Immigration: Gone But Not Forgotten

Just a short time ago, immigration was one of the hottest issues going, even playing a big role in the presidential campaign. After Congress failed to enact immigration reform, state legislatures were racing to pass laws making their states tough on illegal immigration. What a difference a few months make.

For a large percentage of lawmakers and their constituents, there’s now only one issue: the economy. But immigration has an impact on the economy. In fact, before the meltdown, the two issues were intertwined. No more. “It’s the economy, stupid,” has become the sole slogan of everyone. Immigration will have to wait.

Two recent articles, one in the New York Times and one in the Washington Post, remind us that the immigration issue has been around a long time and that it may not be on the front burner right now, but it’s not going away. The Times article is about the Mexican braceros’ attempt to get paid money they’re still owed for work they did as guest workers during World War II when there were farm labor shortages in this country.

Bracero means “strong arm” and gives some idea of the kind of work the braceros did: picking, shoveling, slicing, loading and hauling fruit and vegetables under a broiling sun for 12 or more hours a day. They took whatever they could get — 50 cents an hour, for example — because it was more than they could earn in Mexico. The catch was that the Mexican government took 10% of what they received, supposedly holding it until their return to Mexico.

The government still holds the money, but because of a lawsuit filed by a group of braceros, the Mexican government announced a reparation program. In order to recoup their money, the braceros have to prove with documentation that they worked in the U.S. and are entitled to be paid. The fact that these braceros are old, poor, and likely to have retained no documents means that most of them won’t receive anything.

The Post article describes how Virginia, known for the nation’s toughest policies on immigration, is abandoning its hard-line approach — at least for now. Government programs are more readily available to immigrants these days. Calls for requiring special identification cards and fingerprinting immigrant patients at hospitals are off the table. There’s even talk of creating a welcoming environment for immigrants in the state, which might be a good thing in light of the ripple effect the economic downturn is having on immigrants (according to another Post article).

The issues of immigration and the economy continue to be intertwined. Thus, it makes sense that while we’re trying to jump start the economy, we work immigration into what everyone says needs to be a long-term solution. Such an approach is vital for employers and employees.

1. 

   ACU Frank says:

   December 4, 2008 at 10:21 am

   I know I’m comparing apples to oranges (or tomatoes to lettuce, in this case), but I wish my government only took 10% of my earnings. I wouldn’t even ask for it back.
2. 

   John Phillips says:

   December 5, 2008 at 9:01 am

   Frank,

   I always try to look at something in a different light, and then you look at it in an even more different light.

   I always appreciate your comments. Given the way the government has been operating, maybe we’re all due some money back.

   John