 |
|
|
 Editorials | Opinions | November 2007 
Reasoned Approach to Solve Border Woes
 Explorer
go to original
 |  | With national elections coming up in less than a year now, the only solution may be to back candidates who will pledge to work toward responsible immigration reform legislation. |  | |
The illegal-immigration debate, reasonable at times, occasionally turns disturbingly absurd. Take these examples of extreme opinions expressed recently to Explorer editors:
The border fence is a bad idea. Simply patrol the border with helicopter gunships. “After a few salvos, we will have made our point and the illegal crossings will drop dramatically.”
The Pima County Board of Supervisors are “criminals” for voting to supply water to border crossers.
The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum’s directors are “yellow-belly cowards” for reversing an earlier decision and once again flying the Mexican flag alongside the U.S. flag.
Arizona’s and the country’s frustrating debate over illegal immigration goes on with a stubborn block of Arizonans and others around the country ignoring the key role illegals have historically played in our economy, particularly our construction and service industries.
Also lacking in some quarters is compassion for those enduring separation, numerous hardships and even risks to their lives to keep their families in an impoverished Mexico in food and clothing. And letting people die in the desert just because they’re illegal is morally repugnant.
This is not to say that the border issue should be ignored. Illegal drug trafficking is a major problem and illegals are a serious financial strain on our education and healthcare systems. Undoubtedly wages are lower everywhere and some jobs are scarcer because illegals can be hired so cheaply. The national-security, terrorist-threat issue, however, seems a flimsy excuse for building a shameful wall to cordon off a friendly neighbor.
Somewhere along the great dividing line in this immense national debate over illegal immigration, people with extreme viewpoints have marginalized themselves.
But so too have the politicians who have taken it upon themselves to hastily pass city and state anti-immigration ordinances with little chance of success, but popular with a segment of voters the politicians need for re-election.
These crusaders have added themselves to a growing list of one-issue politicians, who have little else to contribute to society but campaign-trail one-liners and angry armies of like-minded supporters.
This country needs a coherent policy to deal with the immigration problem, not a piecemeal approach. The federal government failed in an effort to forge a comprehensive plan last summer. At the moment, it seems barely able to police the border, let alone set about finding entrants who already have managed to fade into society at-large.
Because Congress deadlocked over comprehensive immigration bill (for the second time in 20 years), state governments have seen fit to step in. In January, Arizona will require employers to verify the citizenship status of their employees or face substantial penalties. Time will tell if the Arizona law can be enforced and it may even be declared unconstitutional.
With national elections coming up in less than a year now, the only solution may be to back candidates who will pledge to work toward responsible immigration reform legislation. |
| |
|
Vallarta Weddings
Tell a Friend
Site Map
Print this Page
Email Us