They’ve been here a good long while
by digby
After watching hysterical wingnuts calling for the closing of the borders all morning I thought this might be important to share:
The number of unauthorized immigrants living in the U.S.—11.3 million in 2013—has stabilized since the end of the Great Recession in 2009, according to new Pew Research Center estimates. The marked slowdown in new arrivals means that those who remain are more likely to be long-term residents, and to live with their U.S.-born children. In 2013, adult unauthorized immigrants had lived in the U.S. for a median time of nearly 13 years, up from 7.5 years in 2003.
But hey. Never let a full-blown xenophobic panic go to waste, eh?
Update: For instance:
Lawmakers, candidates and pundits have expressed concern that the disease will enter the U.S. either from immigrants or due to terrorism, prompting “Fox News Sunday” host Christ Wallace to ask Fauci about potential threats.
“What are the chances that illegal immigrants are going to come over our porous southern border with Ebola or that terrorists will purposely send someone here using Ebola as a bioterror weapon?” Wallace asked.
Fauci said that both scenarios were incredibly unlikely.
“I wouldn’t be worrying about illegal immigrants coming from southern borders when we have an issue right now with Ebola in West Africa. That’s a hypothetical that’s very far-fetched,” he told Wallace.
“As far as terrorism, nature right now Chris, is the worst bioterrorist. I’m worried more about the natural evolution in West Africa than I am about a terrorist,” Fauci continued.
Wallace then concedes that Ebola would not be the best weapon.
“I also suppose if you’re going to do a bioterror weapon, Ebola isn’t the most effective one,” he said.
And Wallace is one of the more respectable ones….
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