Arizona commands front and center stage in the national drama over illegal immigration. But the real action lies elsewhere. For those who prefer dealing with the problem in a more humane way, the news out of backstage is encouraging.
By challenging Arizona's tough new immigration law, the Obama administration stands accused of frustrating a public angry at the cost and crime associated with illegal immigration. Last week, a federal district judge seemed to support the administration's position when she blocked controversial parts of the law.
All this obscures a curious political reality. While backers of the Arizona law charge President Obama with pandering to Latino voters, his administration is doing what they say they want: It is enforcing the immigration laws already on the books — and with considerable results.
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency expects to deport 400,000 illegal immigrants this fiscal year, a record number. The administration has been aggressively checking the records of companies suspected of hiring undocumented workers and imposing stiff fines on the offenders. The number of these audits has quadrupled since the last year of the George W. Bush administration.
In truth, illegal immigration was on the decline even before the change of administration. Between 2008 and 2009, the number of illegal aliens fell by 1 million(!), according to a recent Department of Homeland Security report. The weak economy no doubt also plays a part, as fewer illegal aliens arrive and some leave.
Politically, Obama is handling this explosive issue with skill, and his mostly Republican opposition is not. Latinos represent a fast-growing and powerful voting bloc.
Of course, many Hispanics also want illegal immigration stopped but don't favor policies that would single them out. So how are they to regard the Arizona provision that would let police check the immigration status of anyone they stop for another alleged misdeed and suspect of being here illegally? Or that requires foreigners to carry papers showing their right to be in the country?
Appointed by Bill Clinton, Judge Susan Bolton has a history of clear-eyed thinking on immigration.
On the Arizona law, she correctly observed that "by enforcing this statute, Arizona would impose a 'distinct, unusual and extraordinary burden' on legal residents that only the federal government has the authority to impose."
But Bolton also left alone the part that undermines "sanctuary city" policies, whereby local authorities refuse to help the feds enforce immigration law. This setback for the "sanctuary city" movement surely displeases some Hispanic activists.
The advocates also can't be happy about the workplace audits, which are forcing employers to let go of their illegal workers. Nor can they be content with immigration-reform proposals, backed by the administration, that require a secure ID for all job-seekers.
At the same time, Obama has de-emphasized the workplace raids that ended in poor foreigners being led away in chains and families broken up. And by suing Arizona, his Justice Department is discouraging other states from taking similar ham-fisted measures that turn foreign-looking people into suspects.
Bush was a fan of the cheap labor that illegal immigration fostered, but he did have an abiding respect for the aliens themselves. In pushing his own comprehensive immigration reforms, he warned against "harsh, ugly rhetoric."
But now that rhetoric has busted through the gates, and responsible Republican leaders will have a hard time corralling it. This obviously isn't helpful to their party's long-term prospects.
In the meantime, the Obama administration is quietly making strides against illegal immigration. If the president can use this progress to convince skeptics of comprehensive reform that any amnesty will be the last, he will have really accomplished something.
To find out more about Froma Harrop, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com.
COPYRIGHT 2010 THE PROVIDENCE JOURNAL CO.
DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS.COM
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5 Comments | Post Comment
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Why does a rat flee a sinking ship? Because they will die otherwise. Better to be stuck in a crap-hole like Mexico than be in a country about to go through a social and political revolution as American's have woken up to the moronic, lets not look at facts, freedom hating Liberal/Progressive/Traitor (or whatever they are called these days), and realized that, hey, that is what has sunk every nation and empire on the planet after a while.
The ONLY reason why Illegal immigration has been slowing of late is because even THEY realize that Liberalism doesn't work and its sending this country into another great depression. Not enough jobs even for citizens, let alone parasites and scum like Illegals. QED.
Oh, and the fact that American's are sick to death with our Liberal overlords not enforcing one of the most basic laws of our constitution... Yeah, it could be that as well. ;-)
Comment: #1
Posted by: Charles
Tue Aug 3, 2010 7:37 AM
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Charles, you are obviously a very angry and vindictive man. To see the undocumented aliens as parasites and scum is quite a mouthful. I'd be fearful to live next door to someone so mad at the world.
Most of us are decedents from immigrants that came over without satisfying some sort of quota or direct invitation. When my great grandfather came here in 1885 from Sicily as a 25 year old man leaving his wife until he had established a life in America, he had endured a 2 month voyage on a pathetic ship and years of struggling before he was able to bring her over to join him. They were not invited, they just came!
