This article is about Denison and illegals, the doubt illegals take good paying jobs. What about our very own "Denison Dry Wall"
My question is, do they really believe the social security number and papers workers give them when applying are really theirs or do they know they are bought maybe stolen and just turn their heads? Why shouldn't companies invest their time and money in helping immigrants get access to work visas instead of going to easy route. I think someone should turn the company in, not the workers.

Hello, this response is a very general, and somewhat vague response to the article itself, and to everyone else's responses. My name is Brandon, and I am a U.S. Army National Guard Veteran, and having seen variable sides of the immigration issue, I thought that I might add my two cents, so bare with me. I believe that illegal immigration is a problem, and it does need to be stopped, and or controlled more strictly. However, that being said, I must also say, that we as American's have gotten away from our roots. By that I mean, that our forefathers came here years ago, from different countries, to explore, expand, and create a better way of life for themselves, so why is it so hard for us to accept the fact that others may want to do the same thing? We need to realize that America is, has been, and always will be a cultural melting pot, how ever, there does need to be some kind of regulation on it. I'm not saying that every illegal immigrant is a bad person, out to do harm to our societies, and or rob our stores, etc. infact, that couldn't be more wrong. MOST of the immigrants coming to America only want to better themselves, and their families ways of life, after all, is that so bad? What makes things bad, are those few bad eggs that trickle their way into our society, and start drug rings, or gangs, or crime waves of any sort, that is what we have a big problem with. That and big companies trying to save a buck by hiring illegal immigrants. I myself have fallen victim to a company that thought they could hire a few more illegal immigrants than hiring an American like myself. Infact, my fiancee' years ago, before we had even met, had dated a man that was an illegal immigrant, and the place that he was working at, gave him a new name, and a fake social security number, and THAT, is the crap we have a problem with. That and all these people trying to make the American language a secondary language, I'm sorry, but I have lost friends, family, and loved one's over seas in various wars protecting our right to be an American, and one of those rights, is to be able to speak our own language. I'm not saying that immigrants have to forget their herritage, or only speak American English, infact, that's not what I'm saying at all. Immigrants have every right to remember, embrace, and enjoy their native cultures, all that we as American's ask, is that they work hard, pay taxes, and try to embrace our language, and some aspects of our lifestyle, as we would do if we moved to one of their countries. As a former military man, the military itself is a great way for immigrants to become citizen's of the United States. All I'm saying people, is that we need to be more accepting of some people's situations. Just because you see a Hispanic, or an Arab, or Muslim, or what ever race person walking down the road, doesn't mean they are neccissarily a bad person, beause they are an immigrant, they are just trying to interact, and find a place to belong, so take a little time to help them out, and be patient, they are still learning our ways of life, and our culture. The language barrier might be hard at first, but look past that, look at the actual person, not the dialect in which they speak, they are after all, human beings just like us. This next comment is for Ms. Kelly, and her comment about Senator Steve King. I happened to grow up in the same area of Iowa as Mr. King, and I happen to know his wife Marilyn, she taught elemetary school in my home town. As far as the immigration issues in Denison are concerned, he has done things for that town, and instead of attacking him as a person, use some common sense. Denison didn't have nearly the amount of packing plants, nor did it have the illegal immigrant problem during the days that Sen. King went to high school there. I happened to graduate from Denison Highschool, and at the time, the school alone was 51% Hispanic, and of that, only 3% were legal, we are all fully aware of towns like Denison, Sioux City, Storm Lake, Dakota City, etc. that are meat packing plant communities, and their struggles with illegal immigration, however; realistically, we can not expect an overnight turn around on these things. I know for a fact that the Department of Immigration and National Services, monitors, and controlls as best as they can the immigrant flow into those kind's of places. I guess all I ask is that we as American's stop being so close minded, and see things for the logic behind them.

A parable. You're standing in line, waiting patiently with others. Then suddenly, a whole bunch of people cut in front of the line. How do you feel? This is how LEGAL immigrants feel, as should natural born citizens, their legal immigrant parents or ancestors too waited "in line" to become U.S. Citizens. We are a nation of laws and order, not of anarchy, chaos and mob rule.

Support lawful businesses that hire American and legal immigrants. Boycott companies that hire illegal immigrants. So a few million illegal complain, the hundreds of millions of legal Americans will rise up and assert our rights.

"Good fences make good neighbors" -Robert Frost

Hi everyone,
Anyone that is interested in those companies that hire illegals here it is: www.wehirealiens.com. Call and email these companies and tell them you will boycott them unless they hire AMERICAN CITIZENS.They also list companies that will only hire AMERICAN CITIZENS! The list for the latter is shorter,but tell them you appreciate their loyalty. I've already started calling and emailing some.If everybody floods the phone lines and emails for these companies,Senators and Congressmen we may get action.Finally, there is something being planned in May and June called"Citizens on strike"for details go to:www.citizensonstrike.us.We have alot of illegals here in Pa. and NJ is even worse, and they are not only taking jobs we don't want!!!

