Comprehensive Illegal Immigration Reform

Illegal immigration: Solved
By Kelvin Wade
May 27, 2010

Arizona has touched off a fiery debate on illegal immigration since the passage of SB1070 that requires police officers to inquire about immigration status for suspected illegals during police contacts with the public. But what are we really going to do about this persistent problem?

Despite opponents of the law claiming it invites racial profiling, polling shows that 6 in 10 Americans support Arizona's immigration law. People are frustrated with the federal government's inaction on border control.

Wanting a secure borders and expecting immigrants to play by the rules set up for entrance to this country certainly doesn't make one a racist. Not only is there a threat from potential terrorists, there is drug smuggling and criminals who pass our borders. It stretches already thin education dollars and hospital services. Remember H1N1 last year? There is the potential for those entering the country to bring disease. Plus, it's just not fair to those who play by the rules and come here legally.

However, while too many smear opponents as racists, opponents of illegal immigration are often reluctant to admit the racists in their midst.

It certainly doesn't help that State Sen. Russell Pierce, the man behind the Arizona law, has connections to white supremacy groups. There is a video online of him attending a rally with people carrying flags with swastikas on them. We don't need that in this debate.

So how do we secure our borders? Building the 'dang fence,' as John McCain calls it, isn't going to stop it. Adding 1,200 National Guardsman to the border like President Obama ordered this week is a drop in the bucket.

The U.S. has military personnel in more than 100 countries. How about letting those countries defend themselves and bringing them home to serve on our borders? We need drones along the border. I'm not talking about blasting illegals with missiles but just to have the additional eyes in the sky.

What do we do about the illegal immigrants already here? According to a CBS/NY Times survey earlier this month, 64 percent of Americans either want illegals to have a path to citizenship or work here as guest workers, while 32 percent want them deported.

Deportation is just not going to happen. The Center for American Progress conducted a study that concluded the cost of deporting all illegal aliens in this country, an estimated 12 million people, would be $285 billion over five years. Who's up for some tax increases to pay for that?

We need enforcement on the border to deny entrance to illegals. We need an expanded guest worker program. We need a path to citizenship that would require a certain length of residency, having a job, learning English, having a health screen, and paying back taxes and a fine. And of course, their application would come behind those who came here legally. Businesses who hire illegals outside of the new framework would be severely punished. Those illegal immigrants who don't comply are sent home.

Forget the xenophobia. Shelve the plans to change the law on American birthright citizenship. Deep six the heated rhetoric about amnesty. This is what Washington needs to do to solve this problem. Peace.

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ADDITIONAL NOTES: Illegal Immigration Solved. I wanted that title to grab people. I wanted the arrogance of it, the presumptuousness of it to get people's attention. It's a tough problem with a lot of strong feelings. Looking at any situation, I try to drain away the emotion so I can get a handle on what needs to be done.

Obviously, a guest worker program and path to citizenship cannot be done first. The first thing that has to be done is the border has to be protected. Closed from illegal entry. I think we should put the U.S. military on the border as a backup to the U.S. Border Patrol. Some think that's too heavy handed but what else is a military for but to defend a nation? This is what other countries do. We have troops in over 100 countries. We have troops in Germany and Japan 65 years after WWII ended. We have over 30,000 troops in South Korea (and I know North Korea is saber rattling). We're going to be pulling forces out of Iraq and Afghanistan soon. We need to put some troops on the border. We need drones patrolling. We need a lot more technology.

When the borders are secure, then we can deal with the people already here. Those who refuse to participate or have criminal records, should be deported. I know that amnesty riles peoples' feathers. "Why reward criminal behavior?" the refrain goes. "These people are criminals!" people angrily shout. It's true. Although I'm not sure most people know illegally entering the United States is a misdemeanor roughly on par with shoplifting a candy bar. Hey, i didn't write the law. It's Section 1325 of Title 8, Chapter 12, Subchapter II, Part VIII of the U.S. Code.

But because they have violated our laws and sovereignty, they should be moved to the back of the line, behind people who came here the right way.

The cost and manpower to deport every man, woman and child here illegally is prohibitive. And while there's focus on illegals being a drain on resources, their presence here actually has a neutral effect on our economy according to a recent report by Gordon Hanson, an economics professor at UC San Diego. His report does say that in low skilled jobs, illegals maximize profits for employers and keep wages low. He also goes on to say that there isn't enough low skilled domestic workers to take those jobs. He goes on to say that there's not even enough low skilled guest workers to do those jobs. These would be service jobs in agriculture and hospitality. So a net effect of not having illegals to do those jobs would almost certainly mean a rise in wages in order to attract domestic workers along with a rise in restaurant and hotel prices and an increase in produce.

I understand the frustration and fear. I wrote about this recently. There is a fear that a large influx of non-assimilating foreigners will change the country that we know and love. But that's why we'd mandate English. It's why anyone coming here to work would have to assimilate to fit in and advance.

If someone broke the law to come here but is here working a job, paying taxes, staying out of trouble, learning English, raising a family then why not put them on a path to citizenship? Of course make them pay a fine. Make it a hefty one even. Do you know that current law says that someone caught illegally entering this country faces 6 months in prison and a $50 fine? Fifty measly bucks.

Of course we don't want anyone coming here committing crimes or going on public assistance. That should not be allowed. There should be plenty of prerequisites in order to stay here.

I can be persuaded to do something about the anchor baby problem. It's something that would disincentivize pregnant women from sneaking here to have their babies. If its something that could be shown to reduce people coming here to have their children then we need to look intio it. Businesses who hired illegals outside the framework of this new comprehensive plan must be seriously punished.

But like I said, the first thing that has to be done is secure the borders. Secure the borders. What else do you want me to solve?