immigration

[topaz]

So I don't understand the big ruckus over immigration.

Specifically, I don't understand why immigration is restricted.  I don't understand why we perceive a need to have a category of "illegal immigrants" at all, why we don't classify anyone who comes to this country as a potential citizen if they pass all of the appropriate tests, and a non-citizen resident until then.

I understand the problems with having a large number of aliens who place a burden on public resources and don't contribute to the tax pool.  But it seems like a problem that would be more effectively addressed by taxing resident aliens than by trying to block them from coming here to live at all.

Anyway, happy immigration protest day to everyone!

Comments

[crouchback.livejournal.com]

Gary Becker (http://www.becker-posner-blog.com/archives/2006/03/the_new_america.html) and Richard Posner (http://www.becker-posner-blog.com/archives/2006/03/illegal_immigra.html) discussed this issue, and I think they laid it out about as well as it can be laid out.

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

I don't think I agree that they discuss this issue. They discuss potential solutions to the problem of illegal immigration, but they don't explain why "illegal immigration" is a problem in the first place.

[crouchback.livejournal.com]

I grabbed the wrong articls. Mea culpa.

I'll look for the one I was thinking of later.

[crouchback.livejournal.com]

I can't find the post I thoguht was there, so I'm guessing I saw it somewhere else, or my meory is faulty.