New Immigration Law Is Alien To Logic

Special Contributor Lloyd Garver Ponders The Administration's New Immigration Rules

(CBS)  Having accomplished nothing, Congress recently responded as it always does -- by giving itself a one-month vacation from accomplishing nothing.

Since Congress failed to pass President Bush's immigration law, or the Democratic immigration proposal, or any other new immigration law, the Department of Homeland Security came up with its own impractical, unenforceable law.

The new ruling calls for severely punishing the employers of undocumented immigrants. And who are the loudest critics of this new law? Farmers and business owners. The administration might have thought they were tossing a bone to the party faithful who want some new immigration policy, but they may have actually angered their own political base.

The idea of arresting and/or fining a boss for the illegal behavior of his or her employees is an interesting one. Do you think you should be arrested if someone who works for you steals a car? Just think if President Bush were held legally responsible for all of the wrongdoers who have worked for him. He'd be walking around in a striped suit with a number on it.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff claims that this measure wasn't meant to "punish" Congress for not passing an immigration bill. However, he also said that maybe once these provisions are in force for a while, Congress would view immigration reform differently. Sounds like punishment to me.

Let's pretend for a moment that the administration is serious about this new ruling, and that they plan on enforcing it. It's estimated that half of the agricultural workers in this country are undocumented immigrants. If you remove them from the work force, who's going to do all the harvesting? Are Chertoff and his people going to roll up their sleeves and start picking crops? Twenty-five percent of textile and garment workers, and 18 percent of sewing machine operators in this country are undocumented. Who's going to make our clothes? I know that now almost everybody agrees that global warming exists, but I don't think the solution to that problem is walking around naked.

If this new immigration policy is enforced, we consumers are either going to have to pay outrageous prices for things, or go without them. Neither situation sounds like something a Republican administration would want to add to its legacy.

So, it seems that this measure is just for show, or –- to turn one of the administration's favorite phrases on itself -- "political theater." Chertoff himself admits that the law cannot be totally enforced, but he hopes that the threat of its being enforced will act as a deterrent. And I hope that, starting tomorrow, my car will be able to run on air rather than gasoline. But that's not going to happen either.

But I guess they felt they had to throw something out there. There's an election brewing, and one of the hot-button issues is immigration.

If the impetus behind a new immigration policy is the desire to have a safer country and to protect us from foreign terrorists, I'm all for that. But keep in mind that one of the worst acts of terrorism ever committed in this country – the Oklahoma City bombing – was perpetrated by American citizens. So, don't forget to keep us safe from American bad guys, too.

If the reason behind a desire for new immigration laws is the sentiment that undocumented workers are taking jobs away from American citizens, that's a tougher argument. We don't have a high unemployment rate now. Maybe I just don't hang out in the right places, but I've never heard anyone say, "I tried to get a job picking crops, but there were no openings because of all those 'illegal immigrants.'" I've also never heard, "I really want a job in one of those garment sweatshops, but those undocumented workers have that whole profession sewn up."

Obviously, immigration is a complex issue. But I know the answer isn't announcing new laws written by people who admit they're unenforceable. But just think if the President and Congress had said, "We are not going to take a vacation until we agree on an immigration policy that we can all live with, that makes sense, and that's enforceable." If they had to postpone their vacations until they came up with something like that, they'd have agreed on a law faster than you can say, "All in favor, say 'Aye.'"

---

Lloyd Garver has written for many television shows, ranging from "Sesame Street" to "Family Ties" to "Frasier."

[lostcountry1]

savamerica, you are soo right. i moved up north so as to get out of the rat race and especially awat from the illegals,whenever i go down to visit, i see more and more illegals[mexicans]. every store has mexican colors, red white and green, or mexican flags in their windows, showing where thaeir patriotism truley lies.when i saw the mexicans protesting and saying they are boycotting america, i have been boycotting them right back. they will bite the hand that feeds them.i have never needed an illegal to do my work for me, i wish big business would say the same. the people who hire illegals atre more to blame than the illegals.until they are punished for this practice ,it will continue. s saw the mexicans ehen

[jncc1701]

These are not "new" immigration rules - but laws that have not been enforced until now.

