One thing Rebecca has been asking me lately is about the southern border of the U.S. She asked, kind of laughing in doubt, if there are just these holes in the fences where people walk through from Mexico into the southern states. I tell her yes, that’s exactly it. The holes are not huge, but it’s not unusual to have people just wandering into, and out of, the U.S. It’s probably gotten tougher over the past few years, but these things happen.
It’s so strange to think about this issue being where I am now. I’m currently an immigrant to Canada. And let me tell you, even being an American, getting into this country to legally stay is not an easy task. You might think so, but as I was told many times, it’s easier to get a permanent resident status if you are a refugee from a third world country than it is for an American.
It might be easy to get to Canada and stay here without making yourself legal, but you wouldn’t be able to apply for provincial programs or a social insurance number. I do hear that there is some money to be made in the business of illegal drugs, but there seems to be a high risk factor in that industry for some reason. If you’re lucky enough to not be deported after that, then you have a ticket to reside in the crown’s wonderful prison system with no chance of getting any residential status here. Doesn’t that sound lovely?
I perceive Canadian immigration from the U.S. being tougher simply because Canada does not want their country to be over ran by people flocking north of the border only to take jobs and resources away from the generations of citizens who reside here. The rules are fairly rigid to just get a job here as an American, minus going through any paperwork to be a permanent resident. This is all over the table stuff. I don’t know how it works for those that work outside the legal realm of things. The point is that the rules here are tough for those looking to the north from below the 49th.
So suddenly the U.S. wants to be tougher on immigration. Are there some areas to improve on how things are done now? Sure. Does the border need to be tighter? Probably. Should it be easier for people to become immigrants? To a point. I highly doubt that it should be as easy as, “I’m here now! Gimme!”
Canadian immigration is hardly a cake walk. In fact, it’s slightly painful. The paperwork is slightly tedious, but one can expect that. It’s the waiting that becomes the hardest part of the whole venture. It’s a hurry up and wait process. It takes time, but you reap the rewards in the end. And I’m not saying that the model is perfect, but no country wants to start giving away the right to live in their lands and start consuming the resources that taxes pay for. I understand that I am waiting to obtain that right, and that reward is something I will value and respect once all is said and done.
What will happen in the end of all of this? Will it suddenly become a crime to be an illegal alien in the U.S.? If Rebecca and I move back to the states, something goes wrong, and we are stuck in a situation where we have to exist in limbo in between periods of her being a legal visitor to a legal resident, then would she be in risk of being a criminal and face possible deportation? These immigration laws will apply to all immigrants, not just Mexicans, right?
And yes, the amount of cheap labor flowing into the U.S. might take a hit in numbers. Is that such a bad thing? Perhaps the models will change and more Americans will fill in the gaps. Oh wait, these are jobs that a majority of Americans already don’t want to do but complain the loudest that illegals are stealing jobs from the U.S. markets. This is an argument that has a dog chasing its tail, and it’s really sad when you think about it.
The money makers in the U.S. would rather spend smaller amounts of money on cheap, illegal labor and maximize their profits, furthering the gap between social classes. What they could be doing is making less profit and employing more Americans (in the legal citizen sense) to strengthen classes across the socio-economic structure.
I know it’s not that easy, but the point is to keep an economy flowing without neglecting lower income households. I know it sounds crazy, but if you give people in those types of situations more money in their paycheck, then they’ll have more ability to consume goods. Mr. Joe Blow business owner might not be able to afford that pool for his house in the hills because he opted to take the legal labor route, but there might stand more hope for employment for people needing an income.
We already have cheap labor. They’re called interns. They get “hired” to do a lot for very little, saying that experience is worth more than an actual paycheck. And if you ask me, it seems that CNN has the knack for letting them run the show. It left Wolf Blitzer stammering when the control room cut to the White House during the presidents rehersal of his speed last night just minutes before the actual speech was to be aired[npr.org], only to claim later that it was a mistake. [youtube]