Monday, July 13, 2009

Illegal Immigration

I was driving on Interstate 35 in Austin a few months ago, when my I thought that my tire was going flat. I got off the road and pulled into the closest site which turned out to be the local day labor center. Proving that Austin is an infamous sanctuary city.

There were 100 illegal immigrants just sitting there loitering. Trash was everywhere, and they were waiting in the blazing hot sun for an honest day's work. I was terrified and immediately locked all of my doors and made sure my wallet was safe. One of the bosses from the center came out to ensure that I was okay, and asked if I was there to pick up a worker. He seemed disappointed in my response.

Talk about scary. These illegal guys don't even know whose picking them up for work. No wonder we always hear about crimes of opportunity against illegals that rival those coming on inner tubes from Cuba.
I didn't think much about this experience until I sat down to read my New York Times this morning. In keeping with the re-runs of the Bush years, Obama has decided to expand Homeland Security's program which enlists local law enforcement to hunt illegal immigrants. I'm so proud of him.

Apparently, this does not sit well with the New York Times, because racial profiling will likely be involved. Well, if you can't take the heat, then get out of the country. I was constantly pulled over as a Muslimah with niqaab on. It's par for the course. I have so many tickets that I'm close to losing my license over it.

But, I don't blame anyone. I chose to come to wear this attire in a country where it's unpopular.
There also seems to be concerns that the cost of police enforcing all of this is higher than the benefit because "it undermines community policing, which relies heavily on building trust among those the officers serve and protect."

It seems to me that this issue should be one of the biggest for the police though, because illegals commit so many crimes.

I think Obama is spot on with this. I'm starting to really like him.

14 comments:

  1. I could not disagree more with you. My God, there is no such thing as an illegal person. They are people!! Human beings! You are happy because they will be hunting illegals?? Tell me, how is it you can be so open minded about Islam, and so ignorant when it comes to issues such as this? People do not come here so they can ruin our lives, they come to try making better one's for themselves. Put yourself in their shoes once, and try to understand the reasons why someone would risk their lives to be treated like shit in another country.
    Imagine being a child born in America to an "illegal" immigrant, and be denied an education because of a choice your parents made. Are we to let these kids rot because they do not have proper documents? Are they somehow not human because they do not have a piece of paper stating their legality?
    I never will understand how people can be so cruel and lack empathy for undocumented workers. Truly they are the most marginalized people of the world.
    So you would clap your hands and laugh in delight if homeland security deported a Mexican family? And you never thought about their experience, huh? Thats the problem with our society as a whole.
    Next time someone disrespects you or is prejudice against you for who you are, remember the law of Karma.

    Locking your doors, hiding your wallet, and freaking out at the site of some Mexicans on the side of the road.... Are you serious!? You just showed your bare ass to the world. How ignorant can one be?

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  2. Assalaamu Alaikum Sarah Elizabeth,

    They are human beings and I'm not saying that they aren't habibty. I never said that all of them should be deported or that I approved of the mean job the Texas Rangers are doing with the border here....

    I happen to love Reagan and he loved amnesty more than ANY of his Democratic counterparts.

    It's not about hating illegals sweetie. The problem is that anchor babies are taking more than they're giving back. I saw them at the welfare offices when I myself was separated from husband.

    I do feel bad for them. Many of them are good people, who desperately need dental work we should somehow offer. The problem though is that we CAN'T take care of ourselves right now, much less them. We are a debtor nation, indebted to China. We can't just ship them home, but I do believe in Bill O'Reilly's guest worker program bridge to amnesty, and that if you commit a crime, you have to go...

    Think of how many people have been carjacked or outright killed by someone illegal sweetie! We can't even prosecute and give them the death penalty because they aren't legal.

    As for the programs Obama is deeming okay, I'm really just saying that gosh I have to tolerate racial profiling as a White citizen, look so does that poor Harvard professor. So I think if someone wants to come here illegally, they need to at least have a pretty thick skin. No more whining on that front.

