About the author: I’m a married father of three, Army vet, college grad, and general pain-in-the-rear to anyone politically left of center. So Republican they made me a county chairman, so conservative they’re not sure if they want to keep me. Join me every Friday on Post Scripts for Republican Corner, and thank you for your stopping by.
The Growing Crisis of Illegal Immigration
By Steve Thompson, Chairman of the Butte County Republican Party
In most of life’s situations, when you have a problem, it’s almost always best to deal with it early before it gets worse. Whether it’s a health affliction, financial trouble, addiction, a problem between you and your spouse, or even one of a societal nature, it seems you’re always better off if you deal with the problem while it’s small and manageable.
In a democracy, one of government’s intended functions is to take care of the problems that ail the people before they get too angry about it. Otherwise those residing in government may find themselves thrown out of office and replaced with someone who will fix the problem. However when government finds itself over-encumbered with bureaucracy, it moves slowly and lets problems fester.
I have a theory about public policy and the anger of the people. When the people are in the early stages of identifying a problem that vexes them, they are open to reasonable solutions that make sense for everyone. But when government drags its feet, either out of defiance or incompetence, the people get angry. Angry people lose sight of what is reasonable, and they demand the most potent of solutions. When we are talking about situations that affect their personal lives, their incomes, and the social order, an angry populace will demand drastic measures for matters that could have been solved much easier. Illegal immigration is just such a problem.
I speak only of illegal immigration because, frankly, our nation doesn’t have an immigration problem. We accept legal immigrants from all over the world. They are able to come here, learn our history and our rules, and integrate into our society. America is the land of opportunity for them, and a place where they can begin anew. Everybody has a chance to make it here, as their prosperity only adds to ours. We only ask that they accept our rules and common beliefs, and that they respect our laws and social order.
Those who come here illegally, for whatever the need and reason, show great disrespect for the laws of our land. They cut in line ahead of those who come here legally, and take of things that are not owed to them. They have taken advantage of our compassion, to the point where it cripples our ability to take care of ourselves. Even here in California, the financial burden of illegal immigration costs more than half our current budget deficit.
It is the federal government’s duty, not the states, to enforce the laws of our borders and protect the sovereignty of our people. But when the federal government has for so long been negligent in their duty, the people have grown angry. Problems that could have been solved quietly so long ago now demand severe measures. And yet it remains such an example of the goodwill of the American people that we are still able to listen to reasonable solutions when given the chance. To this day no severe measures have yet been taken.
Recently in Arizona, the people took a stand for themselves in defiance of federal incompetence, and in pursuit of restoring law and order to their communities. They have not brought forth drastic measures. There are no concentration camps or rounding up of innocent civilians in the night. They have simply unshackled officers of the law to follow up on their hunches and follow through in the enforcement of the law. No one who is here legally will be treated unfairly or unjust. Given the national powder keg of this issue, the people of Arizona are to be commended for their restraint.
Californians should look very closely at Arizona’s new policy and consider some of their own. We are a state tremendously beset with illegal immigration. We are also a state with some of the greatest agricultural production in the world. Let’s face it, there is a connection between our ag economy and much of our illegal immigration problem.
Now is the time for reasonable solutions, before the problem gets worse. If the federal government continues not to act, or worse, starts pandering to those not here legally, we must stand up for the right of our state to set our own policies regarding this issue. We are the ones who feel the burden of this crisis.
I believe solutions exist that could save our state. First, strict enforcement of our borders and immigration law is necessary. This can be done simply by giving police officers the ability to enforce the laws that already exist and take the noose of political correctness from around their necks.
Second, we need policies that deal with the employment side of this issue. There must be a path to work, such as the old Bracero programs, that lets migrant workers come here legally to work for the employers who need them. This will let workers travel here with dignity and safety, and give them the confidence to return home when they are done. This will also give employers a legal and safe way to hire the labor they need and can’t always find in our own society.
But such a program must have teeth, and penalties for rule breaking. Employers given the opportunity of such a program found hiring illegal immigrants should be financially penalized. Workers who continue to break the rules should be deported. Our laws must be respected and followed, or those in offense should be asked to leave.
You know the funny thing is that this exact policy was proposed in the California Legislature several years ago. It was proposed by a Republican and voted down by the Democrat majority. It was known as Assembly Bill 735 and was authored by former Assemblyman Rick Keene. Regardless of where you might stand in the current race for State Senate between Rick Keene and Doug LaMalfa, this was a policy that deserved its due from the Legislature. It was a solution that could have helped to solve our illegal immigration problems sooner rather than later. It wouldn’t have solved the national crisis, but it would have helped ease the situation here at home. It was reasonable for both employers and workers, farmers and everyday citizens.
Fortunately for us, there is still time. The people are angry though, and they are demanding solutions. Those in government should start listening and acting while the chance remains to pass something that is reasonable and fair. The clock is still ticking. Our nation deserves better.