"Blowup" Postscript
Reader feedback to my question: Where are the illegal immigrants?
Last night I wrote a post in which I posed the question: Where are these 6-8 million illegal immigrants who have apparently entered the country over the last few years and are now living amongst us?
Judging by the reader commentary this morning, my question produced very little reader satisfaction, and a great deal of consternation.
One reader mentioned the desperate pleas of New York City Mayor Adams. Reading the literature about the situation in New York, I see that an estimated 67,000 illegal immigrants are now being housed in the city of 8 million with public resources.
67,000 strikes me as a staggering number of people to house and feed in New York City, which has a tight housing market. I can imagine this causes a huge burden on public resources.
Another reader in Chicago mentioned that he sees increasing numbers of illegals in the Windy City.
Another reader near the border region of Texas assured me she sees loads of illegals heading northward.
A journalist friend in San Diego recently told me they are being housed all over the city.
A reader in Florida replied that he sees them everywhere in the Sunshine State.
Another reader told me that the majority of these recent immigrants are living with family members who’d already established themselves and acquired housing in the United States.
I appreciate all of the above testimonials, and I thank you for your feedback.
When I wrote my post, I was thinking primarily about the issue of housing. I have lived in the Bay Area and in Honolulu, and the experience taught me that just a few thousand people living on streets, parks, and beaches can create an enormous public burden. 100 homeless men sleeping in pavilions on Waikiki Beach completely changes the entire complexion of the popular vacation destination.
Judging by my reader feedback, it seems that the majority of these 6-8 million people are NOT living on streets, sidewalks, parks, and beaches, but are being housed in cities and towns all over the country. I didn’t realize we had that much surplus housing capacity—that is, approximately the housing equivalent of New York City.
Complete whiff on the original post. It is impossible for everyone to stay keen to all current events, but before writing the original piece I would've liked to see you at least spend 5 minutes investigating the issue before spewing your completely inaccurate view of the situation. Walk in your local human resources facility, you'll see more immigrants than not. Go to any Home Depot at 5am. Read the many articles that have covered the pissed off parents about illegals being housed in public school gymnasiums. Read about the BUS LOADS of immigrants being sent out of Texas to sanctuary cities. Do better.
In NY State alone, hotels were cancelling the reservations of entire out-of-state wedding guests, in order to house these illegal immigrants, often without notice. The government is willing to pay the hotels for a full house of illegal immigrants, so the hotels simply cave. This is going on in multiple hotels in NY.