I don’t have a problem with the Arizona legislation after reading it, I do have a problem with the hypocrisy behind it and the timing and of course the hyperbole.
Myth #1 – Illegal Immigration is Unenforced
Actually, the number of deportations mimics the rate of illegal immigration, see page 2 of the link.
Myth #2 – Illegal Migration Continues Unabated
Actually, it began to dramatically decrease 6 years ago and the decrease has accelerated during the recession.
Myth #3 – Unauthorized Immigrants Aren’t Being Stopped
Actually 1 in 10 Hispanics report being stopped and asked about status (page 3 of the link above) so the Arizona law is redundant.
Myth #4 – The proportion of foreign-born people living in the US who are Mexican is unprecedented.
Actually, it is very similar to the percentage as Irish and German immigrants represented in this country in the late 1800’s and much smaller than those from the Great Migration of the 1600’s. That’s what I mean by hypocritical.
Myth #5– It is imperative we have to do something about unauthorized Mexican migration.
Actually, the problem is resolving itself because of demographics and the people hot about it today will be the ones economist Gordon Hanson at USC surmises will be begging for migrants from Mexico to take care of them in their retirement homes.
Myth #6- Universal strategies like fences work.
Actually, they fail and they cost a fortune. Analysis of strategies that best address crime, pollution, security, homelessness etc. show that the problems like unauthorized immigrations may be best addressed in power-law solutions.
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