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.