Five myths of anti-immigration talk

There are two sides to every story and myths are for the most part just that-stories.

BY ANDRES OPPENHEIMER, 13 January 2008, The Miami Herald
It’s time to debunk the biggest myths of the antiimmigration movement that has swept this country over the past two years, and may still have an impact on the 2008 presidential race: that they are not anti-Hispanic nor oppose legal immigration, but are only against ”illegal” immigration.
-Not that there is anything against fighting only ”illegal’ immigration” the term was used here as a distracter and to prove bias by those who claim to fight it.

Before we get into why most U.S. Republican presidential hopefuls — with the exception of Sen. John McCain — and cable television anti-immigration crusaders on CNN and Fox News are deceiving the public with their claim that they are only against ”illegal” immigration, let me tell you what brings me to address this issue.
-So you admit an agenda?

Last week, after I wrote about the loss of ”antiimmigration” candidates in the New Hampshire primary, I was instantly flooded with more than 100 e-mails that almost unanimously criticized me for labeling Republican hopefuls Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee and others as ”anti-immigration” candidates.
-Ok, so people care about this issue, go on.

They are not ”anti-immigration,” but anti-”illegal” immigration, the readers said, almost in unison. So here goes my respectful response to this and other big myths of the anti-immigration movement:
-This should be good.

• Myth No. 1: ”We are only against illegal immigration. Undocumented immigrants should get in line for visas.” That’s deceptive because you can’t demand that people get into line when, for the most part, there is no line to get into.
-Not true. We have legal and illegal entry, temporary entry, student visas, refugee’s etc. Rarely are all of these groups counted or considered in one article.

While the U.S. labor market is demanding 1.5 million mostly low-skilled immigrants a year — and will demand many more in coming years, as the U.S. population becomes increasingly educated — the current immigration system allows into the U.S. an average of one million legal immigrants a year, and most of them are already here.
”There is a huge mismatch between what the U.S. labor market needs and the supply of immigration visas,” says Frank Sharry, head of the National Immigration Forum, which advocates both secure borders and a path to legal residence for many of the 12 million undocumented immigrants in the United States.
-Statistics are like a-holes we all have one and they all stink. We need more workers? Americans will not do some jobs? Ok, each of you ask yourselves how many people legal or not that you know who are out of work or need a better job. Everyone who comes here is a potential competitor for those jobs.

On top of that, most anti-immigration groups want to reduce legal immigration. The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), a favorite of radio and cable television Hispanic immigrant-bashing news shows, wants to reduce legal immigration from the current 1 million a year to about 300,000, with a 20-year cooling-off period.
-Notice no supporting data or a clue as to why these groups feel this should be done.

• Myth No. 2: ”Anti-immigration advocates are not anti-Hispanic.” Maybe many aren’t, but when was the last time you heard anti-immigration Republican hopefuls or cable television talk show hosts lashing out against illegal immigrants from Canada?
-An apple vs oranges distraction. There are not enough people entering from Canada to make the comparison valid.

In addition, the escalating immigration hysteria has created an ugly environment that affects all Hispanics — both legal and undocumented — in many parts of the country, as recent studies by the Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center have shown.
-I have plenty of Hispanics around me who might question this wide spread hysteria.

”We are seeing more discrimination and harassment,” says Michele Waslin, of the Immigration Policy Center. “Anybody who is Hispanic-looking or has an Hispanic last name is being treated as an undocumented immigrant.”
-Really, news to me, I see many wealthy, productive Hispanics all around me, many are anti Illegal and want immigration controlled. Most for the control of crime, taxes and gangs. You know the ugly side of uncontrolled immigration. Hispanics are also victimized by crimes committed by illegal’s. They also pay higher taxes and feel the strain illegal’s place on our economy.

• Myth No. 3: ”We are a nation of laws, and the law says you have to enter the country legally.” Yes, but we are also a nation of immigrants. And, by the way, nearly half of all undocumented immigrants enter the country legally, and overstay their visas.
-Which supports the term illegal and provides no rational reason to ignore the lawbreakers and forgive them.

• Myth No. 4: ”Building a border fence will solve the problem.” Wrong. As long as the per capita income in the United States is five times bigger than that of Mexico, and as long as U.S. labor market demands millions of low-skilled jobs that Americans won’t fill, people will jump over the fence, dig tunnels under it or come through Canada.
-Touching but who says? Fences would slow the numbers.

• Myth No. 5: Those of us who criticize anti-immigration groups are ”amnesty” and ”open borders” supporters. Baloney. I, for one, support both border protection and an earned path to legalization for millions of undocumented workers who pay taxes and are willing to learn English.
-All the issues have to be considered, and a one size fits all solution will never be found. Criminal illegals should not be compared to a long term resident with a proven job history.

My conclusion: Let’s call things by their names, and agree that most opponents of a comprehensive immigration package are anti-immigration. The only way to solve the current immigration crisis will be to legalize undocumented workers who have paid their dues, and to increase economic integration with Mexico and the rest of Latin America in order to reduce poverty and emigration pressures south of the border. The rest is, for the most part, populist demagoguery.
-My conclusion differs greatly. Workers who have paid their dues should be charged, fined and allowed to work off the crime of illegal entry. Just like a parking ticket, payment discourages others from committing the crime. If they worked that hard to get here they should be willing to work and earn the right to stay. Simply hiding from view even for years is not punishment and should not forgive a criminal act. We owe no other county an improved economy and have no reason for integration especially when the costs would raise our taxes and lower the standard of living of our own citizens. Any US aid, economic or humanitarian aid should come at a cost. Treat your people by our values and standards or fend for yourselves.

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