Will This Dog Hunt?

Editorial

The White House has finally indicated which direction it is leaning in on the critical issue of immigration reform. There are major problems with what the Bush administration proposes, as well as some grounds for optimism.

The Financial Times reported last week that the Bush administration has been involved in comprehensive talks with leading Republicans in both the House and Senate to bring about an agreed position.

The paper said that Karl Rove, Bush’s most trusted advisor, outlined the new strategy to senior Republican figures. It seems the debate within the Republican Party is a struggle between Bush and his fellow Texan, House Majority leader Tom Delay, who wants as little reform as possible.

The upshot is that the Bush administration now appears to be seeking a six year amnesty type of program for those here illegally, after which period they would have to return to their country of origin and apply for legal status along normal lines.

The six years is clearly a compromise between those in President Bush’s own party who want to send illegals home after three years, and those who want to offer the immigrants a path towards legality once they step out of the shadows.

The proposed solution is an understandable political compromise but, alas, one that has major problems.

“I understand the politic of this but I’m not sure it works,” said Representative Jim Kolbe, an Arizona House member and a strong advocate of immigration reform.

He is right. It would not be the first time that a compromise which looked fine and dandy in the smoky backrooms failed to pass the smell test once it became public.

The problems are many. Firstly, millions of the 10 million or so illegals will never go public with their status if they know they have no chance of ever becoming legal in the U.S.

Think about it. You are legal for six years, you have built a home, and have a family and a job. Suddenly you must throw all that up and go back to your country of origin and start over. It makes no sense, and millions will feel exactly that way.

What makes even less sense is the cost of trying to get 10 million or so illegals back to their home country. What kind of massive government agency will have to be created to keep track of all those people and to force them to be deported when their time is up?

That is not to say that the six year proposal is without merit. It is a starting point, and much better than an existing Republican bill which only allows for a three year stay.

The reality is that whatever immigration plan comes forward, there must be a way for all illegals who take part to eventually have a path to citizenship, or at the very least, a green card.

There is no other way that the structural problem of illegal immigration can be tackled. It is interesting to note that the business community and the immigrants rights group find common cause in that reality.

As far as business is concerned, the notion of tossing out perhaps some of their best workers after several years could cause untold problems. The incentive would obviously be not to hire such people, as they would eventually have to be let go.

The fundamental problem is that immigration has become tied up with terrorism since September 11. The facts are that those coming from Mexico or living in the Bronx from Ireland are not terrorist threats to this country by a long shot.

They are like generations before them, seeking a new life and a new opportunity in a country which has long provided that. The new legislation, if it is definitely going to be put in place, needs to ensure that they have that opportunity.