I cannot claim to have any sense as to why they are doing this now - I suspect Bush plan to push Congress to pass the original immigration bill.

But this article is not correctly titled.

[tbweb]

Posted by SavAmerica at 06:52 PM : Aug 16, 2007,,,

illegal Mexicans, America''s Trojan Horse!

[savamerica]

The sight of tens of thousands of illegal immigrants marching with Mexican flags on US soil has galvanized American citizens like nothing else. Then, the PR people replaced the Mexican flags with American flags for subsequent rallies. TOO LATE! Believe me, America got the word. If you want to know about illegal immigration, and want to know what it''s doing to this country, http://www.numbersusa.com and be sure to watch Roy Beck''s video.

It''s no secret that the wave of illegals overtaking this country have no intention of following this country''s laws, or of being assimilated into the American culture. Business and government facilitates this by offering services in spanish and providing bilingual education. We have got to get control of our governments and MAKE them representative of the American people. Instead of protecting American citizens, the government is looking out for special interests.

As for the writer of this article, he should stick to "Sesame Street".

[savamerica]

The sight of tens of thousands of illegal immigrants marching with Mexican flags on US soil has galvanized American citizens like nothing else. Then, the PR people replaced the Mexican flags with American flags for subsequent rallies. TOO LATE! Believe me, America got the word. If you want to know about illegal immigration, and want to know what it''s doing to this country, http://www.numbersusa.com and be sure to watch Roy Beck''s video.

It''s no secret that the wave of illegals overtaking this country have no intention of following this country''s laws, or of being assimilated into the American culture. Business and government facilitates this by offering services in spanish and providing bilingual education. We have got to get control of our governments and MAKE them representative of the American people. Instead of protecting American citizens, the government is looking out for special interests.

As for the writer of this article, he should stick to "Sesame Street".

[emmac6]

First of all, no one is punishing the employer if hey, their employee steals a car. They are punishing an employer for KNOWINGLY breaking the law and aiding and abetting a criminal. It''s as if the employee steals the car, sells it, and gives the KNOWINGLY STOLEN MONEY to their employer who decides to pocket the cash and do nothing. Because that is what businesses who hire illegals have been doing. They KNOW they are doing it. They KNOW it is illegal. Some actively RECRUIT ILLEGALS but hey, the employee is the illegal, not them, right? The employers are acting in a PREDATORY manor in order to maximize profits.

[emmac6]

I know lots of people who work blue collar jobs who are making less or the same as 10-15 years ago because hiring illegals has led to WAGE DEPRESSION and I have seen it first hand! So let''s applaud businesses who break the law for profits and try to make up lame excuses. It is fact that after the Swift plant''s raid, the lines of LEGAL RESIDENTS went out the door for weeks to apply for the jobs some claim "nobody wants to do". Swift raised the wages by 2 dollars an hour which benefitted everyone, including the workers still there, even if Swift was still paying only HALF of what they paid employees twelve years ago. I don''t recall meat prices dropping in half, only employee''s wages. There can not be real worker reform until businesses are forced to stop abusing and taking of workers, illegal and legal.

[joe19841]

Congress and the media would do well not to take at face value the squealing of firms losing their cheap-labor subsidy. When the end of the last big guestworker program was being debated in the early 1960s, California farmers claimed that %u201Cthe use of braceros [Mexican guestworkers] is absolutely essential to the survival of the tomato industry.%u201D Instead, termination of the program prompted mechanization which caused a quintupling of production for tomatoes grown for processing, an 89-percent drop in demand for harvest labor, and a fall in real prices.

[ryindy]

I''m unable to tell if the author is just plain stupid or flatly doesn''t give a d@mn about low income Americans.

For certain he''s not knowledgeable about USC 8. Immigration Laws which fine an employer for REPEATED offences of hiring illegal aliens. Of course if an employer dodges tax laws by hiring off the books and failing to report employee income tax, maybe they deserve to be jailed.

