Comments on: Immigrants in Missouri: The Real Picture http://www.iistl.org/blog/archives/13 News and insights from the International Institute of St. Louis Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:07:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Kay http://www.iistl.org/blog/archives/13#comment-333 Kay Fri, 11 Apr 2008 21:47:15 +0000 http://www.iistl.org/blog/archives/13#comment-333 The economy (and the inescapable media bemoaning of it) has everyone terribly insecure. And this focus on illegal immigrants -- in Missouri of all places -- is a way to capitalize on fear and make it look like the government is protecting the welfare of nervous citizens, even though the real enemies are CEOS, corporations, shady banking systems and creditors, union busters, big business, lobbyists, etc. and other self-interested parties/politicians who have way more influence on turning much of the American middle class into working poor and giving social services the shaft in the meantime . But illegals immigrants are easier to go after... right? There's some irony to all of this, too: a drive to seemingly help the common joe by going after illegals may actually mean less money available to the public for assistance during tough times and retirement. Like them or not, turns out illegal immigrants usually give more than they get: http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/images/File/factcheck/State%20and%20Local%20Study%20Survey%20FINAL%201-15-08.pdf (sorry it's such a long link, but it's worth it!) The economy (and the inescapable media bemoaning of it) has everyone terribly insecure. And this focus on illegal immigrants — in Missouri of all places — is a way to capitalize on fear and make it look like the government is protecting the welfare of nervous citizens, even though the real enemies are CEOS, corporations, shady banking systems and creditors, union busters, big business, lobbyists, etc. and other self-interested parties/politicians who have way more influence on turning much of the American middle class into working poor and giving social services the shaft in the meantime . But illegals immigrants are easier to go after… right?

There’s some irony to all of this, too: a drive to seemingly help the common joe by going after illegals may actually mean less money available to the public for assistance during tough times and retirement. Like them or not, turns out illegal immigrants usually give more than they get:

http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/images/File/factcheck/State%20and%20Local%20Study%20Survey%20FINAL%201-15-08.pdf

(sorry it’s such a long link, but it’s worth it!)

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