THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT DILEMMA - THE SUNDAY COMMENTARY

The massive problem of illegal immigration is one of the most frustrating political hot buttons that has ever faced this nation. The daily flow of illegals especially from our southern border with Mexico is causing not only a great strain on the resources and economy of the country but has created a fire storm of anger and opinion that has not been seen in this form since the Civil War. Regardless of our social and economic status this massive out of control situation in some form effects every legal citizen of the nation and no one seems overly interested in dealing with the core of the problem which is stopping the flow and what to do with the more than 12 million who are already in the country. Ideas range from capture and deportation to total amnesty. The answer to the border problem is always to increase security but can just increasing security alone stop the flow of the thousands per day who illegally cross our borders ? There are literally thousands of American businesses who depend daily on illegals to satisfy work that is claimed to be undesirable to the legal American worker and at a considerably less wage than most U.S. citizens require. Additionally those who are willing to do the work that illegals perform cannot compete in many circles BECAUSE the illegal is willing to work for much less thus creating a greater profit margin for many businesses. From a political stand point neither party is showing the conviction to deal with the total problem and only offering changes which only scratch the surface of this national emergency. The Democrats see an opportunity for an additional voting block since some of their ideas involve ways to document their illegal status such as drivers license which would allow them to vote. Republicans are afraid of causing a rift in the business community, a strong GOP supporter, which depends on the illegal for filling jobs at cheap wages. The administration is concerned with offending relations with Mexico and causing tension between the countries. As far as the citizenry is concerned there IS ALREADY a great deal of tension between the countries as a form a racial anger toward Mexican illegals is becoming widespread throughout the country. Most Americans businesses are catering to the Mexican illegals in the form of adapting advertising and their business both within the business and in commercials to Spanish and actually changing aspects of their business to accommodate Mexican customers. A prime example is locally in Myrtle Beach, SC where I live. One of the areas five Walmarts has recently remodeled and since this particular store is where the majority of the thousands of Mexicans workers who are employed by the boom in construction that is sweeping this resort area shop the store has catered to this population and in some ways to the neglect of the remainder of those who shop in the store. Again this is but one example of a wide spread problem.

The United States has since her birth been a melting pot of immigrants. Everyone of us who are not a descendant of the American Indian can trace our heritage to Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa or a multitude of other nations that have all contributed to the growth and success of this nation over the last 230 years since we declared our independence. At one point immigration to American was so great that Ellis Island in New York Harbor became the first destination to most immigrants. The purpose of this historical landmark was to document and begin the process of legally entering this land of opportunity in order to allow the freedoms in this nation to give rise to a better life than these new future Americans had in their native country. Although everyone who passed through Ellis Island had a different past and customs that were peculiar to their native heritage all had a common goal: to become an American. Not to come to this country and the nation accommodate herself to them but to acclimate to American society and become an intricate part of the great nation which included learning our native language and adjusting to the American way of life.

Today the politically correct attitude is to adapt America to the immigrant whether illegal of legal. English is being replaced by every language especially Spanish. Even our oath of citizenship is being given in languages other than English. Society as a whole is adapting to other nationalities rather than those who are immigrating to the country adapting to American society. Is the problem of illegal immigrants so out of control that there is no answer that will solve the problem ? Can we secure our borders to prevent the massive flow of illegals from happening ? Will we lose our relationship with Mexico if we get tough on the border problem ? First our relationship with Mexico is the least of our worries. The influx of money that illegals pour into the Mexican economy would bankrupt the nation if it were to stop. Tough, that is their problem not ours. Vincente Fox the President of Mexico is no real ally because of his opposition to our securing our borders and his failure to deal with the economic troubles in his country. Mexico will stick with the United States regardless of whether we close our borders because they cannot afford militarily or economically to be in dis-favor with this country. So Mr. President and Congress the first step to controlling illegal immigration is to CLOSE THE BORDERS and even build the southern border wall from California to Texas. After the borders are closed anyone who enters this country illegally is deported immediately with no questions asked and if they enter a second time then they are imprisoned for 10 years at one of the closed military bases in Texas adapted for this purpose and used as labor for government work projects already in existence. Second, I realize that arresting and deporting the 12 million already in the country is a logistical and economical impossibility. Therefore those who are here illegally must be penalized and more than the $2000.00 in the McCain/Kennedy proposal. For instance a fine of 5 -10 thousand dollars with 500 hours of community service and placed on a strict probationary status as anyone who violates the law is. Employment must remain constant and weekly reporting to local authorities to regularly monitor their status. If that status is not followed to the letter of the law and any infraction of U.S. law takes place then immediate deportation for the immigrant and their family occurs with NO possibility of re-entering the country. If they re-enter than the above mentioned imprisonment applies. Every business who continues to employ illegals after the borders are closed will risk losing their business license and be required to pay a sizable fine and the owner of the business face a jail sentence of 6 months at the local county jail. Those who employ illegals on the probationary program must report employment financial records monthly to insure that the illegals are not being given preference over American citizens. Every illegal on the probation program will be required to learn English within the first year and have a basic knowledge of how our system of government works or he/she will face immediate deportation along with their family. I realize that all that has been outlined here will require a great deal of effort to implement but if we continue on the current path, then what we have known as the American dream will soon fade into a multinational quagmire with the loss of the American that we all love and cherish and the end of our diverse yet singularly American way of life.

Ken Taylor