There can be little disagreement that
Immigration Reform is timely and perhaps
long overdue. However, do we really understand the potential impact on
our country and our communities if the various reform proposals become law. The
contributions that newcomers to America have made in the
past and would certainly continue to make in the future cannot be overstated.
The often heard cliché, “we are all immigrants”, or “immigrants take jobs
Americans won’t do”, and so many others, are in many respects legitimate and
should not be ignored.
However, the control of the borders of the United States, and, thus, our sovereignty,
cannot be left to those immigrants who would decide for themselves with their
feet. Uncontrolled or unregulated immigration leaves to chance domestic and
international matters for which governments are solely responsible. Certainly,
governments cannot stop all illegal immigration, but they must concern
themselves with out of control influxes that will disrupt designed stabilities
and growth.
The government says that with Immigration Reform we are
dealing with assimilating some 11 million undocumented persons in the country,
the vast, vast majority of whom are law abiding and hard working. It would seem that to an industrial country
like ours with over 300 million persons, that number would be doable with
proper structure and oversight and with little disruption to our way of life.
However, consider this:
What if the “real” numbers of additional immigrants to be blended into
the United States were 30 million, 50 million or
even 100 million newcomers? At what
point would size itself of the newcomer group provide challenges to stability
and growth and indeed, to our way of life?
In fact, such is the case today. The “real” numbers of
persons who would be assimilated into the United States under the proposals may be far,
far greater than the government suggests.
Here’s why. Our
immigration laws (Section 201(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act) presently
provide for special priorities for family members of U.S. citizens living abroad to join
their relatives here without regard to waiting lists. For example, the spouse,
parents and unmarried children of persons who obtain legal status here and
ultimately complete their path to citizenship will automatically be immediately
admissible to the U.S to join. In addition, the law (Section 203(a) INA) also
provides similar, but restricted privileges, to all brothers and sisters and
their families of those persons, as well as to the immediate families of lawful
permanent residents.
So let’s look at the “real” numbers of Immigration reform
in 2013
If we accept the figure of 11 million persons who are here
and eligible to be placed on a “path to citizenship”, we must then multiply
each by one spouse, two sets of parents, and two children (the average size
family in Mexico and Latin America is four). Not counting brothers and sisters, whose
eligibility would be less immediate, the “real” number of persons made eligible
to stay or to immediately enter the U.S. under the Immigration Reform
proposals being discussed is nearly 90 million! -11 million already here, plus
77 million family members eligible to join.
Nowhere does the government in their numbers consider the “real” add-on
family member numbers required under the law.
As a practical matter what do these “real” numbers mean for
Immigration Reform? Perhaps only that in considering Immigration Reform, we
must recognize and consider the economic dynamics of substantial population
growth in cities and communities throughout the States. Perhaps more
importantly, that legislative dialog in fashioning Immigration Reform should
include spokespersons from various disciplines knowledgeable in areas extending
beyond politics.
Ben Ferro
benferro@insideins.com