Jobs? The author state''s: "It''s estimated that half of the agricultural workers in this country are undocumented immigrants. If you remove them from the work force, who''s going to do all the harvesting?"

Well that indicates that HALF are American citizens or foreign workers here on a work visa! That''s right folks, this country HAS a guest worker program! In fact it has over Nine guest worker programs one is specifically for Agricultural workers! Yet the Dept of Labor claims that less than 2% of illegal aliens here work in Agriculture!

Would anyone consider if farmers paid Americans a living wage some of the 30 million unemployed Americans in this country would take those jobs?

The same can be said about his statement: "Twenty-five percent of textile and garment workers, and 18 percent of sewing machine operators in this country are undocumented. Who''s going to make our clothes? " If that%u2019s true then 75% of textile and garment workers and 82% of sewing machine operators, must be American citizens!

[ryindy]

He obviously doesn''t get into a retail store that much. How many people can go into a retail store and leave there with ''MADE IN USA" clothing article? Where are they made? how about Malaysia, Hong Kong, China, Viet Nam, Mexico, Puerto Rico? You name it anywhere but here !

Privacy laws for Americans have become so protected it is difficult for USCIS to find many of these Illegals.

ICE is currently working via a method of finding illegals by tracking down BOGUS Social Security Numbers, or tax info that doesn''t gel.

How determined they will be under Michael Chertoff yet remains to be seen.

How much of this article is twisted truth, or an outright lie? Maybe the author worked on Sesame Street to long.

As far as protecting us from home grown terrorists, like Timothy McVeigh, I too, want them imprisoned. But no one should forget that our borders need to be secured from the illegal aliens like Mohamed Atta as well.
"All in favor, say ''Aye.''"

[tucano2]

The only thing new is the actual ENFORCEMENT OF CURRENT LAWS.

[savamerica]

Illegal immigrants are thieves, taking American jobs and benefits while clogging up our infrastructure; hospitals and emergency services. But, they are not the problem, but a symptom of the problem: greed. It used to be our society took care of itself, our politicians did what they thought best for the country. However, today, everyone looks out for themselves, and the only common denominator is money and power. Politicians do what is necessary to get elected, not what is in the best interest of the country. How can a politician endorse aliens who break our laws, and then expect citizens to follow all other laws? They thought they were fighting over the Hispanic vote, instead, a tide of righteous, good old American anger brought them back to reality. WE DO NOT WANT OUR COUNTRY INVADED AND OCCUPIED, whether its by Mexicans, Russians, or the Irish (I am of Irish descent). Point is you don''t get to break the rules when its in your favor.

This columnist is a joke. According to him, we are going naked and without produce because we enforce our laws and eject illegals? Absurd! We didn''t go naked and starving 30 years ago, and we won''t go naked and starving today. I would gladly pay a little more for clothing and produce to keep aliens out rather than pay it for freeloading illegals clogging our emergency rooms, our highways, our social services because greedy businessmen want to save a few bucks!

[infidel_us]

With the exception of "having accomplished nothing, Congress recently responded as it always does -- by giving itself a one-month vacation from accomplishing nothing", this entire article is HORSESQUEEZE!

It is just as enforceable as any of McCain-Kennedy-LaRasa''s previous amnesty bill were.

Didn''t see you whining about that.

[drivelphobe]

alligavez....

"all I wanted was a better meal so why can't I just steal it?" Wanting a better life is true of everyone, no matter how good it already is. Obey the laws or go home. We are sick and tired of these illegals thinking they have a right to a better life that is based on ciminal activity. They can go straight to hello!

How about a better life back where they came from? Does it take too much work to provide for their familia? Can't they figure out what to do without free American healthcare, free lunches, tax-free income, entitlements, shopping carts, subsidized housing, anchor babies and BofA credit cards? It has to end. Americans are fed up and aren't going to take it anymore. Get in line and come in legally!

