Eye on America | More lenient immigration policy would benefit U.S.

Ross Weingarten Columnist

When I was growing up, I had a babysitter named “B.” Actually, come to think of it, I never knew her real name, or exactly how old she was. I remember asking B her age when I was very young, and she told me that she was 100. Many years later, I asked her the same question, and got the same answer. But B took care of me while my parents were at work, cooked my meals, walked me to the bus stop before school, and kept me informed of the latest news on The Young and the Restless. When I got my driver’s license at 16, B’s services were no longer necessary, and she stopped working for my family. Why is any of this relevant? Because B is from Guyana, and she is an illegal immigrant.

Immigration is one of the most polarizing topics debated by politicians today, and will be a crucial factor in the upcoming presidential election. There are an estimated 11 to 12 million illegal immigrants in this country, according to a recent CNN.com article. Last week, President Bush unveiled a new proposal which gives immigrants a path to U.S. citizenship, but is difficult and expensive. In order to obtain a Green Card and permanent citizenship, immigrants would have to return to their home countries, legally apply to a United States embassy, and pay a $10,000 fine. Immigrants in the U.S. could also apply for a three-year temporary work visa that would allow them to stay, but does not make them citizens. In addition, the work visa, dubbed “Z” visas by the government, would cost $3,500. Finally, the plan includes heightened border patrol, with more officers and longer fences between the U.S. and Mexico.

Bush’s proposal signifies a conservative shift from the plan he proposed last year, which would have given immigrants a chance to become citizens while remaining in the country. That proposal received bi-partisan support in the Senate and was widely lauded. Now, it appears Bush is trying to regain his conservative base, which makes it extremely difficult for illegal aliens to become citizens at all.

The president was right the first time. Forcing immigrants to return home before applying for citizenship is unnecessary, and citizenship would be virtually unobtainable due to its high price. Despite the fact that politicians hate to admit it, illegal immigrants are a vital part of our economy. They do many of the tasks that others won’t and which help the country function. The most obvious example is the agricultural sector, where seasonal immigrants support production of many goods for consumption and exportation, especially in the West. Other industries benefit from illegal immigrants as well. Legislation cracking down on illegal immigrants and attempts by politicians to bolster the economy are like saying you are on a diet and then eating a huge piece of cake: the two simply do not go together.

The other main argument against making citizenship easier for illegal immigrants and keeping them out of our country is security against terrorism in the form of stronger borders. Much of the current debate on immigration stems from the attacks of Sept. 11, when it was revealed that some of the perpetrators were living in this country while preparing to strike. There is no doubt that we must prevent terrorism suspects from entering this country. Extensive background checks must be done before citizenship is granted, and security in airports and ports should continue to be improved. But I fail to see how building more fences and adding thousands of new guards along the border between the U.S. and Mexico is guarding against terrorism.

The border patrol is said to be necessary by conservative politicians because too many immigrants would drain our resources. As energy conservation and waste management efforts increase, and global warming becomes increasingly accepted as a reality that we must deal with, it is reasonable that we should be concerned about our consumption of resources. Yet it is incredibly hypocritical for Americans to say that we cannot accept more people into this country because of a strain on resources, and then hop into our SUVs, leave lights on in our houses and forget to recycle. We are an incredibly wasteful society, and although our environmental conscience is rising, America still has a long way to go. How can we refuse resources to people who need them when we waste them so carelessly?

The bottom line, which so many politicians forget, is that immigration reform is not an abstract idea, but rather affects human beings. Most of the illegal immigrants that enter this country are looking for nothing more than a better life for themselves and their families. America has long been the land of opportunity. My ancestors came here from Germany with no money and no plan, but were drawn to the promise of an opportunity to make a life for themselves and their children. And now, as I sit here at this fantastic but absurdly expensive college, I would say that they succeeded.

I am not suggesting that we have an open-door policy, but as Bush suggested last year, there should be a clear and possible way for illegal immigrants to become permanent U.S. citizens. Not only will we be doing the right thing for the millions of people that risked everything to come here, but our international reputation would be bolstered by a more lax immigration policy. In the end, we have no right to reject people that could become integral parts of our community and our country. Without illegal immigrants, the American economy would suffer.