EDITORIALS
Reopen immigration debate
Tough economy adds to difficulty, but reform could bring benefits
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President Obama’s signaled desire to move forward on immigration is a welcome reopening of an issue that still needs addressing. But without a clear, precise direction, efforts to do so will fail again.
The Obama administration favors legislation that would legalize immigrants but recognize that they previously violated the law, imposing fines and other penalties to fit the offense. The president plans to speak on the issue next month.
It’s worth noting that two big labor federations—the AFL-CIO and Change to Win—recently announced that they are joining the administration’s effort for immigration reform. The groups have put together a unified framework for comprehensive immigration reform legislation. They argue that a broken immigration system is not working for anyone—neither exploited immigration workers nor those born in the United States whose living standards are being undercut by the creation of a new “underclass.”
Silencing voices on the other side of this issue will take a concerted, precise effort. Moreover, convincing the American people that immigration reform is as much a top economic priority as health care reform and renewable energy is going to be a heavy lift, especially when unemployment is at historically high levels.
The Obama administration has to get the message across that undocumented workers are a drain on the economy because they’re working off the books, for less money, and don’t pay taxes. Their children likely are receiving services that legal U. S. residents are paying taxes to maintain.
A recently released review by the Immigration Policy Center indicates “legalizing undocumented workers would improve wages and working conditions for all workers, and increase tax revenues for cash-strapped federal, state and local governments.”
Moreover, according to the review, comprehensive immigration reform that includes a path to legalization for undocumented workers would pay for itself through the increased tax revenue it generates. Newly legalized workers would be able to move into higher-paying jobs, pay more in taxes and spend more on goods and services—all of which would increase the already-substantial economic benefits of immigration for the United States.
It’s a compelling argument but may not be enough to win over critics or public opinion. This is probably the toughest time to discuss immigration reform, while so many people are out of work and view the idea of offering some sort of amnesty to illegal entrants as unpalatable at best. After all, even President George W. Bush, with bipartisan support in Congress, couldn’t make a go of immigration reform in 2007.
Still, comprehensive immigration reform and the economy go hand in hand. The administration’s determination at least to begin a dialogue on the topic is a move in the right direction.
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