Immigration Reform: The Other "A" Word
By Kevin Rogers, Arizona Farm Bureau President
We hear much about the “a” word (i.e. “amnesty”) as it applies to immigration, but what about the other “a” word — as in what is your “alternative?”
What we currently have is a breakdown in respect for law, i.e. de facto amnesty and perhaps even anarchy. So what is the alternative?
By some estimates, we have in excess of 12 million people in this country without proper documents. I contend we do not have the resources and tools to identify them, and return them to their home country. No one has ever explained to me precisely how we are going to do it. And no president, regardless of party, is going to issue that order.
But let’s assume that order is given. Let’s take a look at what we would be doing. Let’s look at the faces of this. Many are here having simply overstayed their visas. Those living with families are in nuclear units in higher percentages than native-born families. A high percentage of children living in these are U.S. citizens. These people are contributing to the community and the economy. Ninety-five percent of adult males living illegally in this country are working – a higher percentage than the native born.
French political thinker and historian Alexis deTocqueville, in 1840, said America is great because it is good and when it ceases to be good, it ceases to be great. I wonder how that thought would square with the above roundup?
I believe in secure borders, we need to know who is here and who comes and goes, and we need to manage our immigration system to provide a legal and reliable labor supply.
Fifteen percent of our workforce consists of immigrants – five percent, or approximately 7.5 million, are not properly documented. Every industrialized country relies on immigrant labor pools, and this country is no exception. Our country has been built and continues to thrive on this pool of workers. We need 500,000 new entry-level, skilled workers every year to keep our economy growing and build even more jobs. We have visas for 5,000 and we simply do not have a native born pool to fill these jobs. And let’s remember: this is not simply about low skilled jobs. We used up our quotas for specialty workers in a single day this year.
Studies show that immigrants in our economy create jobs for others, and a functioning system will even lift wages, when people are not working in the shadows and have more mobility.
So back to that order for deportation. From an economic viewpoint, we are already experiencing severe labor shortages. If we unplug that additional 5%, it’s not just their jobs that will disappear.
Those shouting amnesty are shouting a slogan – not a solution. Ask them about their alternative, and then think just a little about what it will mean.
Key Words: Immigration reform in Arizona
