U.S. and Mexican officials are discussing an agreement that would allow millions of Mexicans to return home and still collect U.S. Social Security benefits.
The controversial proposal that could transfer hundreds of millions of dollars in Social Security payments south of the border has riled some Republican lawmakers. They worry that it could reward scores of undocumented Mexican immigrants with a U.S. pension, draining the country's Social Security trust fund at a time when its future solvency is in doubt.
"Talk about an incentive for illegal immigration," said GOP Rep. Ron Paul of Texas. "How many more would break the law to come to this country if promised U.S. government paychecks for life?"
Supporters of the proposal argue that Mexican immigrants, documented and undocumented, pay millions, if not billions, of dollars in payroll taxes and have the right to claim Social Security benefits.
"Let's be honest, there are millions of Mexican immigrants contributing to the Social Security system and the U.S. economy," said Katherine Culliton, an attorney with the Washington, D.C., office of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund. "It's only fair they get back a benefit they deserve that will keep them from dying in poverty."
I'm all for naturalizing the current crop of illegal aliens and letting them stay in this country, as long as we effect wide sweeping, tough changes in the immigration law and stop illegals from entering the country. They can collect their social security here and then put those tax dollars back into the economy. Why let them take those tax dollars down to Mexico and spend them there?
So what if these illegal aliens have paid "billions" into Social Security (and how exactly does Katherine Culliton come up with such a number if these aliens are undocumented?). In my mind, if you want the benefits of being an American citizen then you'd better jump through the hoops to become a citizen.
The Whitehouse is in favor of this legislation, which I don't understand. As much as I like Bush, I wish he'd get tough on the immigration issue. This legislation is almost as bad as giving aliens the right to drive.