Thread: Kennedy again muddling U.S. immigration policy (op-ed)

http://www.dispatch.com/editorials-stor ... A9-02.html

Kennedy again muddling U.S. immigration policy
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
GEORGIE ANNE GEYER

Anyone who has studied immigration history probably knows of Sen. Edward Kennedy’s arrogant comments made at the time of the 1965 immigration-reform law.

Even as he fervently supported the bill, which would change America’s ethnic, social and political makeup for all time, the Massachusetts Democrat derisively insisted: "First, our cities will not be flooded with a million immigrants annually. Second, the ethnic mix will not be upset."

His assurances were absurd on every level. The 1965 bill took traditional quotas away from skilled workers and Europeans, the founders of the American state, and gave them to the unskilled from the poor Third World.

Tens of thousands of people from Latin America, Africa and Asia arrived and, by 1986, the problem of illegal aliens had become so intense that, again, the country felt it had to act. Thus came the even more controversial Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986: Kennedy’s second experiment. The idea was stunningly similar to the one the ever-busy Teddy is pushing today, as illegal immigration again grows larger and more intense.

But let’s be clear about that 1986 experience, because the future of our nation may well hang on how the reality of that law is interpreted. It made possible the legalization and citizenship of 2.8 million men and women, plus imposed employer sanctions, supposedly to stop such numbers from ever overwhelming America again.

The act was to be the end of illegal immigration; America would rationally contain itself and humanely, but firmly, control its borders and its citizenry, as all civilized nations do.

But by 1995, we were again hearing that the number was 3 million, then 5 million. Today, the numbers are calculated conservatively at between 12 million and 20 million.

And would you take bets on who is behind the new amnesty for them? Lawmakers don’t want to call it amnesty, but that is what it is. And none other than Kennedy is pushing citizenship for up to 20 million people who entered this country illegally and whose backgrounds we know not.

Worse, with failure after failure from Iraq to Afghanistan to our deficits and debts, immigration reform has become the issue du jour for Republicans and Democrats. It’s a way for the administration and Congress to show the American people that they’re finally doing something, regardless of what it will do to the country.

The only sectors of American society that benefit from illegal immigration are the cheap-labor corporations. Oh, it also benefits the Mexican rich, who are deliberately deporting their overpopulation in order to keep from reforming the country. Otherwise, illegal immigration corrupts everything and everybody it touches.

Second, if this amnesty goes through, we will not be talking only about legalizing up to 20 million foreigners. The family-reunification laws in our immigration statutes also give citizenship to tens of thousands of children, brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers of these people. Heritage Foundation scholars say our population, now more than 300 million, would grow by at least 103 million within 25 years.

This would mean a massive cultural change, and we should not have to feel guilty about saying so. One can love Mexico, as I do, and not want Mexico City in Portland, either Oregon or Maine. The Mexicans do not want Des Moines or Dallas in Mexico City or Merida. And indeed, why should they?

With the 1986 amnesty, which was to solve the problem forever, only onethird of those granted the precious privilege of American citizenship deemed it worth taking. Two-thirds did not apply for it. The explanation is a healthy one: Most illegals come to work, make money and go home, not to become Americans.

But Congress, led by the eternal Teddy and supported by a White House desperate for a victory on some front, seems to want to continue with the Balkanization of America.

This problem can be dealt with in other ways that are humane, clear and reasonable to all sides. The Department of Homeland Security has put forward the idea of a temporary legal status for illegal or temporary workers in place of citizenship. Rep. Tom Tancredo, RColo., says the problem could be solved by enforcing the laws against employing illegals, plus a natural attrition process. Historian Arthur Schlesinger Jr. argued for immigration control, fearing, as in the title of one of his books, The Disuniting of America."

Schlesinger died last week. Let’s hope that the things that he believed in are not dying, too. Georgie Anne Geyer writes for Universal Press Syndicate.

Theres no doubt that if this happens our nation will no longer exist as we know it.In fact it will slowly dissapear.However I do believe that the different cultures will clash at some point.I believe our government has sold America out.This whole issue is a no-brainer so something must be going on that Bush and the Dems wont tell us.We are just now starting to hear about secret deals Bush has made with Mexico.It makes me sick.

Bush, McCain, and Kennedy need to get out of government. Hopefully voters will assist them into retirement. I would like to know how much Mexico is paying them for america.

Originally Posted by Beckyal

Bush, McCain, and Kennedy need to get out of government. Hopefully voters will assist them into retirement. I would like to know how much Mexico is paying them for america.

Mexico isn't paying cash for America, but they are using the 'barter system'. Mexico gets to send millions of illegal aliens to the United States, and the United States business owners get 'cheap labor'.