Here and Now: Illegal Immigration
The countdown is on. The state's new employer sanction's law is scheduled to take effect January 1. That is, if a lawsuit by opponents doesn't stop it first. Already, there are reports of hundreds, perhaps, thousands of immigrants losing jobs as employers go through I-9 forms and ask employees to supply missing documentation. The Mexican Consul reports it has been deluged with thousands of phone calls from Mexican nationals about what the new law means to them. Will there be a giant sucking sound when January 1 hits and employers caught looking the other way will now face the potential of losing their business licenses?
Also, as the employer sanctions saga plays out, a groundswell is underway to put a legislative referendum on the ballot to force local police to enforce federal immigration law. Here and Now looks at the positives and negatives of such a policy.
What do you think? Let us know below. If you don't see your message posted right away, don't worry, we'll get it up ASAP. We just have to monitor posts to keep those pesky spammers from flooding our blog.
Posted by
patkinson at
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Comments (6)
Undocumented workers exist in the US, because we lack the national leadership to fix a broken immigration system. Why punish people whose only crime is wanting to support their families by doing an honest day's work for an honest dollar? It should not be a crime to be a conscientious bread winner. If the tables were turned, most of us would be crossing the border to find work, too. It's a decent human trait. Again, weakness in Washington has exacerbated this situation.
Proposal:
Allow employers a 2-4 week window (as an example) to attempt to fill undocumented worker's jobs with US citizens. If the jobs can't be filled with equally hard working US citizens, then advertise the jobs as open to undocumented workers who are skilled enough to fill the positions. Give them a legal trade card to identify them as necessary workers in the US and allow them to come out of the shadows. The card could be restricted as to what services would be available to them through government programs. Whatever services the bureaucrats decide they are willing to allow them. What's the harm in trying. Is this rocket science? (Edit my question as you see fit)
Not only are these people all here illegally just by "risking their lives", but they also bring there lesser standard of living literally destroying neighborhoods. I'm tired of having all my tax money going to train in all ways illegal immigrants. Is it not true that ileegal immigrants have more rights than myself, a U.S. citizen?
Does the new AZ law extend to Arizona based companies that hire in other states?
Lets be truthful and honest on this, illegal immigration is caused by the US and world economy. People do not come her for Macdonald's not for Wallmart or for the freedom to go to war at age 18 but not be able to have one drink with your father before you ship out, for the freedom to buy corn that once was affordable in there own country, people specially from . When you (North Americans) keep the Latin American counties in poverty for self economic preservation and now that all the byproduct (immigrants) has pilled up in your yard you don't want to deal with it you. So my hopes are like this lets get rid off all these people that have come here from their home countries because they were unable to change what they disliked about it (sound familiar Pilgrims) lets start with the Mexicans, Latin Americans yep they are Americans also from Canada to Argentina its America, then we ship all those Europeans and since they were the once that brought all the stolen Africans we can send them back too. i also want to thank NPR for its great and informative programing.,
While I understand police officers' desire to be able to contact ICE, I find the whole push to use local law enforcement to enforce federal law troubling. It's hard not to see as hypocrisy the rabid drive to enforce federal immigration law while we largely ignore diligent enforcement of other federal laws. Income tax evasion by American citizens costs billions of dollars, but I see no clamor to increase funding for finding people who fail to report income, hide it overseas, or otherwise dodge their legal obligation. Immigration is a complex issue, and requires comprehensive reform. Knee jerk demands for simplistic enforcement looks like nothing more subtle than racism cloaked in a thin disguise of moral outrage. When I look around me and see Americans as concerned about following the law as they'd like other people to be, then I'll get on board.
The lawyer that was on about 11:50 made statements that are misleading. First and foremost, it is his opinion that the pending law is unconstitutional. Lawyers argue in courts every day about what is and what isn't constitutional. Secondly, yes, the Fed Gov is soley responsible for determining who comes into the USA, how long they stay, & what they do while they're here. However, once those laws and policies are set, nothing in the law precludes authorities at all levels to take actions that reasonably support the laws.
Finally, immigration is a civil matter, not criminal. Additionally, illegal immigrants do not have the same rights as US citizens. One of which is the right to legal representation.