    And also this post is more about the irony that Globama wants this package! I guess those idiots who voted on race, thinking Globama would be preferable to border-friendly McCain didn't count on this. I tried to warn with my limited voice, but just like in 2000 when Muslims thought BUSH was a wise choice....

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  3. Assalam aalaikum Lisa, or should I call you Yasmine from now on? Anyway I couldnt agree more with you. I admire your sincerety and passion.

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  4. I am torn on this topic because I am Hispanic. My mother fled my country during our civil war and she came here illegally. Once she was here she legalized herself, started her own business, paid for my leukemia treatment and brought me to USA, legally. By that time I was 7 years old and had been raped for 3 years. When she left I was only a newborn and she left me with people she trusted but crap happens. I sympathize with people who feel encroached upon but I also sympathize with the people who come here and the reasons why they come here. kwim? I can make a stand on it.

    I have absolutely NO sympathy for the drug smugglers and those who commit crimes. I just don't.

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  5. i meant to say I CAN'T seem to take a stand on it.

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  6. Tuttie, I can understand your dilemma.. Some of my family has been in similar situations, and are undocumented workers in another country, who were running from a war in the Philippines.. They get treated like shit and were not granted refugee status even though that is exactly what they are.. Their family is just trying to give their children something better, and a possible chance at a successful life..

    Lisa/Yasemin, first let me apologize for my raw emotion in the above comment, it is not aimed at you, but the entire system.. Reading your comment, I totally agree with some of the things you say, others I disagree with a passion... There is such an irony in your love for Reagan, who was one of the most racist presidents in our history (wanting to completely abolish affirmative action and punish Black Women as "welfare Queens", not to mention a war on drugs that became a war on the poor, but that is another discussion), and your agreement with Bill O'Reilly, again one of the most racist, ignorant men on television today... Anything him or Lou Dobbs has to say about Illegal Immigration you can be sure is tinted with prejudice...

    Anyways, my passion comes from my own family story. I know how people are treated, and I also know the one sided story that comes out to the media depicting job stealing, kidnapping, criminals, when the truth is this is a small percent of undocumented people (a percent that should definitely be deported and/or punished severely, such as the drug rings and kidnappings in Arizona.)...

    But as far as breaking up hard working families, who make up the majority of undocumented workers, I am against it with all my heart. And no, I will not be locking my doors and cowering in fear when I see a group of Mexicans on the side of the road...

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  7. As Salaamu 'alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatu Sara,

    Either one is totally fine sweetie! Most everyone is used to Lisa so I have no issues with you using it. Or Yasemin habibty. Love you much. Thanks so much for this sweet comment and love you!

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  8. As Salaamu 'alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatu Tuttie,

    Well I was a huge Ronad Reagan fan and he loved anmesty habibty. I think the real problem is not the illegal's desire to come illegally, but the government's lack of a effective program to get them here in a timely fashion and reward them for doing the right thing.

    How many times have we heard that someone decided to do it the legal way and was stuck in limbo for 10 years, usually during their golden years. This is very bothersome.

    My best friend Michelle from Mom Where Are We Going is also Hispanic and suffers with some of these issues.

    I am SO sorry for what happened to your mom! I'm so glad that she made it and legalized eventually, but to be raped and everything else just makes me so sad....She is so brave and strong sweetie!

    I can understand the desperation of people looking to flee life in Mexico. Granddaddy lived there until he died in December in Pueto Angel. He always struggled with safety, issues as simple as his RV license, thieves, etc.

    The problem is also those who commit crimes. I'll take a stand here, and say that with Mexicans this is NOT a huge problem. 3/4 of our prisons are taken up by Mexicans and Blacks yes, but this is the product of a corrupt system where even though a Mexican might comprise just 15% of the drug lords in this country-he is 100% more likely to wind up in prison for that. Wrong on every level.

