From: "Mr. G. G. Garcia" prairieyaqui@yahoo.com
Subject: For Public Consumption: The Immigration Bill
To: "Peter S. Lopez de Aztlan" sacranative@yahoo.com
Lest we forget, we have been down this road before. The U.S. Senate debated and passed an immigration bill which reflects the President’s comprehensive solution to the problem of immigration. It was approved by 62-36 votes.
Perhaps, I missed it. But there was no reference to the repatriation program in 1951. I bring it up because the capstone to the President’s proposal is enforcement, and the key element to enforcement is of course the Border Patrol - “supported” by the National Guard.
It was the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), i.e. the Border Patrol, that allowed thousands of illegals to cross the border, arrested them, and “turned them over to the Texas Employment Commission, which, in turn, delivered them to work for various growers groups in Texas and elsewhere.” [The Handbook of Texas Online: Operation Wetback. - Note how the reference strips these workers of their human dignity. ]
Allow me to point out how these “guests” were repaid for their contribution to this country. It all started with the bracero program in August 1942. "Bracero" means day laborer, from the word brazo for arm, or hand, or hired hand as in “field-hand.” The program started as a bi-national temporary contract labor program between Mexico and the United States by an exchange of diplomatic notes and series of negotiations. The program was formalized and enacted into law by Public Law 78.
I submit that the solution today also has to be bilateral – or even trilateral. The 9/11 terrorists came in through Canada.
The seed concept was to bring in experienced agricultural laborers to harvest sugar beets in Stockton, California. Later, this grew to provide laborers for the entire United States and the railroads; indeed, to cover both skilled and unskilled labor. The program to provide railroad workers ended with the end of World War II, but the agricultural program lasted until 1964. In response to public criticism for widespread abuses, violations of contracts by employers, discrimination and arrests, even, to avoid payment to immigrants, Mexico discontinued the program.
Operation Wetback began in Texas in June 1954, fifty-two years ago. The Border patrol was aided by municipal, county, state, and federal authorities -as well as the military. Note the similarities to the Bush proposal. On the first day of the operation, 4,800 aliens were apprehended. The number of Border Patrol forces was exaggerated to scare illegal workers, much the same way that the numbers are exaggerated today to scare the American citizens.
The above is from two sources: An article entitled: “Bracero Program” in Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, and the Handbook of Texas Online: Operation Wetback.
Now then, the President has proposed a program of enforcement to quell the thunder on the right and a compassionate “guest worker program” ostensibly for Hispanics, the middle of the road, the moderates, and, yep, you guessed it, the agricultural interests, the farmers and growers, the real benficiaries of such a move. Even with technology and sophisticated mechanization, there are still some crops that are best harvested by hand.
There are workers who are living in the United States, albeit, illegally, in urban areas, who would prefer to work the land. These workers would rather migrate, work seasonally, and return home to their mother countrywhere they can speak their own language and be embraced by their own culture. But enforcement has driven them to alter their patterns of migration. It has become increasingly more difficult to cross without the cover of law. The coyotes- the two legged kind - and the forgers are joyful for the President’s solution and the clamoring of the right. Their prices go up the stricter the enforcement measures, making it almost prohibitive to cross at will. So the illegal immigrants bring their families. Then we complain of the abuse of social benefits and the cost to the taxpayers.
They were not asking for handouts. They traveled thousands of miles in search of the honor of honest work. Blame the United States Supreme Court and the liberals on the highest court of the land. They ruled, for example, that we have to provide a free education for the children of undocumented workers. These children are now college age. They want the opportunity of a higher education to which they are entitled by virtue of birth and the provisions of the Constitution. Who can blame them?
When living in a capitalistic society one must think in terms of economic returns, material goods. According to the wisdom of the bumper stickers, “The one with the most toys wins,”
You see, the problem is not the illegal workers in this country. It is the illegal employers. The guest worker program with a pathway to citizenship, no matter how well intentioned, is doomed to failure. The minute the existing numbers living here today as undocumented, the minute they become legal, the demand for a livable wage goes up. This creates the need for another sub-class of low wage-workers.
Amnesty by any other name is amnesty. The Ultra-right is right.
This is just another form of amnesty.
But the Ultra-right is wrong -- if they do not insist on enforcement of the law of employers who hire the illegal immigrants. Get those law-breakers. For many years, the law has been on the books. There are penalties and punishment for knowingly hiring persons here without legal documents. That’s the law. Do you hear the hue and cry about the law and lawbreakers for this class? Enforce the law for illegal employers and you decrease illegal immigration.
So, what is the specific answer to immigration? The more we know, the more we realize we don’t know. Well, it is particularly galling, but a rose by any other name is a rose. The solution is some form of amnesty and the courage to accept the truth. We can play games. Like the proponents of enforcement only call it a "fence," which is more palatable than “wall.” The Guard is going to “support and assist” the Border Patrol yet we are discussing the rules of engagement. It is stricter enforcement, but more compassionate. Get it? It is not amnesty. It is a guest worker program. Words, words, words. We live in an age of the “spin” factor.
Hold your nose and live with it, and admit it you, cannot “repatriate” 11-12 million immigrants, approximately 50% of which are from Eastern Europe, Asia, and Africa. In fact, I respectfully submit this is another exaggeration by the powers that be to scare the bejeesus out of us; part of governing by the War by terror.
Why not use the lottery concept? Members of Congress have no qualms in talking about immigration in general, border security, in general, then addressing only one border: Mexican immigration in particular. Make the lottery of work visas, green cards, pathway to citizenship work for you to render “those Mexicans living in the shadows” to come into the light. By definition, a lottery is a game of chance. Those who are willing to risk whatever life they have here, let them, if they so desire, risk their stay for permanent resident status or citizenship.
What are the ratios in the Mega million? We are, if we are to believe the stats that are floating around, 12 million! We are talking mega millions here. Perhaps theillegal immigrants would be willing to come forth and exit the country voluntarily, if they lose. Could be that they might feel trapped. This may be the face-saving device to leave the country and reenter according to the tiered approach by the President. The U.S could hold the number of visas, green cards to 200,000 a year say. In a few years you’d have the voluntary exodus that Pharaoh desires. That is the problem. We are far too numerous now like the Hebrews in Egypt. We have done so only in obedience to the mandate, "Be fruitful and multiply."
A simple solution is to reverse the order: enforce the immigration law, leaving the country. Mexicans want are proud people. They want to show off the results of their hard work. They want to drive their cars home (and sell them). They want to take modern appliances to their families back home. They want to start a business or built a nice home for their parents and in-laws.
But if you want a successful immigration policy, shut-off the source of employment of illegal workers, create a working, temporary visa program that gives the worker the responsibility and the option to work wherever and in whatever industry will hire them, legally. And make it a law to give preference to the American worker and pay the same wage to legal immigrants under the “program.”
Raise the quotas to allow a more realistic number to enter and work, not take advantage of the social benefits. Have the licensing departments off states compare social security numbers or identification when immigrants apply for a license or purchase a vehicle and turn them over to the Department of Homeland Security. It goes for those buying a home.
You do not want to encourage any lengthy stays if they are here illegally. Forbid entry to women who obviously wish to deliver their babies in this country, but once a child is born here, it is entitle to all the privileges of a citizen of the United States.
Finally, please clarify that we are not dealing with exaggerated numbers: estimates based on apprehensions, and not number of actual persons estimated to be in the United States.
(Mr.) G.G. Garcia
Machesney Park, IL. 61115
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