| It is illegal precisely because it is damaging to the citizens of the country in which the person is entering. > I think you're engaging in the typical hacker news out-of-context nit-pickery. I think you dislike looking at your slippery slope. >I am not suggesting that illegal immigrants do well because they are criminals. I suggest they do well because they make sensible, long-term choices to build themselves a better future, At the expense of citizens. >...and that people who want to do that and are willing to work hard within a society are a benefit to that society. You are assuming that illegal immigrants will share both qualities, though the actions prove only one half of that. No crime is a sensible investment, if you get caught. >The evidence indicates otherwise. Non-criminals typically do better. So illegal immigrants, criminals if you will, would do worse. You have taken a crime, and made generalizations about the perpetrators, because at least a percentage of them 'mean well.' Would you at least agree that not every illegal immigrant has a desire to become a contributing part of the county they are entering? |
I disagree. An economy is not a zero sum game and adding people to it, especially people ready, able and willing to start working now is a benefit. Compare with children of indigents, who take up to twenty years to start being a benefit to other citizens. Twenty years! If the problem is people being drains on society without contributing, there's the place to start looking.
So illegal immigrants, criminals if you will, would do worse.
I understand the evidence indicates that's not the case.
Would you at least agree that not every illegal immigrant has a desire to become a contributing part of the county they are entering?
I would, yes. I can only go on the general trends; the general trend is that immigrants are willing to take risks and work hard to make better lives for themselves, wanting the opportunity to live and work within the civil society they're moving to, and illegal immigrants are too. All we have is general trends; there will always be individuals who buck those trends.
As an aside, to me you seem very fixated on the idea of "crime" being a bad thing. Perhaps this is a difference we have. For you, me accepting this crime is slippery slope; crime is crime, accept one, you'll accept the next. For me, there's no slippery slope; just because something is crime doesn't actually mean it's bad or damaging, and if a person's crime is wanting to work hard and contribute to society, building a better life for themselves, that crime is less likely to lead to crimes that cause actual damage.