Thread: Why there should be no amnesty for illegal immigrants

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Why there should be no amnesty for illegal immigrants
By Teela Roche
June 10, 2006

On changes to the immigration law ...
The Anderson Independent-Mail asked two local residents if they would comment on the recent proposals before Congress on changes to the nation’s immigration law.

Teela Roche, co-director of South Carolinians for Immigration Moderation, has written a commentary on "Why there should be no amnesty for illegal immigrants."

Art Kaldas, an immigrant from Egypt, has written a personal column about his views on immigration.

Not so fast Congress! You can’t get away with this twice.

In 1986 Congress enacted an amnesty known as the Immigration Reform and Control Act. It was very similar to the legislation in Congress now. It granted an amnesty for illegal immigrants and "promised" border enforcement. The amnesty became law immediately, but the enforcement never happened. In the last 20 years, the federal government has NEVER seriously tried to enforce border security.

Now, the people who have broken the law for the last 20 years want amnesty too. NO! We allowed it once and were lied to and we won’t allow it again. Those here now have already received a form of amnesty — their unfettered employment in the U.S. for the past 20 years. The party’s over and it is time to enforce the law.

Recent history
After 9-11, the American people started clamoring for border enforcement, In 2005, the House finally decided to answer their pleas by passing the Sensenbrenner bill (HR 4437) — an enforcement-only bill. Americans were tired of the president’s hypocrisy of fighting terrorism in Iraq while leaving U.S. borders wide open. Unfortunately, the business and Hispanic advocacy lobbyists (ever vigilant) saw an opportunity.

They decided to tack an amnesty onto the Senate’s companion bill and call it "comprehensive." Then, they proceeded to demonize enforcement-only supporters as "radicals." Thanks to a very naïve media, the Senate (and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.) has been largely successful in executing this legislative "sleight of hand" against the American people.

What should be done with the 12 million illegals here now?

We feel that if legal employment were NOT available due to workplace identification and employer sanctions (already on the books), illegals would gradually filter back to their own countries — i.e. "self-deport" over a period of time. Our side does NOT propose lining up thousands of buses to carry millions of illegals back to the border. Those illegally present in the U.S. now who have a legal pathway are free to pursue that path (as they have always been) by applying from their home country and waiting in the same lines that legal immigrants wait in.

Those with legal-citizen children (due to archaic U.S. birthright citizenship laws) should also return, wait for the child to reach adult status and have the child return to the U.S. and petition for the parents’ entry.

No guestworkers needed
Many ask "Who will pick the crops?" H2A workers — that’s who. The H2A Ag worker program has existed for years and has an unlimited cap. As for unskilled labor, the U.S. has plenty. Unemployment among unskilled Americans is 9 percent and their wages are going down. (According to the law of supply and demand, if there is a true shortage of something, the price will go up, not down.)

We consider guest worker programs just another form of amnesty because all the proposals in the Senate provide for ultimate citizenship. In addition, they will massively expand legal immigration permanently.

Enforcement is the answer, not amnesty.

Now, the people who have broken the law for the last 20 years want amnesty too. NO! We allowed it once and were lied to and we won’t allow it again. Those here now have already received a form of amnesty — their unfettered employment in the U.S. for the past 20 years. The party’s over and it is time to enforce the law.

This cannot be reiterated enough. Spread the word...

No guestworkers needed
Many ask "Who will pick the crops?" H2A workers — that’s who. The H2A Ag worker program has existed for years and has an unlimited cap. As for unskilled labor, the U.S. has plenty. Unemployment among unskilled Americans is 9 percent and their wages are going down. (According to the law of supply and demand, if there is a true shortage of something, the price will go up, not down.)

Great answer here.