Think About It. Again. You can be forgiven if you don’t remember the last time. Thirty years ago fully 60% of you were under 16 years of age and probably paid little attention to chaos caused to lives and business by the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act. Some of us, active in employing others, lived in fear of civil and criminal charges for failing to carefully scrutinize documentation of applicants. At the same time, it was necessary to avoid discrimination charges (and fines) for being too diligent. The controversy only exacerbated the plight of those “huddled masses”. The bill resulted in Amnesty for 2.7 million undocumented U.S. residents while failing in its Border control plan to limit new ill-prepared entrants to the country. The resulting deaths, fear of discovery and abuse by employers made a mockery of the apparently well intended legislation that included strict Employment rules.
It may be time to revisit (as they say) “The New Colossus” penned for the Statue of Liberty by poet Emma Lazarus to be placed on the face of the base in 1903. “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me: I lift my lamp beside the golden shore.” A noble thought in the mouth of the “thank you” gift from the French commemorating our reciprocal support of each nation’s battles for independence. Even the young school children of France contributed to the fund for construction and transatlantic shipping, while the United States built the pedestal and provided the balance of costs of erecting the symbol of freedom and inclusion.
The welcome so openly offered needed to be increasingly limited as we expected less rugged individualism while choosing to provide more support to the less rugged. Currently, millions of legal entrants await citizenship while twice as many await “Immigration Reform”. Some of us don’t understand this ideological conflict. Personal acts of kindness and rewards for success we applaud. Politically motivated compassion and reward somehow seem less laudable. While you may already know my opinion on the subject, you also know my lack of appreciation for unnecessary laws which go unenforced.
Not long ago the President of the United States promised to exercise executive fiat to make law providing Amnesty for four million or so. Now with a hue and cry of noisey sound and fury, we are witnessing the charade of the Executive, Legislative branches and presidential candidates parrying and thrusting over fences, families and jobs. Surely the Judiciary will soon add weight to this already heavy subject. Then all appropriate parties will have validated some form of Amnesty, Border strengthening and enforcement of Employment restrictions. Employers needing help will object. Millions of undocumented entrants will arrive and Enforcement of the new laws will wane. Sadly I fear that those of you still sentient thirty years from today will remember the Sage who said it very likely would happen Again. Think About It.