Thread: Guest worker program could solve immigration problem

sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/sfl-brmail771nbaug19,0,1413254.story

South Florida Sun-Sentinel Letter to the Editor
Guest worker program could solve immigration problem
August 19, 2007
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinio ... 3254.story

A recent story tells us of the crackdown on illegal workers and how various industries might be harmed as a result. There is simple solution if our elected leaders will show a little courage.

A guest worker program should be created that allows foreign workers to come into the country in an orderly and regulated manner, work for three or four years and then return home, giving someone else the same opportunity. In this way, businesses that need these workers will have them, taxes can be collected on their incomes, and services provided to them.

Those already here should be grandfathered in and eventually cycled through the program and back to their home countries.

Additionally, the intent of the 14th Amendment must be upheld. This amendment was passed to provide equal rights and protections to freed slaves. Arriving at a U.S. airport to give birth or having children while here should not create new citizens. Allowing this is an insult to the rule of law and the many people who have gone through the application process and are waiting in line.

Bruce Dumas

Deerfield Beach

It might solve one problem, while creating a whole mess of others. Getting workers on the books and paying taxes is a good thing. Getting Americans out from underemployment and unemployment, and on the books and paying taxes (instead of being net consumers of social services) is even better. But a guestworker visa program has problems of its own.

Such as overstays. Over on another board, www.immigrationvoice.org, is the tumult of a faction of foreign people who, a few years back, decided to take a chance on immigrating here by using a temporary worker visa. Their hope was that if they did well enough, their companies would sponsor them for green cards and they could stay here. But there is a huge bottleneck, as far fewer green cards are issued than H-1B visas and many are now left in the lurch. This is what happens when you keep trying to use a hammer as a screwdriver: it will work for some things and not others, and the fact that the H-1B visa allows dual intent doesn't change the fact that it's not an immigration visa and it doesn't give you the right to stay.

Yes, there are illegals who came here on H-1B, L-1, tourist, and other temporary visas and who simply overstay. "Mongo" who posed here a while back seems to have been one.

So, if we think we can force people to leave after a temporary work visa, we might be kidding ourselves. And end up with an even more crowded, unpleasant labor pool than we have now.

I don't understand why they need a new Guest Worker program. They say enforcement will hurt the Agricutlure Industry most but don't they know there already is a legal, no limit Visa for Agricultural Workers in our immigration system? Why can't they use this? The other problem is they want the Guest worker program tied with Amnesty for illegals already here! If they introduced the Guest worker program and deported all illegals now here, then that may be acceptable to most.

This is just what the government wants us to begin discussing -

First off, I will never call them 'guest workers'. Words have meaning and this fact is not lost on the government. A 'guest' is someone you invite in - make accomodations for - and share with. I am no longer interested in that kind of arrangement.

We can call them temporary workers - that's what they should be -

They should come for a time, without the families, preferably. Should the siutation arise both parents must come, the company hiring them should be charged for the education of those children that might be in school. The company should be charged for any medical care, emergency food, legal procedures, fines, etc.

The company should assure their departure on time - and post a bond to pay the cost of finding them and deporting them.

In other words, if they are a company's temporary worker - let them be the company's responsibilty - not ours.

Originally Posted by nntrixie

This is just what the government wants us to begin discussing -

First off, I will never call them 'guest workers'. Words have meaning and this fact is not lost on the government. A 'guest' is someone you invite in - make accomodations for - and share with. I am no longer interested in that kind of arrangement.

We can call them temporary workers - that's what they should be -

They should come for a time, without the families, preferably. Should the siutation arise both parents must come, the company hiring them should be charged for the education of those children that might be in school. The company should be charged for any medical care, emergency food, legal procedures, fines, etc.

The company should assure their departure on time - and post a bond to pay the cost of finding them and deporting them.

In other words, if they are a company's temporary worker - let them be the company's responsibilty - not ours.

I like that idea!! If that were to happen, how much do you want to bet all these employers would suddenly stop crying and sniveling about how "necessary" foreign workers are They're only" necessary" right now because we get to pay for them.