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Feedback ForumSend us your opinions, reactions, and ideas about "Immigration on Main Street"Submissions for this question are no longer being accepted. Previously submitted comments appear below. Comments may have been edited for content or space. Poster: Nancy Stamper Comment: There are statistics from reliable sources that validate the high cost of illegal immigrants residing in American communities. Do some research -- you will be astounded at the wide gap between the contributions of illegals and what they are costing the American people. Those who endorse lawbreaking by corporate America in the hiring of cheap labor are backing the exploitation of illegals and robbing Americans, forcing American workers to compete on a uneven playing field, placing democracy in danger by ignoring our laws. The Northwest Indiana community that I have lived in all my life is suffering by the overcrowding of its schools, where hundreds of students do not speak English well enough to get a real education. Our hospital emergency rooms are filled with many illegal immigrants who have no insurance and pay little or no taxes. Across the country, many schools, hospitals and prisons are at the breaking point because major corporations are running America. Profit and greed are the driving force behind the so-called compassion of corporations that are willing to break the law to hire what amounts to slave labor. Before we can fix any immigration problem or bring any level of a legitimate democracy back to America we must: secure our borders; establish a national identity system that includes fingerprints and photos; increase the size of homeland security by bringing our National Guard home to serve America; fine and/or imprison all corporations and businesses that have helped forge false Social Security numbers, and other federal documents. Democracy can only exist if we go back to being a nation of laws that are enforced. Poster: Allen Despres Comment: I am very disappointed with you program on Main Street and immigration. The problem is not a lack of policy, the problem is the government does not enforce the laws on the books. The problem is that when there is a effort to enforce them, the liberal press, the conservative press, the Chambers of Commerce, multi- national corporations and ethno-centric groups start saying it's all racist and only an excuse to keep out Hispanics. That all those who are against illegal immigration are the very same evil people who burned crosses and lynched and so on. You don't come out and directly say it, but that is your underlying premise. It's okay though that your very liberal view point is supporting policies of many special interest groups who want depressed wages, destruction of labor unions, outsourcing. Even if your reporting was not intentionally biased, why do you start your report qualifying "legal" and "illegal" immigrant but very shortly it becomes just "immigrant." And that those who want illegal immigration stopped are anti-immigrant and not just anti-illegal immigrant, and so on and so forth. You are obviously pushing amnesty and open borders. Poster: Mad Dog Comment: David, While I am in favor of what the Mayor of Morristown is doing, I believe we also need to look at the bigger picture. H1 work visas are allowing thousands of Indians and others to come to America and take our white-collar jobs! Holders of these visas are allowed to work for 3 years while applying for citizenship. American Companies are sponsoring these people to secure cheap labor in the corporate world. I am out of my job at the end of the month. The American Government better step up to the plate! Perhaps they should remove US. tax benefits for American companies utilizing the majority of their workforce overseas!! Every one is focusing on the bottom of the ladder (Mexicans) while the INS is inviting others (INDIANS) to start on the top of corporate ladder. Poster: Linda J Comment: Just saw the show...thought it was well-done. I don't think the immigrants, illegal or otherwise, are the problem. First of all, they're not taking jobs away from anyone. Most people don't want the jobs they do. Second of all, it's the employers who are really at fault. I used to live in M'town, but don't now because I ( a non-immigrant) can't afford it. I think it used to be a great town, one that was open to all socioeconomic classes. Not anymore. It's become way too conservative over the past 10-15 years, which is what has been destroying it. What a shame. I commend and admire the mayor of Hightstown. I'm proud to see that he is open to/accepting of immigrants and making the town into a real community. Good for him! First chance I get, I'm going to visit there. Poster: Patricia MccCnnell Comment: Morristown seems to contradict everything this country was meant to represent. It seems to me that their mayor's people brought some unwelcome baggage with them a hundred years ago, when there were far fewer immigration laws - but we've coped. What makes him think the Latinos will be any more difficult? Or that they won't prove as valuable as the Italians and the millions of other Northern Europeans? Poster: O.C. Smith Comment: I viewed your program re Immigration earlier today and I agree with the authorities in New Jersey --- Thumbs up to you up there! Now someone here in Florida need to do the same in South Florida. ENFORCE the Immigration Laws in South Florida. I remember when I couldn't find a job I had the idea--why not pose as an illegal alien?