal actions of individuals groups or countries.
Legal immigration is fine and good, there is no problem with people coming to this country in the correct manner. The problem with "illegal" immigration is just that - it's Illegal. I am tired of hearing that American citizens won't do these minimum skilled jobs, when to me that would be the best welfare reform ever, to make those physically capable of labor, to perform these jobs and just be supplemented by welfare with strict guidance in order to make a living. I believe that the illegal that are caught should be automatically deported within 48 hours and the company they were working for should face increasing severe fines for each infraction. Then for normal "legal" immigrants it should be the primary wage earner to come legally first, then once they have established residence and taxes, then the remainder of their family could join them. No free insurance, health care or other things that our own citizens can't afford would be provided. Also, citizenship would not would not be automatic to those children of "illegal" immigrants.
We would like to have border enforcement. Why should America be any different from anybody else? We traveled to Mexico on vacation this summer and were not allowed to leave the U.S. without a passport or proper paperwork, nor were we allowed back in without the same. This is HOME for us and we are expected to follow guidelines that our immigrant fellows are excused of. They are breaking federal laws and are not being held accountable. We just don't understand why there would be ANY EXCUSE at all for them. SEND THEM HOME! Put the National Guard on the border to ensure border protection. If they cross, they should pay with their lives. This would send a message that would not take long to understand. The majority of the illegal immigrants do not speak English, causing serious issues in regard to communication. They do not pay taxes, so why should we educate their children who will in turn take our jobs!!
Illegal immigration is a problem because the American people don't have anyone at the national level to provide leadership to enforce the laws of the land. Fine the people hiring the illegals and that would solve the problem. But we continue to posture politically to get re-elected without solving any of the key problems of this nation.
Poor people used to live in the country and they could always find agricultural jobs, plus they usually lived in a house and could grow veggies, have a chicken or two for eggs and maybe a cow for milk. Many of these people moved into cities for the "freebie" of public housing, free medical care and free food. There went all the Americans who would work for low paying jobs. And there they sit in their apartments. In come illegal immigrants who will work for food. After these illegals become U.S. citizens, what's going to be their motivation to work and not move into big cities for the freebies? I know I sound paranoid, but after the way the press and the Democrats backstabbed the President on the Iraq war, I feel they are using us. I feel once they get this immigration bill passed, in a few years when all these people are citizens, they are tired of low paying jobs and they will move into the welfare system. I think the Democrats are going to exploit the high unemployment rate and blame it on the Republicans for "letting these people in." The media will back them up. Please vote to keep illegals out of the U.S. Please make them wait in line in their home country. They figured out how to get here and they can figure out how to get back. My friend's mother is an immigrant from Germany; she cannot believe how she had to wait and now these people just show up.
Carol Chase (7/30/06)
I can't believe that increasing minimum wage is even an issue. Which one of our illustrious bigwigs in Washington could live on minimum wage? It's shameful that the rich got rich on the backs of those minimum wage citizens and now they want to outsource their jobs to countries that don't even pay minimum wage. Where does christianity come down on this issue?