The Quote Below—More Misinformation from the Media
“Trump officials concede generating large numbers of deportations, not apprehending criminals, is the administration’s chief immigration goal. During his presidential campaign, Donald Trump said on several occasions the primary reason his administration would deport undocumented immigrants was to prevent them from harming Americans. However, a minority of undocumented immigrants have committed serious crimes, and most people without lawful status have lived in the United States for more than 10 years and have jobs and families. By setting arrest quotas for federal agents, Trump officials acknowledge the administration does not intend to prioritize deporting dangerous criminals.
“Only days after Donald Trump became president, his deportation policy devolved into assigning arrest quotas, a bureaucratic feature analysts expected. . . . Trump administration leadership told senior ICE officials that “each of the agency’s field offices should make 75 arrests per day and managers would be held accountable for missing those targets,” reported the Washington Post. “The orders significantly increase the chance that officers will engage in more indiscriminate enforcement tactics. . .
“The administration has determined one way to increase deportation targets is to remove legal protections from individuals who came to the United States through legal channels or remained lawfully, such as through Temporary Protected Status. “Protection from deportation may expire for up to 2.7 million people within the next two years,” according to a National Foundation for American Policy analysis, ‘The vast majority face dismal prospects if forced to return to their birth countries.’ ” — Trump Team Focuses Deportations On Immigration Numbers, Not Criminals. Stuart Anderson, Forbes, 1/22/25 [Link]
Fact Check of Above Quote: For many years Stuart Anderson has advocated tirelessly on behalf of mass immigration, and he’s never been too particular about whether it’s legal or illegal. In the article above he suggests that there is some kind of distinction between most “undocumented immigrants” and criminal aliens. In reality, all illegal residents of the U.S. are criminals, i.e., persons who have violated our laws. The term “undocumented” is a verbal slight-of-hand typically employed to hide this reality.
The idea underlying this view, it seems, is that illegal immigration, except when it results in felonies, is a victimless crime—and thus it is really no crime at all. That simply isn’t true. Letting illegal migration go unchecked undermines our national self-image and confidence as a nation under the rule of law. This spiritual loss is profound, even if it can’t be quantified. That being said, the losses are quite tangible as well. Illegal aliens take jobs Americans are willing to do, while lowering the wage levels of those jobs. Low wage employment also discourages automation which can reduce drudgery and increase economic efficiency.
Illegal aliens also take public assistance and educational funds which would otherwise go to citizens. The loss is particularly significant for the disadvantaged members of our society. To remain in the United States illegal aliens typically break multiple laws. One example is their use of fake IDs to obtain services. Often they steal ID information from Americans, which causes them considerable stress. Then we have the tax evasion of illegals who are paid under the table, as well the fraud of those who illegally claim tax credits.
Furthermore, if we have lax control of illegal immigration, we have no way of screening out the dangerous and vicious ones. The felonies they have committed would not have happened if they had not been here.
All of this, however, is not to say that some Americans don’t benefit from illegal immigration. There are liberals who view illegals, if they can be given amnesty, as a future voting bloc for their leftist agendas. Also benefitting are corporate conservatives who see illegal immigration as an unending bonanza of cheap labor to enhance profits. Stuart Anderson appears to speak for these conservatives, whose main aim is conserving their wealth, rather than their country. Stuart Anderson serves them well.