Wisconsin Program Helps Illegal Aliens Get Mortgages

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,166959,00.html

MILWAUKEE — Illegal immigrants are often criticized as unfair competition for U.S. jobs. Now, with an unprecedented program in Wisconsin, they could be competing with legal residents for a new home — with help from the state government.

The first-in-the-nation program, run by the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority , is helping to make getting a first mortgage easier —for illegal immigrants. The new home-mortgage program has Republican state Sen. Glenn Grothman up in arms. "I don't think the state of Wisconsin should be sending the message that our immigration laws are a joke," Grothman said.

The Wisconsin mortgage program follows the lead of the Internal Revenue Service, which gives out individual taxpayer identification numbers, or I-TINS, largely to people in the United States illegally so that they can legally pay income tax. Wisconsin is now allowing I-TINS to be used where Social Security numbers would normally be required. "We are not the immigration police. In fact, the IRS won't even allow us to inquire about the status of people who have I-TIN numbers," said WHEDA Executive Director Antonio Riley.

So far, about 150 mortgages totaling more than $16 million have been granted to Wisconsin I-TIN holders. "When you set-up a program in which you don't have a Social Security number, they themselves know and are admitting that the vast majority, if not everybody who's taking advantage of this program, is in this country illegally," Grothman said. "It's money earned, taxes paid, families need a home. It's that simple," said Democratic state Rep. Pedro Colon.

[MercutioATC]

1. Another wonderfully counterproductive (and stupid) idea.

"Illegal aliens" are in this country......illegally.

WHY would anybody allow them, much less HELP them, continue to live in this country in violation of the law?

[no_hypocrisy]

2. So if I'm a resident of Wisconsin, my tax dollars go to a program that

allows non-U.S. citizens living here without a green card or a VISA to compete with me to purchase a home, a rapidly dwindling and affordable commodity which is necessary for me to maintain employment and give me a future. Yeah, that makes no sense.

[Vinca]

3. Here's the puzzler about programs for illegal aliens:

the individuals are ILLEGAL! When they walk in and say I want a tax number because I'm illegal, WHY AREN'T THEY ARRESTED? Something is terribly wrong here.