The Bush Proposal (Interesting article by Linda Chavez on the Immigration Proposal)

Town Hall ^ | Jan 8, 2004 | Linda Chavez

[PhiKapMom]

The Bush proposal

Linda Chavez

January 8, 2004

President Bush announced a sweeping new immigration reform proposal this week that could become a hot-button issue in the November election. For months, insiders have hinted that the president would propose a new guest worker program aimed at allowing more foreign workers into the country on a temporary basis. Widely favored by the American business community, a guest worker program would allow employers to fill jobs in industries that routinely experience shortages of workers willing to do the often difficult, dangerous jobs Americans shun -- at least at wages that allow employers to remain in business.

But the guest worker provisions won't be the most controversial part of the administration's new proposal. Although some groups that want to limit immigration altogether -- such as the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) -- oppose guest worker plans, even such staunch restrictionists as Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) are on record supporting the idea of guest workers. The real battle will be over what to do with those millions of illegal aliens who are already here.

Some 8-12 million illegal aliens reside in the United States now -- up three- or four-fold from a decade ago. An estimated 60 percent of these are from Mexico alone, and it is no accident that the Bush plan was announced in anticipation of the president's meeting with his Mexican counterpart, President Vicente Fox, next week. The White House announced less than a week before the Fox meeting that millions of illegal aliens from Mexico and elsewhere will be allowed, over time, to earn legal status in the U.S., so long as they have been working continuously, paid taxes and not broken other laws. The plan will impose some penalties on these workers -- most likely fines similar to those proposed in legislation sponsored by Republican Representatives Jeff Flake and Jim Kolbe and Senator John McCain, all from Arizona.

These proposals may not offer perfect justice -- who can blame those who resent rewarding "line jumpers" with legal status while millions of other would-be immigrants wait patiently to enter the country legally. But "earned legalization" is probably the best solution to a largely intractable problem. There is no way that the United States can find and deport 8-12 million illegal aliens in this country, and even if we could, we would do more harm than good.

The American economy depends on these workers, who, along with legal immigrants, contributed significantly to the economic boon of the 1990s. If FAIR could wave a magic wand and make these illegal aliens disappear overnight, the rest of us would suffer by having to pay more for everything from the food we put on the table to the houses in which we live. Our office buildings wouldn't get cleaned, our crops wouldn't get picked, our meat wouldn't get processed, nor our tables cleaned when we go out to eat.

Sure, we could double wages to attract American-born workers to some of these jobs, but at even twice the salary it would be difficult to fill the nastiest of these tasks, like processing poultry. But why would we want American workers, who we've spent trillions of dollars educating for 13 or 14 years, on average, to perform jobs that require only the most minimal skills? Even if we got rid of all illegal aliens in the U.S., these jobs would likely go to foreign workers, like it or not.

What sense does it make to insist that we get rid of the very people doing these jobs now in order to make way for other foreign workers to take them under a new guest worker plan? It makes a lot more sense to figure out how to get those illegal aliens already employed at these jobs to come in from the shadows and become part of the legal system. They should pay a penalty for having broken the law in the first place by sneaking into the country or overstaying their visas, but it is better for all of us if they earn their way toward legal status than remain in the illegal netherworld where they now hide.

Linda Chavez is President of the Center for Equal Opportunity, a Townhall.com member organization.

[rintense]

She has valid points. But I still say you can fill these jobs with welfare recipients so they HAVE to work.

[deport]

have their child on US soil and that child is a citizen.

---

Happens frequently along the border I'm told.... don't have to sneak either as I understand they cross for medical purposed quite often.... keep a PO Box stateside, etc. Some of the South Texas group could tell you in more detail

[Admin Moderator]

Please do not post vdare links, Jim doesn't want them on his site. Thanks.

[futureceo31]

My question is then who determines lower and higher wages. Do you want the federal government to do that?

[WOSG]

Yeah, well he did that with steel tariffs too.

the only plus is how FAR OUT the Democrats look by demanding that his plan "doesnt go far enough" and isnt real amnesty that the illegal aliens (er "undocumented workers") really deserve!

