Thread: Food for illegals thought

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune ... 32052.html

Food for illegals thought
By Dimitri Vassilaros
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Monday, March 13, 2006

The National Restaurant Association will leave a bad taste in your mouth when you digest its recipe for illegal immigration.

Craig Miller is chairman of the association's board of directors and president and CEO of Ruth's Chris Steak House. In his recent commentary -- "Economic, Security Realities Demand Immigration Reform" -- Mr. Miller offers surreal logic as justification for virtual amnesty for the roughly 11 million illegals in the United States.

The restaurant industry and others face worker shortages; over the next decade, as his industry grows, shortages will be worse, he says.

Restaurateurs could pay higher wages to attract workers. Of course, hiring foreigners is cheaper.

Miller says this republic's immigration system is dysfunctional, a major security risk and it makes life harsh for undocumented workers who risk exploitation, deportation and death.

Well, not exactly. The "undocumented workers" make their own lives harsh by trying to sneak in.

"Because current immigration policies are impossible to enforce, they breed contempt for the law," wrote Miller.

How could anyone know if the immigration policies are unenforceable since the Bush administration refuses to enforce them? Contempt for the law can be corrected by arresting illegals -- who by definition have contempt for immigration laws -- and demanding of Mexico that it finally respect U.S. immigration laws.

"Forcing 7 million hardworking, tax-paying undocumented employees and their families to live in the shadows as second-class, noncitizens creates a barrier to them learning English and assimilating into society as past immigrants have done," Miller said.

An illegal living in the shadows in America could live out in the open in his country. And it was much easier for past immigrants to learn English and assimilate into society because they had the quaint notion to respect immigration law as they eventually became first-class American citizens.

"Immigration foes claim the answer is simple: more enforcement," Miller says. Almost all are foes of illegal immigration.

Miller also does not like legislation proposing severe penalties for employers and illegal employees that could make life so tough for the aliens that they would want to go back to their respective homes. Especially when realizing the government will lump the peaceable ones with the violent "aggravated felons."

The economic consequences of removing the one in 20 employees who are undocumented from America's work force would be devastating, according to Miller. "If a restaurant cannot fill entry-level positions, fewer higher-skill jobs are viable in our industry and many others."

Didn't plantation owners in the antebellum South make a similar argument to justify slavery? Perhaps the economic consequences of removing illegal employees and thereby creating millions of job openings would push America's unemployment rate to zero.

Miller says immigration laws must "reflect the laws of supply and demand and the need to secure our borders."

Illegals violate the law of supply and demand because they work for below-market wages.

Apologists for defenseless borders simply care more about unemployed illegals than unemployed Americans.

Miller's office said he would not be available for interview.


Dimitri Vassilaros can be reached at dvassilaros@tribweb.com or 412-380-5637.

We long ago stopped eating in restaurants that have foreigners working there. The risk of getting a disease is much too high.

That could be the answer...not patronizing those places would cure their employee problems

RR