Angry New Yorker

Semi-Daily Rants from New York City's Angry Man

"As I know more of mankind I expect less of them, and am ready now to call a man a good man, upon easier terms than I was formerly." - Dr. Samuel Johnson, Boswell, Life of Johnson, Sept. 1783

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Sunday, February 06, 2005
 
A Little Help on Illegal Aliens

Today's New York Times runs an interesting post concerning illegal immigration on Long Island. As mostly first generation immigrants here at the Angry New Yorker command center we're very well aware that this country was founded, formed and built by immigrants. That goes without saying.
But what doesn't necessarily follow as a corrollorary, however, is that immigration levels should be either unregulated or untouchable. Humanitarian issues are one thing, and they're why we have asylum status for one class of immigrants, but turning a blind eye to the near-invasion levels of illegal immigrants (not migrants or undocumented workers) is neither in this country's best interests, nor the interests of other countries.

The article, A Little Help on Illegal Aliens, by James R. Edwards, Jr., available here, notes in the context of discussing Suffolk County Executive Steven Levy's recent request for help from the federal government that:

Immigration - both legal and illegal - is reshaping Long Island. The 2000 census found that 154,144 Hispanic residents live in Suffolk County, up from 87,852 in 1990. While county-level figures aren't available, census figures show New York State's illegal alien population rising to 489,000 in 2000 from 357,000 in 1990.

And with illegal immigration have come problems. Day laborers have flooded the streets, unlicensed contractors have been on the rise and houses and apartments have become overcrowded, with many no longer meeting building code standards. Last year, more than 10 percent of those arrested in Suffolk County were illegal aliens.

It's long past time that the federal government put illegal immigration on the front burner. Opposition to current levels of illegal immigration and support for enforcement and stronger measures cuts across all party lines. The real question is anyone in Washington listening.

posted by anonymous at 3:06 PM

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