Thread: Reform improbable this year

Reform improbable this year
Smoldering immigration issue awaits next president
By Bob Scott • bscott@journalandcourier.com • July 21, 2008


When it comes to unbridled immigration and what to do about it, emotions often run high.






Many immigrants say they only want economic security for themselves and their families. They feel they are contributing to the country's well-being and deserve to stay, even if they lack legal authorization to be here.

Many lifelong citizens and even some immigrants say they don't object to immigration per se, just illegal immigration.

With an estimated 12.5 million immigrants living in the United States illegally -- a number growing by an estimated 500,000 a year -- arriving at a solution that makes everyone happy is a tall order.

"There is no real simple solution," said Ivan Hernandez.

The son of a Mexican immigrant, Hernandez was born in East Chicago and now resides in Lafayette.

James McCann, professor of political science at Purdue University, is confident that federal lawmakers will come up with an immigration bill, although he doesn't expect Congress to act until after the presidential election.

"I'm hopeful," he said. "The government has no choice but to respond to public pressure."

As of November 2007, state legislatures in 46 states had passed 244 bills dealing with immigration. Indiana was close to passing a bill that would have, in some cases, resulted in temporarily closing businesses that employed undocumented workers.

Instead of passing that bill, the legislature established a summer study committee to investigate the issue.

"Mainstream businesses are pressuring the government to normalize things," McCann said. "The status quo is not acceptable to them."

Taller fence?
Hernandez, director of admissions at Ivy Tech Community College, serves on the Indiana Commission on Hispanic/Latino Affairs.

In May, he took a trip to the Arizona-Mexican border that was organized by Purdue University's Latino Cultural Center.

"When we met with the Border Patrol, I asked them if a wall would deter crossing, and he said, 'If we build a 17-foot wall, they will build an 18-foot ladder,'" Hernandez said. "This was from their PR rep that spoke to us."

Various proposals considered by lawmakers at the state and federal levels call for measures such as deportation of undocumented workers, issuing visas to workers, penalizing employers that hire undocumented workers, or an amnesty program.

Hernandez favors a streamlined visa process. Deportation would be disruptive to families and costly for the economy.

"It would cost Homeland Security about $100 billion, and it only has a budget of $35 billion," he said.

Legalizing workers by issuing visas and allowing them to stay and work has benefits for workers and the economy.

"Undocumented workers can pay taxes," he said. "They want to do the right thing. They are paying taxes."

'A humongous problem'
On the other side of the debate, Joanne Ratcliff of Delphi believes strong measures should be taken to stem the movement of illegal immigrants into the country. She objects to providing medical care and education for children of immigrants who entered the country illegally.

"It is a humongous problem," she said. "Until the government cracks down on employers who knowingly hire illegals, I don't know if a good solution can be found. I strongly believe we shouldn't allow them to flood across our borders. If they want to come here legally, I'm for all for it."

Cindy Salazar of Lafayette is somewhere in the middle. A non-Hispanic, she is married to a Mexican immigrant. She said people need "to do more talking and a whole lot less finger-pointing."

People who are in the United States legally are being persecuted because of appearances, she said.

"There is no way to determine a person's legality simply by looking at them," she said.

Salazar said the United States should start by securing the border and "truly enforce it."

"Start processing the ones who are here," she said. "Once those are taken care of, check the families with a baby born here. When you process illegals, make them fill out forms and pay fines."

Carrot and stick approach
McCann said the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007 that died in the Senate a year ago would have done just that. It called for:


Granting visas to individuals already here so they could continue to live and work legally and pay taxes.


Requiring visa applicants to submit to background checks and pay fines.


Investing more money in border surveillance.

He described the bill as a "carrot and stick" approach.

"It wasn't amnesty for people who entered illegally," McCann said. "They would have to pay a hefty fine, a few thousand dollars. There also was a guest worker element and increase in the number of entry permits issued."

The problem of illegal immigration didn't spring up overnight, and solving it will take time.

"The genesis of the undocumented process was that the demand for labor far exceeded the number of workers that were legally permitted to enter the U.S. Simple supply and demand explains part of the problem."

McCann believes people need a "sense of perspective" on immigration solutions, especially deportation and punishments.

"We should stand for law and order," he said. "It is right to be concerned about that and reforming the law. I have no problem with background checks of persons applying for documentation to see if they have a criminal background.

"But because somebody is out of compliance with a federal law on residency, should they be deported? How many students register with Selective Service when they are 18 like they are supposed to do? It is the law, too."

Living the dream
Jose Muñoz, 57, came to Lafayette from Mexico in 1971. He was 21 at the time and filled with hope. It wasn't long before he landed a job at one of Lafayette's premier manufacturing employers.

For the past 34 years, he has worked at Alcoa's aluminum extrusion plant.

He and his wife, Josefina, have four children and six grandchildren.

Two years ago, the couple became naturalized U.S. citizens. He said he is grateful to be living the "American dream."

"It is nice to have the right to vote and everything. It is an opportunity to have a voice," he said. "It was an exciting day when I became a citizen."

Muñoz prays that lawmakers will work together and come up with a just solution.

"We need to have our lawmakers put their heads together," he said. "They should look at ways to help families, especially those who have been here many years and are still waiting for their documents."

In your voice

http://www.jconline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a ... /807210320

Illegals breaks United States Laws

As of November 2007, state legislatures in 46 states had passed 244 bills dealing with immigration. Indiana was close to passing a bill that would have, in some cases, resulted in temporarily closing businesses that employed undocumented workers.

Everyone can choose to do right or wrong. Waiting one's turn to enter the United States is the lawful way to enter.

Immigration services are backed up for years with applications from people entering this country legally. How in the world would they ever process millions of illegals? Send them all home and let them stand in line for years and do it the right way.

"

We need to have our lawmakers put their heads together," he said. "They should look at ways to help families, especially those who have been here many years and are still waiting for their documents."

Hold it! They are not their documents in the first place. These people think that just because they broke the law ansd sneaked into this country that they will have documents coming someday. That's not the way this system is supposed to work. You apply from outside, not from within, but I'll guarantee you that there are millions here just waiting for an amnesty bill to pass.