Economics Drives Migration, Not Violence Or Climate

Economics Drives Migration, Not Violence Or Climate

By Joe Guzzardi


The University of Houston’s Borders, Trade, and Immigration Institute (BTI), a Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence unit, describes itself as a “a multi-disciplinary team of national and international experts” that works to create “technology-driven solutions, data-informed policies, workforce development opportunities … and trans-disciplinary education.”

Economics Drives Migration

In accordance with its mission to secure U.S. borders, facilitate legitimate trade and travel, and ensure immigration integrity, BTI released its report titled, “Economic Motivations of Migrants from the Northern Triangle.” BTI’s findings would have been valuable to Vice President Kamala Harris prior to her failed trip to Guatemala and Mexico to discuss migration’s root causes, and could have saved her the time, trouble and embarrassment. Based on BTI’s biannual surveys, researchers learned that, overwhelmingly, migrants left their home countries for economic reasons. The causes that the immigration lobby, congressional advocates and refugee resettlement groups most often cite, violence and natural disasters, barely register, if at all. Family reunification ranks second as a pull factor, but significantly behind economics.
 
When BTI asked Salvadorans, Guatemalans and Hondurans to identify the specific cause that prompted them to leave their home countries, 68 percent, 92 percent and 83 percent, respectively, named lack of employment or poor economic conditions. Only in El Salvador did violence register at 19 percent. Natural disasters scored 0 percent across the board.
 
As for the mainstream media’s unfounded claim that fear of violence is the Northern Triangle’s biggest push factor, BTI’s findings repudiated that falsehood. Asked if in the 12 months leading up to migrating, the surveyed person or any family member had actually been a victim of robbery or assault, threats or extortion, intimidation by gangs or criminal groups, religious or political persecution, domestic or family violence, conflicts with another person, homicide of a relative or an acquaintance, or violence in the local community, by a huge margin, often as high as 100 percent, the replies were “no.”
 
BTI found that for Northern Triangle migrants, U.S. employment increases their incomes ten-fold, an irresistible pull factor. Economics are the key, not only to the Northern Triangle job-seeking aliens, but also to the countries that they leave behind that are increasingly remittance-dependent, especially after the steep decline in monies sent back home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the first six months of 2020, remittances from El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala dropped 8 percent, 4.2 percent, and 0.9 percent, respectively, or $219 million, $108 million and $47 million. These totals represent the largest percentage decline since 2009’s first six months when the Great Recession’s effect was felt most severely.
 
Biden’s critics are convinced that his administration has no interest in ending the illegal alien influx. Since Biden created the border surge, enforcement advocates are certain that he has little interest in ending the nation-busting problem, especially since an easy solution is readily at hand – E-Verify, the online program that would require employers to check their new hires’ eligibility. Only U.S. citizens and lawfully present immigrants can keep the jobs that they had recently been hired to perform.
 
For 40 years, government officials have known that jobs are the core attraction not just for Northern Triangle migrants, but from those coming to the U.S. from across the globe. In 1981, the Select Commission on Immigration and Refugee Policy concluded in its final report that “All studies indicate that undocumented/illegal aliens are attracted to this country by U.S. employment opportunities.” The New York Times followed up with an Op-Ed that powerfully reinforced the commission’s findings. The Times wrote that the best illegal immigration deterrent is to “make it harder for them [migrants] to get the jobs that lure them.” In turn, continued The Times, the most efficient way to achieve that goal “is to make it illegal for employers to hire them…. Without effective verification, there can be no effective enforcement of the borders.”
 
Since 1996, a full quarter of a century, Congress has half-heartedly kicked around various versions of E-Verify. None proved acceptable, and the program has never been nationally mandated, a remarkable disregard for national sovereignty and an insult to American workers. Pre-pandemic, U.S. workers had been displaced by about 8 million illegal immigrants of its total 12 million estimated population in nonfarm administrative, construction, manufacturing, leisure and health care jobs. As of 2020, more than 967,000 employers use E-Verify at more than 2.4 million worksites, with 1,500 new participating companies added weekly. Somehow, and to America’s detriment, E-Verify’s free cost, simplicity and its success have left Congress unswayed.
 
