Illegal Immigrants
Just the sound of these two words invokes strong, emotional sentiments. Illegal immigration has once again found itself at the forefront of national debate. How shall we decide this issue? Is it one that should be decided by the Supreme Court? By popular vote? Is there a pragmatic and fair way to handle this problem?
Illegal immigrants come to this country in hopes for a better life. The vast majority of them perform manual labor-- jobs that very few Americans would take. Dishwashers, construction, farm laborers-- you name it. Some apply for social security numbers and pay taxes while others get paid under the table. Many send money to their families they left behind. It is estimated that there are over 20 million of them here in the US, mostly from Mexico and Central America. They work for below minimum wage. For businesses that rely on unskilled labor, this is a good thing. It enables businesses to save costs and expand, and helps keep certain goods and services at a low cost. It is widely quoted that, if it weren't for migrant/illegal farmworkers, produce like lettuce would cost up to 10x as much.
On the other side, illegal immigrants are just that-- illegal. They came into this country illegally. They consume our resources. Many have children, which adds to the strain on local communities' resources. They consume government services and even get welfare payments without having paid taxes. Resources are spent on Spanish translation to accomodate the illegals. So the cheap labor that illegal immigrants provide to our economy is not without costs.
While I understand and sympathize their motivation to come here, I believe that the law should be observed. A country without laws is a country without order. A country without order is a country without a promising future. In addition, I believe that a liberal immigration policy is not good for our society. Let's face it, once the IIs get accustomed to life in the US, they will want more--it's human nature. One cannot escape the seduction of the American way of life. The IIs will do their hard day's work, and will see American citizens driving their SUVs and Lexuses, buying all kinds of neat consumer goods, and living in spacious homes. In other words, their point of reference will change. The joy of having made it across the border and landing a job that pays minimum wage will quickly fade, and the II will once again see himself as a pauper. He will not be accepted by his fellow country-members. Without a college degree and mastery of the English language, he will realize that there will be no opportunity to move up. Resentment will build. He will see himself as "disenfranchised." The next course of action: violence. A lashing out against "the system." At this point, society will suffer, and it will be an awfully difficult, if not impossible, task to reverse the problem. It's already happening in places like Salinas, CA. The Norteno and Sureno gangs have established a foothold. Their members chose to join because to them, there was nothing left to do. Many are children of IIs.
This is the problem that is bound to happen with illegal immigration. The lawmakers who crafted the original laws were right to "meter" immigration into the US and set entry standards for those wishing to get a visa. We should sever our dependency on cheap labor and stick to the law. It offers the fairest solution to the problem.
Illegal immigrants come to this country in hopes for a better life. The vast majority of them perform manual labor-- jobs that very few Americans would take. Dishwashers, construction, farm laborers-- you name it. Some apply for social security numbers and pay taxes while others get paid under the table. Many send money to their families they left behind. It is estimated that there are over 20 million of them here in the US, mostly from Mexico and Central America. They work for below minimum wage. For businesses that rely on unskilled labor, this is a good thing. It enables businesses to save costs and expand, and helps keep certain goods and services at a low cost. It is widely quoted that, if it weren't for migrant/illegal farmworkers, produce like lettuce would cost up to 10x as much.
On the other side, illegal immigrants are just that-- illegal. They came into this country illegally. They consume our resources. Many have children, which adds to the strain on local communities' resources. They consume government services and even get welfare payments without having paid taxes. Resources are spent on Spanish translation to accomodate the illegals. So the cheap labor that illegal immigrants provide to our economy is not without costs.
While I understand and sympathize their motivation to come here, I believe that the law should be observed. A country without laws is a country without order. A country without order is a country without a promising future. In addition, I believe that a liberal immigration policy is not good for our society. Let's face it, once the IIs get accustomed to life in the US, they will want more--it's human nature. One cannot escape the seduction of the American way of life. The IIs will do their hard day's work, and will see American citizens driving their SUVs and Lexuses, buying all kinds of neat consumer goods, and living in spacious homes. In other words, their point of reference will change. The joy of having made it across the border and landing a job that pays minimum wage will quickly fade, and the II will once again see himself as a pauper. He will not be accepted by his fellow country-members. Without a college degree and mastery of the English language, he will realize that there will be no opportunity to move up. Resentment will build. He will see himself as "disenfranchised." The next course of action: violence. A lashing out against "the system." At this point, society will suffer, and it will be an awfully difficult, if not impossible, task to reverse the problem. It's already happening in places like Salinas, CA. The Norteno and Sureno gangs have established a foothold. Their members chose to join because to them, there was nothing left to do. Many are children of IIs.
This is the problem that is bound to happen with illegal immigration. The lawmakers who crafted the original laws were right to "meter" immigration into the US and set entry standards for those wishing to get a visa. We should sever our dependency on cheap labor and stick to the law. It offers the fairest solution to the problem.
posted by The Pragmatist | 9:59 PM
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