September 19, 2005

Palm Beach Post prints PIIPP on home loans for illegal aliens

One of the sub-category of PIIPPs ("pro-illegal immigration puff pieces") is that which promotes illegal aliens getting home loans using ITINs instead of SSNs. The Palm Beach Post has printed the latest in this long line, entitled "New mortgage rules help open doors for immigrants". They've found a twist: the sympathetic subjects in this case are here on a temporary visa. If that expires, are they going to go home to Venezuela, or are they going to become illegal aliens?

A snippet:

"We think we deserve the right to homeownership as well as other decent, taxpaying citizens who live in this country," said Pablo through a translator. He asked that his last name not be used in this story.

There seems something a mite fishy about that. Pablo's not a citizen and he's been here four years already and you think he'd know enough English to say the above. Call me mean-spirited, but perhaps we don't need people like Pablo here. Just working isn't enough, and perhaps we should make a few more demands of "immigrants" other than just contributing to our economy.

As for the article, it's very similar to other ITIN articles, which tends to make me quite suspicious. Who's behind all these stories from various newspapers? Are the banks or immigration lawyers sending press releases? Are the banks using an "in" at the paper to get things like this printed? Are these basically advertorials? Are these articles basically propaganda?

If a newspaper prints propaganda, should you trust the other articles they print?

Here's the first paragraph from this article:

Like many immigrants, Pablo and his wife, Eudalis, work hard, pay taxes and dream of owning a home.

And, from March 15, 2005's "Banks Find Mortgage Clientele in Undocumented Immigrants" by Katherine Reynolds Lewis of the Newhouse News Service:

Dalila and William Timal look like any other couple signing a home mortgage. They've picked out paint colors for their new four-bedroom house in Indianapolis and can't wait for their 18-month-old son to play in the yard.

And, from August 17, 2005's "Bank Calumet opens home ownership to illegal immigrants" by Keith Benman of NWTimes:

For years and years Javier Palacios Perez worked hard in the factory, paid taxes and made sure he and his wife, Josefina, were able to raise their three children properly.

And, from August 24, 2005's "Count Them In" by Dan Frosch of the Santa Fe Reporter:

Maria sinks into the soft cushions of the living room couch, hoping to catch a few moments of quiet.

I don't know about you, but I'm not going to put much trust in other articles from those sources.

If you want to contact the reporter, her email is susan_miller *at* pbpost.com. Their managing editor is bill_rose *at* pbpost.com.

Posted to Immigration_piipps at September 19, 2005 10:34 PM

Comments

Somehow I don't think having a mortgage would be a valid defence in a deportation hearing, this might be better addressed asking the shareholders in the Banks if THEY think this is a secure type of investement or a violation of ficuciary trust?

Posted by: Dan Kauffman at September 19, 2005 11:49 PM

A person who is paying on a mortgage and is deported to Mexico is likely to stop making the mortgage payments. The lender knows this. That's why the granting of loans to illegals is alarming. It means that the powerful lobbying efforts of the lender are enlisted in the cause of preventing deportations.

Posted by: dchamil at September 20, 2005 08:00 AM

So if illegal immigrants are buying homes, that kind of negates the saying that "They are working at jobs Americans don't want". After all the American dream is to own a home. But I guess in a way, they are also saying we are idiots, because we will not take jobs that will enable us to buy a home one day. They get home mortgages at one percent. So I suppose that helps. This country is crazy.

Posted by: Edie at September 29, 2005 11:35 AM

Loan officer looking for banks to work with People with an ITIN instead of a SSN

[I changed the email address, it doesn't work -- LW]

Posted by: Javier Contreras at February 2, 2006 08:57 PM