    I see the problem as really being with the El Salvador gang MS-13, terrorists, and immigrants from African nations that are sucked into gangs once they come in....most of these inividuals are not Hispanic at ALL, so I apologizing for depicting it this way with my choice of photos. MS-13 members would have been the perfect photos for the page sweetie.

    Love you so very much for the sake of Allah, thanks for sharing your difficult story.

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  9. As Salaamu 'alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatu Sarah Elizabeth,

    I fell in love with the Filipino culture when Granddaddy was married to Abundia (Jing). She was WONDERFUL but they divorced due to her spending :) Couldn't blame her though, I love shopping myself.

    http://www.legacy.com/Statesman/Obituaries.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonId=121899125

    Also, when I met the wonderful Hon from God is Our First Love blog.

    So knowing Jing's plight because I mean she was willing to be the stereotypical Filipino mail order bride, I REALLY understand your family. Jing was 30, Granddaddy was 63 when they married.

    I loved your comments so much habibty and no apology necessary. I get heated about passionate issues like abortion, and never felt offended, figured this was a passionate issue for you for whatever reason.

    Just being married to an Arab guy alone-look at all they have to handle to get here! We had a LONG period, still continuing really of husband working the odd job of limo driving, an immigrant job if you will, just to make ends meet. Were he a citizen, perhaps it would be easier to get hired by a major corporation.

    My Ronald Reagan love stems first and very foremost from his thoughts on abortion...and this gem:

    "I've noticed that everybody that is for abortion has already been born." ~Reagan to NY Times.

    He was one of the first unafraid to describe fetal pain.

    I truly don't believe in affirmative action because of how it leads to reverse racism. I wrote a little about it on the Sonia Sotomayor post I think sweetie.

    I definitely agree that the war on drugs was a failure, though the 90's found much less people overdosing, while the 80's was a buffet of that with John Belushi etc...

    Being a welfare queen before, meaning when I was separated from husband after the protecitve order began I had TANF for 2 months, food stamps and medicaid for 6. Believe it or not, I can see Reagan's point. I saw a lot of women in those offices who were getting it for YEARS habibty...years...

    I can understand a few months after domestic violence, a lay-off, whatever, but some of them made it a business. I remember at TANF meetings, the ones who would say "but I really did apply for that job Miss.....I called and left them a message." It was unreal!

    They were all minorities though I met some redneck white ladies too. I do think Reagan's depiction was unfair, but as you said, there were a lot of ironies with him.

    He was able to get through to Gorbachev, protected life from the start, and provided amnesty...and yet he didn't believe in handouts-which I loved.

    I think he would have understood my 2 months of TANF, but would have been annoyed if I ended up on the rolls for months....years...understandably so habibty.

    I totally agree about Lou Dobbs, but think that O'Reilly, an independent is somewhat misunderstood. Having listened to his radio show for years, his work on sex crimes like the Jessica Lumsford case and ratting out governors who don't pass her bill is amazing! And he really does have good ideas about illegal immigration in the guest worker program and believe me Obama is onboard with those as was Bush.

    I totally understand how you feel about the undocumented workers. My fear comes more from those guys there having walked over from one of those seedy "modeling agencies" next door which are hotbeds of prostitution, drugs, etc.

    Love you sooooo much sweetie.

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  10. Remember that you're an immigrant too but with a little more luck

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  11. Wow! I have never came across such an ignorant "muslimah" my entire life... wait umm yeah i have but you're by far the most vocal about your ignorance where it does not suit you. Not only are you ignorant about Islam and the purpose of it (in your life) but ignorant about the history of America, colonization, law, immigration, and HISTORY in general. WOW! I wish I could debate this but i think it would be the same as beating a dead horse so I just wanted to be vocal about my judgement based on your posts since you're so vocal about your ignorance in particular. May Allah guide you Ameen!

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  12. salaam alaykum lisa/yasmin, can I have the permission to read you other blog "The journey eastward from tartary?" The last post I read was when you and yousef went to that great funland, cant remember its name. pls lemme in habibty, I miss your blog.

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