[cdegolier]

You used to find Americans in packing plants, hotels, fields, construction, etc., but they were all laid off because illegals will do the job for less money. Illegals were not always here Americans did do all those jobs, I worked in the corn fields in MInnesota when I was fourteen, I had friends in high school who worked in hotels. Just send the illegals home, alot of them don't even work.

I have a friend from New Orleans, whose house wasn't damaged, but still had to leave the city, upon his return he couldn't find a job doing what he did before (construction) he had to leave because the illegals beat him to it. He decided to sell his house and move.

[xzavierbrown]

Look we people of america are showing alot of hate towards humans or mankind .I see nothing wrong in people of other countries woking here .If they are criminals i see getting rid of them. ................If there noot going to alow everyone to stay at least bring back the I130 and the 1145.
Posted by alligalvez at 03:47 PM : Aug 15, 2007
+ report abuse

*****

you are missing a lot of negative items on your statement. You are forgetting that we are not dealing with a few hunders or thousands..we are dealing with 10s of millions who are draining our social system..school, medical, welfare, law enforcement, justice..and when criminal illegal aliens ARE FOUND it is HARD to get rid of them. just ask a bleeding heart liberal about deporting, let alone putting him/her in jail, an illegal alien. THEY WOULD BITE YOUR HEAD OFF AND LABEL YOU A RACIST.
Bottomline, I would rather pay an extra $1 for my bag of veggies and save thousands on taxes trying to accomodate these people.
BUT BE AWARE THIS IS AN ISSUE OF *****ILLEGAL*****IMMIGRATION AND NOT LEGAL IMMIGRATION
But to be fair, all this effort towards saving ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION should be re-directed towards the country of origin. It is rather pathetic if people of power such as Presidente Fox who lashes out on us for not allowing his failures to overflow to my neck of the woods

[drivelphobe]

KEITHGARDNER.....

I like your style. You are right on the money. Are you running for office? You can have my vote.

[drivelphobe]

taddles.......

With proper wages, Americans will do any job. Without illegals working for pennies on the dollar, the jobs that Americans can and will do provide meaningful employment opportunity and a respectful wage.

Employers have many laws to deal with. It is no big deal to accurately check the validity of an applicant's paperwork. Scumbag employers don't bother and they should be fined and imprisoned.

You are right, they aren't from here, but that's not the issue. They are here illegally, sponging on the entitlement system and ruining everything they touch.

Legal immigrants are more than welcome and deserve all the subsidy they require until they can make it. Deport every last illegal in this country and now and revoke all anchor baby status.

[alligalvez]

Look we people of america are showing alot of hate towards humans or mankind .I see nothing wrong in people of other countries woking here .If they are criminals i see getting rid of them. Most of the illegals are butt busting workers. If the goverment would let immigration processes be a little easier to apply for they would not have to do things illgelly. The employment rates are not very low anymore and most jobs an immmigrant has is low paying and one that us americans will not have or want.The congress people need to think and think in a goddly form about how to fix the immigration problem and yes i agreee to get the law breaking criminals out but just people wanting a better life and the works for what that got just let them adjust their status and keep there families together.If there noot going to alow everyone to stay at least bring back the I130 and the 1145.

[taddles-2009]

"The reason you won%u2019t find Americans picking fruit is that they aren%u2019t paid enough to live on. The reason you don%u2019t find Americans doing domestic work, service work, cleanup work is that they are not paid a decent wage to live on.
Posted by KEITHGARDNER at 03:11 PM : Aug 15, 2007"

Huh...then who's going to do those jobs if Americans won't? That would have to be those illegals you neo-cons keep harping on right?

"The employer only has to obey the law.
Posted by KEITHGARDNER at 03:11 PM : Aug 15, 2007"

Uh, for the most part they do. Under this law, if an employer excepts a SSN card and other documentation from an employee in good faith and it turns out that documentation is forged then the EMPLOYER is liable for a fine or jail time along with the illegal.

The problem is knee-jerk racist reactions like yours that diminsh the debate to "they ain't from here, lets kick em all out". Can't get a whole lot done constructively when you frame the argument for 3rd graders.