San Diego immigration raids target naval station contractors

San Diego immigration raids target naval station contractors

SAN DIEGO - More than two dozen illegal immigrants were picked up for deportation as part of an immigration sweep targeting companies that work as contractors with North Island Naval Air Station in Coronado.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement had been auditing the companies' hiring records for the past four months as part of an anti-terrorism crackdown targeting areas such as military bases and airports.

Fourteen of those picked up Tuesday worked for Golden State Fence Co. of Oceanside, though none of them worked on the base. Another 13 relatives and other undocumented immigrants also face deportation following the early morning raids.

Golden State was among more than 250 naval station contractors under investigation.

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San Diego immigration raids target naval station contractors

I'm so confused with regards to this illegal immigration thing.

I live in CA where the cost of maintaining the II population is staggering, but then where would the CA ag economy be without them?
We all want better and cheaper health care, but the cost of treating these folks keeps the overhead of the medical community high. While they get free medical treatment (which is the humane thing to do) you and I pick up the tab. Their children add a new dimension of problems and issues when integrated into our education system, costing you and I again.

For the most part we seem to believe that it is their "right" to sneak into this country illegally, want to provide them with drivers licenses, and even give them the right to vote even though they are illegally here. The Dem Party knows that the greatest majority will eventually vote a "D" when they get the chance, and the unions certainly can use the membership boost. Downside is that their willingness to provide cheap labor, keeps the general wages down unfairly, keeping many of the party faithful stuck earning less than they should.

The repubs don't think it's right for them to sneak in here, but want to continue to use and exploit them for cheap labor.

I realize that I'm generalizing things here, but this is one issue that just doesn't sit right with me from either side. Talking about illegal immigration out here is a lose/lose situation.

Neither party has taken a stand that is beneficial to this country's future in my opinion.

If you want to give amnesty, you piss off a lot of folks who worked their asses off to become citizens, as well as generations of folks whose parents/grandparents played by the rules and became naturalized.
It also raises the reality (there's that damn R word again) of increasing the flood of illegals across the border.

On the other hand, if you want stronger, more secure borders, want deportation of people who ARE here illegally, you're branded a racist.

Can't win.

You really hit the nail on the head. Night Gal. It truly is a no win situation. The economy can't handle all of the services, but, it is only right that they receive some / most / all of the same things we are entitled to. I have a friend who is a nurse in San Diego, out of necessity she is now Spanish speaking, and she's even said she gets tired of telling the immigrants in the ER that the ER is NOT a doctor's office. They use it to treat any symptom they have, since they have no medical coverage. They don't turn them away, until it becomes a repeat thing, day after day.

So, what is the solution? The closing of the border? Put up a HUGE fence? Kick them out? Tax their low income? Put them on the books? Give them driver's licenses? I don't think there IS an easy solution.

Blanket amnesty isn't really a solution, is it? Taxing II's MIGHT be a solution, but, who would pay it, and how? Charging them for hospital visits and schools on something like a voucher (not school vouchers, but, actual pieces of paper) system? Who would sign up? They might get deported if they show up at a gov't office. It is such a hideous catch-22.

Vaya con Dios.

This one, everytime I talk about it, with my friend from S.D., other friends or anyone, all I have are more questions, no answers.

~Almost

it seems only prudent that we shut the borders down, step up enforcement, and begin to erect physical barriers WHILE we discuss what is right to do in the long run. People with valid visas and/or work permits excepted of course.

The current system (which is basically, business as usual) reminds me of the statement "Nero fiddles while Rome burns"

And I thought the main cause of California's failing services was the freeze on property tax.

California still has a sales tax, right? Anybody who buys anything pays it, right? Illegals are paying sales tax. They rent homes, right? That covers property taxes, right? Illegals are helping support the school system. And when they're on a payroll of a company like the one in the article, they're paying the same taxes as a legal citizen. They aren't a burden on govt services any more than any other low income person.

I have only one problem with illegals, they drive down wages, very serious problem. But that's the whole reason they're hired in the first place. Hire them to build your house then complain that their kids go to school? How selfish can a person be. The arguments are right wing hyperbole, like they've always been.

A better legalization process is needed for those who have been here a long time. Then, go after the businesses that hire them. Finally, WE have to be willing to pay more if we don't want illegals in the country.

It isn't actually as simple as you make it out. Yes, when illegal immigrants buy something at a store, they pay sales tax. When they live legally in a home, they pay property tax. However, what about the fact that many live illegally, living in virtual squallor, multiple families living in an apartment meant for 1 family, which makes school taxes a folly, right? I mean, if you have 5 families, and only 1 school tax burden, which 1 family gets to enjoy school services?

And let's not forget about those that actually LIVE in Mexico and make the whopping 5 mile trek to San Diego to go to the hospital for Dr's services. What taxes have they paid? Wages are definately kept low by the fact that employers take total advantage of these people, and that must stop. But, please provide a simple solution, I would love to know how to solve this.

~Almost

If we didn't have low income housing and Section 8, we'd have US citizens living exactly the way illegals live. That's a low-income problem, not an immigrant problem. Same with health care. Is it possible that so many low-income US citizens are crossing the border and using Mexican health care facilities, that the lower income Mexican can't make use of his own public health care system? These aren't immigration problems, these are failures of capitalism problems. In a global economy, it's only going to become more and more apparent.