| As the nation sputters forward into a new problem of | | | | the country and work for cash under the table. They |
| illegal immigrants, neo-conservatism and budget crisis | | | | use our schools, our medical benefits and take away |
| we must wonder what to make of it all. The signals | | | | jobs from our countrymen. Hypothetically, if we |
| are confusing. | | | | opened up our borders and let everyone immigrate to |
| On the one hand we have illegal immigrants who have | | | | the U.S. without hindrance than our country would |
| had to hide from the law, work in poverty like | | | | cease to be one of the wealthiest in the world. That |
| conditions and do not have the same access to | | | | means your wages would decline because there will |
| education that we have. We believe they are | | | | always be someone else to do the work for cheap. In |
| hardworking people truly trying to make the best life | | | | essence, employers would use their workers until they |
| they can. They have the American work ethnic that | | | | were worn out and then get another truck load full. |
| has been lost on so many native born Americans. | | | | Workers would loose their bargaining power. Would it |
| However, there is a negative side to illegal immigrants | | | | be such a great place to live then? |
| that isn't always mentioned. Illegal immigrants have | | | | We must understand that the laws are enacted to |
| made a choice to come and live under the conditions | | | | protect our American standard of living, maintain fair |
| they now find themselves. No one forced them to | | | | employment and keep the nation competitive. Once |
| move from their native lands and hide away in the U.S. | | | | this batch of illegal immigrants becomes citizens there |
| Recently, immigrants took to the streets and protested | | | | will be another group forming behind them. Where will |
| potential laws that would make it a felony to be an | | | | the cycle end? |
| illegal immigrant in the U.S. They sang the national | | | | Does that mean we should abuse them? No! It does |
| anthem in Spanish and waved Mexican flags. Is this | | | | mean that they should be removed and sent back to |
| appropriate to insult the country you want to join? | | | | the countries in which they came. It does mean that |
| A total of 11 million illegal immigrants hit the street having | | | | we have consistently and routinely treated illegal |
| major protests in excess of 400,000 in Los Angeles | | | | immigrants much better than any other nation. In what |
| and Chicago. Similar gatherings were found in Houston | | | | other great nation can illegal immigrants gather in such |
| and San Jose. They chanted, "We are not criminals" | | | | a public display of protest and not be put under mass |
| and "We want to stay!" | | | | arrest? |
| As Muslims we have two responsibilities when it | | | | This may not be the answer that we are looking for |
| comes to immigration policy. We must support our host | | | | nor may it be what many of the Islamic and Muslim |
| nation in policies that are deemed to protect our | | | | papers are reporting yet they may be more |
| collective whole and we must thwart those efforts | | | | concerned with U.S. bashing than protecting. No matter |
| that are destructive to people. What does this mean? | | | | which way you slice the onion we need borders no |
| Illegal immigrants are simply illegal. They have broken | | | | matter how much it makes us cry. |
| the law; have traveled hundreds of miles to sneak into | | | | |