We have a serious
mess on our hands when it comes to immigration, but it doesn't look like anyone
has the political will to solve the problem. You see, there are several
problems with attempting to find a solution, because there are several
factions, all trying to get their own way, unwilling to compromise on anything.
The most vocal are
the racists. They're the ones who want to build a wall along the entire
southern border, despite the fact that only about half of the estimated 12
million immigrants who are here illegally even come from Mexico or points
south. Note that they don't even discuss the northern border, probably because
the only "illegals" crossing the northern border are Americans trying
to get health care. These are the people who would love to just "send them
all back."
Then, there are those
who claim to want to be "humane," who just want to let "those
people" stay, give them full amnesty, and allow them to once again be
given a free pass. They are the ones likely to make the claim that "these
people are doing jobs that Americans won't do."
And then there are
the quiet ones; the rich businessmen who enhance their bottom lines when they
hire people who are here illegally, for less than they can hire an American.
All three groups are
full of crap.
Here are the problems
with the current immigration mess.
First off, about half
of the 12 million immigrants who are here extra-legally are not from Mexico and
points south. Many of them came here on a visa, and for whatever reason, just
stayed after their visa expired. And that's the problem we have right now; we
don't exactly know who's here. We estimate 12 million, but it's really just a
guess; once someone comes here on a visa, or walks across one of the borders,
there is no method for keeping track of them. If we are supposed to be
concerned about terrorists coming into this country, it seems to me
"tightening the border" doesn't solve the problem, if half of those
who are here extra-legally didn't necessarily come over the border.
Second, we have as
many as 12 million people here illegally. Forget the ridiculous arguments about
being "fair" to the people who are trying to get here legally; if we
allow 12 million people to stay here after they've been here legally for years,
we will encourage another 12 million to come here, knowing that we will
eventually have to give in and let them stay.
Third, we have a
serious "illegal employer" problem, which the current bill is not
addressing. And it's not just that they hire immigrants who are here illegally;
it's that they do so in order to undermine our economic system. It's not that
"Americans won't do" certain jobs. I'm sure there are a few such jobs
out there, and they can be dealt with. But in most cases, it's not that
Americans won't bus tables or wash dishes; it's that they won't or can't do so
for $6 an hour or less.
Okay, so those are
the problems; how do we solve them?
First of all, any
immigration bill has to include provisions for border security, to be sure, but
more than that, we must give the USCIS tons of money, so that they can track
people who come here on visas. Every year, we spend more than half a trillion
dollars on "defense," but that doesn't make sense if we're letting
people come here and then stay for as long as they'd like.
Second, we can't send
the current 12 million back. It's not practical. We must give them a mechanism
to stay here and be productive, but that should include a background check and
a visa review. I agree with the provision for the $5000 fine, and any
citizenship application should be delayed for a significant period of time, as
a form of punishment. And there should be a provision in the law that prevents
this sort of thing in the future. Let's have a ban on any sort of "amnesty"
or amnesty-like provision in any immigration law for at least a half century;
that should cover it. I'm all for letting these people continue to be
productive, but we have to make it clear that we're about to get serious about
immigration security this time.
But third, and this
is most important, yet isn't addressed at all in the current bill, the SOURCE
of the problem isn't the workers, it's the employers. No matter what else we
do, if we don't sanction the employers for hiring these people, then nothing else
will work.
There are Americans
who will do the work that many immigrants do. It will mean an increase in pay,
which will mean an increase in the price of food at the grocery store, but
there is a pay threshold at which people will do it. So, the first thing any
immigration bill should do is put serious sanctions on employers who hire
people who are here illegally. The fines should be enormous, too. Not just
slapping Wal-Mart on the wrist for a few thousand when they’re caught. I'm
talking major fines. Put it this way; if you think about it; they are
potentially putting us all at risk. Sure, the odds are slim, but these
employers are bringing people into our midst without any sort of check; who
knows what could happen. It's certainly a great way for a Muhammad Atta to worm
his way into the country, isn't it? And along with providing tons of money to
check on visas, how about a lot more money to check employers' records. Scrap
the I-9; it obviously doesn't work. The government needs to do regular checks of
employer records, including audits, looking for money that is paid under the
table.
In those cases in
which an employer makes a good faith effort to find American help, at a living
wage (not the minimum wage, but a living wage!), then there should be a
provision to allow that employer to bring in help from another country, on an
open and above-board basis, under a specific visa program. Not a guest worker
program, either. If these people are actually necessary to keep the economy
running, then they should be offered a path to citizenship for their efforts.
Instead of putting
the fear of God into immigrants who are here illegally, it's the employers we
should be after. (We should also be working with the Mexican government to improve
their economy, but that's another issue.) They are depressing wages, and
perpetuating a problem that is not sustainable in the long run. But the problem
isn't the people coming here illegally; it's the people giving them a reason to
come here and stay. Solve that problem, and you don't need walls and draconian
measures.
Check out this documentary for another reason we have to stop this...