They were fleeing a world they found unacceptable for a family and a life worth living and they came to America because they thought they would find work to make a new life possible. Which of course, is the exact same reason why most of the "illegals" who are here now came, especially those who came under and over a fence.
The jobs were here waiting for them. Jobs offered by AMERICAN COMPANIES and employers who could hire them without fear of repercussions even though they were breaking the law. The use of fake ID's was (and is) a well know ruse, but it gave the employer the out they needed. "They had a SSN so I thought they were legal!" And many employers paid them less than most American workers would have found acceptable or put them in work environments which would not been legal if the work was sanctioned by U.S. officials and society.
If the jobs were not here waiting to be filled, they would not have come which is precisely why the numbers coming over is down... jobs are not as freely available. So, if you and all the other "alien haters" were honest, the problem is not the movement of folks who are desperate for a better life coming over or under the fence or overstaying their student, work, and tourist visas, the problem was (and is) with us.. you and I for pretending we had a system they enforced immigration laws and employment laws. We caused the problem! You can't blame the politicians - they represent us in a system we all brag about as being the best in the world.
So what do we now. They ARE NOT all going to go back across the border or fly back to Russia, China, or wherever they came from. We must deal with this fact and come up with a way to 1.) Deal with the 10 to 12 million here without legal identification and purpose and 2.) Come up with a new system of immigration and employment management which makes it almost impossible to gain employment without proper identification and purpose. If that means some 3-piece suit clad corporate executives have to spend time in jail, so be it.
You may argue with my points, but wait. You are on the wrong side of history and reality. It's your type of thinking that will deported (from your minds) not the people you so strongly hate.
Comment: #2
Posted by: Al C
Tue Aug 3, 2010 7:51 PM
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I doubt that my comment will be posted, but I will try anyway. While Bush was President, you wrote columns saying that the Democrats should adopt the anti-illegal immigration issue. Now that the Democrats are in control and depending on the Hispanic vote, you have changed your tune. "If the president can use this progress to convince skeptics of comprehensive reform that any amnesty will be the last one" is one of the most infuriating statements that I have read today on immigration. The 1986 amnesty was supposed to be the last, remember? But you are right in a way, for the next amnesty will open the floodgates of illegals and there will be no border or US government that is worthy to bear the title. The illegals will help us to create another Somalia with NO borders. Maybe if Americans keep repeating it enough, you so-called opinion makers will understand what we are saying. NO AMNESTY! End birthright citizenship. Deport the illegals. Control the border and the ports.
Comment: #3
Posted by: Carol Carpenter
Wed Aug 4, 2010 8:48 AM
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Having just read Froma's story, “The Real Immigration Story,” in my local paper I am not surprised at her liberal views. My paper lists her as living in Rhode Island, complete isolated from the real issues. Though her article does not address her research, I conclude she has never visited the Southwest or West coast where ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION is destroying our states and local cities. Ms. Harrop points out that illegal immigration was on the decline before the change of administration. Where was this? I live in Southern California and with the economy in the skids, I have seen more and more illegal's lining the corners looking for work. I don't know where she did her research, CNN?, but from my perspective, actually living in the middle of this night mare, Arizona finally stood up for not only their citizens but for all citizens that have had enough of this invasion. Ms Harrop should tour the Border States and get the real story!!
David
Comment: #4
Posted by: David
Wed Aug 4, 2010 12:32 PM
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We in the border states are being invaded by the drug lords, the illiterate of the entire south america. and the yankees up north tell us to be HUMANE AND NOT TO TREAT OUR FELLOW HUMANS BADLY. Come on down and see the kidnapping, drop houses, drive by shootings, gangs, illegals driving drunk, fatherless children of the four cops killed by illegals, see our overcrowded jails, bursting schools, skyrocketing taxes to educate, medicate these illegal's anchor babies. Yes come to the border and see that TONS OF GARBAGE STREWN ACROSS OUR DESERT by the invading illegals. I doubt if the readers of your column will convince you to cahnge your mind and accept as true facts the mess our governments have caused by ignoring the illegal problem. the republicans want cheap cash labor,( no taxes, no workmans's comp, no 401) to the illegals. the dems want the votes in the future so they may control and make a socialist paradise for the USA. You liberal and totally oblivious to the facts writers sit there telling me a citizen of ARIZ what I know to be bull c**p.
Comment: #5
Posted by: Gene Anderson
Thu Aug 5, 2010 3:18 PM
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