Arizona claims that they have all the answers…tighter borders, remove ethnic education from schools and take rights away from what they call “Anchor babies” by denying them citizenship. With all the conflict in the media and so many individuals in favor of these laws, it might be hard to understand how Arizona’s “pioneering” laws won’t solve the problem.
First of all, let’s set the record straight…kicking undocumented immigrants out of the country does not solve the problem. If it did, we would have stopped talking about this issue long ago. Our nation has tried time and again to conduct mass removals with only short-term results. Have we forgotten about “Operation Wetback”? The mass deportation, led by Texas in 1954, removed nearly 280,000 Latino immigrants (some of them citizens). Many other smaller deportation efforts have been enacted by our government as well as anti-immigration laws, but somehow the “problem” continues to go unsolved. So, instead of bumping our heads against a brick wall that doesn’t look to crack anytime soon, why don’t we just try something different?
Recently, Utah lawmakers proposed a bill that would allow the state to issue work permits and ID cards to undocumented immigrants for a fee. Supporters of the bill say that it would create more than $20 million in annual revenue. The law would make it possible for undocumented immigrants and their families to reside legally in Utah for as long as they continue working. These state-documented immigrants would only face deportation if convicted of a high-level crime or if they discontinue working in the state. The law would make English classes, criminal background checks and state income taxes requirements for individuals who wish to be approved for such a program. Read more here.
Perhaps this is the answer or perhaps not, but my point is that we need to get more creative about how we deal with this problem. Utah lawmakers have come up with a reasonable alternative that allows us to turn a “burden” into an “asset”. At the same time, we are lessening the moral injustice that we commit against some of the poorest families in this nation. We are essentially subscribing to a more positive solution for both sides of the issue, rather than creating laws fueled by hate and fear.
UPDATES:
Utah Immigration Bill Signed into Law (March 16, 2011)
5 Things to Know About Utah’s Immigration Law Model (March 21, 2011)
© 2011, Chantilly Patiño. All rights reserved.
The Utah “solution” sounds reasonable to me. Who could argue with: “The law would make English classes, criminal background checks and state income taxes requirements for individuals who wish to be approved for such a program.” Seriously? This address most, if not of all of the concerns voiced by certain groups. With a path to citizenship after “x” time if no crimes are committed would be ever better. Don’t you think?
Yes! I am all for this plan Ezzy! When I wrote about it, it was still just a proposal. Fortunately for us, it is now on the law books in Utah! BRAVO to Utah!!! =)
Excellent article Chantilly. I prefer the term undocumented instead of illegal. For those who like the term “illegal”, I ask them if the first European immigrants in the Americas where illegal or undocumented.
Thanks Glenn! I hate the term “illegal” too. In fact, I don’t even use it anymore after reading Colorlines.com’s “Drop the I word”. ’Undocumented’ makes more sense anyway, and it still allows people to appear as human, and not just contradictions to a stupid law. <3
Thank you for this great article, Chantilly!
Thanks Elisa! :) It’s such a long process to get people to really take this issue seriously and I hope that in the next four years, something can be done to improve immigration policies in the U.S. Just awful to see all the things being said by politicians and the media.