Why Amnesty IS NOT the Answer to Illegal Immigration.
From William Weiss
Recently there has been talk in the media about an issue that has been on the back burner for awhile. With the stimulus package behind us and health-care reform still in limbo, priorities may shift back to an important issue that most politicians do not like to address. This issue is illegal immigration.
Illegal immigration is a tough subject for politicians, even though it is integral to many of the problems facing the country. People are looking for a perfect solution that does not exist. Many solutions are heart-breaking or unfair to illegal immigrants. But one of these proposed solutions is unfair to US citizens and will not solve the problem of illegal immigration, anyway. This “solution” is amnesty.
Amnesty is not viable because it neither reduces nor eliminates illegal immigration. The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 granted amnesty to illegal immigrants who entered the United States before January 1, 1982 and who had been continuous residents. An estimated two to three million people gained citizenship as a result of this bi-partisan bill sponsored by a Republican president and a Democratic Congressional majority. Both sides of the aisle were part of this “solution.” More than 20 years later, we still have the same problem — only it is five to 10 times worse.
What kind of message does the US send when it rewards people who break the law? That is what amnesty does. Illegal immigrants living in this country avoid paying taxes and break the law. Amnesty sets the stage for these lawbreakers to go unpunished. This violates an important principle of our legal system, “Equal Justice Under the Law”. When everyday citizens fail to pay their taxes, the punishment is often severe. Non-citizens should suffer the same consequences.
Amnesty also threatens US citizens in economic ways. The health of the country’s social services — as well as its economic recovery — would be greatly affected by amnesty. With many social services currently being threatened by budget cuts, it would be reckless to add new recipients to an already struggling system. Amnesty would also create competition in an overly swamped job market. America is not in an economic position to raise its ceiling for work visas. Nor is it equipped, for that matter, to add an influx of new citizens to an ever-shrinking workforce.
Giving free membership to those who have migrated to the US illegally is also unfair to those who have chosen to take the tough, but honorable road to legal residency. This country was founded by immigrants. Many of our greatest achievements and innovations were achieved by immigrants. Immigration is a good thing for America — when it’s done legally.
America was once the land of opportunity for immigrants and natural born citizens. More and more that is becoming a thing of the past. Unemployment is sky high and our social services are in financial jeopardy. Adding 10 to 20 million new Americans to an already hurting system will only make things worse for the citizens of this country. When we consider the cost of rewarding people who benefit from a system to which they do not contribute, the answers may not be easy, but one thing is clear: social services, employment and the general welfare of law-abiding, tax-paying American citizens are all at risk when amnesty is the “solution.”