So when is Congressman "Razorwire" King going to do anything about the "illegals" working in his high-school town of Denison? It's interesting to hear politicians speak about but do nothing about employers who hire the illegals. Could this have something to do with campaign contributions?

Does anyone have a list of those companies that hire illegals? I would like to boycott them. We should all boycott these companies and then they can sell their products to Mexico and all those Senators that support them.Second if your church supports this ask them why, when there are plenty people in this country that need their help.Example;my brother and his family are Catholics, but when he had a stroke in Nov.2005 his church gave him very limited help.But they are helping the illegals!!Call your Congressmen and Senators and tell them and if protesting in the streets are what works then maybe AMERICAN CITIZENS SHOULD DO THE SAME!!Finally, I wonder how many of you out there Know that next year when Jr. goes off to college that YOU WILL NO LONGER BE ABLE TO EVEN CLAIM IT ON YOUR TAXES ANYMORE!!Look it up!!Go to Turbo and you will find that you are going to lose alot of your deductions in the next few years and COLLEGE FOR YOU CHILDREN COMES NEXT YEAR!! But your government wants to give 600,000 free scholarships to Mexicans!! Isn't thaT WONDERFUL?? ALL YOU SO CALLED LIBERALS have fun when you go to do your taxes next and remember that there are others getting their kids education FREE!!
And for all you others out there did you wonder why our President is having all those meetings with Mexico and Canada??? Read up on CAFTA and the CFR plan and you will see that the plan is not to secure the borders between those countries. They will not do this unless we fight for control of our borders.Finally, how would these illegals feel esp. the Mexicans if tables were turned and millions of us invaded their country in such a short time and took their jobs and got free benefits that even citizens don't get.The answer is of they would not like it AND THEY WOULD THROW US ALL OUT!!Oh and my ancestors came here before this country even had immigration laws and the few that didn't came the LEGAL WAY!!! It's time we need to do something and unite like thet

I live in Denison Iowa, I have known and hung out with many illegal immigrants. Most do not pay federal or state taxes because they claim 8 or more dependents on their tax forms and do not file in April. Employers (like Farmland Foods, now a division of Smithfield) know they hire illegals because they will rehire a person under a different name. Employer verification must be enforced, the penalties harsher, and the government must check the companies instead of sitting on their hands.

The solution to illegal immigration, our trade deficit, and our loss of jobs to overseas businesses is simple: WAGE PARITY. This simply means using our economic leverage to get Mexico, China, India and other countries to adopt and enforce minimum wages equivalent to ours, and to enforce ours. We pull them up to our level, and there will be no need for immigration to the US. It would improve their economies immensely and let them buy our products as well. And there would be no benefit to moving US jobs to other countries if the economic incentive of dirt-cheap wages were taken away!

Rick Williams

Fayetteville, TN

I saw the report in Denison Iowa and have been following the immigration series all week. The problem is not immigration it is illegal immigration. Why the debate...stop illegal immigration and allow immigrants to come in legally to fill the jobs. The border patrol estimates that there are close to one million getting in per year and they, supposedly, are benefiting the country. I work for a school district and the cost of bi-lingual teachers, programs and space along with the social services these people are using cost way more then the 5-6 dollars an hour they earn. The companys that employ them make a killing but our cities, emergency rooms and services(and ultimately the tax payers)take a financial beating.Why are we bending to the pressure of illegal immigrants waving Mexican flags protesting in our cities...this makes no sense. Kick out the illegals and put enough manpower on the border to severly limit the illegal immigration!

I and my husband were born in Denison, Iowa yet we can't live there because we can't get a job. We live in Texas where it easier for an American born citizen to get a job than it is to get one at a meat packing plant in our home town. We work for $7.00 an hour and have no medical benefits. We pay taxes that go toward paying medical bills for illegals. You don't have to ask how we feel about the illegal immigrants in Denison, Iowa.

In response to Ana Picton, Chariton, IA:
“If they go back to their country of origin and live there for 6 months, then they are alotted another 7 years tax-free. They are also allowed to get a college education free of charge”.
SEVEN years “TAX FREE” status! - NOT for INDIA!
I am not sure about other countries, but The US- India treaty allows anyone to work in the US, tax- free for a period of two years. However, if they stay even for a single day beyond that (continuous or on upon their return after a 6 months home-country stay), they need to pay the taxes for the past two years that they were exempted from. In general, their work or studies would continue beyond two years and therefore Indians from India will end up paying the required taxes.
Moreover, the taxes for aliens are high and so is the college fee (close to double), which I do not dispute, for any foreign country is right in doing so. To the best of my knowledge, Indians from India, DO NOT get a free education, scholarships they do – purely based on academic merit and on their GRE/TOEFL scores, which of course, cannot be equated to “free education”. In addition, we in India are required to prove our financial status (that we can support ourselves and our studies even without any scholarship) at the visa counters in The US consulate/Embassy, which means only those who can afford, can leave to The US. Yes, Indians from India, need academic merit + excellent GRE/TOEFL scores + Money to study in The US.
The debate here is about “illegal immigrants” and not “immigrants” or “ legal aliens”.
However, I do agree, if they are there “illegally”- upon entry or by overstaying their visas, they SHOULD be deported, irrespective of their country of origin.

