Immigration: Good news for Maryland
More census data is out. Last week it was on locality-by-locality incomes. Today it's on commuting, family size, education, immigration and more.
I'll dive deeper into the report, but what jumps out are the figures on immigration. An increase of 38 percent in foreign born metro-Baltimore residents in six years is extraordinary. It means that the lower cost of living in and around Baltimore is drawing new Americans and would-be Americans. Baltimore City, which needs immigrants to reverse its stagnant/falling population, isn't doing great in immigration, but it's holding its own. Six percent of the city's residents were foreign born, the same as Anne Arundel County's. Marylandwide, 12 percent of the population is foreign born. Howard County had 17 percent.
Immigration can be overdone. You can't just open the borders and let everybody in. But immigration is mainly good for America and good for Maryland. Immigrants are adding to Maryland's tax base and cultural richness. The state is well on its way to becoming an international model of tolerance and diversity. Eventually immigrants will reverse Baltimore's population problem. And if that's not enough, immigrants will help hold up housing values in the ongoing real-estate slump.
Comments
80% of the American people want an end to anarchy!
Illegal workers are criminals, those who hire them are criminals and those who aid-and-abet them are criminals.
Illegal aliens in America have NO rights. We are required to arrest and prosecute, deport them.
No, matter your political party affiliation, and setting aside your thoughts on issues. We all need to remember what it is to be an American Citizen. We need to make sure our elected representatives obey their Oath of Office and keep their Oath of Allegiance.
See http://tinyurl.com/2znnvl Know whom you are voting for.
Posted by: Dr Coles | September 12, 2007 11:46 AM
On any immigration-related article that allows postings, this "Dr Coles" character keeps posting the same anti-immigrant pamphlet.
He doesn't even bother to change the words anymore. Pathetic ...
Mongo
Posted by: Mongo Aurelio | September 12, 2007 12:14 PM
Immigration is a good thing. And I get a warm and fuzzy feeling when I encounter a person who is clearly an immigrant and thankful to be in our country.
I do have an issue with media coverage of the immigration issue. There is a distinction between immigration and illegal immigration. Many in the media use the term immigration when talking about illegal immigration. There is a difference, simply put, illegal.
MickInAmerica
Posted by: MickInAmerica | September 12, 2007 12:44 PM
Dr. Coles does just that, Mongo.
It very pathetic that a DR. cannot come up with current, logical, non-rhetoric spewing comments.
I guess copy & paste works!!!
If Dr. Coles and people like him could put down the hate stick and analyze the data, they would realize that immigrants are here, legal or not, they have legal family, and that to get rid of a population that ranks higher than 240 countries in the CIA fact book, is not only unrealistic, but just plain STUPID...........
Posted by: StaceyNC | September 12, 2007 4:40 PM
Thanks for the comments, Mongo & Mick. Whenever I say something about immigration I'm a little hesitant to publish comments such as those of Dr. Coles. His are close to the line of what I consider appropriate. It's good to have retorts.
Posted by: Jay Hancock | September 12, 2007 4:50 PM
As a native-born Californian who has been forced to watch while my homeland has been completely destroyed by massive Third World immigration, both legal and illegal, I have to ask, where the hell is this so-called "cultural richness" that the Third Worlders provide?
Posted by: Mary | September 13, 2007 10:06 PM
This country needs immigrant . NOW! Period . Or we will go very fast nside a deep pit!
Anyway, we are already down
Posted by: Guy Danieli | September 15, 2007 7:49 AM