This was originally published as "Post O. Immigration and Human Rights" on the blog www.pair2.blogspot.com.
I have a tendency to automatically reject everything that comes out of the mouth of candidates I don't like. Donald Trump is one of those. But I must admit I share some of his concern when it comes to immigration.
I believe things would be much simpler in this country if we had no immigrants - legal or illegal. But, of course, that is not the case. Different people have different attitudes toward immigrants. Some have a problem with immigrants from specific countries. Others point out that all Americans are either immigrants or the offspring of immigrants. I don't think these people realize that Native Americans are non-immigrant citizens with non-immigrant ancestors. It could be argued that blacks brought to this country against their will may have not been immigrants in the same way Europeans were.
Some will point out that immigrants "founded" this nation and made it great. That is one opinion.
Then there is the idea that the country can benefit from allowing immigrants to live and work here if they possess exceptional talent, skill, or expertise. There are also refugees and those who need political asylum. So it would not be expedient nor humane to entirely stop all foreigners from entering the United States.
But there are the issues of jobs, deportation vs. pardon, and preventing illegal entry. For the discussion of those issues, keep reading.
Jobs
There is the issue of immigrants taking jobs from which unemployed American citizens could benefit. A PEW Research report states "Unauthorized immigrants make up 5.1% of the U.S. labor force." The counter argument is that not enough Americans are willing to take jobs like housecleaning, landscaping, and harvesting fruits, vegetables, etc. And besides that, the immigrants are generally better at that kind of work than most Americans. I can understand that. One summer I picked cherries in North East, PA when I was a teenager. We got paid according to how much we picked. Some days I picked quite a lot. If I was tired, however, my performance suffered. I was not consistent enough to make a living harvesting crops. The farmer needs a crew that is going to perform well every day, come rain or come shine. One can imagine that working in the field in the rain is no picnic. The farmer has only so many ladders, so many baskets, so much room in the truck if he picks up and transports the crew every day. So he is going to want the best workers. I suspect that immigrants from south of the border make better workers for those sorts of jobs because they are used to living and working in hot temperatures and because they have been doing it since they were children.
I don't like the idea of America having to depend on people from other countries, especially for something as essential as harvesting food. Nevertheless, immigrants, as well as any American citizen, should be paid at least a minimum wage that keeps pace with inflation regardless of the type of work being performed. Based on the inflation calculator found at http://cpiinflationcalculator.com/.... the minimum wage should be almost $8.00/hr. this year. PAIR's government jobs program for the Common Good (see www.pair2.blogspot.com, Post G. Poverty and Capitalism, I) would be an exception to the minimum wage. This jobs program would pay a healthful living wage, which, depending on a financially challenged person's circumstances, may be more or less than $8.00/hour. If this jobs program is ever implemented and all able-to-work citizens are thereby made ineligible for social safety net benefits, perhaps the jobs performed by immigrants might suddenly become more acceptable to more American citizens.
Unauthorized Immigrants
If and when the above change is implemented, there will still be the issue of illegal or unauthorized immigrants, especially those from South and Central America. Not all unauthorized immigrants in the country are those who crossed the border illegally. There are some whose visas have expired and who stay here anyway. According to PEW Research, there were 3.5 million unauthorized immigrants living in the United States in 2009. By 2014 there were 11.3 million. "Mexicans make up about half of all unauthorized immigrants (52%)"
The case for deportation
Some Americans are opposed to deporting any unauthorized immigrants. I can't understand what reasoning, if any, is involved in that position. I suspect that legal immigrants in this country, as long as they are working, obeying the laws, paying taxes, etc., enjoy the same or similar benefits and opportunities to experience their inalienable rights as American citizens with the same socio-economic status do.
Some people think that being here illegally should make no difference; that millions of illegals should be allowed to benefit from the blessings of this country at the taxpayers' expense - send their kids to public school (PEW Research reports that "about 7% of K-12 students had at least one unauthorized immigrant parent in 2012''), get free health care, public assistance, food stamps, not have to pay taxes, send American dollars back to their home country, etc. What would we think of an American citizen who illegally entered another country and did those things? Why is it OK for foreigners to rip off the American government/taxpayers?
Illegal immigrants also use up precious resources like fresh water, electricity, fuel, food, living space, etc. As they have more children, this problem increases. According to a PEW Research report, of the 7% of K-12 students with at least one parent who was an unauthorized immigrant in 2012, "about eight-in-ten (79%) were born in the U.S."
Sneaking into someone else's country without authorization is irresponsible. When people act irresponsibly and without accountability, it is detrimental to every one's opportunities to experience their individual inalienable rights. If people are allowed to get away with breaking the law without accompanying negative consequences, the result will be chaotic and will be detrimental to rights and to the Common Good.
Pardon?
So what should be done about illegal or unauthorized immigrants in the U.S.? Granting a blanket pardon sends the message that it's OK for people from other countries to break our laws with impunity. A blanket pardon would also encourage more unauthorized immigration. There are some cases where deportation seems unreasonable. If a person has lived in this country for ten consecutive years, has worked here, paid taxes, has no criminal record, and is willing and able to become a naturalized citizen, then he/she should be allowed to become a citizen. Otherwise, whenever the authorities discover an illegal or one is reported to them, the unauthorized alien should be detained and deported. That is the consequence for breaking the immigration law.
If the deported immigrant has had sexual relations with an American citizen and children were born, that's unfortunate but it is not the fault of society. The other parent and their child/children) should be given the option of accompanying the illegal back to the country of origin. That way the government will not be responsible for "breaking up" the family. This is another instance in which Donald gets it right.
Prevention of Illegal Entry
There is also the question of how to keep more people from entering the country illegally, particularly from Mexico. Donald Trump's solution is to build a wall along the Mexican border. I'm not sure that is the most economical solution. Especially when one considers that immigrants from Mexico could still get to Texas or California by boat. I do like Trump's idea of changing the Constitution to deny citizenship to the offspring of illegals born in the U.S. This would also discourage wealthy Chinese families from giving birth in the U.S. so that their babies can have dual citizenship. Japanese women are doing the same thing. The child of an American couple born in Japan would not be granted dual citizenship, however. I would favor an amendment to the Constitution that would restrict American citizenship by birth to those born to parents who are both American citizens.
I think that making it more expensive for American employers to hire illegals and harder for illegals to take advantage of the system might be two measures to discourage illegal entry that would be more cost effective than putting more money into border security. Charging illegals for health care, public education of their children, and denying them licenses and permits would help discourage unauthorized immigrants.
Conclusion
In the world at large there are more poor people, more starving, more unemployed, many more without health insurance than the number of disadvantaged American citizens. This being the case, at least two questions arise.
1) Where does the primary responsibility of citizens of the United States lie? a.With our fellow Americans or b. with the rest of the world's disadvantaged.
2) If we can't afford to provide the opportunities for all Americans to experience their inalienable rights, how can we afford to do that for the rest of the world's needy people?