Immigration - A tale of two bills and a divided GOP

The House and Senate have passed sharply different versions of immigration legislation. The two bills are drawing sharp contrasts not only between the houses of Congress, but also between moderate and conservative Republicans.

In this midterm election year, President Bush is trying to bridge a gap between the two bills--and two factions of his party--by pressing for legislation that provides a chance at citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants already in the country.

For many members of Congress wrapped up in election year politics, immigration reform can be an issue that is simple or complex, given a member's point of view.

It seems that Congress has gotten the cart before the horse when dealing with immigration legislation. It is understood this is an election year and immigration is a hot-button issue. So everyone, including the president, has been rushing to discuss "immigration reform." And, everyone has a different plan.

It seems that much of the debate is over the millions of immigrants who are already in the U.S. illegally. The problem is, granting amnesty or not, should be one of the last steps in immigration reform.

The key argument on Capitol Hill and in the streets of immigrant-rich towns is that immigration is needed because there is a shortage of low-cost labor for agriculture and other industries. With the low prices for agricultural goods, today's farmers, dairymen, feedlot operators and the like are forced to cut costs where they can--even if it means tip-toeing on the wrong side of immigration laws.

One High Plains farmer, who spoke on condition of confidentiality, said he really hasn't asked if his immigrant workers have papers, he was just grateful that they were willing to work on his small family farm.

Due to confusing immigration laws, a backlog of petitions, and an increasing number of foreign nationals who want to have the American dream, the legal immigration process can take years, even decades.

And, for some immigrants, that's time they can't afford to spend waiting in their home countries for legalities.

Had it not been for immigration, the U.S. would not be here. It is a country of ambitious people who sought opportunity and freedom from oppression.

For most, the image of immigration at the beginning of the 20th century is one of Ellis Island and steamships full of European passengers. Beginning in 1892 and until 1954, approximately 12 million immigrants entered the U.S. through the port of New York.

Demographics play a role in the immigrant workforce issue, particularly in the meat packing industry. The top meat packing states are Kansas, Nebraska, and Texas. Most of the plants are located in areas with declining populations. Hog processing facilities follow the same pattern. In general, processing plants are located close to where animals are raised and fed, which is usually in agricultural belts and rural areas of given states.

A lawn care business owner made a call to the talk show on AM radio. "I know some of my workers are illegal, but they gave me the correct documents. What can I do?"

While that attitude seems a little like passing the buck, his argument does hold some water.

With illegal immigration at unprecedented levels, employers often have a bullseye painted on their back.

Today's agricultural processing sector is largely dependent upon immigrant labor. Many farm communities depend on immigrant workers, and immigrant workers depend on farm communities.

Here I sit in Dodge City, Kan. Down the street are two meat processing plants, employing thousands of immigrant workers. Their influence is everywhere. I cannot read most of the signs on the storefronts in downtown anymore because I cannot read Spanish very well. My friends who are teachers struggle to teach a classroom of mainly Spanish-speaking children. My friends who are medical professionals see a strain on the health care system.

	Web hpj.com

Copyright/Privacy
Copyright 1995-2011.  High Plains Publishers, Inc.  All rights reserved.  Any republishing of these pages, including electronic reproduction of the editorial archives or classified advertising, is strictly prohibited. If you have questions or comments you can reach us at High Plains Journal 1500 E. Wyatt Earp Blvd., P.O. Box 760, Dodge City, KS 67801 or call 1-800-452-7171. Email: webmaster@hpj.com