CALDERON DEFENDS IMMIGRATION IN DALLAS
Mexico’s President defends immigration but says Mexico must do better to keep its’ people at home
11:40 PM CST Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Mexican President Felipe Calderón spoke in Dallas at the Renaissance Hotel on Tuesday. He told the 125 advisers of the Institute for Mexicans Abroad that “The American economy cannot run without Mexican labor, which contributes to the prosperity of this country.” And says that Mexico needs to do better to keep its’ people at home.
Calderón said Mexico is improving its’ infrastructure to increase job opportunities.
“It’s not my dream to spend the rest of my life seeing how Mexicans risk their lives crossing the river or the desert to find opportunities,” said Calderón.
But the Center for Immigration Studies took issue with a “Mexican foreign official” giving the US economic advice.
“It is really none of Mexico’s business whether the Mexicans are good for the U.S. economy,” said Executive Director Mr. Krikorian. “My concern here isn’t even that the Mexican government is sticking their nose in our business, but that we don’t object.”
Mr. Krikorian’s group seeks to restrict legal and end illegal immigration.
At the end of the meeting, Calderón left to a roaring applause as he said, “We admire you … we thank you … we miss you,” to immigrants in the US, legal and illegal, before leaving.
To learn about the economic plans discussed and Calderón’s own illegal relatives in America- check out the original article here.
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ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS PAY UNCLE SAM
Experts agree that illegal immigrants pay billions in taxes- without seeing any return
3:25 AM CST Tuesday, April 22, 2008
One big issue over immigration is whether or not illegal immigrants hurt our economy. But according to experts, illegal immigrants put nine billion on average into our tax systems even with no hope of claiming a refund or collecting a Social Security Check. 
Although they don’t need to- they still pay up. Eric Jimenez, a self-employed handyman who works in Nashville, Tennessee, is one of many who write a check come April. “I have an idea, a mentality, that to be a good citizen you have to pay taxes,” said Jimenez. “Also, I’m conscious of the fact that the money we pay in taxes supports the schools and all the public services.”
The Internal Revenue Service(IRS) does not track a persons citizen status- so the exact amount contributed by illegal immigrants is undetermined. Fearing deportation, many use an alternative to the Social Security number offered by the IRS.
“Overall, any type of immigration is a net positive to Social Security. The more people working and paying into the system, the better,” said Social Security Administration Spokesman Mark Hinkle. “It does help the system remain solvent.”
And with the 78 million-member baby boom on the verge of retirement. The additional billions contributed by illegal immigrants is needed as baby boomer’s start drawing out their Social Security checks. Checks, the illegal immigrants will never get a chance to see.
Visit CNN.COM to learn more.
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CALDERON CONNECTS NEW ORLEANS AND IMMIGRATION
Mexico’s President Felipe Calderón said immigrants helped the American economy after Hurricane Katrina
1:08 AM CST Tuesday, April 22, 2008
The disaster of Hurricane Katrina brought economic hardship to New Orleans and its residents. Mexico’s President Felipe Calderón said, since the hurricane, Mexicans helped with the rebuilding of the broken city.
Mexican Consulate Officials have estimated about 30,000 Mexicans who have come to the region after the natural disaster. Before the hurricane Latinos accounted for only 3 percent of the city’s 445,000 residents.
This is just one of the many platforms Calderón will speak about in Dallas, Texas, today.
Calderón will speak with the Institute of Mexicans Abroad, an advisory board made up of immigrant leaders from across the country, over the anti-immigrant sentiment in this country. Including the uncertain affects of immigration on the US economy.
At the North American Leaders’ Summit in New Orleans, Calderón said, ” The U.S. and Mexican economy complement one another; with the U.S. being capital-intensive and the Mexican labor-intensive. And that explains immigration, an economic phenomenon between two neighboring economies. And for that reason we need to create an integral vision on the issue of migration – one that will permit us to jointly construct a more prosperous and secure North America.”
Calderón said that people of Mexican origin contribute hundreds of billions of dollars annually to the US economy. Either for relief efforts, like in New Orleans, or elsewhere.
To read the original article click here.
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ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT NAMED “TEXAN OF THE YEAR”
Dallas Morning News votes Illegal Immigrants as Texans of the Year for 2007
12:30 AM CST Sunday, April 20, 2008
With the ending of 2007, illegal immigration still remains at the forefront of America’s cultural war midway through 2008.
According to a study by the Washington-based Center for Immigration Studies, the immigrant population in Texas has risen 32.7 percent since 2000. Half of the immigrants in Texas are said to be illegal. 
That’s 7 percent of all Texans. So it’s no surprise that the illegal immigrant was deemed Texan of the Year for 2007.
Immigration affects the economy, politics, culture and identity of America. Economically, it’s unsure whether or not immigration helps or hurts our country. Politically, democrats and republicans are using it to help their platform. Culturally, there is a Latino revolution sweeping over America which directly challenges the American identity.
Taking a look at the situation from different angles seem to lead to the same thing:
What you think of the illegal immigrant says a lot about what you think of America, and what vision of her you are willing to defend.
-Dallas Morning News
Whether your for or against- that is why the Illegal Immigrant is such an important person in this country. To see the original Dallas Morning News article click here.
