Considering immigration with head and heart

Today I overhead two co-workers discussing immigration reform in the break room. One lady said, “I think they should just send them all back to Mexico.”

A majority of Americans sympathize with this viewpoint. Like the lady in question, they would point out these immigrants are here illegally, which supposedly makes it right to do whatever you want with them. I agree there is certainly a legal aspect to this debate, but would add there are also moral and practical facets as well.

In terms of morality, the fact these people have done wrong by breaking the law does not justify scapegoat penalties, such as making their crime a felony. Advocates of this position don’t seem to fully comprehend what this particular penalty would entail. Currently, police do not enforce immigration law, but if the law were changed, you would see the Elian Gonzalez situation repeated literally millions of times as law enforcement officers fulfill their obligation to immediately arrest illegal immigrants upon finding them, whether or not they have legal relatives. Grandparents, husbands, wives, and children in tens of thousands of American families would be ripped apart.

Moreover, legality does not immediately impute morality. Take abortion: Current law allows women abortions for any reason, even frivolous ones. Is the law moral?

Practically, I heard on NPR this morning that there are 12 million illegal aliens in the United States, 7 million of whom are working. That means one in 20 workers in the United States is undocumented. These people contribute some $50 billion dollars towards Social Security, even though they are not eligible to draw those benefits, according to government statistics—this is in addition to sales taxes and lost expense write-offs on the part of their employers. Bottom line: I don’t think “they should just send them all back to Mexico” takes into account the practical consequences of such a step.

For these reasons, I think balanced immigration reform that includes a guest worker program would be much more beneficial than “just send them all back to Mexico.” I believe we need to use both our heads and our hearts when considering this issue. Thanks for reading.

Here's some quotes to end with:

The New Colossus
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame.
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

Ezekiel 22:29
The people of the land practice extortion and commit robbery; they oppress the poor and needy and mistreat the alien, denying them justice.