--I did get a job then. Poster: Sandra Comment: Americans think we (immigrants) come here to have a better life and that means to have everything for free. U.S. citizens need to understand that if we come here leaving our countries and families behind, it is because we want a better life and that means work hard and get educated. We work and offer a service in exchange for pay, it does not mean that we have housing and food for free, or higher education for free either. I've been in the U.S. for 8 years, and I have never used any of the health benefits, stamps or anything like that. I have always worked and paid my insurance from work, I go to college and I don't qualify for any grants because my income is too high. I don't have any kids, therefore I don't use the public schools either, but anyway I pay property taxes which go to the public schools, where kids from any race go to get educated, legals, illegals and US citizens. Don't create stereotypes about immigrants. If we come here it is not to steal, kill or do anything like that. If we wanted to do that we could have done it in our countries. Poster: Roedy Green Comment: Mayor Don Cresitello is motivated by racism. He clearly despises non-white people and has no compassion for them. He does not even want a win-win solution. He is just looking for excuses to punish and feel superior. Poster: Eric Comment: Illegal immigration is set to boil over with the citizens of America. They have become angered and frustrated with sworn elected officials not enforcing our laws and turning their backs on concerned citizens. Illegals don't deserve amnesty for breaking our laws, shouldn't have sanctuary cities that only encourages more illegal migration and should not be allowed jobs and free healthcare at taxpayer expense. Mexico is the richest Latin American country, has the world's richest person and yet has a 50% poverty rate. Rather than address their poverty, they encourage and assist their poor to cross the border to fleece American taxpayers. Mexico guards their southern border but keeps their northern border wide open. If Washington refuses to enforce our laws and secure the border, then local communities and states have an obligation to protect their residents from this invasion. Poster: Reginald C. O'Kelley Comment: Why won't Mexicans who live and work in Mexico make Mexico a better place to live and work? Then, perhaps there would be no need for the mass exodus to the U.S. I personally don't really resent immigrants coming from Mexico or anywhere else to the United States. Of course, I would prefer that all immigrants wishing to come to the U.S. would come here legally. However, having never lived in an oppressive or seemingly hopeless situation, I can only imagine what I would do were I in those immigrants' places. As a Christian I do wish that all immigrants were given the same fair treatment. Poster: Viewer Comment: Bravo, Mayor. That is the way a real U.S. citizen, and a person of honest religious belief (i.e., Christian) operates. Sir, you are one of the Good Republicans and we need you to contribute more to the national dialogue about what we are called to do as U.S. citizens. And to all the other members of the City Council, thank you for your mayor. Poster: Jim Taylor Comment: Thanks for the Tale of Two Cities program. I regret that there is brutal poverty in the world, and I would support the U.S. Congress in major programs to improve the economies of struggling nations. For starters, we could renegotiate NAFTA and be sure that we get CAFTA right. Even so, my first concern is for my fellow Americans. We have serious economic problems of our own. And even if we are clever enough to get all our citizens employed and earning a living wage, I know we can't open our borders and subsidize all the needy of the world. We can't throw our standard of living into an international cauldron and then accept for our share the thin soup of parity. Poster: Laurie Morgan Comment: Hi, I wanted to vote on which Mayor's approach I like best. I like the Mayor who is embracing all of his citizens. He has ways of improving the health, happiness, welfare and security of the citizens who live there. One Mayor gets to happily go around and encourage people and try to make their lives better. One Mayor lives in anger and is focusing on policing solutions. I'd rather be the happy Mayor than the angry Mayor. Immigration is a tough nut to crack. When the angry Mayor was talking about feeling violated when immigrants come illegally, I couldn't help but think of how Native Americans must have felt when the Europeans took over. Thank you for this insightful program. Poster: Diane Whitlock Comment: It appears Mayor Patten is more focused and concerned with illegal aliens' (immigration lawbreakers) civil rights and comforts than the rights and expectations of Hightstown's law-biding, tax-paying U.S. citizens. I can only hope