| Yesterday I listed several areas in which every | | | | good way to join a circle of "friends" and be |
| person in this country will benefit when there is | | | | accepted by others. The ones without strong families |
| immigration reform which would legalize the millions of | | | | are looking for acceptance and join gangs to belong |
| people living here illegally; the military, Social Security, | | | | to a group. |
| our economy, our future economy, education and | | | | If teens are given legal status and are encouraged to |
| national security. That column only talked about our | | | | get a good education or train for better jobs, they |
| economy, this one will continue with the others, | | | | would be very unlikely to join gangs. When they |
| starting with Social Security and our military. | | | | have a stake in the country and don't have to worry |
| We all know the undocumented people living here | | | | constantly about being caught and deported, the |
| have broken the law by coming in illegally or | | | | majority would be law abiding members of their |
| overstaying their visa and yet, something has to be | | | | communities. Many would continue their education and |
| done to get them registered and legalized. A majority | | | | go to college and many would join the military. |
| of our citizens say we should find a way to solve this | | | | There are almost 30,000 non citizens now on active |
| problem. This country needs them. | | | | duty in the U.S. military. These service members are |
| One reason we need these undocumented workers | | | | defending a country in which they don't have the |
| to become legal residents is to keep Social Security | | | | most important of our rights, voting for the people |
| funded. Fifty or 60 years ago, when Social Security | | | | who could send them to war. |
| was new, it took 20 workers to keep enough tax | | | | The waiting period for citizenship for immigrants in |
| money flowing in to keep a retired person on Social | | | | the military has been decreased from 5 years to 3 |
| Security. Within 25 years, at the rate we are going | | | | years. In 2004, President Bush signed an order |
| now, there will only be two workers paying money in | | | | allowing active duty immigrants serving at least one |
| to cover each retiree. And in 25 years all the baby | | | | year during conflict to be eligible to apply for |
| boomers will be in that group of retirees and the | | | | citizenship in even less time, without many of the |
| next generation will be getting ready to retire. Add | | | | usual requirements. And they don't have to return |
| the fact that people are living much longer than | | | | home before applying. |
| before and it's easy to see why we need more | | | | Many immigrants place a high value on military training |
| young workers now. We also need a steady supply | | | | and the additional education available through the |
| of young workers coming into the system. The | | | | military. When citizenship requirements are eased for |
| young immigrant workers who are already here may | | | | those who join the military, even more immigrants |
| be the answer to the Social Security funding | | | | than usual sign up. |
| problems of the future. | | | | If the undocumented immigrants here now were |
| The reason most of these people came here was | | | | given legal status, there would be a huge additional |
| for work, because there is no work in their home | | | | pool of recruits and there will be a high number who |
| countries that will support their families. If these | | | | will enlist for these new citizenship benefits. This |
| millions of workers were suddenly sent back to their | | | | would add sufficient numbers to the regular military |
| countries, it would cripple those economies along with | | | | and possibly enable the National Guard to remain at |
| hurting ours. They would be sent to the end of very | | | | home. |
| long unemployment lines and never have any hope of | | | | The CIA's World Factbook lists 30 countries with a |
| finding work. The money they had been sending | | | | negative population growth and 13 of them are our |
| home to their families would stop and this would hurt | | | | NATO allies. The U.S. population growth rate is about |
| the families and their economy. | | | | even, which means our military will stay about the |
| When those young people have no job and no hope | | | | same size. But we must make sure our population |
| of getting one, they get angry and are perfect | | | | increases to a higher rate so we can keep our |
| recruits for gangs and the political parties that are | | | | military numbers sufficient and make up for some of |
| becoming increasingly anti-American. Civil unrest and | | | | our allies who have decreasing numbers. |
| economic hardship in other countries are dangerous | | | | Another benefit to having all these additional recruits |
| for the residents of this country. The radical | | | | is that the pay incentives that are necessary now to |
| governments of some Latin American countries | | | | reach the quotas may be able to be decreased or |
| would love to have more people in their forces and | | | | dropped entirely. This would save money for the |
| against us. Especially since they are on our southern | | | | government and the money saved could be used to |
| border and could manage to get into our country. | | | | keep equipment repaired and replaced on schedule. |
| Some gangs that are powerful in Latin American | | | | These additional legal residents would help Social |
| countries have started gangs in this country, mostly | | | | Security and our military and be an invaluable part of |
| involved in drugs. This is a small minority of the | | | | our society. |
| undocumented immigrants who are here, but it is | | | | Yesterday I listed several areas we will all benefit |
| enough to worry about, especially when they recruit | | | | when there is immigration reform which would legalize |
| members from groups who are alienated from the | | | | the millions of people living here illegally; the military, |
| mainstream. | | | | Social Security, our economy, our future economy, |
| Young legal and illegal immigrants in our country, who | | | | education and national security. The first column |
| are unable to assimilate, often because they lack | | | | talked about our economy, this one was about Social |
| English proficiency, are recruited into these gangs. | | | | Security and the military. The next one will continue |
| These teens drop out of school, can't get jobs and | | | | with the others. |
| are isolated from the mainstream. Gangs provide a | | | | |