The Mercury News said that there were 2000 expected for this event sounds like the Voice is playing it as a huge success while falling 1200 short of expectations All of this is to boost the fact that people especially the local media do not understand that there are laws that are being violated and the government deporting illegal’s are doing their job and should step up the enforcement of the laws.

It's time to end the racism. Up with freedom. Down with hate.

Someone with a math problem. Could be a sign of irrational thinking.

It is long past time for Congress to get off their rear ends and address this issue in a fair and just way. I don't believe in amnesty, but I do believe that the punishment should fit the crime - a modest fine plus a commitment to learn English. Everyone who is honest (not a criminal) should have the opportunity to live here legally and contribute to our great country.

Ask any mainstream economist and they will tell you that free movement of goods has brought enormous economic growth wherever it has been implemented. Ask them again about free movement of people, and they will say the same logic applies.

If Americans had done this in Mexico, they'd all be in jail right now.

Parity. I demand parity. Otherwise, all I see is Mexican racism on display.

Free movement of people, Martin O, is quite different than free movement of goods. People have beliefs, culture. The Saudis believe women should not drive cars. Let too many Saudi's here and they'll want to change our laws so women here are not allowed to drive. Better to let each people make their own laws. Reduce conflict and tension over cultural issues by restricting the movement of people.

600 people who do not have day jobs? Are they all on welfare? According to the latest data I have found, 57% of all Mexican immigrants are using some form of public assistance (welfare, food stamps, etc.). Can anybody explain why we should allow millions of freeloaders to become citizens and why I should have to pay for it?

"600 people who do not have day jobs? Are they all on welfare?"
If you think that's something, there were a million people for the SF Giants victory parade in 2010. All those people couldn't have day jobs either could they? and also must all be on welfare? Wow!

"Can anybody explain why we should allow millions of freeloaders to become citizens and why I should have to pay for it?"
No, I'm sure that nobody can explain this to you. Absolutely positive in fact.

As a immigrate myself I don’t find it right to give everyone a free pass. It took us 4 years to get approval to move to the US plus we needed to have a sponsor. I’m all for immigration but legally.

This is not really about immigration. It is about colonization. These people do not learn English. They do not assimilate. They do not, and cannot, participate in our system of self government. Many of them have learned to speak English to capture the practical benefits, but they continue to speak Spanish at work and in public places, choosing to remain separate. This is not about immigration. It is about invasion.

I am personally familiar with these people. If I was one of them, I would not want to assimilate, either. They, unlike us, have retained a real culture. These people are good people in a way that we are not. They have much to offer the United States as true immigrants. But that is not what they are offering.

This is not about civil rights or human rights. It is about political sovereignty. These people are colonists. The "11 million" number is not a measure of injustice. It is a measure of the dumbing of America.

As a practical matter, I would support the following plan: (1) Seal the border with overwhelming military force, including shoot on sight. (2) Offer those who are already here a path to citizenship with a firm ultimatim: Become fluent in English and speak only English at work and in public places, or else. Forcing these people to master English will result in their assimilation, which would eliminate my only objection to them being here.

We need them as true immigrants. We need to give the boot to those who are here to colonize. If we focus on the language issue, then all of the other issues will become much easier to resolve.

To all of my companeros and companeras at the Mountain View Day Worker Center: Show the people of the United States that you really want to be true immigrants and join us as one united people. SPEAK ENGLISH AT WORK AND IN PUBLIC PLACES!

You guys are really just concerned about darker people living in your white bread town. You wouldn't care about Canadian illegal immigrants. Whenever you say illegal you just mean mexican, and that's racism pure and simple.

Get over it and do what we expect of you under current law. If you are 18 and illegal, you must sign up for the Armed Forces. You prove your merit to be a citizen we will bear it upon you.

Ideafarm is 100% correct. The fact is you love a country enough to live there and be its citizen, 1. you have papers to prove where you came from (even poor Mexico does that) 2. you work hard to learn its language, and 3. your children prove themselves in the military as we have always done.

This Dream Act is a blue demosocialist movement to ruin America not strengthen it. Be a Centrist and email your Senators and Congresspeople as a US citizen you abhor the idea of changing the current law to become a citizen. By the way when done right is a swift 3 years, not the BS 11 years they say. One person gets 11 years because they are screwups and have zero English skills and probably from Bangladesh, not Mexico. That one person then becomes their "sacred cow" postershild to portray it happens illogically to everyone.