that the illegal aliens who are leaving Morristown follow Hightstown's welcome signs and settle there. Inevitably as Highstown citizens' taxes, crime rates, insurance costs (unlicensed and uninsured drivers), real estate blight, and housing violations escalate that the citizens will get fed up and vote Patten from office. Poster: Dorothy Lavalle Comment: Where were the American workers who are now competing with illegal foreign workers? I didn't hear these voices talking about falling wages or see these faces. Where were the American families who can't find affordable housing and who must wait years on Section 8 waiting lists? It has seemed to me that you are giving a very one-sided picture on this issue that impacts so many Americans. I'd appreciate more balance, please. Poster: Rafael Comment: That mayor is absolutely breaking the immigration laws. Federal laws are on the books. That Mayor should enforce them, not break them! I, a legal immigrant have to pay taxes when they don't? Their cheap labor is taking jobs from natives. Poster: A M White Comment: Every elected official takes an oath to uphold the laws of this nation. To allow lawbreaking illegals to live in this country and accept all the benefits that the US offers is absurd. A sanctuary city is not respecting the national laws on immigration. What a slap in the face to all the hardworking legal immigrants that entered this country the legal way. Our selfserving elected officials that want amnesty are just looking for votes. If paid a fair wage there are plenty of legal US workers. Poster: Joseph Busa Comment: I agree with the way the mayor of Hightstown is approaching the immigrant problem. I think that the mayor of Morristown is trying to hide racist motives behind a business-like presentation. Poster: Teri McComb Comment: Instead of "immigrants" use the word settlers --colonization-- we're all illegal except for the Native Americans. The illegals should colonize--unify and then draft a constitution...just what we did! Poster: Wil Comment: Wouldn't be better to look at the real causes for frustration and anger among the people in this nation instead of trying and cash in addressing the ignorant with your mediocre program. I do get offended when I see programs that promote hatred toward minorities in general,and you are no different than Lou Dobbs,a very well known hater that uses the low IQ people in this country to raise his ratings.Shame on you. Poster: Valerie Hartsfield Comment: Great show. The contrast between the two mayors was stark. The mayor of Hightstown is to be commended. Still some evidence of DECENCY in America, even though it seems to be going by the wayside. The mayor of Morristown smacks of a racist mentality. I was ashamed of him and his treatment of people who are not as lucky as he. America is quickly losing its decency, isn't it? Poster: Paul Comment: That was much more biased and offensive in its advocacy of open borders than I would have expected. Poster: F N Bartlett Comment: Illegal means illegal - close the border with Mexico and deport all illegals as they are found. Every law enforcement agency in the U.S. should be detaining illegals as they encounter them and turn them over to ICE for deportation, period!! Poster: Ron Comment: I agree with: Morristown mayor Don Cresitello. This can not continue. Poster: Patricia Bowen Comment: There should be more Mayors like the one in Heightstown. More compassion would go a long way in our country. Poster: GirlParadox Comment: Good for the tolerant mayor! Look at the difference between the intolerant town and the tolerant one. Just LOOK at the results based on people's attitudes. SEE what works. Not only is bigotry immoral -- it also doesn't work economically. Poster: John C. Costigan III, Aurora Co. Comment: The mayor of Heightstown should be ashamed of openly encouraging official sanctuary of questionable immigrants and this should be remembered at election time. The mayor of Morristown, unfortunately or maybe fortunately, is trying to what Congress won't and I fear what the solution of the next Congress, probably Democratically controlled, will come up with and saddle the long suffering taxpayer. Poster: Dan Presson Comment: I am an immigrant to the USA, a legal immigrant. My wife is also an immigrant, legal. Neither of us spoke English when we arrived. My wife spent three years in a refugee camp waiting to enter the USA. Although I came here as a child, my family waited as well. How do you think we feel about those who cut in front of the line? Poster: Maria Chavez Comment: The great Ghandi stated at one time that he liked our Christ but didn't like our Christians. I feel that Bob Patten is a great example of what a Christian is and one whom Ghandi would like. Poster: Frank Dworak Comment: Mayor Cresitello of Morristown is disingenuous. He claims no intention to harass and arrest undocumented immigrants, saying he is only after the criminals. Then he says they have all committed a crime by entering the country illegally. He pretends to be non-discriminatory but paints the whole community of undocumented immigrants with the crimes of a very few. That is the very essence of discrimination. Poster: Diane Meade Comment: I want to thank you for doing this show on illegal immigration. Illegal immigration is destroying our country a little very day. 600,000 dangerous criminal illegal immigrants are on our streets today. This needs to end. The american citizens needs to wake up sooner rather then later. 