Thread: Injustice is common theme in immigration issue

Injustice is common theme in immigration issue
By: Karin Abel
Issue date: 3/3/08 Section: Opinion

As most of us are well aware, the Utah State Legislature is contemplating several immigration-related bills this session. Local activists, politicians and religious leaders have all had a voice in a debate that seems to get more intense each day. Interestingly, all involved parties consistently express a similar sentiment: justice is not being served.

Those who support "immigrant rights" often argue that current immigration laws are unjust, sometimes likening them to slavery and Jim Crow. Many of them make the point that we should extend certain benefits to undocumented workers and their children, given that we all reap the rewards of immigrant labor.

Individuals who are "anti-immigration" (many of whom more than likely oppose only illegal immigration) regularly state their belief that enacting legislation that helps undocumented people is not fair to U.S. citizens who are not eligible for the same allowances. Moreover, they frequently articulate how frustrated they feel that we seem to expect U.S. citizens to abide by the law, yet we continue to allow individuals to enter this country without the proper documentation. People who come to the U.S. via the legal route at times feel discouraged because they did things the "right way," yet those who did not seem to have an advantage in some situations.

The arguments on all sides are endless, and a theme of injustice is prevalent, regardless of where people stand on immigration. As with other issues, people who feel strongly about immigration can be short-sighted in the sense that they think their point of view is the only one that is valid. Therefore, in order to move forward, we need to first acknowledge that when it comes to immigration, individuals from various camps bring legitimate thoughts, feelings and ideas to the debate. All too often, we resort to disparaging those who disagree with us when the truth is that people can have justifiable, substantive differences on this issue.

Only if we move away from name-calling and labeling will we help the effort to reach solutions that make sense. Most people likely believe that protecting the U.S. from those who wish to do harm is a good idea, although they may disagree on methodology. However, in recent months and years, the main focus regarding immigration seems to be on the people who illegally cross the border in order to work and provide a better life for their families.

Although we should not ignore the impact of illegal immigration, perhaps we could make some real progress if we change our approach. Instead of grappling over in-state tuition and driving-privilege cards, we could all benefit if we concentrated our efforts on pressuring lawmakers to improve the efficiency of legal pathways to this country. In doing so, we may be able to persuade people who would otherwise trek across the desert and risk their lives to make a different choice, as well as convince undocumented individuals who are already here to leave for a short time and reenter through the proper channels.

In other words, rather than putting energy behind efforts that take away incentive, we should work together to develop legislation that strengthens our legal process and rewards people who follow the rules.

The current system, in many cases, does just the opposite. At the same time we say we support legal immigration, we often close the door on people who truly try to adhere to the law. We also make it tremendously difficult for individuals who have managed to enter through legal pathways to attain permanent residence and ultimately citizenship.

The "amnesty" measures of the past have done little to help legal immigrants who want to make the U.S. their home, but they have given legal status to the undocumented. Certainly, every country has the right to create and enforce laws, but current immigration practices in this country are backwards.

Undoubtedly, we have a long road ahead of us. We created this immigration mess over a period of years, and we are probably not going to be able to clean it up unless we exercise a great deal of patience.

A focus on securing the borders from those whose intentions are to injure and streamline legal pathways is a good place to start. If we use wisdom in terms of which aspects of immigration we target during the early stages of the reform process, some of the challenges we face today might work themselves out along the way.
http://media.www.dailyutahchronicle.com ... 7440.shtml

The thinking is, if we don't figure out a way to make it easy for them they will plot ways to take it anyway. So it's our fault if they are criminals. More corrupt design in the making. The boarding house is already full to overflowing. Why make it easier? Every good thing is worth waiting for, we should not cheapen 'coming to America'.