The Illegal Imigration Debate

One of the key issues that Presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain will be debating is that of illegal immigration. They will pooh hoo over reform and amnesty. They will consider border security. But one thing I have not heard in the discussion that is the most important aspect, and largest contributor to illegal immigration, is what they will do about businesses that employ illegal immigrants. These businesses should begin to feel political, economic, and legal pressure, in my opinion, if we ever want to truly curtail illegal immigration.

Businesses that pay meger wages, and in some cases extract money from their own workers with threats of deportation or even grave bodily harm. This is the soft slimy underbelly of illegal immigration. This is the most efficient way to reduce the influx of illegals while also doing good for the economy. How is that, you might ask. Well, firstly those companies that hire illegals can and should be put out of business. They should be fined out of existence and their owners jailed for their crimes. This will allow honest business owners to finally be able to charge a fair price for their services and pay their legal workers a better wage, and very likely provide more jobs.

This is an avenue of approach that most politicians loath to consider. They are very concerned that those very businesses that are causing this very negative effect on our country could have the clout to put them out of office should they put the proverbial foot down. The political machine will continue to focus on the factor that least affects their position. In this case, it's the illegal immigrant. The man or woman that is only looking for better opportunity. And we continue to allow that opportunity to be provided by not enforcing labor laws.

Another way to help the illegal immigrant is to put pressure on countries and foreign companies that use either slave or child labor. It is abhorant that we even allow products from manufacturers that are known to use these tactics to be imported. We are the most powerful and wealthiest nation on earth. We don't need to save a buck or two on most products at the expense of others. And quite honestly when someone buys a product that comes from a manufacturer that knowingly uses unscrupulous labor practices it is an act of accpetance.

But the acceptance starts at the port, or at the border. The acceptance is with our own system allowing these procucts into the country and those businesses to do business here. Therefore, it is the opinion of this writer that the focus of illegal immigration should not be where the least good could be dealt, but where the most damage could be done against those who are facilitating the practice.

We'll see what happens from now until November, but mark my words; neither candidate will bring up the topic of facilitation unless the constituency begs the question.