The Great Wall of Mexico : Part II
There is little doubt that the recently enacted immigration bill in the State of Arizona has been controversial. It has sparked protests by many people and special interests that see the bill as discriminatory, at best, and unconstitutional, at worst. However, recent interviews with top governmental and law enforcement officials in Arizona have shown that many of those protesting the loudest seem to have no idea how the new law will actually be implemented. To this extent, the Arizona Immigration Bill may be the proverbial “tempest in a teapot”.
Of far greater importance is the passage of a national, comprehensive, immigration reform bill that can be rolled out consistently across all fifty states. On Thursday, Senate Democrats unveiled their framework for comprehensive reform, but refused to set a deadline for accomplishing it. This is not surprising since there is not a single Republican willing to support the measure. Not only did the Republicans find the bill to be inadequate, but they accused the Democrats of trying to score political points in the wake of the Arizona immigration bill controversy. In fact, House Republican Leader, John Boehner said bluntly that there’s “not a chance” that immigration reform will pass this year, and I believe him.
When the Obama Administration and Congressional Democrats tackled the thorny issue of health care reform, I knew it would be a difficult “sell”, but that ultimately the reforms would be enacted into law. In a similar vein, I also believe that the Obama Administration is up to the task of implementing into law a reasonably comprehensive financial reform bill. However, when it comes to the issue of immigration reform, I’m not so sure that legislation is even possible over the long term, and certainly not likely to occur anytime soon. The reason for this is simple; a comprehensive reform bill would have to require the government to secure the border first before dealing with the status of those who are in the country illegally. Without secure borders, all reform measures dealing with immigrant status would be undermined by a new flood of illegals crossing the border to take advantage of the newly liberalized immigration provisions.
Although comprehensive immigration reform will most likely never see the “light of day” during the Obama Administration, the issue of properly securing America’s borders should be made a national priority. With or without dealing with immigrant status, the inability of the United States to secure its borders is a national disgrace. I supported the Bush Administration policy of building a thousand mile, physical barricade (call it a border fence) to keep the illegals out, along with the tons of drugs that enter along with many of them. It is time to regain America’s sovereignty by ensuring that residency in this great land is reserved only for those that enter legally, and according to existing immigration laws. Securing the borders will, over the long run, negate the need for states such as Arizona taking the law in their own hands.
Rich
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After watching the Republican debates in 2008 and hearing them all accuse each other of offering “Amnesty” instead of “a path to citizenship” because somehow there is a difference that only the person doing the shouting knows of. I can guarantee the GOP will never support even their own immigration reform bill, much less a democratic bill.
They get more mileage from screaming about it and not doing anything than getting anything done.
Bush’s ideas on comprehensive Immigration Reform were the best thing to come out of that Administration so the GOP had to kill it.
Rich have you thought about the money poured into the drone program, and how it’s shown that the majority of illegals enter via airports ? The INS reported last year that more people come on vacation to America, and just never leave when their visa is up. If more money was put into tracking visits and visitors then we’d have less of a problem with illegal immigrants.
when I spend any time in Arizona with cousins out there, I see lots of legal mexicans who look just like illegal mexicans. so how do you tell them apart ?
that’s the real problem isn’t it ? racial profiling comes from inside our own perceptions of others, not clear signs ON people.
So how do you prevent racial profiling Lightskinned, Green Eyed, Red Blond Curly Haired Me ? Please My Friend, when you figure it out tell INS because they make it a habit to search me each and everytime I exit and enter this country, with an american passport showing the fact that I am BORN in and A Citizen of the US. sometimes it’s like being a fugitive just because of my skin and my name. When Will I stop being subject to that Rich ?
We have already acknowleged that the folks who have the most problem with immigration are people who do the most racial profiling.
forgive my rant, but I am so damn tired of people trying to fence in their insecurities instead of fixing the reality.
Rich Please do not take my previous comment negatively, but accept that the United States moved their border INTO MEXICO.
Arizona, Texas, Nevada, New Mexico, California ALL MEXICO My Friend. so who’s really the interloper ?
I’m accepting of Pancho Villa’s revolt and theory, because when I lived in Texas; I was told and shown a part of their state constitution that says clearly that TEXAS IS NOT a Part of the US. it was forced in and as such has the power to close it’s borders and become it’s own soverign republic of TEXAS. and Yes Texans Still Hold to it.
Can’t help but wonder if the border issue might be aided by legalizing and taxing marijuana. It would end a lot of drug traffic over the border. Taxes collected could all be used in securing the border. Jail cells would be freed up.
I don’t have a horse in this race. I tried it once in high school and didn’t care for it. In fact, I really don’t like smoking anything. One cigar turns me green.
Tobacco is more harmful. Alcohol is more mind altering. Yet, they are legal and heavily taxed. We couldn’t do the same for the sake of national security?
My thoughts on the matter is that an ugly fence is futile. The drug runners will turn to gliders or catapults or look at what the Vietnamees did with tunnels. Money spent for what, to make a contractor rich is all. Even after 9/11 the tunnels into California were not shut down, this was publicized a few times in the main stream media. What does a cheap submarine cost, the water route to California is another route. Point being, where there is a will there is a way. ………..Our NAFTA,CAFTA,GAT and WTO are the culprets for a large part of the northward migration, these policies ruined Mexican farming. Do we expect these people to lay down and die. In India because of the already mentioned policies, over 40,000 (yes 40,000) farmers have comitted suicide. Can you imagine that? I just cannot grasp that, imagine just saying “well today is a good day to die, good bye world”. American policy is doing this to these people and it is American policy that is also of no benefit to the American people. American policy, corporate policy did this to the American farmer in the 80′s before it spread it’s tentaciles across the world. You remember “Farm Aide” and all the concerts to try to save the American farmer. The culpret is not poor Mexicans, the culpret is corporate America trying to turn every source of funds into the funnel that leads directly to their pockets. In thinking of how to deal with these poor illegal immigrints I think we ought to at least run one question through our minds, “What would Christ do?”. The answer should guide us in the proper moral direction.
George Bush went to Mexico twice the first year of his Presidency and would not tell us why, George Bush did not go as an emissary of the US Government he went as an emissary of corporate America, keep the cheap labor coming(my opinion). The tunnels were not shut down, why after 9/11 and all the hula balu over homeland security, why? Cheap labor, to twist the nuts of Americans used to good wages and labor contracts, a direct asualt on YOU.
To me the answer is simple, a little corporate nut twisting in return. It is as simple as fining and imprisioning in egregious cases employers who knowingly hire illegals. Simple, no expensive fence, a money generating system on the backs of employers who are looking at the American people and saying “screw you”. When illegals cannot get jobs they will not come and a high percentage of those here will go back home. Repeal the formentioned policies and a lot of tension will be released on both sides of the border. Another point to concider is the present trend of privatized prisions. Why should we the American people support the imprisionment, perminent or temporary on the American tab for the benefit of a corporation? The figures are disputed, 12 to 20 million illegals, corporate America sees this as customers to motel hold over prisions awaiting the court process and possible indefinate detention with a bill for each at the end of his stay for you and me to pay.