I say ICE needs to step up the pressure and rid ourselves of criminal vermin that total 11 million people and counting. Our country is not for sale and my ancestors who fought for our Union Army in the Civil War, WW1 and WW2, did so to preserve the law not undermine it just because you don't like it.

If your illegal and refuse to do what we expect, I expect you pack your bags regardless if it tears families apart, your poor planning is not my emergency. Go home your not welcome here.

It is high time to retire Zoe Lofgren and people like Ronit Bryant and Nancy Pelosi in our political circles. They are communists and not democrats. I think its is high time for a Republican Party to start up in Mountain View, and one with values of the old 1970's Republicans, not the TParty goofballs.

Betty does not matter from Canada, Europe etc if you are here illegally then you are breaking the law. If they have jobs give them green card and make them wait the time period to become citizens. If they are here and just having kids and living off our taxes they need to go back. I know a lot of people who are not here legal but work very hard.

Betty, there is racism in this issue on both sides. But the issue is not fundamentally an issue of race. Calling your conversational opponents names does not promote unity or dialog. You can call me a racist. I can call you an idiot. Does that move us forward? No.

Mexicans are not the only colonists on U.S. soil. Every individual who places his allegiance to the organic law and the vision that gives the United States its identity (liberty and justice for all) below his allegiance to his racial or ethnic group, or even his allegiance to himself, is a colonist.

However, I focus on Mexicans when I use my signs to speak on this issue for two reasons.

First, we have a long land border with Mexico that, unlike our border with Canada, separates two distinct and incompatible cultures that are held in equilibrium by war and the threat of war. The two peoples that are separated from each other by that border are separated by culture, by language, and by a history of war and of economic exploitation.

Second, the true numbers, if it would be possible to obtain them, would be staggering. The geographic extent of the colonization of U.S. soil is appalling. Unlike most people, I have traveled extensively throughout the United States, living on the road and working as a laborer. I have seen the United States as few people have seen it. There are vast areas of these United States that are "held" by Mexicans. People who stay put in one location do not see the big picture. They do not see the situation as a military general or as a sovereign would see it. We need to start thinking in these terms and stop allowing the "thought steering industry" (media) to dictate the terms that we see the issue in.

I am a mexican illegal and a very intelligent and educated man. I am not a free loader by any means infact I work hard to pay for the food of american people as well as my own. I do not do drugs or make drugs, like many lower socieoeconomic caucaasian citizens in fact i provide for this country much more than the average citizen. I respect the USa and am making it a better place.

If you are not a Native American you are an illegal immigrant. YOU SHOULD ALL GOME HOME. Bottom Line!

Amazing that even in the bay area a very diverse place you still find people with old traditional conservative american views. The bay area is full of illegal immigrants from all part of the world not just Mexican. It seems the level of ignorance here is outrageous and shameful that such a progressive place as the bay area still houses what seems to be racist America Views. Why are so many folks so ethnocentric ONE RACE PEOPLE ONE BAY ARE and ONE NATION!

Illegal immigrants on welfare: fact or fiction?
Friday, January 25, 2008
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Illegal immigrants swarm into our country and quickly jump on the welfare rolls. They cost hard-working U.S. citizens billions and billions of dollars in taxes because of this subsidy.

That’s a familiar, easy charge leveled by critics of illegal immigration. But is it fact or fiction?

It’s actually a myth, according to the Congressional Research Service, the investigative arm of Congress. This point is highlighted as one of the “top five immigration myths of the campaign season,” a list put out by the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

Here’s their look at welfare:

MYTH #3: The nation spends billions of dollars on welfare for undocumented immigrants.

FACTS: To the contrary, undocumented immigrants are not eligible to receive any “welfare” benefits and even legal immigrants are severely restricted in the benefits they can receive.

As the Congressional Research Service points out in a 2007 report, undocumented immigrants, who comprise nearly one-third of all immigrants in the country, are not eligible to receive public “welfare” benefits — ever.

Legal permanent residents (LPRs) must pay into the Social Security and Medicare systems for approximately 10 years

before they are eligible to receive benefits when they retire. In most cases, LPRs can not receive SSI, which is available only to U.S. citizens, and are not eligible for means-tested public benefits until 5 years after receiving their green cards.

