Mexican President Vicente Fox wants President George Bush to give 3 MILLION ILLEGAL Mexican immigrants a BLANKET AMNESTY and make them legal citizens of the U.S. President Bush is considering a temporary work program to allow the ailiens to gain citizenship.

What do you think of President Fox's proposal, (like who does he think he is to ask, and why can't Mexico take care of them?) What do you think of President Bush's plan when we have Americans who don't have jobs?

It may be time to write your congressman.

Sincerely,

-- Anonymous, September 05, 2001

Answers

Rev. Stocker, In Europe, people are able to cross borders pretty much at will without a big hassle. If a French citizen wants to live and work in England for example, he can do it without too much of a problem. I think the same should be true of Mexico. As a Texan, it would be a very large benefit to Texas. Most of the jobs held by Mexican (currently illegal aliens) are the jobs that Americans will not do for that pay, mostly minimum wage. A friend owns a car wash and most of his workers are Mexican. Every now and then an American will work there for a while but the work is too hard and the pay too low.

We would also have access to Mexico. There are villages founded by escaped African that might be ripe for an AME presence. My income is derived from work on the internet and retirement. A person in my position might want to live in Mexico where the cost of living is considerably less while retaining his US Citizenship. So it could help us too.

Blessings

Pastor Paris

-- Anonymous, September 05, 2001

Rev. Stocker,

That's what you call political power. The Hispanic community has a lot of wealth corporately as do us African-Americans. They also have a lot of voting power which can sway big electoral vote states like California, Texas, and Florida which could cost someone an election. Pete Wilson, former governor of California offended Hispanics with proposition 187 and many Republicans in that state were voted out of office. Before the Mexican-American War, Hispanics owned most of California, Texas, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado. They had ancestors in these areas we now call states 800 hundred years before Christopher Colombus discovered the New World. I applaud Mr. Bush's decision on this matter and I celebrate the influx of Hispanics. Yo estoy apprendiendo espanol ahora. Have you ever wondered about how many Canadians who steal across the border everyday?

JazzMan

-- Anonymous, September 06, 2001

Dear Rev. Stocker, On the question of undocumented workers, it would appear the issue would come down to equal pay for equal work. I did a cross cultural experience in Mexico, while in seminary. The group I was with was BorderLinks Inc. The issues around crossing the border are based in quality of life and economic justice. If a human being is reduced to a number or equation for the glorification of the bottom line then something is wrong. There are Mexican doctors, and lawyers that are reduced to working for less than minimum wage due to rampant unabated capitialism. The socio-economic implications of opening the border are profound and wide spread. To deal with the issue at hand it will take committed social analysis intermixed with grassroots ministries to establish justice and freedom for all.

-- Anonymous, September 11, 2001

I am glad that we are having the discussion regarding illegal aliens, Mexicans and others of hispanic descent. My church is starting a outreach ministry to mexican and hispanic laborors. Our Director of Evangelism is Mexican and has a degree in bi-lingual education. We noticed this past summer there were a lot of spanish speaking laborers in our county. Some were working in Yellowstone National park and others come during the fall and winter to work at our ski resorts. Some have work papers and others do not. Also several ranches hire illegal aliens for they do not have to pay them much. There are many issues involved such as socio-economic conditions, housing and health issues. This summer we had laborors from Yellowstone National Park worship with us. And we have been able to do out reach with other laborers. Our Director of Evangelism has a burning desire to do this type of ministry and is grateful to be a part of a denomination that wants to help those that are oppressed. I do believe that there is a lot that we as a denomination can do to help our latin sisters and brothers. For we have walked the same road of oppression.

-- Anonymous, September 11, 2001

I think the big picture is being missed here. President Busch is talking about forgiving all illegals, if you arrived here by hook or crook we will reward you with potential citizenship and if you are honest and waiting for your turn, that is your problem. This will not involve just Hispanics but people from every where that the proper authorities have not had the chance to check out. Let us not be so quick to make the kinds of decisions that have already taken the lives of so many of our people. I would like to add that I am Hispanic, uneducated, have worked on the same hard labor job for over 30 years. Thank You Richard

-- Anonymous, March 22, 2002

I highly appluad President Bush for his decision. All of us were once immigrants ourselves. The Mexicans were here first. So why not allow them a chance to have citizenship. Most are honest and doing honest work. All they are trying to do is make a living and take care of their families, is that not what every or most americans are doing. Who are we to say they can not provide for their family? Being hispanic myself I am almost ashamed to call myself an american if americans are that selfish to not try and help or do not try to understand why they are here in the first place. America is all about equal opportunity right? So where is the equal opportunity for them? I am proud to be hispanic it is who I am and I fully support any help the government is willing to give to mexican immigrants!

