Posted by
Patrick Henry on Thursday, July 08, 2010 11:59:30 AM
Immigration chaos did not happen overnight, nor will it be remedied in the blink
of an eye. In fact, any attempt to rush it will lead to an unnecessarily toxic backlash
and likely cause it to fail.
As already pointed out, any attempt to dump eleven million newly legal workers on
an already deflated labor market would be disastrous. In the "new economy" (i.e.,
post recession) American workers will go through a process of re-defining what jobs
they will and won't do. While they are unlikely to embrace seasonal work because it
does not provide a constant income stream, other jobs now done by illegals may take
on a new appeal, and if Americans are unable to make such adjustments due to the
legalization of a now illegal population the economic, political and social repercussions
will likely exceed the current negatives caused by illegal immigration. Such a period
of adjustment cannot, however, be interminable, and can play out while illegals who
qualify for amnesty are identified and signed up for the program. Passage of the law
will give out-of-work Americans to re-think whether washing dishes, landscaping,
and construction work are truly beneath their dignity when the alternative is starvation.
That said, admission to an amnesty program cannot mean instant citizenship, but a
right to earn it. No benefits can precede the payment of fines and taxes or the public
admission of wrongdoing. A "green card" permitting the amnesty sign-ons to work
could, however, be provided as those requirements are completed. To be successful,
this must not be a typical government program where the requirements to learn
English, become familiar with American history and renounce foreign citizenship and
allegiance get smoothly swept under the rug. Such a falseness will perpetuate a class
of "second tier citizens," and discredit the program as a sham in the all-important
court of public opinion. Enrollees in amnesty should have a finite period in which to
complete it -- say seven years -- or be reverted to illegal status and be subject to
deportation. Privileges to vote and run for public office should be deferred until
citizenship is achieved, thus de-politicizing the issue.
A finite enrollment period should be established, with the qualifications announced
publicly and repeatedly in English and Spanish, and Hispanic-serving organizations
educated to help in publicizing the offer and qualifying applicants. At the conclusion
of that enrollment season ICE enforcement should be stepped up markedly, with
arrests and deportations of the outliers and prosecutions of those who aid and abet
them. such as employers still operating outside the law or relatives who themselves
obey the law but provide material support to those who will not. If there is no intent
to enforce all the provisions of the new law, then why pass it?
Tomorrow will mark the seventh and final segment of this post on immigration
reform. In it we'll look at both the diplomatic and political mandates required to make
it a success.