U.S. Immigration Policy – Confused and Unintelligible
From the beginning of our republic, immigration has played a critical role in the vibrant United States economy. Diversity and innovation are the very hallmark of our nation. That is not to say that immigration has not sparked controversy in every generation. Today, no one would critique mainstream German and Irish immigrants, but only a century ago they were looked upon as “Papist” invaders. Similarly today’s immigrants will be tomorrows all-Americans.
There are 12 million or so undocumented immigrants already living in the U.S. In addition it is estimated that 400,000 people enter the country illegally each year — a direct consequence of the fact that our current policy is to make available only 5,000 visas annually for low-skilled workers.
We need a plan to legalize this group while at the same time creating a system that allows the U.S. government to control the flow of new low-skilled workers. The following elements should be included in any immigration reform plan:
1. It’s time for the xenophobes to get over it - The vast majority of the 12 million undocumented immigrants are here to stay. Their children are American, they have roots in the United States and frankly they are here because we needed their labor. First and foremost a path toward citizenship must be created for all but the criminal element within the undocumented community.
2. Politics be damned, forget the punitive punishment of fines etc. - Let’s give all the immigrants that can demonstrate that they have been in the U.S. for at least six months and have no criminal record, identification that legally recognizes their status as immigrants. This is both the first step on the path to citizenship and also provides a way for the U.S. government to gain some semblance of control over who is actually in the country.
3. The path to citizenship should be the same for all legal immigrants, creating a special system is punitive and unwarranted. Our Italian, Irish, German, Polish, Jewish etc. ancestors where treated equally (sometimes badly) and the system worked well. It isn’t broken let’s not fix it.
4. Future immigration must be subject to real legal control. Given that a limited number of unskilled jobs that will be created in a 21st century global economy, we probably cannot absorb 400,000 unskilled laborers per year. But we can accommodate 200,000+ legal unskilled immigrants per annum, once the recession has passed.
5. Since millions of disserving individuals from all over the world would like to immigrate to the United States a lottery system will have to be established which gives priority to those who have relatives in the United States. This is merely recognition of our traditional pattern of immigration where once an immigrant is established he or she tries to bring the rest of their extended family to the U.S.
6. Open boarders with neighboring countries is not an option - We remain a sovereign country. The most difficult aspect will be how do we select quotas by country? Mexico for example, cannot fill the majority of the slots. The United States cannot become the release valve for the pressure building up in such a poorly managed economy. There would be no end to that game and ultimately Mexico would become a ward of the U.S. The best option is do to all that we can to help Mexico fix its internal problems.
7. Little “Ellis Islands” should be established on the southern boarder to process legal immigration while the rest of the boarder must be controlled either with fences, electronics and/or air and land patrols. Unlike the descendents of the current 12 million undocumented immigrants who will never be able to trace the entry of their ancestors, lets make sure that the next wave of immigrants retains this wonderful connection to American history. All immigrants should have “Ellis Island”.
8. If during economic boom times we need more labor by all means we should have a guest worker program.
Simultaneously, we have a need for highly educated scientific researchers but again there are not enough H-1B visas to meet legitimate corporate demand.
Worse still we make it difficult for American educated foreign scientists to stay in the United States. Should an American educated foreign scientist leave the country to attend a brother’s wedding or visit a dying parent or simply take a vacation — they could well be informed that they cannot come back until the U.S. government had done a security screening - which could take years. This is troubling because foreign students and researchers, especially from India and China, comprise more than half of the scientific researchers in the U.S. They earn 40% of the Ph.D.s in science and engineering, and 65% of the computer science doctorates.
The Obama administration seems to have adopted a policy in its stimulus plan that would be prejudicial to American educated foreigners despite the fact that may have graduated at the top of the class from one of America’s great Universities. The mantra is lets hire Americans even if American educated foreigners are more qualified. The only thing the administrations policy disserves is the xenophobia award.
On a broader economic note, we should embrace diversity and formally recognize the contribution foreigners make to the U.S. economy. Let’s start by issuing 1 million “green cards“ - Over the next 12 months, issue green cards to well-educated immigrants who have the resources and will to commit to starting small businesses, which are the greatest engine of job creation in the U.S. Priority should be given to those who want to create export companies. We will create millions of new jobs, reduce our surplus housing inventory by 1 million units, stimulate the auto industry and reduce our balance of trade at no expense to the U.S. taxpayer. Such a plan would also increase our most important resource, intellectual capital, which is the basic premise upon which our immigration policy should be based.
Compassion and self-interest should be the cornerstones of American immigration policy.
at lease if everyone has photo id’s you know who everyone is, where they are and what what they’re up to.. and you’re right.. our economy thrives on the low wage model both in china and here in the US.. or else its HELLO INFLATION!
