Deliberate infliction of damage to the economy during the assertion of police powers over "illegal aliens, illegal immigrants" appears to be a policy that the Bush executive is about to implement in a series of visible events designed to make the news. It appears to be a way of using political leverage to force congress to change laws combined with authoritarian action that will feed the conservative fixation on blaming undocumented people for the woes of the day. Administration spokes people deny that the upcomming campaign against illegals in the workplace aims to influence legislation, even while stating that a change in the law is needed.
Already the precedent is set that people defined as illegal aliens won't be given the rights of a citizen, won't be treated with the care and respect that are core American values from our history. More raids, and media events and the process of desensitization erodes further the civil contract. Yet without some respect for immigration laws, the floods of refugees would swamp the countries in what Thomas Barnet calls "the core".
The present system sees billions flowing to Latin America as wages are sent back to families and home towns, money that is the best foreign aid, going where it is needed most in an efficient manner, foreign aid that is earned not charity. The money that these folks send home creates relationship with the US, and contributes indirectly to our security. Guest worker programs and better visa control would help to reduce abuses, as would an increase in State Department funding targeted at providing more field consulate visa and immigration personnel. Some complain that illegal’s only pay some taxes, and while that is true, some assert that they take less in services than they put in on average.
The recent campaign by ICE that targeted people from Latin America in raids all across the U.S. that typically hit before dawn also spit families, and disrupted our community. If the arrests had to be made, provisions to help the families should be made. They should be able to communicate with families and loved ones. To employ the detention camps, to fly folks immediately to a different region of the country away from their support networks creates a maximum impact on the community without yielding more than a marginal difference
Even the official who announced the new round of enforcement actions said that he expected that the effect would hurt industries such as health care, agriculture, hospitality. The economic effect combined with the credit crunch and the real estate devaluation are waves that will swash through our lives for years. Since the service economy is the core of our economic engine, damage here is going to hurt lots of folks.
The administration wants reform, I want reform ( though in a different direction than advocated by the "neo cons"), and this new policy initiative moves a conservative policy agenda ahead with the cynical calculation that by excessive enforcement of laws on the books the democratic congress and key republicans in congress will move to change the law as requested by the Karl Rove directed White House political operatives.
In an presidential election cycle it's hardly surprising to see moves aimed at "activating the republican base" at this stage in the campaign. Closer to the general election I expect to see a moderation that is designed to co-opt the counter reaction that will be generated by this exaggerated enforcement exercise.
Yet another cynical exercise of power from folks who are divorced from the folks who will be paying the price for this pandering to the political "base". It's time that we work our an immigration policy that brings the folks who will add to our society, and that fairly addresses immigration from Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa. Our policy should grant citizenship based on things like the ability to contribute to society, the ability to join our society, and criteria that honors the family. Reforms that force more into illegal status just encourage exploitation.
Now both sides of the political spectrum must come together to pass legislation that begins the humanization of the process, that adds the resources to the agencies earmarked to improve passport, visa, and immigration services. Now both Democrats and Republicans must lead the way to reform and address the 12 million who are here now without documents, to be more efficient in catching and deporting the violent criminals, and to spend the money to do real health screening for the folks comming into the country.
