First and foremost, I would like to thank anyone who took the time to read and comment. I do believe that the issue of immigration reform will play a role in the 2012 elections and possibly beyond. With challenges to Arizona’s SB 1070 working their way to the Supreme Court and the continued problems along the southern border, it is bound to be an issue. | Read More »
The most troublesome issue regarding immigration reform is what to do with the illegals currently here. Inevitably, the dirty word “amnesty” is introduced into the conversation. The most well-known such program enacted was 1986′s IRCA under Ronald Reagan which eventually granted amnesty to some 2.7 million illegal immigrants. Additionally, certain agricultural workers from Mexico were granted amnesty. The main criticism is that once it is | Read More »
There is the belief that the hiring of illegal immigrants depresses the wages for all Americans. Ironically, that is an argument used by such disparate interests as the US Chamber of Commerce and organized labor. Practically every study completed indicates this is not true because not too many Americans aspire to pick vegetables, be laborers or landscaper helpers. Any program that would increase competition for | Read More »
Under Reagan’s IRCA, employers became subject to fines for hiring illegal workers. Anyone who has ever had a job in the US since enactment of that law has to fill out an I-9 and providing supporting documentation. Most violations were for circumventing the law by paying workers “off the books,” or for deliberate fraud. Since the, the E-Verify system has been developed. Although use of | Read More »
For the past 20 years, the main thrust of immigration reform has centered on enforcement and border patrol and fencing. It has become sacrosanct in conservative circles. We often hear, “Secure the border first.” Personally, I don’t understand why border security improvements cannot be done hand-in-hand with immigration reform. The Reagan amnesty, or IRCA, dictated increased enforcement along the border and at the workplace. However, | Read More »
The notion of birthright citizenship is rooted in the the language of the 14th Amendment. It states: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” The primary purpose of the Amendment itself was to overturn the Dred Scott decision. The clause itself was the brainchild | Read More »
There are the obligatory complaints about the effects of illegal immigration on public services and infrastructure. However, one has to look at the problem in perspective. In certain cases, there are clear cut effects, but blanket assertions that state that on a whole illegal immigrants are the cause of all our ills serve no purpose. According to the Census Bureau, immigration to the US accounts | Read More »
Without a doubt, one of the most controversial issues in politics involves immigration reform. It requires compromise on both sides of the issue. And that compromise should not be motivated by courting the Hispanic vote. Some have called for the mass deportation of all illegal immigrants. Sorry folks, ain’t happening. One cost estimate is that it would strain the Federal treasury by $285 billion over | Read More »
As a long time observer of the United States Supreme Court, I am going to go out on an early limb here and make a prediction. First, it needs to be mentioned that there are so many controversies and subplots involved here. For example, there is the controversy over whether Elena Kagan should recuse herself from this case. Quite frankly, it is hard to believe | Read More »
The ostensible reason behind the OWS movement-if one can discern such a reason- was to address the apparent income disparity in the US. There will always be income disparity in a capitalist society as there will always be the haves and the have nots. And there is certainly greed and some ill-gotten gains along the line. It is often difficult to introduce the correct amount | Read More »
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