Thread: Swift raid could produce rational immigration policy

Swift raid could produce rational immigration policy

Guest Commentary by Bob Tointon
http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/2 ... /101300096

The Swift &Co. plant raid places Greeley in a negative national spotlight, illustrates what is wrong with our national immigration policy and provides some insight into practical solutions to existing problems which have evolved over many years.

Illegal immigration is similar to the illegal drug problem; i.e., there will be illegal drug traffic as long as there is a demand for the drugs and it is profitable for the drug dealers.

There will be illegal immigration as long as there are jobs for illegal immigrants in the United States that are better than what they can find at home.

There are 12 million, plus or minus, illegals imbedded in our society and economy. They have become entwined in our economy because of our existing and past immigration policy and enforcement of that policy. They have produced and raised American citizens. It is impracticable and probably immoral to split families by sending parents home while leaving their U.S. citizen children here.

The U.S. economy would suffer a major economic blow by rounding up and sending all illegals home in a short period of time. The bureaucracy would not be able to process new applicants (or returnees) at a rate that would fill the jobs required to keep our economy operating without severe disruptions.

The Swift example illustrates:

« There is a need for immigrant workers to satisfy consumer needs and wants.

« There are many undocumented immigrants imbedded in the existing workforce.

« Individual civil rights were impaired.

« Wholesale raids like the one the Immigrant and Customs Enforcement office conducted on six Swift plants are very disruptive to communities and families, very expensive to employers and have a ripple effect on the whole industry including suppliers and customers.

« Most employers are trying to comply with existing immigration laws, but the existing tools they have available to check prospective employee status are not reliable.

This ICE raid on Swift has and will continue to have a severe negative long-term impact on Greeley and Weld County.

Greeley and Weld need to find a way to make something positive of this incident that is not just an area issue but a national issue that this nation has not been able or willing to solve.

It reminds me of our Founding Fathers not being able or willing to address the slavery issue when the constitution was drafted. They hoped someone somehow would solve it in the future.

Since this raid on Swift spotlights the need for sensible national immigration policy so well, I think it can have a positive impact on rational national policy.

If this were to happen, then people would be able to look back on the current bad situation and say, "Look how Swift and Weld County brought us to our senses and produced a rational immigration policy."

In my view, a rational immigration policy needs to accept the reality of our huge undocumented workforce that is imbedded in our economy and society. You can not practically deport 12 million people regardless of how much you may want to.

Politicians using words like "amnesty" are trying to stimulate emotions rather than solutions.

We need a policy that includes:

« A guest worker program.

« A credible identification program.

« A reliable data base for employers to use to verify workers' ID and legal status.

« Holding employers responsible for employee verification -- if they are provided the necessary tools.

« Consistent enforcement but not until there is a policy that is rational.

If employers consistently verify workers with a reliable database and identification system, the flow of illegal immigrants across the border will slow significantly because they will not be able to obtain jobs. This will be more effective than all of the barriers that we can build on the border.

I urge the leaders of Weld County to come together to discuss how something positive can be developed out of this area incident that is a national issue.

Bob Tointon is a longtime Greeley businessman.

Comments


Re: Swift raid could produce rational immigration policy
by Anonymous on Tuesday, January 30 @ 07:49:04 PST
What's wrong with our national immigration policy is we don't have one. Our so-called immigration polices are controlled by corrupt American industries and not by the American people. It is controlled by the corruption of the Mexican government that is not yet a democracy. There is nothing rational in a so-called worker program, when there already is one maintained by multi-nation corporations. Unions are no longer required by industry to hire the American worker as hundreds of thousands of jobs are lost each year to this illegal workforce. What the author of this article wants is what industry wants and that is amnesty for its illegal workforce and a cheap unlimited supply of workers that would isolate the American workforce completely



Re: Swift raid could produce rational immigration policy
by Anonymous on Tuesday, January 30 @ 10:29:09 PST
"Politicians using words like "amnesty" are trying to stimulate emotions rather than solutions."

Amnesty is not an emotional word. Another deceptive article. The solution to this issue is a combination of enforcement and enacting policy changes for the Mexican government on behalf of the Mexican people. Nothing will ever change if the United States remains the only county in this hemisphere that can offer that dream or opportunity for a better life.

In the mean time our country and our ability to provide social and economic stability for our own citizens is being greatly diminished and threatened by this mass illegal migration.

i like this reply on the greeley paper websight


Bob Tointon of Phelps-Tointon, Inc. Do you want a guest worker (amnesty) plan so you can keep underpaying employees? Would an audit of your business show any illegal alien employees? Or is it maybe just the contractors that use your products that employ the slave labor?

We know where your agenda is, its in your pocket book.

Truthfully I only made it to "impracticable and probably immoral to split families by sending parents home "...........moving on.

Jamesw62 wrote:

i like this reply on the greeley paper websight .
Bob Tointon of Phelps-Tointon, Inc. Do you want a guest worker (amnesty) plan so you can keep underpaying employees? Would an audit of your business show any illegal alien employees? Or is it maybe just the contractors that use your products that employ the slave labor?

Yes, James I agree the comments were the best....Bob is definitely a loser!

If there was a problem then they created it for themselves by hiring ILLEGAL ALIENS in the first place. I don't feel sorry for employer or illegal.

Keep up the good work in the right direction ICE!

They have produced and raised American citizens. It is impracticable and probably immoral to split families by sending parents home while leaving their U.S. citizen children here.

Give me a freaking break! Who said they have to leave their anchor baby here? It's almost as if they think once you're born in the US, you're not allowed to leave. They produced and raised Mexican citizens to. Was it practicle and moral to split their own families up by sneaking into the US and leaving their Mexican children in Mexico? They blame that split on us to. It's funny how they force the US, a strange country, on their Mexican born children but they cry about the injustice if someone suggests they take that same child or their anchor baby to their own country.

They never planned to deport illegals. Mexico has already made it clear they intend to import the rest of their poverty here, about 50 million more. Why else would our government allow hispanics to take over many of our schools and let them teach Mexican history instead of American history? Why else would our government provide free medical for illegals and ignore poor Americans? Even the rich and middle class hispanics get free medical care "because of who they are". Why else would we be forced to speak the language of Mexico to get a job in our own country? Why else would our government not get upset that they burn our flag and fly theirs? Why else would our government and businesses be catering to hispanics/latinos and not gringos? And why else would Bush make a deal with Mexico to allow Mexican workers to be fully vested in our social security system after working here just 18 months, whereas Americans have to work 10 years? And illegals say we're discriminating, call us selfish and racist?

Originally Posted by had_enuf

Truthfully I only made it to "impracticable and probably immoral to split families by sending parents home "...........moving on.

LOL!!! Me too!

Originally Posted by CrocketsGhost

Originally Posted by had_enuf

Truthfully I only made it to "impracticable and probably immoral to split families by sending parents home "...........moving on.

LOL!!! Me too!

Probably immoral? well at least they were not certain, doubt means there's always hope for that one!!!