Dreamrail

Number Eight:

Turning our backs on illegal immigration is flat out wrong. So is turning our backs on the illegal immigrants.

The current immigration issue is a tough one. They’re telling us there are about ten million people in the country without proper documentation. That’s the real problem, right? The documentation. I mean we need the people. We rely on the people. Keep in mind that I’m only talking about illegal immigrants throughout this piece.

I’ve heard the argument that if they all went home, or back to the place they left, we would be in trouble. The one-day walkout didn’t really do much; everybody didn’t participate. There weren’t enough involved, and it only went on for one day. Businesses simply shut down some production, or closed their doors for that day. They could take it. The argument in question rests its case on the idea that there are businesses paying less than minimum wage to illegal immigrants. What would happen to them if they could no longer do that?

If the illegal immigrants were gone, or even if they obtained proper documentation, these companies would be required, or at least more inclined to pay a higher wage. The government would become involved at that point, because they know the person is here and working in our country. This greatly complicates the issue. It’s no longer just about ‘go or stay,’ it’s about legal or illegal residence. If they get their legal permit, they may be fired, because their employer would have to pay minimum wage.

That is flat out wrong. How do we fight it?

There’s been some reason we haven’t dealt with this for decades, so maybe this is it. If they were required to pay higher wages, companies would take production out of the country. They could go into Mexico or Central America and get the goods produced while paying wages well below our minimum standard. The alternative would be to raise prices. Would we stand for that?

My argument is that eventually we will, but a sudden burst of deportation would create a groundswell of rightful remorse, and anger. Some would be angry at the treatment of people; others would be angry at the higher prices, relocated production, or closed businesses. Some would be angry at all of the above. The truth is that almost everybody would be angry about something.

So what can the government do?

Here’s one idea. When I hear talk of amnesty, I think of a permanent forgiveness. It doesn’t have to mean that. It can be something other than a slap on the hand, and don’t do it again.

What if everybody in this country without legal documentation or actual citizenship is given one year to take care of it? That’s a great deal of time to simply go to an office and get a signed paper. The only real reason it should be spread over a year is to not flood the government offices.

This raises several serious questions in your mind. First, what about the problem of forcing wages, and therefore prices, relocations or closures up? The documentation they would be given would be special documentation that would not require any immediate change by an employer in regard to pay. The wage would remain an issue between the employer and the employee, just as it is when hired under illegal status. For this one year period, the government would not pursue this information. They would only require that temporary work papers be issued.

This would allow immigrants to sign up and not be in fear of losing their jobs. It would still create a situation that may be difficult for all of them to follow. It sounds easy to us, but in poorer remote situations, getting to the government office to sign up for something can be difficult. When the language is strange, even learning what to do can cause trouble. Therefore, the emphasis would be on the employer.

Forms would be available on the internet, or hard copy and anybody who wants to hire an illegal immigrant, or continue to employ one, would be required to get that person to the office and get him/her documented. At the end of this one-year amnesty, the employer would be fined if it isn’t done.

There is the twist. Don’t blame the immigrant. These business owners and employers are citizens who started a business under one charter or another and they have all agreed to uphold the laws of the land. Isn’t it time we make sure they do. In this case, they’re not being told what relationship or pay-scale to work out. They’re just being told to get their employees documented and make sure they are legal. If they don’t do, fine them heavily. A slap on their hands won’t work. It would have to cut into their profits in a way that hurts.

You see, our own citizens are the ones breaking the law. They know they shouldn’t hire people in the country illegally. The resolution has to start with them – WITH US. Why do we always look in the wrong direction? If we didn’t provide illegal jobs, immigrants wouldn’t keep coming illegally.

After this one-year period, when we hopefully have a high number of immigrants signed-up, we will start a time table to get them working toward the current standard documentation or citizenship. This could be done over a five-year period. At the end of that window, all of the temporary cards issued during the one-year amnesty would terminate, and everybody would be expected to be legal, with a zero-tolerance on illegal immigration then imposed.

Businesses would have to pay based on United States minimum wage requirements. You thought they were going to get off the hook all together?

No. Somewhere, the nonsense has to stop.

We can’t continue to run the country based on things that are flat out wrong. Even though it will result in higher wages, we have laws in effect for a reason. I hope I’ve opened a few eyes as to why the immigrations laws are ignored. It’s about money. We allow businesses to pay low wages just like third world nations. It’s easier to get away with when it concerns an illegal immigrant.

Who are they going to tell?

This leads into how to stop it from continuing. Immediately, we have to stop the illegal traffic at our borders. It has to end somewhere, sometime. We may need to review our procedures that allow people to get in legally. Maybe, these laws are bad, and sit at the core of this whole problem. I’m not sure about my opinion on that issue, but I do know that if it’s illegal, it should be illegal. Don’t just continue to let it happen.

As we tighten up security at the borders, we start the one-year amnesty for people that are already here. Deportation isn’t really an option. We would create a humanitarian crisis, and we really would impact our own businesses and the prices we pay for goods and services. The best we can do is create a system to allow easy and non-punished documentation.

We hold the businesses responsible. They help anybody they intend to employ to get their temporary documentation. At the end of the year, they will be the ones fined. It will be illegal to employ undocumented workers, and the employer will suffer. Only then will the individual be compelled to become legal.

Then after five years, these temporary papers terminate. Everybody must be legal by today’s standards. Every employer must pay minimum wage. Keep in mind, all of these things are laws today anyway. They’re breaking the law by not paying minimum wage. This deal is a break.

With immigration curtailed to some extent, we will then eventually have a deficit of people to hire for the jobs available in the country. This is a good thing. It will cut unemployment and reduce the welfare rolls. Then, I believe we can once again offer businesses the opportunity of lower priced wages. Welfare reform.

That’s a whole new issue, but once we have business owners searching for new sources of lower income employees, what if they were only required to pay the welfare amount to employ a capable person in the system. There would simply be a timetable to convert this employee to regular employment status. During that time, they would be learning a skill and the employer would be getting a break by paying a lower wage. And the government would not be paying the bill. That’s us folks.

At the end of that timeframe, they would either determine to hire, or give ample notification that they aren’t going to hire, and the newly trained person would have an opportunity to find a job. During that time, not only would he/she receive training, but also workplace and social skills, references, and the knowledge of how to talk to a potential employer.

Even if they aren’t hired during that round, which would possibly mean welfare again, they would again be required to work at one of these jobs and use the skill they learned or learn yet another. It’s better for everybody when people are productive.

See how one problem relates to the next? Better yet, see how one solution may help to resolve the next problem?

# posted by Mike Ripley @ 11:14 PM