 
Joe Guzzardi is a Progressives for Immigration Reform analyst who has written about immigration for more than 30 years. Contact him at jguzzardi@pfirdc.org.

Economics Drives Migration, Not Violence Or Climate
Economics Drives Migration, Not Violence Or Climate

 

Give him power William Lawrence Sr Cryptowit 6-30-21

Give him power William Lawrence Sr Cryptowit 6-30-21

Wi vspo, S bokvsjo cennoxvi, sc Tevi. Mrsvnryyn sc Texo, kxn yvn kqo sc Keqecd, led robo sd sc, Tevi, kxn wi vspo, drsc iokb, sc Tevi sxcsno yp Tevi.
Bsmu Lkcc

Give him power William Lawrence Sr Cryptowit 6-30-21Answer to yesterday’s William Lawrence Sr Cryptowit quote puzzle: Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.
Abraham Lincoln

Give him power William Lawrence Sr Cryptowit 6-30-21

Elana Fishbein Will Speak At Delco Conservatives

Elana Fishbein Will Speak At Delco Conservatives — The Delco Conservatives will host Dr. Elana Fishbein, founder of No Left Turn in Education, as this month’s speaker, 5:30 p.m., July 1 at Gatsby’s Bar & Grill, 4936, Pennell Road, Aston, Pa. 19014.

She will describe how education is becoming tainted with historical revisionism based on distortions and lies, political correctness, and the outright rejection of values which have long been at the core of the American experience.

Information about her group can be found here:www.noleftturn.us

Also, Mike Ciach, who is  the Republican State Committeeman in Delaware County, will explain what it means to be a State Committeeman (or Committeewoman) and why voting in the Primary is important.

Also, Ruth Moton will explain how to become a poll watcher and provide information on a class she will be teaching, and Leah Hoopes will be explaining “Right to Know” and “Freedom of Information Act”.

Links about voting, the election, “No Left Turn”, “1776 Patriot Pac”, “Audit The Vote PA”, and more, as well as information about current, local candidates can be found www.delcoconservatives.com. Click on “resources” at the top of the home page or just click here.

Interested citizens can also use the contact at the bottom of the resources page request research into specific area or additional links.

Delco Conservatives meet the first Thursday of every month at Gatsby’s. Come grab a drink and a bite to eat while you are there, support local!

Elana Fishbein Will Speak At Delco Conservatives
Elana Fishbein Will Speak At Delco Conservatives -- The Delco Conservatives will host Dr. Elana Fishbein, founder of No Left Turn in Education, as this month's

Begin with doubts William Lawrence Sr Cryptowit 6-29-21

Begin with doubts William Lawrence Sr Cryptowit 6-29-21

 

Wnjauh juu vnw ljw bcjwm jmenabrch, kdc ro hxd fjwc cx cnbc j vjw’b lqjajlcna, pren qrv yxfna.
Jkajqjv Urwlxuw

Begin with doubts William Lawrence Sr Cryptowit 6-29-21Answer to yesterday’s William Lawrence Sr Cryptowit quote puzzle: If a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts, but if he will content to begin with doubts, he shall end in certainties.
Francis Bacon

Begin with doubts William Lawrence Sr Cryptowit 6-29-21

Do not seek revenge William Lawrence Sr Cryptowit 6-28-21

Do not seek revenge William Lawrence Sr Cryptowit 6-28-21

 

Xu p bpc lxaa qtvxc lxiw rtgipxcixth, wt hwpaa tcs xc sdjqih, qji xu wt lxaa rdcitci id qtvxc lxiw sdjqih, wt hwpaa tcs xc rtgipxcixth.
Ugpcrxh Qprdc

Do not seek revenge William Lawrence Sr Cryptowit 6-28-21Answer to yesterday’s William Lawrence Sr Cryptowit quote puzzle: Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself.
Leviticus 19:18

Do not seek revenge William Lawrence Sr Cryptowit 6-28-21

To learn to read William Lawrence Sr Cryptowit 6-27-21

To learn to read William Lawrence Sr Cryptowit 6-27-21

Rc bch gssy fsjsbus cf psof o ufirus ouowbgh obmcbs oacbu mcif dscdzs, pih zcjs mcif bswuvpcf og mcifgszt.
Zsjwhwqig