-- Anonymous, November 04, 2002

All immigrants must be treated the same. If we can not give the same amnesty to the Haitains, then send the Mexicans back home. The current policy is unfair.

Brenda

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2002

I am HIGHLY against giving these Mexicans any kind of citizenship. There is already way to many here. I live in Southern California and this place is totally corrupt between all the Mexicans and the Liberals. The only reason Mexicans are even here, is because the Democratic party needs them to gain votes. Im in 11th grade, and I have to be home schooled because of them Mexicans. In the public schools here there is nothing but Armenians and Mexicans, and they dont do ANY work what so ever. All they do is talk and disrupt the class which is unfair to the teacher and to students like myself. Furthermore, they dont even attempt to learn the English language. Their parents teach them spanish as their first language which I find unfair to the child. Their in AMERICA and can speak ENGLISH.

Im from Deutschland, and when I got here I didnt have the option to take German classes and to just talk German and get through another country like that. Even if I could I wouldnt. I was born in Germany, but now im in America, and so I took the effort to learn English and now consider myself AMERICAN. These mexicans dont even have pride in themselfs and especially not for this country. At school, I can remember how they would graffiti everything in these little gangs carrying around guns. Tagging all over the place like 'Mexican pride' and 'Mexico over America' etc etc. This is what i find HIGH treason. I beleive anyone that acts so irrational and demstrates such strong hatred towards a country that they snuck into in the place, doesnt deserve to live here.

Let me also state, that im 17, and I would like to get a job. However, here in Cali, young people cant hold jobs. Instead we have Mexicans in their 30's+ taking away all the jobs. Which isnt fair, im a teen and should be having a job to learn the value of money and the responsibility. The only way anyone, other then black or hispanic, can get a job is to bust their ass off all through high school and HOPE to get into college based on their grades, and not tossed to the side so they can fill some quota. Which then, what am I to do? This is nothing more then unfair, and not only is it discriminating against the American people, but against the Mexican community as well. There only here so Demacrats can get that extra vote. And the only reason they get that vote is because they throw money in the mexicans face and put on a little act. When in the long run, their against the Mexicans, and their bleieves. Most mexicans dont beleive in the slaughtering of un born children, Liberals do. Most Mexicans hold family values close, Liberals DONT, they cant even stay married long enough to have a child. Ill end here, cuz the fact is I can go on and on. This is crap, and an extreme case of treason. Not only against the American people, but the Mexican people too and the country Mexico. How can Mexico ever clean up their country when all their people are running over here?

-- Anonymous, December 05, 2002

I'm not anti-immigration, but I am anti-illegal immigration. As Christians we're commanded to obey the law unless it contradicts God's Law.

However as a Texan and former Californian I wonder...illegal immigrants are depended on heavily for certain types of labor, especially construction and agriculture. If we were to succeed in shutting illegal immigration down, would the able-bodied and unemployed of this country take that type of work?

I read recently in the Dallas Morning News about a man who keeps very busy placing illegal immigrants in construction jobs. These aren't the skilled, high paying jobs such as plumber and electrician, but the backbreaking low skill/low wage jobs. His cell phone rings constantly with calls from illegals looking for work, and he gives it to them.

One thing he hears employers say a lot is that native-born workers, including children of illegal immigrants, won't take the heat of the mid-day Texas sun. Illegals though feel they're blessed to have a job, and will happily do the work.

Seems like this is a case for tightly controlling our borders, and limiting the amount of time able-bodied welfare recipients get checks. They need the incentive to put out the same effort the illegals put out. Maybe a little "preventable poverty" will make them appreciate a job, even a tough one, as much as an illegal immigrant.

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2002