Illegal immigrants from India fastest growing

[musicman]

The fastest-growing group of illegal immigrants in the United States doesn't speak Spanish. They typically aren't found at day labor sites or streaming across the Southwest border into the U.S.

Instead, they're here in America working in tech companies, small businesses, as engineers or other highly skilled jobs. And they're coming from India.

The profile of the illegal immigrant may need to take on a slightly more South Asian persona since a recent federal report revealed that India had the greatest percentage increase in unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. since 2000.

Illegal immigrants from India grew to 270,000 in 2006 from 120,000 in 2000, a 125 percent increase, according to a report late last month from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Undocumented Indians, however, remain a small segment of the total estimated population of 11.6 million illegal immigrants in the U.S. Mexico tops the list with 6.6 million

[VicMan]

If this scenario is common, then this may cause widespread anger against illegal immigration. If a large enough segment of the US population feels threatened, it will rebel against this practice.

I think it is a big mistake for companies to outsource White collar jobs to illegal immigrants.

[gwilson]

No illegal immigrant is a good immigrant.

Do it legal or go home. That simple.

[musicman]

I think it is a big mistake for companies to outsource White collar jobs to illegal immigrants.

with the education problems here, they are having problems finding educated persons to work positions.

[Vertigo58]

No illegal immigrant is a good immigrant.

Do it legal or go home. That simple.

Well said! Hear, hear!

Legal people of Indian descent would be a breath of fresh air though. Try visiting places like San Jose or most SFO Bay Area and that is the majority next to Asian folks. Even while visiting Canada a few years ago I was surprised of how many Indian folks were around.

It seems all countries are swapping each others people but the US is by far the dumping ground. Why can't we start getting the rich people like from Italia, Espana or Greece? at least we would be learning something exciting and new. Viva Italia!

[VicMan]

Legal people of Indian descent would be a breath of fresh air though. Try visiting places like San Jose or most SFO Bay Area and that is the majority next to Asian folks. Even while visiting Canada a few years ago I was surprised of how many Indian folks were around.

We have plenty of them. I found an Indian fortune teller at Pavani (along U. S. Route 59 just inside Beltway 8).

Anyway, I posted this on the Chron forum.

"Anyway, on another forum a person told me that many companies are having problems finding properly educated people for positions, which explains why they are trying to find people from overseas. I am okay with that.

I am not okay with a company hiring a less qualified illegal immigrant for a White collar professional job because he can be paid with less money (when a more qualified legal immigrant/U. S. native can be paid with more money). I do not know how often this happens."

[KatieDidIt]

The fastest-growing group of illegal immigrants in the United States doesn't speak Spanish. They typically aren't found at day labor sites or streaming across the Southwest border into the U.S.

Instead, they're here in America working in tech companies, small businesses, as engineers or other highly skilled jobs. And they're coming from India.

The profile of the illegal immigrant may need to take on a slightly more South Asian persona since a recent federal report revealed that India had the greatest percentage increase in unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. since 2000.

Illegal immigrants from India grew to 270,000 in 2006 from 120,000 in 2000, a 125 percent increase, according to a report late last month from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Undocumented Indians, however, remain a small segment of the total estimated population of 11.6 million illegal immigrants in the U.S. Mexico tops the list with 6.6 million

[bachanon]

I guess katiedidit hasn't been to the hospital or in a lab recently. Check the doctor roster at many of the major hospitals or research institutions. I don't know if they are legal or not, but they are here, in droves, in the medical and research community. Thank goodness. How many immigrant doctors has our family received care from in the last six months? Five out of ten. Cardiologists, primary care, sleep specialist, surgical and more. I don't mean to say that is the norm, but it is our experience.

It would be devastating to the medical and research community to begin deporting these people. The article states that the majority of these immigrants come here legally and stay past legal status because the immigration system does not provide for their legalization. We invite them here because of their talents and education. Are we now going to send them home, after they have moved their families a world away and established much needed brain power in our communities? I think not.

Our students are too busy getting wasted, spending thousands of dollars on homecoming dances (a recent pet peeve of mine) and avoiding AP classes.

It is my opinion that the growing American underclass is mostly because of mediocre public education, and I cannot see things getting better. Get those Advanced Degrees kiddos, preferably in the Sciences or Engineering. Making under 36k a year is going to be the suck more and more.

