Republicans hate illegal immigration. If you want to piss off a Republican, make a pro-immigrant statement and then be prepared to be entertained. The anti-immigrant rhetoric will start spewing and foaming. The words said won’t consist of anything they thought of themselves, but rather talking points heard from politicians and “factoids” spread by their buddies at the bar or down at the hunt club.

But be prepared. The Trumpites can’t verbalize any logical reason behind their position. They’ll spit and sputter and then resort to name-calling and insults. But be prepared to be disappointed if you really expect to have an intelligent conversation about the issue.

With “the Donald” and his under-educated, lower-middle class minions spouting about illegal immigrants, maybe it’s time to take a look at some truths behind the lies.

Jerry Nelson is an American freelance writer. Busy at the moment on assignment in South America, Jerry is always interested in discussing future work opportunities. Email him at jandrewnelson2@gmail.com and join the million or so who follow him on Twitter @ Journey_America

1. “Anchor Babies” keep their parents in America

A common term used against illegal immigrants, “anchor babies” is a misnomer. There is no such thing. According to statistics, over 100,000 parents of American-born children have been deported over the last decade. Being the parent of an American-born child does not guarantee, in any way, any right to the parent to stay in America. Besides, the child must turn 21 before they can sponsor a parent for entry into America.

2. Anyone entering America illegally is a criminal

Only severe misbehavior is considered “criminal” in our legal system. Violations of less severe laws are “civil” matters and are heard in civil court. People accused of crimes, and tried in civil tribunals, cannot be imprisoned. Federal immigration law says that unlawful presence in America is a civil offense and is not a crime. The punishment is deportation.

3. Illegal immigrants don’t fund taxes but nevertheless, receive benefits

Illegal immigrants pay taxes every time they buy gas, food or clothes. They also contribute to property taxes when they rent a house or apartment. Additionally, the Social Security Administration estimates that 50–75% of the illegal immigrants pay federal, state and local taxes. An illegal immigrant can receive schooling and emergency medical care, but not welfare or food stamps.

4. There are more illegal immigrants here today than always before

As a percentage of the American population, the high actually was in 1900 when the foreign-born made up almost 20% of the population. Today only about 12% of the population is foreign-born. Since the recession in 2008, the number coming into the country has dropped more.

5. Illegal immigrants bring crime

Nationally, since 1994, the crime rate has dropped 35%, and the property crime rate has fallen by more than 25% — even as the number of illegal immigrants doubled. According to the CONSERVATIVE Americas Majority Foundation, crime rates during the period 1999–2006 were lowest in states with the highest immigration growth rates. The truth is, foreign-born people in the US are incarcerated at a much lower rate than native-born Americans.

6. Immigrants take jobs from Americans

A bipartisan group, the Immigration Policy Center, reports there is little connection between immigrant labor and unemployment.

7. Today’s illegal immigrants don’t want to blend in and become “Americanized.”

In 2010, a half-million immigrants became naturalized citizens. They had to overcome obstacles to getting here, finding work, overcoming language barriers, paying naturalization fees, dealing with a lethargic immigration bureaucracy and complete a written citizenship test.

This isn’t the behavior of people who take becoming Americans lightly.

8. There is a way to enter the country legally for anyone who wants to get in line

The plain fact is that there is no “line” for most poor people with few skills to stand in. For the first 100 years, American had an open immigration system that allowed any able-bodied immigrant in. The biggest obstacle that immigrants faced was solely getting here. Today there are rules about who may enter the country and stay legally.

Under current policy, many citizens’ ancestors who arrived between 1790 and 1924 would be allowed in today.

Have this on you the next time a Republican starts getting red-faced over illegal immigrants. Be prepared to laugh as they foam at the mouth, unable to reasonably answer a single point.