“Bob’s Four-Step Plan to Solve the Illegal Immigration Problem”

From Thomas Sowell:

President Bush says that it is “unrealistic” to think that we can deport 12 million illegal immigrants. It is also unrealistic to think that we can catch all murderers, but does that mean that we should de-criminalize murder? Or turn loose the murderers we do catch?

Although Sowell’s analogy very succinctly exposes the deficiency in Bush’s logic, I don’t know of any reasonable person who is actually advocating mass round-up and deportation. I agree with the President that it isn’t realistic but, then again, it also isn’t even necessary.

If we just ”pull in the welcome mat,” the illegals will go home on their own.

“The ants go marching two by two….”

Have you ever discovered a colony of ants streaming across your picnic tablecloth or, even worse, you kitchen counter, headed for a tasty morsel? It is nearly impossible to exterminate all of the pests– there are just too many. You might be able to get the most obvious ones, but the ants that are better hidden are sure to escape.

But you don’t have to get all of them.  When you simply clean up the mess that attracted them in the first place, they will head off in search of “greener pastures,” so to speak. Then you can spray insecticides to establish a barrier to future invasions…. and you can keep your area clear of attractions.

The same solution can be applied to illegal immigration. If we eliminate the attractions that draw most illegal immigrants to this country, they will not come. Moreover, those that are here illegally will leave.

1. Prosecute those who hire illegals 

Here in my home county of Gwinnett County, GA, the primary attraction is employment. For the past decade, this metro Atlanta “bedroom community” has been one of the fastest-growing counties in the nation. Gwinnett’s population more than doubled from 1980 to 1990 and, as of this year, has doubled again. Those people have to live somewhere.

Our overheated housing market provides plenty of employment for unskilled laborers; it has been Gwinnett’s rapid pace of development that has, in my opinion, attracted the largest immigrant community in the state and the fastest-growing in the southeast.

If we aggressively prosecuted individuals and businesses that hire illegal aliens, we would quickly eliminate the primary reason that they come to America (no, it is not to become American citizens). 

“Big business” is not the only target. My local experience is that most illegals are hired by individuals and small businesses– “mom and pop” lawn maintenance companies, home renovators and building sub-contractors– landscapers, sheetrock installers, brick masons, siding installers and the like. (More on this later… stay tuned.)

2. Eliminate taxpayer-funded benefits

America’s taxpayers subsidize the illegals’ invasion of their own country (and support the government of Mexico) through the provision of state benefits– food stamps, medical care and more.  Because illegals receive these services at no cost, they are able to send a substantial portion of their earnings back to the homeland– $20 billion in 2005 alone according to the state-owned Bank of Mexico.

If we accept that there are 12 million illegals in this country, that amounts to approximately $1,700 per illegal that is not spent in this country on groceries, doctor’s visits and the like but sent to Vincente Fox and his corrupt cronies in Mexico. In fact, the government’s cut of that $20 billion has reportedly become the government’s most profitable revenue source, displacing the state-run oil industry.

If the illegals knew that they would have to fully foot the bill for their existence– like the overwhelming majority of legal Americans do– they would think twice before coming to or remaining in this country.

3. No amnesty

Plain and simple, any form of amnesty would legitimize the illegals’ flaunting of our laws. Amnesty is in essence a pardon– lawbreakers would immediately gain equal standing with American citizens where it will hurt us the worst… in the job market and in the welfare office.

Moreover, amnesty would be the morsel that would encourage a stream of new “ants.” Pardoned illegals would be joined by their family, friends and acquaintances from Mexico.

Finally, nobody enjoys living a life in which they constantly have to look over their shoulder. Amnesty would remove the stigma and pressure of being a lawbreaker on the run, one of the greatest motivations to leave.

On a related note, the privilege of “birthright citizenship” should not be extended to the newborns of people who are in this country illegally. It it ludicrous to allow a child to remain in this country simply because his/her mother ran across the border to an American hospital when the labor pains began. Criminal activity should not be rewarded with such a precious right.

(Georgia Congressman Nathan Deal has introduced the ‘Citizenship Reform Act’ which mandates birthright citizenship be granted only to the children of U.S. citizens or permanent legal aliens. The bill has 81 co-sponsors from 26 states, but is currently stalled in the Senate Judiciary Committee.) 

4. Prosecution and deportation a necessity

In order for a policy of “reduction by attrition” to succeed, it must be backed up by a commitment to aggressive deportation of illegals when they are discovered. I don’t have a problem with a grace period of, say, a year to allow illegals to pack their bags. But after that, the alien should have either gone home or entered the legal immigration process (which must begin on the other side of the border). If not, we should provide the transportation back to Mexico.

(Before some of you flame me for focusing on Mexican illegals when we all know that there are people here illegally from other countries as well– Mexican illegals make up the overwhelming majority of the estimated 12 million illegals, well over 90% in fact. While a Muslim terrorist illegally may threaten hundreds or thousands with a bomb, Mexican illegals threaten our entire economy by their overwhelming numbers and their very presence.)

Not the entire solution

There is no doubt that the problem is multi-faceted. For example, our current immigration process is broken.  It should not take five or six years and thousands of dollars to become a citizen.  And there is a legitimate need for low-cost, unskilled laborers in certain industries, a need that may go wanting with the implementation of my “four-step plan.” But these issues can only be addressed effectively and with no negative consequences to the American public and economy if we solve the current problem first.

[Updated: It looks like the Center for Immigration Studies agrees with me. From their article, "Attrition Through Enforcement: A Cost-Effective Strategy to Shrink the Illegal Population:"

"....mass forced removal is not the only alternative to mass legalization. This analysis shows that a strategy of attrition through enforcement, in combination with a stronger border security effort such as the administration’s Secure Border Initiative (SBI), will significantly reduce the size of the illegal alien population at a reasonable cost. Reducing the size of the illegal population in turn will reduce the fiscal and social burdens that illegal immigration imposes on communities. In contrast, a policy of mass legalization is likely to increase these costs and prompt more illegal immigration."

Read the entire study here. -- Bob]