In the mean time, we need brain power, wherever it comes from.

[KatieDidIt]

I guess katiedidit hasn't been to the hospital or in a lab recently. Check the doctor roster at many of the major hospitals or research institutions. I don't know if they are legal or not, but they are here, in droves, in the medical and research community. Thank goodness. How many immigrant doctors has our family received care from in the last six months? Five out of ten. Cardiologists, primary care, sleep specialist, surgical and more. I don't mean to say that is the norm, but it is our experience.

It would be devastating to the medical and research community to begin deporting these people. The article states that the majority of these immigrants come here legally and stay past legal status because the immigration system does not provide for their legalization. We invite them here because of their talents and education. Are we now going to send them home, after they have moved their families a world away and established much needed brain power in our communities? I think not.

Our students are too busy getting wasted, spending thousands of dollars on homecoming dances (a recent pet peeve of mine) and avoiding AP classes.

It is my opinion that the growing American underclass is mostly because of mediocre public education, and I cannot see things getting better. Get those Advanced Degrees kiddos, preferably in the Sciences or Engineering. Making under 36k a year is going to be the suck more and more.

In the mean time, we need brain power, wherever it comes from.

Yeah, I primarily go to my Sports Therapist in The Houstonian. White as Rice there. BUt I did notice the Woods had more of them in the labs and hospitals.

Anywho, can't agree more about the public school system. We are about 1 1/2 years behind the private school we are in now after leaving CISD. A Minimum of 2 hours of homework a night, plus projects, tests to study for, time devoted to learning things NEVER taught in public and music study. I'm so stressed for them I feel like I'm going through school with them. We budget the day down to the minute, no joke. ZERO, and I mean ZERO free time after school, homework and a sport. Saturdays is the closest they've got and they still have to put at least an hour in on school work or they will be forever lost that week. Its sink or swim in this school vs. the stroke along at a nice safe pace, with floaties on, in CISD.

[VicMan]

Our students are too busy getting wasted, spending thousands of dollars on homecoming dances (a recent pet peeve of mine) and avoiding AP classes.

I guess I am the exception - I came into school with about 23 hours of university credit, thanks to the five AP tests I took during high school (5 in World History in my second year, 3 in English Language and 5 in U. S. History in my third year, and 4 in English Literature and 5 in European History in my fourth year).

A lot of people who come into my university have AP or IB credit.

I guess this love of academics runs in my family; my sister (graduated from Lamar in 2005) passed the IB Test, and my cousin (a fourth-year student at Lamar) is planning to take the IB test.

So, I suggest that families of university-bound students look into AP and IB tests, as they add to transcripts and allow for a quicker graduation from university.

[musicman]

It is my opinion that the growing American underclass is mostly because of mediocre public education, and I cannot see things getting better. Get those Advanced Degrees kiddos, preferably in the Sciences or Engineering. Making under 36k a year is going to be the suck more and more.

In the mean time, we need brain power, wherever it comes from.

concur!

[westguy]

AP exams are mostly used to make kids feel special about themselves. They get to miss taking actual college classes.

[VicMan]

AP exams are mostly used to make kids feel special about themselves. They get to miss taking actual college classes.

Would you say the same things about IB tests and CLEP tests?

As for "They get to miss taking actual college classes." - Most universities cap the number of credits that may be attained through AP tests/IB tests/CLEP tests/Community colleges.

[musicman]

I guess I am the exception - I came into school with about 23 hours of university credit, thanks to the five AP tests I took during high school (5 in World History in my second year, 3 in English Language and 5 in U. S. History in my third year, and 4 in English Literature and 5 in European History in my fourth year).

what type of major are you shooting for?

[Parrothead]

No illegal immigrant is a good immigrant.

Do it legal or go home. That simple.

Ditto.

[VicMan]

what type of major are you shooting for?

Either History or Global Studies - The three 5's account for a lot of history credits. I have ample room to change my major and still get out of university in four years.

No illegal immigrant is a good immigrant.

Do it legal or go home. That simple.

There is a saying that states that complex problems rarely have simple solutions. We have to carefully deal with immigration and ensure that we get good results, not necessarily conform to a certain ideology.

[millennica]

There is a saying that states that complex problems rarely have simple solutions.

[VicMan]

“There is always an easy solution to every human problem that is simple, neat, and wrong” ( H. L. Mencken, 1917).