[PuNcH]

One of the first parts of Bush's proposal IS to enforce borders. SO you are selectively taking his words and twisting them like so many liberals have been trying to do these last 3 years...

NOW were going to start enforcing the border is what they say every single time. It's a joke.

[NathanR]

"You cannot just walk into a hospital and get health care."

But you can. By law, anyone who just walks into an emergency room can not be refused service. Not very good for chronic conditions, but still "health care".

[Alberta's Child]

Dear Bill:

Having gotten married to someone despite knowing full well that she had violated the very first U.S. law she ever encountered, I think you deserve whatever grief you get from her.

Sincerely,

Alberta's Child

[rintense]

Kennedy is full of it. Immigration isn't the problem. ILLEGAL immigration is the problem- one the government doesn't even want to address with any common sense whatsoever.

[Lady Eileen]

bttt

[livius]

Actually, we can't be sure that's their real name, as you point out. However, getting their picture and descriptive data (hand print and face scan, perhaps) associated with one name that is assigned to one central registry number here would be a big help. It may not be their real name, but it's a starting point, and at least if the cops run the ID number, they'll be able to make a physical identification of the person, no matter what name he's using. And then they can add that name to the list of aliases....

Right now the situation is chaotic. I really do think this plan would help us sort it out a bit. Certainly, it's not going to solve it altogether, but at least it's a step.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

THEN DO SOMETHING. Do something about it in your community. Tell your local businesses that you will not stand for it. Raise a fuss, today. Complaining now about a problem that has been building will not change it, either.

[WackyKat]

My question is then who determines lower and higher wages. Do you want the federal government to do that?

No, I want the federal government to enforce the borders and the wages will find their market equilibrium point.

You don't seem to understand that by allowing mass migration from the Third World we are creating a labor oversupply which depresses wages.

The larger the supply, the more they are depressed.

If you want to live in country in which wages are at a Third World level, and in which there is a small elite and vast numbers of poor(as in Mexico)you should support open borders

[zbigreddogz]

I totally agree. I do wish he'd do something more to shore up the borders, but the plan as it stands is better then nothing. It fines those who are here illegally, but allowes them to get legal status. Given the current options, it makes sense.

I usually don't say things like this, but in this case, it is God's honest truth. Both the hard Left and the hard Right demagog this issue like no other. Chavez has given one of the few reasonable, realistic responses to the issue I've seen it quite some time.

[kevao]

I think this is basically a sensible proposal, at least for the businesses dependent on these laborers, and to help boost the SS security system by getting these people paying taxes and FICA.

The current illegals will not be participating in the Social Security system. Once registered, they must be paid at least minimum wage (plus benefits) in the formal economy. Under these conditions, most will be unable to find work -- they will be undercut by a new wave of illegals willing to work for less than minimum.

[PhiKapMom]

Thanks for your comments. I believe what you are saying is absolutely correct. A lot of people pretending to be conservatives who are not have been posting -- really easy to tell when they post the RAT Talking Points.

I have yet to figure out why the Club for Growth is going against Dean in Iowa with ads. Makes no sense to me.

[swarthyguy]

I agree with you. Those illegals converted to legals and be now be "overpriced" for the employers now will lead to a new influx of illegals.

My guess is the thinking is that those who make it into the legal employment will cover the costs of those who don't.

I don't see this stopping illegals; in fact, it'll encourage them. After all, how else would Linda be able to afford household help?

[WOSG]

"I was shocked when I found out. I had always heard that at least one parent had to be an American citizen. That is one
bill I would really get behind! I found that an affront as someone can sneak across the border illegally, have their child
on US soil and that child is a citizen."

It is an affront indeed. End this one thing and end chain migration (where adult relatives of an immigrant can get sponsored without limit) and the 'flood' of immigrants would dry up.

[PhiKapMom]

Both the hard Left and the hard Right demagog this issue like no other. Chavez has given one of the few reasonable, realistic responses to the issue I've seen it quite some time.

You are so right! That's why when I read this article in my email this morning I decided to post it -- it summed it up pretty well for me.