12 to 20 million have broken our immigration laws, and are stealing Americans' Social Security number and driving down wages in a lot of our jobs. Attention needs to be focused on this issue, so we can take care of the problem. Poster: SteveB Comment: Well done show on the way that two communities are trying to deal with illegal immigration. I agree with the Republican mayor when he said that fear and lack of knowledge often drives people's responses to immigrants. I also think that people need to think about issues from a worldwide perspective, and not just a national perspective. We cannot be a walled off country, isolated and immune from the rest of the world. Nationalism is not a positive attribute; placing the needs of our country above the needs of the whole rest of the world is ultimately destructive for America. We need to be concerned and involved with people from outside the US, and that includes the illegal immigrants that come here to try to bring a better life for their families. Poster: Alex & Fay Churovich Comment: Employers hiring illegal immigrants should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Once work is not available, many illegals will likely return to their country on their own. Other illegal immigrants should be arrested and sent back to their country. A law should be passed that anyone that has ever entered or remained in this country illegally should be barred from ever returning to the US for any reason. And anyone entering school system must speak English as that is the only official language of this county. Poster: Terri Lockridge Comment: It's about time someone shows the positive contributions of the immigrants among us. Kudos for the mayor of Heightstown for his practical and humane approach to the immigration debate. Poster: Derek Comment: Hightstown Mayor Bob Patten said he wants to treat people fairly. Then why does he think it's fair to allow illegal immigrants a piece of the American pie just because they have disregard and disrespect for our laws, our country, our culture, and our language while the law-abiding citizens of those countries south of the U.S. border are patiently waiting to become U.S. citizens? Why is it fair to provide free English classes for illegal immigrants while our teachers need to pay for credit courses to obtain teacher certification? Poster: Bob Comment: Great work Mayor Cresitello! You are a patriot. Poster: Gary Bressor Comment: I generally like your work but your bias towards open borders really showed tonight. Now that every job that can be shipped overseas has been, the rest of the jobs are going to third world workers here. Goodbye middle class. You are doing your part to turn the US into a third world country. Poster: Markus F. Meyenhofer Comment: Why is the INS NOT doing it's job?? Dereliction of duty by the INS has to be punished by dismissal and punishment of the persons in charge. Fine any employer of Illegals (an other law on the books!) and deport all Illegals. Let them apply for a visa in their country to come here legally. Poster: Timothy J. Comment: That was an interesting story. Mayor Patten has a taken a admirable stance and level personal involvement in addressing the national issue of immigration in his own way. He put it best when stressed the importance of creating a strong sense of community. Don Cresitello in contrast seems to be comitted to the lost cause of fighting illegal immigration and driving a wedge between the people in his own community. Poster: Chris Corsbie Comment: Good, objective coverage of the issue...that's why PBS is the best. My opinion: let's keep this very simple and just enforce our laws. Period. Legal immigrants are welcome, illegal aliens are not welcome and should be deported. Poster: Comment: Your bias in favor of illegal immigration is blinding your ability to conduct objective journalism. You are promoting a culture of greed and lawlessness. Poster: Cindy Meredith Comment: i applaud the mayor of Hightstown, inviting and accepting immigrants into the community. I understand the issues involved with opening the town to immigrants, many illegal, but there is no better solution. People come to the US for a better life. There is criminal law to deal with any criminal activity.. whether the miscreant is an illegal or not. New members of the community, who are involved and integrated into the community, no matter where they come from , strengthen the community. Poster: Nick Comment: Cresitello is mean spirited. You can see it in his face and hear it in his voice. It's sad that someone born from recent immigrants has such personal animus towards current ones. Though he cloaks his message in respect for the law, he himself shows little by encroaching on the immigration jurisdiction of the federal government. The bottom line is he is protecting his and his people's turf. Poster: Ed Comment: Illegal means Illegal. Case closed! |
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