Why Illegal Immigrants Are Not the Problem

These days we hear a whole lot of vitriol directed at those who enter and take up residence in our country illegally. Our position is as follows:

Illegal Immigration is a huge problem; illegal immigrants are not.

Why not blame illegal immigrants? Because that is like blaming the symptom for the disease. These are folks who, for the most part, are seeking a better life for their families than they could ever provide in their own country. Let's be honest; if you lived in a third world country that was utterly corrupt, was ruled by drug cartels or dictators, a country which offered no opportunity for security or prosperity... you would seek greener pastures too. That is the honest truth. You know it and I know it.

The real problem are the folks in our own country who would exploit these unfortunate people for the purposes of personal gain and political power.

We hear about how illegal immigrants do the work Americans won't do. That is simply a lie. Nobody knows exactly how many illegal immigrants are in this country. Estimates run from ten million all the way up to fifty million people. These people either find employment, go onto public assistance rolls, or both. Regardless of how many are here, there are many who want to keep them here. Here is why:

Employers want them here because they are cheap labor. Hiring illegal immigrants keeps the costs of labor and benefits low. Frankly, some companies want illegal immigrant employees for the same reason other companies move their manufacturing facilities to third world countries. The answer is cheap labor. For most any product produced, the vast majority of the costs associated with producing that product is the cost of labor. Employers get away with hiring these workers because the Federal Government makes it very easy to get away with doing so. Illegal Immigrants are hired not because Americans won't do the work, but because Americans won't do the work for the wages offered to do the work. Rather than improving the manufacturing process or the product to keep costs low, companies hire cheap labor and increase their bottom line. Any time you hear of a company extolling the virtues of illegal immigrants and supporting the work of illegal immigrant rights groups, it isn't because there is something special about these people. It's because they can make more money hiring them from a cheap pool of labor.

Government wants them here because they are voters and potential voters. They are the grease on the wheels of social programs that need victims to justify their existence.

Why do I say they are voters? Because many are. I worked with a man for several years. He got into the United States with a tourist visa. He didn't come here as a tourist though. He came here to lay down roots, find a job, and raise his family. He and I had many long conversations. We were good friends. The problem was that he had no interest in becoming an American Citizen. His plans were to return to his home country when he retired. In our conversations, over a period of four years, it became obvious where his loyalties were. He was always praising the country he had to leave to make a living. He was always talking about how much better it was there. He did not like the United States at all. The State we were in issued him a driver's license. He was able to buy a home. His children went to our public schools. He was able to register to vote. Yes, that's right, he was a registered voter, and voted in every election. Illegal Immigrants are a powerful voting block in this country. Make no mistake about it. Nobody checks your citizenship status when you register. In fact, my friend signed up to register when he got his driver's license.

When you hear politicians talk about how we must have compassion and give these folks a quick path to citizenship through amnesty; what they are really saying is that they need those votes for re-election.

The Federal Government refuses to enforce existing immigration laws.

The Federal Government enables people here illegally to enroll in public assistance programs.

The Federal Government imposes no meaningful sanctions upon employers of illegal immigrants.

The solution?

Make it a Federal Crime to hire anyone for any purpose who cannot show documentation that they were either born in the United States (Certified Birth Certificate), a Naturalized Citizen, or have a valid Work Visa. Make this crime punishable by twenty years in prison per count. Each count shall run consecutively. Those subject to these penalties? Every company official from CEO to Human Resources Manager.

Make it a Federal Crime to not check for a Birth Certificate or Naturalisation Papers before accepting a voter registration card.

Make it a Federal Crime to not check for a Birth Certificate or Naturalisation Papers before allowing a person into a voting booth.

The Federal Government MUST move to secure our borders as it is Constitutionally required to do so. If we institute these laws we won't have to round up millions of people for deportation... they will just leave.