A 2007 analysis of welfare data by researchers at the Urban Institute reveals that less than 1 percent of households headed by undocumented immigrants receive cash assistance for needy families, compared to 5 percent of households headed by native-born U.S. citizens.

A 2007 analysis of U.S. Census data by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities makes clear that it is the U.S.-born, U.S.-citizen children of undocumented immigrants who are eligible for programs such as Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program

(SCHIP). The analysis found that, between 1995 and 2005, the share of low-income, non- citizen immigrant children (either undocumented or legally present) who received Medicaid or SCHIP dropped from 36 percent to 30 percent.

Why not try focusing your energies on cleaning your poor white communities up where people are on welfare and selling drugs and making meth labs instead of taking your anger out on innocent latinos who work hard to make a living while your own kind just get drugged up and drunk.

This could become a truly great conversation, one that might even cause positive change in Mountain View. Please, no more name calling. I am happy that "Mexican" posted. Let's have real dialog and real listening and respect for everyone here.

I've suggested that immigration reform should consist of sealing the border and forcing those already here illegally to assimilate by requiring that they master the English language. Assimilation is the key. True immigrants should be welcomed. Colonists should be given the boot. If you ask, "Do you love your country?", and the person responds, "Si, si! Viva Mexico!", then that person should be shown the door.

What is your idea of what immigration reform should be? I'd like to hear especially from people who are here illegally. Let's have no more talk of racism. Let's just listen to each other's opinions about what should be done regarding immigration.

All I can say is please get yourself educated before you talk about a topic. Think before you speak or even write about an issue. Because you do not know who will read it and how your statement can impact that person. By persons I mean young youth. To all of who do not seem to know there is undocumented youth who were brought to this country at a very early age who HAVE ASSIMILATED. ARE EDUCTAED SPEAK( WHAT SOME WOULD CONSIDER PERFECT BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO ACCNET) ENGLISH. SOME ARE WAITING TO HAVE A LEGAL STATUS TO SERVE THEIR COUNTRY. And who constantly have to hear statements that impact how they view their future.

Crime = breaking a law. If you have a green card that has expired tough. You stay with a broken green card, your breaking the law.

You cheat on your taxes, your breaking the law.

ICE enforce the law. Did you all also know it is breaking the law to also form a political movement if your not a citizen? Again ICE enforce the law. We are not for rent, not for sale, and I agree the Dream Act is nothing more than a cover-word for colonization. No thanks, just obey the law and everything falls in place. Disobey the law and pay the price.

message to "a mexican":
You broke our laws coming here illegally, but say that you respect the USA? You also seem to assume all USA citizens are caucaasian (white people), which could be interpreted as somewhat of a racist remark. Do you consider Barack Obama to be Caucasian also?
You seem to be the type of resident we all would welcome here after your take care of your illegal border crossing and become a legal resident.

For everybody:

According to the Center for Immigration Studies, the only independent, non-partisan, non-profit research organization devoted to research and policy analysis of the economic, social, demographic, fiscal, and other impacts of immigration on the United States:

-In 2009, 57 percent of households headed by an immigrant (legal and illegal) with children used at least one welfare program, compared to 39 percent for native households with children.

-Immigrant households’ use of welfare tends to be much higher than natives for food assistance programs and Medicaid. Their use of cash and housing programs tends to be similar to native households.

-Households with children with the highest welfare use rates are those headed by immigrants from the Dominican Republic (82 percent), Mexico and Guatemala (75 percent), and Ecuador (70 percent). Those with the lowest use rates are from the United Kingdom (7 percent), India (19 percent), Canada (23 percent), and Korea (25 percent).

-The states where immigrant households with children have the highest welfare use rates are Arizona (62 percent); Texas, California, and New York (61 percent); Pennsylvania (59 percent); Minnesota and Oregon (56 percent); and Colorado (55 percent).

-We estimate that 52 percent of households with children headed by legal immigrants used at least one welfare program in 2009, compared to 71 percent for illegal immigrant households with children. Illegal immigrants generally receive benefits on behalf of their U.S.-born children.

