Has it ever seemed to you that there are times when everyone is wrong?
Whenever the (emotional) subject of Illegal Immigration you end up with three opinions:
1.) We need massive deportation2.) We need to grant a form of amnesty then pay more attention to people coming across the Mexican* border3.) We need to have a more or less open borderWhat they think: People that are in the first group aren't necessarily wanting to breakdown doors at 3am and drag people to holding centers for their trip back to Mexico (though some do), they usually want to force the issue by cracking down on businesses/charities who employ/aid them in order to force them to live lives of poverty that they will go back to Mexico "voluntarily".
Why they are wrong: The disparity between life in the US and life in Mexico is dramatic, especially for the people fleeing. We are not receiving middle class Mexicans, we are getting people that are hopeless and unskilled. Therefore, people will do whatever they can to stay. If it means mowing people's yards themselves, selling stuff on the side of the road, or even staying with legal family members (possibly even their own children) they will do it. Only a police state could remove this loophole and few of us are willing to allow that to happen. Moreover, if you could remove 11 million illegals there would be a sizeable percentage that are working...working in an economy that is at near full employment (4.7%) how could we fill the "less desirable jobs"? More on this later.
What they think: The second group is probably the closest to being right. They realize that deporting people through shutting down vehicles of aid/employment will not work, and that the best thing to do, while repulsive in theory, is to reward the illegal action of coming to the US without documentation. This will make aliens citizens, offer more opportunity to integrate into society and leave room for guestworker programs that give more prospective immigrants a "trial-run" so they can follow the legal channels to become Americans. Plus they are doing jobs Americans don't want to do.
Why they are wrong: Once you make someone picking fruit for 5 bucks and hour "legal" they will trade in their sorebacks for a "cushy" job at McDonalds making 40% more. The reason illegals will do the work they do is that they have few other options. Naturally, the increase in costs/taxes to the employer will be passed on to the consumer. A blanket grant of ammnesty will force a stampede to the states.
What they think: People that want an open border will throw out such insightful and meaningful cliches as "America is a nation of immigrants" and "The only true Americans are Native Americans". If we are truly free, why not allow people to come and go, work and not, as they please. Plus we need immigrants to fill jobs ::chorus:: "that Americans don't want to do"
Why they are wrong: This is one of the times that I disagree with Libertarian thought. As far as our nation's history goes, there are a few big differences. The US (during our peak periods of immigration) needed citizens to expand across the country. There was a limit on how many could get here whereas now, we could double the illegal population next year by having a ribbon cutting ceremony along the border. Also those newly arrived felt like there was a race to integrate into American culture. Not so now. There are many people who never bother to learn English or think of themselves as anything but a Mexican displaced, living in a country that affords them better living conditions. Modern Liberal thought even encourages the mindset under the misguided ideology of multiculturalism. Assimilation, contrary to their beliefs, is a not bad word!
Okay I said there would be more on "doing jobs Americans don't want to do" later right? There is a slight problem with that. If we welcome Mexicans to do crappy jobs we will be creating an institutionalized underclass divided on a distinctly ethnic/racial line without a clear way of removing themselves from it. It is in the interests of our country to make sure a significant percentage of illegals go on to lead, or have a reasonable expectation to lead, middle class lives. If not, we could have similar problems to what France has with Muslims with the exception of Mexicans being 100x more culturally desirable than Muslims.
So then what is the solution? Not sure, there doesn't appear to be
one. The answer (if you want to call it that) is a list of reforms.
1.) Gradually allow illegals to become citizens (those with family come first) with a ten year transition period. They will be required to pay a fine for their status including backtaxes on unreported income. They will be ineligible for social services (public education, foodstamps , and emergency room care being exceptions) during the transition period. They will be permitted to continue working "under the table". Anyone with a criminal record will be deported after serving out their prison sentence. Those not interested in enrolling in the new program will face deportation.
2.) Replace the current tax system with a national sales tax (similar to the
Fair Tax which is now in paperback) so that illegal immigrants can not evade taxation. Their illegal status will prevent them from receiving the prebate (the new "standard deduction" distributed at the beginnning of every month). Those in transition will get a corresponding percentage of the prebate according to how far they are into the plan (3 years in 30% of the prebate, 7 years 70% etc.)
3.) Require that all "new" citizens attend English classes (at their expense) and/or show proof of basic language competancy in the same way that a basic knowledge of our history/government is required to become an American now. In addition to a language class, all new immigrants must take a culture class, where they will be taught how to function on our society. How to write checks, open bank accounts, and time permitting how to use birth control ;)
4.) We build a fence (physical or virtual) with INS serving as bouncer at Club USA. People caught sneaking across, will be rounded up and delivered back to Mexico (or their country of origin) and will forfeit immigration rights for the future. In addition we will determine how many more we will "let in" depending on need. The new "guest workers" will have five years before they can start a transition. Depending on need, the transition for guest workers can be shortened appropriately in a way that encourages potential Americans to pay their dues.
--Joey
*I know not all illegal immigrants are coming from Mexico but Mexicans are the most prominent and represented group, we will make the typical (West Coast) mistake of calling all Hispanics "Mexican" and all immigrants Mexican.