To learn to read William Lawrence Sr Cryptowit 6-27-21Answer to yesterday’s William Lawrence Sr Cryptowit quote puzzle: To learn to read is to light a fire; every syllable that is spelled out is a spark.
Victor Hugo

To learn to read William Lawrence Sr Cryptowit 6-27-21

New Normal Means Freedom? Don’t Laugh

New Normal Means Freedom? Don’t Laugh

By Lowman S. Henry

The new normal. Of all the COVID-19 pandemic phrases to enter the popular lexicon the past year and a half, this is the one I hated most. That is because of the people who were using the term; folks like Governor Tom Wolf who intended the new normal to be one of extended if not permanent government regulation and control over of our lives.

But events of recent weeks have given rise to hope that the new normal might be one of enhanced freedom and opportunity. Among the lessons learned during the pandemic are that our rights and freedoms are fragile and must be jealously guarded; and that many laws and regulations are barriers to innovation and progress.

Here in Penn’s Woods, one of the most important aspects of the new normal is that never again can a despotic governor wield unchecked power through the endless exercise of emergency declarations. In a historic act, We the People ensured that by amending the state constitution to give our elected lawmakers the clear ability to end such power grabs.

The draconian actions of Governor Tom Wolf laid waste to tens of thousands of small businesses and exiled hundreds of thousands to the unemployment lines and a bureaucracy which itself was marked by chronic ineptitude. We have three branches of government for a reason, and the governor’s predisposition to act without consultation or collaboration made a bad situation infinitely worse.

Thus, for the first time, many people realized the importance and impact a governor can have on our everyday lives.  We also came to fully understand how the third branch of government – the judiciary – can be co-conspirators in stealing our freedoms through activist rulings and essentially re-writing laws.  With elections for statewide judicial offices this year and an open seat election for governor next year we have before us the opportunity to further restore constitutional balance to state government.

During the COIVD-19 pandemic many regulations, particularly those involving the delivery of health care, were relaxed or suspended. In exercising their newly approved constitutional authority to end Governor Wolf’s emergency powers, lawmakers were careful to leave in place the relaxation or suspension of many regulations that expedited the delivery of health care services. Look for new legislation in the coming months to make many of those changes permanent.

At the national level, we learned how important it is to remove regulatory barriers and approval processes slowed by a moribund federal bureaucracy.  The Trump Administration implemented Operation Warp Speed that got the government out of the way and sped up approvals to allow the private sector to develop effective COVID-19 vaccines in record time.  As a result, countless lives have been saved and the pandemic – at least in the USA – has been largely brought under control.

What this has proven is that many of these regulations and approval processes are either not needed or unnecessarily complex and slow. Going forward, reforms need to be implemented to remove these barriers to the development of other pharmaceutical products so we can more quickly make advances in the prevention and treatment of more diseases.

We also learned what does and what does not work. Pennsylvania and other states with dictatorial governors suffered a prolonged and more severe pandemic both medically and economically than did states which took a more hands-off approach. Florida and its Governor Ron DeSantis have emerged as the gold standard of how to handle a pandemic: reasonable caution without excessive government interference.

The COVID-19 pandemic spurred many citizens who otherwise paid scant attention to state government into action. Social media was alive with activists pushing back against Governor Wolf’s draconian policies and many went into the streets attending rallies and protests. Having been awakened, the new normal should include a continuation of this citizen engagement.

But the most important aspect of the new normal is a new appreciation for the old normal. COVID-19 impacted the lives of all of us in one way or another. It closed schools, churches, and community events. It isolated many from family and friends.  Those things we took for granted were suddenly gone.  If nothing else, as all of those things return to the “old normal,” our “new normal” will be to appreciate that “normal” is actually something very special.