June 18th, 2009 at 7:58 am
If I had a penny for every time I read about immigration reform and for every time I reply to an article like this, I’d be a millionaire by now and would be able to get one the million green cards you are proposing for the people who will start a small company! But I don’t have a million dollars! All I have is 18 years of living in this country legally, paying taxes, having health insurance, getting a college degree, getting a graduate degree, working in research, publishing papers, and on a more personal note, getting married to the love of my life who is a permanent resident and having our child who is a US citizen by birth. But none of that is enough for me to get my permanent residency. USCIS doesn’t’ even know their own rules. They approve some petitions and deny others (mine) filed in the same category with same qualifications and background and job offer. They give work permits to illegal immigrants (no problem there) but when we ask what can we do if my H1B visa expires before the petition my husband filed for me is processed, we are told I’ll have to leave the country. And then what? Leave my husband and my small child behind? Talk about keeping families together! I understand why illegals come to this country, for a better life and better opportunities. Well, guess what! So did I! I just did it the legal way and still trying! Immigration reform can’t come soon enough for me and my family!
June 18th, 2009 at 8:20 am
William - your blog is very interesting. Congratulations on your success as a businessman. I’m grateful you’re sharing your thoughts as a “last offering” to the world.
I’m an immigrant. My greatest blessing has been growing up in the United States. I thank you for your reasoned approach to immigration. It attempts to be fair to those who are here but respects the rights of sovereign nations.
I’m not so sure that foreigners would want to continue to come to the United States. If our fundamental constitutional rights change and our economy and currency continue to weaken - they may look for greener pastures.
June 19th, 2009 at 8:05 am
I am in a similar boat as Mimi B. I have been here legally for almost eleven years, and I have tried 3 times to get my green card, all without succeeding. The process takes so long, that anything can happen during that time. In one of my applications the company had to downsize after the financial problems caused by 9/11; after 2.5 years of applying, my job was terminated. I was empty handed. Fortunately, I found another job, but, in this case, the owning partners of the company separated, and the company practically collapsed and disappeared. My green card process ended after 4 years of waiting. Now I have to start from zero again… this time, I may just move to Canada. The American people say that this is a country of laws, and people should come in legally: I agree, but, unfortunately, the system is so slow and rotten, that punishes with high fees, lawyer expenses, long waits, and fears, to those who try to do it legally.
Great article! Keep up the good job.
June 19th, 2009 at 9:33 am
Illegal Immigrants my eye! Criminals! Criminals who knew that they were breaking the law when they crosse over our borders. These people should revieve nothing from this country except jail and deportation. No schooling, no health care, no welfare, or food stamps. Many of us are sick and tired of these leeches suckung our tax funds and social programs dry. we’re sick and tired of the criminals believing that we owe them something. Well mabe we do, and jail and deportation seem just about right.
June 19th, 2009 at 6:42 pm
the ones who should go to jail are people like you with the racist comments your making. Rememer racist turns to violence, do you not watch the news. The one’s who are commiting violence and such murders against immigrants are racist americans like you, so you tell me greg who are the real criminals! Isn’t killing someone breaking the law too.Immigrants come to america to work, so that they can help support their poor families because of financial problems, starvation etc. The immigrant people are being separated from their families.
June 20th, 2009 at 8:20 pm
Some of you need to think common sense. How many more people do you think this country can tolerate. I’m as big hearted as they come, but you can not over populate one country or we will end up like the third world countries that were are allowing to come here. I know many people from Britain and other countries who have done everything by the book as Mimi B has and have paid thousands of dollars to get a citizenship, who are educated and have jobs, but yet they still can not get their citizenship here. Most of them are married to Americans. I thought that automatically made you an American. Our system can not keep bouncing back from the strain. It is just common sense.
June 25th, 2009 at 10:42 am
Greg is just a lazy moron that will sit and complain about everything and blame the Ilegal for all his shortcomings. I’m sure Greg has done nothing for the country and behaves like a rotten and stingy baby who won’t share a piece of chocolate
June 25th, 2009 at 11:45 am
The immigrant people are not the problem it is those who knew that they were breaking the law when they crossed over our borders thay are the problem. We should not have to support them with our hard earned American money. I know the process is not perfect and is long but do you think that some of the process that we as Americans have to go threw are any better, not by much. All we ask is that if you want to come to America do it legally, do not come here illegally and anticapate that we owe you anything because you are here. What would your country do for us, if we did the same thing? Our resources are drying up and as our parents before us have worked long and hard for them so have we, we have earned them and it looks like we will have near nothing and at this rate NOTHING. This is not fair and it needs to stop! I love my country and my daughter served in Iraq,my father and my brother served this country also, so I feel I as they shoulod have a say in this.
God Bless the USA
June 29th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
Maybe you should try fixing the problems in your own country rather than coming to this one and screwing up ours. Now we have so many illegal immigrants our own people can’t find work. We have to speak your language instead of our own language. Our government takes care of most of you which is how they keep getting your votes. When you protest our immigration laws and demand to be made an American citizen because you have broken our laws and come here illegally, try flying the U.S. flag during your protests. That might help.