The real underlining issue is not whether it is right or wrong to allow the illegal to work and live in the United States, but rather the precieve fear some of the politicians and fear mongers are worry about. It is about power, to be more specific, the lose of political power. They fear that the new immigrants would dilute their conservative voting pattern. However it is an assumption nothing more, nothing less, because we have no idea how the NEW citizen will vote. These so call immigrants are not the free loaders many of the fear mongers like to label as such, they are actually very hard workers and family oriented,that through their hard labor enrich America.

The real underlining issue is not whether it is right or wrong to allow the illegal to work and live in the United States, but rather the precieve fear some of the politicians and fear mongers are worry about. It is about power, to be more specific, the lose of political power. They fear that the new immigrants would dilute their conservative voting pattern. However it is an assumption nothing more, nothing less, because we have no idea how the NEW citizen will vote. These so call immigrants are not the free loaders many of the fear mongers like to label as such, they are actually very hard workers and family oriented,that through their hard labor enrich America.

My american son of three generations of military service can not get an apprentice training because all the jobs are taken by "illegal aliens", no need to train americans. I cannot find a job with benefits because "illegal aliens" work in groups and push out native americans. They have it all and did not invest anything.

So, the local meatpacking company has hired all of these new immigrants and they now have great benefits? What the reporting failed to mention in the article is that these people are also PAYING TAXES. They are earning and paying their way like everyone else.

Whose America?" examines who is or should be entitled to that dream..:
Those who walk through the front door legally are entitled to that dream! The illegal immigrants, however long they been in The US, need to go back to their country, and return legally if granted permission. I was simply shocked to see millions walking through American cities and demanding RIGHT TO STAY, when fully aware that they were not supposed to be there in the first place. Whatever happened to “conscience”?
If they are allowed to stay, it would send a wrong message to the entire world and soon people will be lining up for visas- NOT to The US but rather to Mexico and would walk their way into The US!
Dear America, the WORLD is watching as to how you decide on THIS one.
Also, wondering if this would lead to lawsuits from those who go through a lengthy process, demanding that they too need to be instantly offered the same rights….Wow! THAT would be interesting to watch!

I guess I'm wondering why the hispanic people (mostly Mexicans) are being singled out? What about the Asians, or Indians from India, and Afghanistans? These groups of people are allowed welfare benefits, food stamps, and free medical care. They also are granted tax-free status for up to 7 years. If they go back to their country of origin and live there for 6 months, then they are alotted another 7 years tax-free. They are also allowed to get a college education free of charge. The "illegal" persons do this country a great service by providing cheap labor. If these jobs were done by "Americans" they would be paid $3-$4 more an hour. If you are going to stop immigration from other countries it should be from all countries.

As I see it, the problem with all the rhetoric is most, if not all, is pointed at the immigrant. What about the businesses that hire the illegals? These are U.S. businesses that are breaking our laws. Where is the outrage towards these companies? They aren't hiring illegals for philanthropic reasons. This is about greed!

The "American Dream" is a great goal and ideal to work towards, however, this current immigration debate is totally unbalanced. What illegal immigrants need to understand is that they need to come to this country legally, in line like millions before them.

Allowing the current US population of illegal immigrants to stay in this country would send a bad message: it would unequivocally say, don't abide by our laws and we'll give you reprieve. That's not fair to law abiding citizens of the U.S. and to the millions of immigrants waiting to enter this national lawfully.

Its great to see that the tough contreversial assignments are being handed out and even some reach the air. Good work Ms. Barker. Steven keep em coming.

"Whose America?"
Nice to read this story...that should show us that this "dream" that everyone has...whether here or in whatever country...to give our children the best...to grow and prosper...we should all be entitled to live it and to achieve it! So nice to read that cultures are opening themselves up to new people, experiences and food also!

ahh-why play by the rules and come in legally like everyone else? they just came in without permission. Isnt that sweet?

Bravo to the team working on this project for addressing the true issues behind this immigration debate without the unnecessary sensational rhetoric. The immigration issue has exposed the fear, mistrust, and yes, hatred, that many people still have in this country. Let's all make it a point to talk a little less and listen more.