-Illegal immigrant households with children primarily use food assistance and Medicaid, making almost no use of cash or housing assistance. In contrast, legal immigrant households tend to have relatively high use rates for every type of program.

-Although most new legal immigrants are barred from using some welfare for the first five years, this provision has only a modest impact on household use rates because most immigrants have been in the United States for longer than five years; the ban only applies to some programs; some states provide welfare to new immigrants with their own money; by becoming citizens immigrants become eligible for all welfare programs; and perhaps most importantly, the U.S.-born children of immigrants (including those born to illegal immigrants) are automatically awarded American citizenship and are therefore eligible for all welfare programs at birth.

-The eight major welfare programs examined in this report are SSI (Supplemental Security Income for low income elderly and disabled), TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families), WIC (Women, Infants, and Children food program), free/reduced school lunch, food stamps (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), Medicaid (health insurance for those with low incomes), public housing, and rent subsidies. [The total cost of these 8 programs are over a half $trillion per year.]

Let's not forger our favorite illegal alien, auntie Zeituni Onyango. She lives in public housing, got $51,000 in disability payments and regular welfare payments of almost $700 per month. Not bad for the relative of a public official of questionable citizenship qualifications himself.

amazing! People like Old Ben, local resident, Grump and the like are just racists. Why don't they move to the deep south and live there? i have no doubt that they voted against Obama because hes black. If a presidential candidate was a kkk grand wizard, they would vote for him instead. Disgusting.

'Illegal' immigrants have been in this country from day one doing all of the jobs that 'we' dont want to do. If they leave, then businesses would have to close, prices would go up. sorry if they make you uncomfortable with their brown skin and 'foreign' language. why dont you just leave? "love it or leave it bobby!"

I strongly oppose any further mention of racism in this conversation. The illegal presence of millions of Mexican nationals within the territorial boundaries of the United States constitutes a challenge to the sovereignty of the United States. The failure of these people to learn English and to assimilate creates the fact of invasion. The sheer numbers creates the urgency. The peacefulness, hard work, and law abiding nature (apart from immigration law) of the vast majority of these people sets the stage for a WIN-WIN response.

Name calling is disrespectful and it destroys conversations. This is a racial and cultural conflict, simply because the various races are pitted against each other by the facts of the conflict. Calling people "racists" if they are concerned primarily with the issues of sovereignty is just name calling and is infantile. Calling people "traitors" if they are concerned primarily with justice and economic empowerment for the people who are here illegally would also just be name calling and would be just as infantile.

This whole issue is really about justice, liberty, and economic empowerment, both for those here illegally and for those who either were lucky enough to be born here or were able to persevere and become legal immigrants. We of the United States must handle this issue with vigilance and strength first and with compassion second. These people have neither a legal nor a moral right to be here. But our response must be one that our children will be proud of.

Heritage Foundation says the 11 million illegal immigrants who are here produce 2% of the GDP yet take 3 to 4%. You do the math. My stinky thought for the morning.

Martin Omander's post, above, is correct. Conventional economic analysis gives us the presumption that immigrants and migrant workers, whether legal or illegal, benefit everyone involved.

Revealed preference theory focuses on the presumption that any exchange or other social interaction that is mutually voluntary has to be beneficial to both parties. When a restaurant manager hires an illegal alien to work in the kitchen, since the relationship is mutually voluntary, it must be better for both parties than the alternative of no relationship.


Equilibrium analysis, both partial and general, focuses on goods being either substitutes or complements. This kind of analysis yields predictions on the effect that illegal aliens have on the incomes of other groups of people. The general result is that their presence will raise the incomes of people and products that are complementary, and will lower the incomes of people and products that are substitutes. For example, they have the effect of raising the net incomes of restaurant owners (complements) while lowering the wage rates for legal workers with the same skills (substitutes).

IOW, these people benefit the U.S. economy as a whole, although the particular groups that they compete most directly with are harmed. Concerns regarding their access to welfare entitlements are legitimate. Concerns regarding their "unfair" competition with legal workers are, speaking generally, without merit.

I am a degreed economist, trained at UCLA and the University of Chicago. I hold an A.M. and a "Ph.D Lite" from U Chicago with specialization in finance (Ph.D.), money and banking (Ph.D.), and international economics (A.M.). Economics is a difficult field. The above is only an "educated opinion".