Who Is Foiling Immigration Enforcement?

For the second day in a row, a very perceptive editorial column appeared in the Providence Journal that explained a lot. Like most traditional and patriotic Americans I have been baffled by the difficulties we, as a nation, have in enforcing our borders. Although I understand that America-hating leftists want to destroy our harmony, it seems self-evident that we are not a sovereign nation if we can not pass and enforce laws that determine who we want to have enter our country and become citizens. It also seems self-evident that, except for political refugees, we want mostly to encourage the immigration of peoples who bring skills that we need into our country.

Why do we have such difficulty carrying out this fundamental concept? This article answers that question.

Interests foil immigration enforcement

JAMES C. SHEEHAN June 3, 2009 Providence Journal

LAWS, IN GENERAL, are intended to provide for the orderly regulation of society and protection of individual liberty. National laws are established for the common good through the democratic process by majority votes in Congress. One such law governs border control and immigration policy. While 72 percent of Americans believe it is “very important” to reduce illegal immigration and enforce the borders (Rasmussen, 2007), this law is not being effectively enforced. If Americans overwhelmingly support effective border control and controlling illegal immigration, why has our government not adequately enforced national immigration law? The answer is simple — an unusual collection of special interest groups have worked successfully to prevent the proper enforcement of immigration laws.

Some oppose the enforcement of immigration laws for altruistic reasons.

They believe that any person should have the opportunity to enter our country, legally or not, to seize their own piece of the American dream, reunite with family, and/or send wages back home. No matter the reason, over time, illegal immigrants become enmeshed in the fabric of their community, establishing strong bonds of friendship and family.

Once this occurs, community members are reluctant to let the lives of these semi-permanent residents be disrupted. Through various social, religious and political organizations, illegal immigrants and their friends and family have organized to prevent the enforcement of established immigration laws. Furthermore, these organizations have sought to normalize the status of illegal immigrants residing here.

One good example of this movement is the push to grant driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants under the pretext of public safety.

A very powerful and well-funded special interest that works hard to combat the enforcement of U.S. immigration laws is American business, as represented by state and local chambers of commerce and, by extension, perhaps, some in the Republican Party. These associations battle enforcement of laws such as E-verify, an effective tool requiring employers to verify the legal status of new hires, because they allege that the E-verify system is a burden to businesses. In fact, the E-verify system is cheap, relatively easy to implement, and very accurate. In truth, these groups fight enforcement of E-verify because they must hew to the wishes of numerous chapter members who undoubtedly employ illegal immigrants at below-market wages. In general, this unlawful practice also undermines years of hard-fought labor laws in the workplace.

Moreover, hiring illegal immigrants also denies low-skilled citizens and legal residents an opportunity to work at entry-level jobs, and provides businesses that exploit illegal workers an unfair advantage over their competitors who do not exploit illegals.

Ironically, even some union leaders now oppose the enforcement of America’s immigration laws. Illegal immigrants who are able to obtain false papers are readily hired in various sectors of the economy, such as the hospitality industry or construction. Legal or not, these workers are welcomed by unions because they help to revitalize waning union ranks with fresh dues-paying members. Of course, there is strength in numbers, and illegal workers give union leaders additional clout in negotiations. Interestingly, union leaders arguably can still offer management their services at a relative discount since many of their non-citizen members are probably willing to work for less than citizen workers.

Politically speaking, powerful members of the Democratic Party have a vested interest in illegal immigration, too, because they believe that illegal immigrants who benefit from longstanding Democratic mainstays — social-welfare programs — will vote to support the Democratic Party if they become lawful citizens of this nation. Of course, some claim that illegal immigrants already are voting in large numbers in this country because of weak election laws that often do not require positive identification to register to vote or to cast a vote.

While each of the aforementioned special interests derives some personal benefit from illegal immigration, the burden is shouldered squarely by a majority of lawful citizens. While illegal immigrants pay some taxes, research shows that they do not pay enough to offset the dollars paid out through federal and state government programs that support them. Illegal immigrants receive government-subsidized health care, social services and education that probably can be measured in the billions of dollars annually. Worse yet, illegal immigrants who violate the law are crowded into our nation’s prisons, costing countless millions more.

Our nation is in financial crisis and many states, including Rhode Island, are facing formidable deficits. The U.S. and Rhode Island can no longer afford a de-facto policy of open borders, especially when Rhode Island may be forced to cut aid to cities and towns, education, state worker pensions and health-care benefits to lawful citizens.

Still, it is the confluence of special interests that prevents proper enforcement of immigration laws. Until a majority of citizens take a stand on this issue, some elected representatives will continue to kowtow to the special interests that personally benefit from illegal immigration. After all, many politicians also personally benefit from illegal immigration by way of special-interest contributions and/or voter support at election time.

If you wish to know whose interests your elected officials represent on the issue of illegal immigration, please contact them by visiting: www.sec.state.ri.us/vic.