Come for The Schools, Leave For the Jobs

Albuquerque Journal (New Mexico)

October 13, 2011 Thursday

It's the latest example of America's dysfunctional immigration policies, better known as the carrot-and-stick system.

Thirteen states, including New Mexico, qualify illegal immigrants for in-state college tuition. In fact, last month the Mexican government gave the University of New Mexico $50,000 for scholarships for immigrant students, regardless of whether they are here legally, and the UNM Foundation is working at raising matching funds.

But at the same time it is against the law for any U.S. employer to hire these students upon graduation.

Add that to the fact that two states, including New Mexico, provide full driver's licenses to illegal immigrants despite the federal Real ID Act. And that the Department of Homeland Security extends to illegal immigrants suspected of a crime the same privacy protections guaranteed by law to U.S. citizens and others in the country legally at the same time it deports refugees who are here for humanitarian reasons.

Could the nation's immigration policy be any more contradictory or illogical - not to mention unfair?

What it amounts to is this: Come and get a first-rate education, and then please leave because we want to help you only so far and we refuse to reap any economic rewards from our academic investment. Please obey the rules of our roads, but not the rules of our immigration checkpoints or borders. And if you steal something or hurt someone we'll shield your identity, but if you flee a country in crisis in fear for your safety we will show you the door.

As these examples show, there is no question the country needs a comprehensive immigration policy that establishes a route to citizenship for many of the otherwise law-abiding 11 million illegal immigrants already residing here while securing the U.S. border. Yet Congress is unable to pass even a DREAM Act that would provide a path to citizenship - and thus legal employment - for young people if they attend college or serve in the military. A UCLA study estimates illegal immigrants who graduate from a U.S. high school could contribute between $1.4 trillion and $3.6 trillion to the nation's economy over the course of their careers. And New Mexico legislators have refused compromises that would offer illegal immigrants driving permits instead of state-of-the-art government IDs.

Government officials instead continue to hold out carrots to illegal immigrants and then whack them with the stick of their policy contradictions.

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