Illegal immigration is not simple.

Illegal immigrants gain employment because companies like cheap labor. Why would the U. S. Government devote tons of time and resources to chase every single illegal immigrant out of the United States? It would gain the scorn of companies that like to keep their costs low.

If you want to solve the illegal immigration debate, you will have to perform immense studies on the issue (to determine why illegal immigrants stay).

This document from Social Security Administration states that illegals and other people without valid SSNs contribute money into Social Security (and do not use the money): http://www.ssa.gov/oig/ADOBEPDF/A-03-03-23038.pdf - Remove every illegal immigrant and, as a consequence, the source for SSN money is removed. I do not know how the illegal immigrant SSN contributions are spent, but something tells me that the government does not want to remove this source of income.

[musicman]

This document from Social Security Administration states that illegals and other people without valid SSNs contribute money into Social Security (and do not use the money):

wow i didn't know the govt had control of the situation.

[millennica]

Illegal immigration is not simple.

No, VicMan, illegal immigration is not simple, a point the Mencken quote makes clearly. The the only reason for my post was to supply the quote to which you alluded previously. I wasn't my intention to start a discussion/debate/argument about an issue as complex as illegal immigration let alone trying to solve the illegal immigration debate, by performing the immense studies on the issue (to determine why illegal immigrants stay) that you believe are necessary

[bachanon]

katiedidit, i'd give anything if my kid (the nephew) would commit to strenuous study. i can't get him to look at cliffnotes for crying out loud. he is sixteen with a car and he came with baggage. but, i do wish i had your problem, i think i'd relish it. not the failures of CISD mind you (i have those), but kids willing to do the work. i'm glad to hear your kids are getting back on track, but i digress.

No, VicMan, illegal immigration is not simple, a point the Mencken quote makes clearly. The the only reason for my post was to supply the quote to which you alluded previously. I wasn't my intention to start a discussion/debate/argument about an issue as complex as illegal immigration let alone trying to solve the illegal immigration debate, by performing the immense studies on the issue (to determine why illegal immigrants stay) that you believe are necessary

The Mencken quote makes me think of "neat" solution I've regurgitated for years on end. I need to put that quote in front of me before I go spouting off neat solutions when there are none.

Is it too monumental to offer citizenship for every immigrant who has been here for more than a specific period, while considering each case individually? At the same time, overhaul immigration policy so that future immigrants have sufficient, swift consideration and opportunity. Part of the problem is that we do not have the administrative capacity to process everyone who is already here. Did I just regurgitate a neat solution that will fail. Probably so.

The issue is bigger than anything Congress can "neatly" legislate. Maybe, there should be a grass roots, pro-immigration movement from citizens who see the value of legitimate immigration policy? We need to accelerate the processing of people who are already here and show more strength at the borders.

[musicman]

Is it too monumental to offer citizenship for every immigrant who has been here for more than a specific period, while considering each case individually?

YES. we've seen how the govt has good intentions but the programs end up being ineffective, costing each of us more.

[KatieDidIt]

katiedidit, i'd give anything if my kid (the nephew) would commit to strenuous study. i can't get him to look at cliffnotes for crying out loud. he is sixteen with a car and he came with baggage. but, i do wish i had your problem, i think i'd relish it. not the failures of CISD mind you (i have those), but kids willing to do the work. i'm glad to hear your kids are getting back on track, but i digress.

Don't know whre you pulled willingness to work out of my post. The are only willing after threats and mommy meltdowns. I am sitting in the same room cracking the whip. Believe me, self motivation hasn't set in yet. I am hoping that is does before they turn 30 though.

PS- congrats on the moderator thingie.

[WFIOB]

Like most headlines, the article is misleading. There is an increase of illegals from India at the tune of about 125%, but the country of origin for a majority of illegal immigrants remains Mexico.

The Chronicle, in similar fashion to other media sources, prints an article with some research but not as much usable fact. Also, with some cases, as with the YouTube 'girl on ecstasy' video, the Chronicle has never mentioned the outcome of the CPS hair follicle test. (the entire video was an act)

Additionally, the Indians here have simply over-stayed their visa. This isn't a terrible problem to rectify, and a far cry from burdening a nation by stealing across its borders by any means necessary.

