Guest Commentary: Amnesty Hurts
U.S. Taxpayers & Endangers America
by Glenn Jackson,
Washington Times, Feb. 17, 2002
Reported in the February 15th Washington Times "Mexican amnesty plan
resurfaces", President Bush seems intent on pursuing amnesty for illegal
migrants. Once again the proposal for some form of "guest-worker" program is
being floated. The hope is to "channel" illegal migrants entering this country
into some means for legalizing their status.
However, a "guest worker" program that does not first and foremost rectify current illegalities, repair an ineffective INS, control the nation's borders, and most importantly detail what to do with those continuing to live in this country illegally, is another Big Government mistake at the taxpayer's expense, and an open invitations to violate our nation's laws again and again. The history of these "amnesty" programs show that if enforcement of the law is not supported from the start it never will be.
In 1997 the U.S. Commission of Immigration Reform presented a detailed study that outlined the means to regain control of U.S. Immigration policy, our national borders, and our national safety. The late chairwoman of that Commission, Barbara Jordan of Texas stated in 1995: "Credibility in immigration policy can be summed up in one sentence: Those who should get in, get in; those who should be kept out, are kept out; and those who should not be here will be required to leave." "...for the system to be credible, people actually have to be deported at the end of the process."
Without deportation , the President's proposal becomes another big government giveaway. President Bush's proposal will create another centralized federal program at taxpayer expense, which will hand out the "keys to the kingdom" to illegal aliens on the taxpayer's dime. Programs such as this have to date been batting zero for effectively controlling the abuse of our immigration system.
The simple mechanics of the plan, and the human behavioral response of the illegal alien population, doom this plan to be just another big government giveaway. Failure to deport, failure of the President and the people's representatives to first enforce our nation's immigration laws before granting yet another government program to give away the keys to the kingdom will be a terrible blow to our nation's founding principles.
Nearly 28 million more immigrants now reside within our borders since 1990. Estimates are that as many as 1.2 million illegal aliens have registered to vote in the United States. During 1999-2000 unemployment among U.S. blacks rose from already high levels an additional 2%. And just by the nature of the illegal entry enterprise, it will not cease with amnesty. Illegal immigration imports criminals, felons, and those with questionable mental histories. Over 20% of current federal prisoners are illegal aliens.
What does this mean?
The social forces that contribute to the stability of this great nation are being overwhelmed by sheer numbers. The founding principles of this nation, the foundations of our social order, are not being assimilated by this human flood, nor are those principles being welcomed. Importing cheap labor further erodes the standing of many of this nation's less skilled citizens, creating a permanent American "underclass" by giving away their birthright chance to the American Dream.
The issue of immigration reform is one of the most important facing this nation today. This is true not only for the reason so clearly spelled out by the attacks of September 11th, but also because of the impact mass legal and illegal immigration has on a vast array of other issues. Immigration impacts our tax burden, law and order, education, and the welfare rolls. We cannot afford to sweep the failures of the immigration system under the rug with blanket amnesty for successful evasion of our laws. Amnesty continues to keep immigration reform on the back burner of national politics.
Glenn Jackson is the chairman of the
American Reformation Project and resides in Dawsonville,GA.
This article is published with exclusive permission of the author.
To contact Mr. Jackson, e-mail
grjackson@mindspring.com.
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Glenn R. Jackson is Chairman of the American Reformation Project, former State Chairman for Buchanan Reform and former state Chairman of the Georgia Freedom Party. Glenn also served on the Executive Committee of the Reform Party USA. Glenn holds an MA in Philosophy from Georgia State University in Atlanta.
© Glenn R. Jackson