The current administration is still trying to get Illegal Immigrants out of the census count. I've made this argument before but I feel it is time to readdress this since it is currently being argued.
We need to count everyone regardless of citizen status.
The census determines how to staff and fund emergency service agencies.
The census determines how much food and other supplies to send into an area.
For those that wouldn't want to be counted because "I don't want the government in my business" then let me ask you this.
Do you want a fire truck to show up if your home is on fire?
If you do, then get counted even if it's just holding up the middle finger to be counted as "one"
Illegals immigrants come in a lot of different categories
.
1. Lapsed Visas - work visa holders pay taxes contribute to the economy and their communities in larger ways. We want these people to stay and get back to work and to continue their support. People would argue that remittances are "stealing" from the country. But the truth of remittances is that, especially when supported and assisted in their delivery actually bolster and boost the economy as a whole. The U.S.D. is the current trade standard and much of the supplies remittances purchase are ordered through U.S. companies and trade partners.
2. Hidden Refugees - need help and can provide information about situations that need aid or more direct assistance.
3. Bounced Programs - individuals brought in under legitimate programs and then the program defunded/ended and having established homes and businesses. (biggest example is the agricultural programs.) And rather than risk not being able to return when the work is made available again they wait until the next season/program starts. These individuals should be counted as citizen workers or dual residency workers.
4. Students - Some would argue that if a student is here on a scholarship or grant program that they are taking resources from other students of citizens. I'd argue that it is the opposite of this. These students are a fundamental piece in the educational process and give students that have never traveled or are learning second and third languages direct access to native speakers of these languages and first hand perspectives on what it is like in their country.
Currently our educational system focuses on bringing in students from wealthier areas and countries to support budgetary short falls. However I would argue that supporting poorer and less fortunate students in the educational system would raise the over all level of success.
As an example I would point to some of the most successful, self made, entrepreneurs in U.S. history.
When given these opportunities they are less likely to take them for granted and fight harder to succeed. Imagine if these individuals were supported rather than discriminated against.
5. Criminals - Actual drug and human traffickers or the individuals that support these trades. The actual dangerous individuals that need removed is a much smaller count than many think. Most of the "criminals" that people see or are caught are victims of the trafficking themselves. Either through enslavement or extortion, and the reason these people are trafficked or forced to help is because America has a market for these things, if we want to stop the criminals from coming over or get better help from the refugee and immigrant communities then we need to address these issues from a top down perspective, which is those utilizing these "services" because the illegals form of of drug distribution and sex workers is cheaper and more available to those that want to utilize the abusive nature of the illegal's trades.
Largely pedophiles and businesses that use such services (illicit substances and unchecked abuse) as "client entertainment."
In the end, we need counts, to keep funding levels adequate and to keep resource levels at a healthy level. If we remove "Illegal's" from the census then we are cutting funding to communities that need the assistance and making it easier for the criminal element and those that profit from those elements to conduct their business.
I'm not saying that Law Enforcement needs funding to wage a war in these communities.
What I am saying is that funding needs to flow into the support networks around Law Enforcement to better address the needs of the community and freeing up police/sheriffs departments to focus on appropriately supporting their communities.
Stay Safe Out There.
