Immigration: Fact and Fiction
Finding solutions requires fully understanding the situation

The emotional debate on illegal immigration needs a good dose of fact injection. Years of Congressional inattention to illegal immigration, and the Federal government’s abject failure to manage the enforcement of the nation’s laws, have resulted in a divisive and nasty battle. The issue has become an intractable street fight with Democrats fighting Democrats, Republicans fighting Republicans and each party brawling with the other.

Meanwhile, massive illegal border crossings are routine. This failure to enforce makes current Congressional proposals to enact new laws appear comical. New laws make no sense until we first control our border by enforcing existing laws.

Tony Snow, journalist and newly named press secretary to President George W. Bush, recently wrote, “Before someone razes Lady Liberty and decides to erect a wall to ‘protect’ America from the world, shouldn’t we at least spend a little time getting our facts straight?”

It is hard-core fiction that Americans are anti-Latino or xenophobic. The fact is that 80 percent told Pew pollsters that Latin immigrants have strong family values and work hard. It is also fiction that illegals have wrecked the economy. It is a fact that this economy has grown for 30 consecutive months, generating a net increase of five million jobs and very low levels of unemployment.

Another fictional charge is that illegal immigrants pay no taxes here. It is a fact that taxes paid last year to local, state and federal governments by illegal immigrants from Mexico exceeded $20 billion. It is also a fact that illegal immigrants contribute billions each year to Social Security and Medicare and will never receive these benefits. Because of their illegal status, they cannot appeal unfair labor and employment treatment.

Past waves of legal immigration have added to America’s strength and splendid tapestry. If timid politicians will secure our borders and simplify the process for legal immigration, this and future waves of immigration will produce the same results.

As long as the United States represents hope, opportunity and freedom, people from other lands will continue to want to come here. Americans should and will continue to welcome those who will respect our sovereignty and our right to establish laws governing entry into our country.

Earlier immigrants came to our shores to be Americans. We want today’s immigrants to pursue becoming Americans. Disregard for the nation’s immigration laws engenders disrespect for all other laws. And it is fiction that new immigrants can assimilate to full American citizenship without learning English. Snow emphasizes the need to revitalize the notion of citizenship by insisting that prospective citizens master the English language and the fundamentals of American history and culture.

There is every reason to believe that we need more legal immigrants. It is the perverse system of permitting thousands to pour across the border illegally every year that costs America dearly, both financially and socially. America has a right and obligation to control whom, how and how many immigrants enter the United States.

Technology and know-how exist to secure our borders, and we do not need a fence. A Berlin-type wall is alien to American ideals. As long as Mexico fails to tackle its own anti-competitive environment, strangling bureaucracy, corrupt labor unions, police and government, its policies will guarantee continued migration north. If Mexico made even modest progress in improving the lives of its citizens, the torrent of those coming north would slow.

It is imperative for America to control its borders and streamline the process for legal immigration. For those who believe the illegal immigration problems cannot be solved, they are wrong. This is America and we will find a fair way to welcome legal immigrants.

Pat Freibert is a former Kentucky state representative from Lexington.
editorial@lanereport.com

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