Immigration laws must change

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Citizens for Limited Taxation

Immigration laws must change Thursday, May 19, 2005

Rick Holmes Metrowest Daily News

What makes the debate over illegal immigration in MetroWest so frustrating is its circular nature. Illegal immigration is wrong, one side says, because it's illegal. Doing anything that might improve the lives of illegal immigrants, or improve the ability of authorities to keep track of them is wrong because, well, they're illegal. What part of illegal don't you understand?
Here's what we understand: The current immigration law is both unenforced and unenforceable. The federal government is incapable of stopping the flood at the border. Rounding up and deporting an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants now in the country would be prohibitively expensive and economically damaging. Meanwhile, the government chooses not to enforce the law at the workplace: In 2003, just 123 employers were charged with hiring undocumented workers.
A law that cannot be enforced must be changed. To succeed, immigration reform must include something for everyone: fairness and a path to citizenship for immigrants, a source of legal immigrant labor for employers, enhanced security at the borders and enforcement at the workplace.
For the first time in many years, legislation has been proposed that addresses all these areas. The bipartisan bill, sponsored by Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and House members from both sides of the aisle, is a thoughtful compromise that deserves a debate free of emotional arguments and circular logic.
The Kennedy-McCain bill offers temporary worker permits to legalize only those immigrants who are employed, paying taxes, learning English and preparing for citizenship. It provides for an orderly, and limited, flow of workers for jobs requiring minimal skills.
The bill also provides for enforcement at the workplace, which is critical if we hope to stem the flow of illegal immigrants at the source. These people come here for jobs, and if we can demonstrate that only those with legal papers can find work, the border patrol can concentrate on stopping criminals and terrorists.
The Kennedy-McCain bill calls for an electronic workplace authorization system to replace the paper-based system so prone to abuse. Employers could know immediately if the person they are hiring is legal -- and face stiffer fines if caught hiring those who aren't.
The bill authorizes the Department of Labor to enforce the workplace rules, which makes sense only if the administration takes such enforcement seriously. One way it could be strengthened would be by giving state attorneys general the authority to bring cases if Washington isn't doing the job.
Others in Congress have proposed immigration measures that have more to do with hot-button politics than effective problem-solving. President Bush has talked about immigration reform, but has yet to propose legislation. His support for the Kennedy-McCain bill would go a long way toward converting a circular argument into a better system for everybody.

Immigration laws must change	Thursday, May 19, 2005
Rick Holmes	Metrowest Daily News
What makes the debate over illegal immigration in MetroWest so frustrating is its circular nature. Illegal immigration is wrong, one side says, because it's illegal. Doing anything that might improve the lives of illegal immigrants, or improve the ability of authorities to keep track of them is wrong because, well, they're illegal. What part of illegal don't you understand? Here's what we understand: The current immigration law is both unenforced and unenforceable. The federal government is incapable of stopping the flood at the border. Rounding up and deporting an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants now in the country would be prohibitively expensive and economically damaging. Meanwhile, the government chooses not to enforce the law at the workplace: In 2003, just 123 employers were charged with hiring undocumented workers. A law that cannot be enforced must be changed. To succeed, immigration reform must include something for everyone: fairness and a path to citizenship for immigrants, a source of legal immigrant labor for employers, enhanced security at the borders and enforcement at the workplace. For the first time in many years, legislation has been proposed that addresses all these areas. The bipartisan bill, sponsored by Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and House members from both sides of the aisle, is a thoughtful compromise that deserves a debate free of emotional arguments and circular logic. The Kennedy-McCain bill offers temporary worker permits to legalize only those immigrants who are employed, paying taxes, learning English and preparing for citizenship. It provides for an orderly, and limited, flow of workers for jobs requiring minimal skills. The bill also provides for enforcement at the workplace, which is critical if we hope to stem the flow of illegal immigrants at the source. These people come here for jobs, and if we can demonstrate that only those with legal papers can find work, the border patrol can concentrate on stopping criminals and terrorists. The Kennedy-McCain bill calls for an electronic workplace authorization system to replace the paper-based system so prone to abuse. Employers could know immediately if the person they are hiring is legal -- and face stiffer fines if caught hiring those who aren't. The bill authorizes the Department of Labor to enforce the workplace rules, which makes sense only if the administration takes such enforcement seriously. One way it could be strengthened would be by giving state attorneys general the authority to bring cases if Washington isn't doing the job. Others in Congress have proposed immigration measures that have more to do with hot-button politics than effective problem-solving. President Bush has talked about immigration reform, but has yet to propose legislation. His support for the Kennedy-McCain bill would go a long way toward converting a circular argument into a better system for everybody.

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