Mr. Henry is chairman and CEO of the Lincoln Institute and host of the weekly Lincoln Radio Journal and American Radio Journal

New Normal Means Freedom? Don’t Laugh
New Normal Means Freedom? Don’t Laugh
New Normal Means Freedom

Worrying never did anyone William Lawrence Sr Cryptowit 6-26-21

Worrying never did anyone William Lawrence Sr Cryptowit 6-26-21

Xs pievr xs vieh mw xs pmklx e jmvi; izivc wcppefpi xlex mw wtippih syx mw e wtevo.
Zmgxsv Lyks

Worrying never did anyone William Lawrence Sr Cryptowit 6-26-21

Answer to yesterday’s William Lawrence Sr Cryptowit quote puzzle: Worrying never did anyone any good
John Quigg

Worrying never did anyone William Lawrence Sr Cryptowit 6-26-21

RTM Plans New School, Residents Should Plan For New Pain

RTM Plans New School, Residents Should Plan For New Pain — This gentle warning has been passed to us that you are about to be again robbed by the Rose Tree Media School District.

Pennsylvanians would save a lot, and we mean a lot, more money if education funding followed students and not systems. If we learned anything from the pandemic it’s that Pennsylvania schools are way fat.

More importantly, though, education would be greatly enhanced and parents would be greatly empowered.

Your little boy is being taught he should be a little girl? Fire the fools and find a new school.

If vouchers are too radical for you, rescinding the prevailing wage law would save 20 percent of the cost of this looming boondoggle. Just sayin.

Anyway here is how the heist is starting:

I want to provide you with an update on the progress towards our new elementary school. We understand how critical selecting the location for our new elementary school is — a decision we do not take lightly. Over the last several months, our Project Oversight Committee (POC) and Core Design Group (CDG) for the new elementary school has been working extremely hard to reach this point. We are very excited and proud to announce the location of our new elementary school in Edgmont Township! 

Prior to this decision, the POC and District administration completed several decision worksheets, narratives, and a full site comparison analysis including anticipated costs, facilitation sessions, and several conversations with the School Board and local city and municipal regulatory agencies. Understanding the locations of new developments and our existing students within each elementary’s school’s boundaries, the team sought to minimize impact and costs when selecting the new site. In addition, key priority drivers for this decision included: 

  • Location, size, and cost of the property 
  • Site attributes including accessibility, entry points, utilities, drainage, soils, environmental integration, etc. 
  • Transportation impacts: time spent on the bus for students, the number of buses needed, staff impacts, etc. 
  • Timeline to develop property
  • Other unique attributes such as a redistricting plan, community goals, housing developments, and logical locations

Over 23 sites were vetted as potential options during the last two years. Sites in Middletown Township and Edgmont Township were shortlisted, but ultimately the property in Edgmont Township was selected and the sale finalized for the new facility. Local, community schools have been a keystone of our District for many years, and the selection of the current site reflects our ongoing commitment for neighborhood schools.

Currently, we are working on finishing the Schematic Design Phase of the project. We invite you to join us next Tuesday, June 29 from 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. for a Public Presentation that will outline the work and progress completed so far. This will include a 30-minute presentation and a 30-minute Q&A section. You can attend either in-person at the Penncrest High School Auditorium or virtually via Microsoft Teams. The link to join the meeting virtually will be posted at 6:00 p.m., 30 minutes prior to the start of the meeting, on our Room to Learn Room to Grow website, our District’s website, and social media. 

I encourage you to visit RoomtoLearnRoomtoGrow.org/pre-design-phase for ongoing updates to our progress. We’re very excited to provide our students with room to learn and room to grow!

Regards, 

Dr. Eleanor DiMarino-Linnen

RTM Plans New School, Residents Should Plan For New Pain
RTM Plans New School, Residents Should Plan For New Pain

Fight like men also William Lawrence Sr Cryptowit 6-25-21

Fight like men also William Lawrence Sr Cryptowit 6-25-21

Jbeelvat arire qvq nalbar nal tbbq
Wbua Dhvtt

Fight like men also William Lawrence Sr Cryptowit 6-26-21Answer to yesterday’s William Lawrence Sr Cryptowit puzzle: As our enemies have found we can reason like men, so now let us show them we can fight like men also.
Thomas Jefferson

Fight like men also William Lawrence Sr Cryptowit 6-25-21