June 30th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
Not only can you not think logically, you can’t spell, either.
You obviously have done no research into the amount of money illegals cost us American citizens each year and would continue to cost us once they’re made citizens all of a sudden. And what about our Arab Muslim terrorist buddies who are learning Spanish and just walking across the borders to join their fellows already in the country ? Make them citizens, too ? There are so many facts you ignore that I’m giving up. Impact on our air, water, transportation, social services, medical costs, education, etc. You are obviously one of those “I’m living on a rainbow, can’t deal with reality, let’s ignore the facts, emotion-based individuals. I bet you voted for Obama, which alone proves my point. You are totally ignorant about this subject, and I hope no one takes you seriously.
July 2nd, 2009 at 9:37 pm
CLC!
Thanks for identifying the most dangerous group coming to US-the Moslems! IThe Koran they follow expects of them to continue the JIHAD for world conquest, they have so successfully practiced for the last 1400 years by the sword.Now they migrate to this country to turn it into a Moslem country within 30-40 years with their explosive population growth-Men have 4 renewable wives and 10-14 children per family are common-Osama bin Laden has 54 ! brothers and sisters and he himself more than 25 children!
SHARIA law will then be imposed DEMOCRATICALLY in the US if we do not BAN Moslem Immigration NOW!
July 5th, 2009 at 7:32 pm
“Compassion and self-interest”….. that’s what they said in 1985 and convinced Reagan to sign an “amnesty” bill that also promised to be the last and one-time-only such amnesty. Obama will repeat this mistake? and still have no will to protect our borders.
They also promised that it would entail about 1.5 million illegals…. it turned out to be 3 million. Today’s 12 million may turn out to be 25 million
The fundamental problem I see in this corrupt system is that it is DE FACTO DISCRIMINATION that favors Mexicans and other Latinos. Should geographic proximity be the “advantage” for one ethnic/racial group to have an overwhelming position in the US? In fact, Hispanics have already overtaken Blacks as the #1 minority…
Citizenship: it is stupidly naive to believe that illegals are here because the love America and want to be American citizens. The only people talking about citizenship for illegals are their “leaders” who are obviously convinced that the only way Latino politicians can be elected in the US is by having many more millions of Latino-Americans voting for the Democratic Party. Today’s illegals are the ones who complained that the pre-1965 country quota system was discriminatory because it favored (white) European…. (At the time Ted Kennedy assured us that it would not upset ethnic balances in the US…)
Not all immigrants are to be compared with past waves of immigrants, especially on the level of education and entrepreneurial spirit. Starting a mom&pop grocery store is not exactly at the level of Silicon Valley entrepreneurship. Besides, the vast majority now comes from “third world” places like Mexico where they are inculcated with “socialist” concepts of the benevolent “boss” (el patron)…looking for a bigger “patron” in the US.
It is a myth that certain businesses are short on labor. They are short on “cheap” labor…. Alan Greenspan inadvertently said so in a “US Competitive” conference March 13, 2007 (C-span has the video) where he called “US labor the most expensive in the world” and one way to reduce that cost is to import cheap labor “as a supplement”…. The Wall Street Journal ignored this fact in its extensive March 14 report on this conference …
In the end, the US has debased its “rule of law” principle by encouraging illegals to come here and protecting their “jobs”. No wonder today’s society has such little regard for the rule of law, honesty and fairness. Our government is leading by terrible example.
Current
July 29th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
Current “policy” amounts to an “Affirmative Action” program for Mexico.
The economic “benefit” to America is questionable: Mexicans send about $2 billion per month to Mexico… this is money NOT earned by American taxpayers, little or no tax is paid on illegals’ earnings AND this money is NOT spent in the US economy… add another $40B to other countries doing the same thing and we have $60-70 billion being shipped out of this economy…
The principle should be: let industry PROVE their need for this labor… if they paid Americans and LEGAL immigrants decent wages, they would not need to pursue the illegal but profitable route…
It is an insult to US-born Americans to favor foreign workers… far from Americas being XENOPHOBES… We allow over 1 million legal immigrants every year…more than all of Europe combined. Where is the limit? and what about integration and assimilation…. they are already BREAKING UP AMERICA with a parallel Spanish-speaking culture…. bilingual countries do NOT have racial/ethnic harmony… Belgium for instance is about to break up because of cultural conflicts between the Walloon (French) and Flemish (Dutch speaking)….
Traditional immigrants NEVER expected a hand-out from the government; in fact we had to have a financial sponsor who would guarantee that the US government not be burdened with immigrants; this is still the law today, but is ignored…Immigrants never expected to be given government documentation in their OWN language! immigrants came to become AMERICANS, not Mexicans living in America…
July 29th, 2009 at 12:23 pm