The whole problem with not doing thing decently and in order is a breakdown in our culture and economy. We are less productive with multiple language barriers. Cultures which won't assimilate and which contain inherently harmful tenets can do more harm in the long run than any other threat.

I think if the responsible people left Harris county en masse in the middle of the night and returned just 6 months later, the city would be in ruins. We have too many responsible people supporting too many irresponsible people.

Bear in mind if we had ONE illegal alien from Guam and TWO more arrived, the percentage would be 200% increase. I wonder how the Chronicle would treat that story...

Finally, when you have a culture built on bribes, so prevalent that the plumbing is such that you can't flush toilet paper. (Mexico and a few others) Many times it is such that people coming here illegally from those places and leave nasty toilet paper on the floor in restroom your favorite restaurant don't know any better. It's actually multi-culturalism at its finest.

[canadian]

I do not know much about the immigration pattern from India, but the fact is that the current visa regime is pretty stringent resulting in many legal visa holders becoming 'illegal' in status. Work visas are for a period of 3 years, which may be extended by a further 3 years, while there is a countrywide quota as to the number of immigrants that can be admitted each year. The quota includes the number of immigrants granted permanent resident status through family reunion and other non-employment based visas. Thus an employee admitted legally can end up overstaying his visa for no fault of his/hers.

[Toggle3]

OTM (other than Mexican) arrests for unlawful entry into the United States are a pittance compared to the arrests made of Mexican nationals unlawfully present in the U.S.

Federal statutes are clear: if a foreign national (alien) doesn't go through a port of entry and doesn't have a visa to enter, he/she is to be deported.

It does not matter WHY they crossed the border illegally. Who cares?

I couldn't care less WHY any border-jumper breaks into our country. Foreign nationals should stay in their own country and fix the problems in their own country. They should not causing problems in my country and then demanding me (and millions of other American citizens) to pay for their education, to pay for their healthcare, to pay for their roads, to pay for their clean air, to pay for their....anything.

I'm sick of paying for illegal aliens. I'm sick of hearing Spanish more than English and I'm sick of politicos doing nothing.

Deport the illegal aliens already. Deport them all and let Vicman catch a ride south too.

[west20th]

OTM (other than Mexican) arrests for unlawful entry into the United States are a pittance compared to the arrests made of Mexican nationals unlawfully present in the U.S.

Federal statutes are clear: if a foreign national (alien) doesn't go through a port of entry and doesn't have a visa to enter, he/she is to be deported.

It does not matter WHY they crossed the border illegally. Who cares?

I couldn't care less WHY any border-jumper breaks into our country. Foreign nationals should stay in their own country and fix the problems in their own country. They should not causing problems in my country and then demanding me (and millions of other American citizens) to pay for their education, to pay for their healthcare, to pay for their roads, to pay for their clean air, to pay for their....anything.

I'm sick of paying for illegal aliens. I'm sick of hearing Spanish more than English and I'm sick of politicos doing nothing.

Deport the illegal aliens already. Deport them all and let Vicman catch a ride south too.

Haven't seen any of your insightful posts for awhile. What made you crawl out from under your rock today?

[Guest danax]

Deport the illegal aliens already. Deport them all and let Vicman catch a ride south too.

Feel free to voice your views but please keep other HAIFers out of it.

Vicman has a point though; it's not a simple issue of obeying and enforcing the law anymore. It should be simple, but political and social pressures are hindering simple action. No one likes to see simple, hardworking people have to leave jobs, take children out of school and go back to an uncertain life but, by doing nothing, simple, hardworking Americans have to leave neighborhoods that become overrun with ugliness and gangs.

I spoke to an older black woman today who's moving to Houston from LA. She's from the area around Vermont and Exposition, if anyone is familiar, which could be called South Central LA. She moved to the High Desert in 2003 and described how her old nabe looks now; cars on lawns, multiple families in houses, junk everywhere. That area had a bad reputation but had a lot of good people who cared about what went on around them and tried to keep the area up. I had to change the subject because she was getting emotional on the phone describing it. I would guess that if immigrants came in and made the place look nice, her views would be different.

As for the Indians coming over; jeez, that's all we need; more Quickie Marts and PhDs.

[houstonmacbro]

The Great American Melting Pot.

[musicman]

As for the Indians coming over; jeez, that's all we need; more Quickie Marts and PhDs.

LOL and help desks.