The Year For Immigration Reform

Thanks to a significant political shift dictated by the November midterm elections, the New Year begins with high hopes for resolving one of the most controversial issues of 2006.

Immigration reform — the issue that polarized the country, ignited huge demonstrations, drove vigilantes to the Mexican border and kept Congress divided and stagnant — may finally be realized through new bipartisan legislation reportedly being developed by lawmakers ahead of the start of the new Congress.

But what's to say, you ask, that the immigration debate will be any different in 2007 than in 2006? Why are there reasons to be more optimistic about the potential of fixing the nation's broken immigration system?

Let me count the reasons.

1. The most vociferous immigrant-bashers in Congress were either booted out by voters or lost their leadership positions.

2. Tough talk against illegal immigrants and cheap rhetoric about opposing amnesty didn't ignite the groundswell of support that many Republicans expected.

3. Since the anti-immigrant sentiments often turned into anti-Latino rhetoric, a huge number of Latinos turned away from the GOP, a party that will desperately need Latino voters in 2008. While 44 percent of Latinos voted for Republicans in 2004, the number went down to 29 percent in 2006.

4. While there were huge disagreements on how to reform immigration between Democrats and Republicans and even among members of the same parties, there is talk of achieving bipartisan consensus in 2007.

What makes immigration reform even more possible this year is an effort to avoid the pitfalls of last year's legislation — especially the idiotic plan to split the illegal immigrant population into three groups.

Under the bill approved by the U.S. Senate last year, the nation's 12 million illegal immigrants would be allowed to seek legalization — but only depending on how long they have been here.

Those who have been here longer than five years would have been allowed to stay and apply for legalization after proving they have a job and no criminal record, and after paying a fine, back taxes and making an effort to learn English. But those who have been here between two and five years had to return to their country of origin to apply for re-entry as guest workers.

And those who have been here less than two years had to leave — with no guarantee of being able to return.

That measure would have created more problems than it would have solved. First, it would not have eradicated the illegal immigrant population, because most of the 5 million who have been here less than five years would have refused to leave voluntarily. Instead, many would have sought fraudulent ways to prove they have been here longer than five years, creating a huge new market for false documents and migraine headaches for immigration officials.

In fact, even many of those who have been here longer than five years would have had to resort to fraudulent papers, since many illegal immigrants lack the documentation to prove how long they have been here.

Since the three-tier legalization system would have benefited only 7 million, instead of 12 million illegal immigrants, it was initially introduced as a way to appease the anti-immigrant forces in Congress.

Thankfully, now that those forces have lost their strength, the measure under consideration would not include a three-tier plan. All illegal immigrants who can remain employed, pass background checks, pay a fine and back taxes and enroll in English classes would be eligible for legalization.

Other than deporting 12 million people — which would be extremely costly, inhumane and damaging to our economy — that's really the only way to eradicate the illegal immigration population.

And what about future illegal immigrants? What about those people who will see this measure as a green light to come here illegally expecting that, in the future, another measure will allow them to stay?

That's a legitimate concern. And that's why immigration reform needs to be comprehensive.

It must also include stricter border security, but along both the Mexican and Canadian borders. It must include a plan to pursue immigrants who enter the country legally and stay after their visas have expired.

It must include stronger and enforceable sanctions against employers who hire future illegal immigrants. But it must also include higher quotas for immigrants to come here legally.

Without all of those components, true immigration reform will not be achieved and lawmakers who obstruct its progress will pay a high price in 2008.

To find out more about Miguel Perez, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

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