Pick Your Poison, Deficit Cutters: Why Congress’ and Alabama’s Anti-Immigrant Laws Fail!

Some may applaud what Alabama has done. Such efforts have yet to discourage undocumented or visa overstays, who want to lawfully immigrate.  The laws contradict U. S. Supreme Court decisions, but this did not stop Alabama or the U. S. Congress. Now, Alabama chose to create laws that mimic Federal Laws passed in 1996. Many of those laws will not be enforced, as well. Why? Well, Americans hate an uncontrolled immigration system, but have yet to impose a system will work.

There are many reasons for failure. Many who come to the U.S. are more interested in making a living, not a green card. They are less interested in educating their children, as well. Education is a fringe benefit. If a child is denied an education, then that child will still stay with mom or dad in the U.S. However, that child will only know the U.S., likely stay, and remain illiterate. Those who are thereby ignorant cannot appreciate the law. In addition, these kids add to the pool of the desperately poor along with the truants that law enforcement must chase after. This costs Our Nation more money.

Such anti-immigration programs, if ever enforced, fuel the public deficits that such ambition creates. It should be obvious that most Americans refuse to pay higher taxes to fund anything. It should be equally important to avoid diverting funds from other more important programs simply to chase a few foreign born children out of Suburban Alabama public Grammar Schools.

All these programs do is to defeat our sense of equality. We too often place those who persist upon living among us much lower on the totem pole of respect. Congress has yet to figure out how to enforce our current Federal immigration laws. It will never reasonably fund I.C.E., nor will the States fund police.  All we do is create red tape that deters and disenfranchises, but simultaneously drives up the cost to administrate over Our Nation.

Ultimately, Alabama and the Nation have other priorities. The cost to enforce current immigration laws raises the Federal Deficit to new heights. The U. S. always has the will to errect red tape, but lacks the taxes or will to do enough.  The result is that America now possesses an inequitable and morally bankrupt immigration system.

In criminal law, police are often barred after a number of years from arresting people who offend. Yet, there is no statute of limitations for civil immigration violations. Intending immigrants have lived in the U. S. for three decades, perhaps five. Yet, many continue to await arrest or unenforced deportation orders.  Fear of deportation, or its consequences, disappears after years standing still.

Some have had no experience with immigration enforcement in spite of decades of both lawful and unlawful presence. Phone calls to ICE prove futile; there are just too many and too few officers. Too many return and remain with utter contempt for deportation orders.  The results are disgusting. Many who practice immigration and visa law have seen their incomes drop to outrageously low levels of net income. This challenges our desire to persist, but for the desire to do justice for those few who can qualify.

Too many who qualify mess up in the confusing immigration maze!  A few abuse the desperate undocumented with false promises that the current laws always help those who enter without inspection.  The news announces a false amnesty, which usually spurns thousands of deportation orders.

Much that most lawyers can do is encourage the undocumented to persistently rally, support pro-immigration candidates, wait for justice, or simply depart.  Most of the undocumented are burned out. They do nothing other than continue to work. Yes, minimum wage jobs are in the U. S., but too many U. S. Citizens refuse to apply for them! This is unfortunate since many of those jobs eventually lead to management positions that need bilingual managers.

Ronald Reagan recognized the mess. He was not the only standing president to create a program that helped immigration law enforcement. It was a legalization, not an amnesty!  Now, after more than two decades, we have amassed a vast population of undocumented and unlawful immigrants. Congress is afraid to admit it.  I got old news for some; these folks are not leaving.  They experience more abuse in their home countries.  Is that what America wants to do to its people?

No standing Republican, nor Democratic President, nor Congress, since 1986 was successful at getting a vast majority of the undocumented to leave.  Even the Legalization program, and Registry, which were far from pure amnesties encouraged most disqualified to leave.  The situation persists. One law after another continues to be heaped upon the Immigration and Nationality Act. Frankly, the laws hurt our economy. Well meaning legal professionals, who practice immigration laws cannot help the vast majority who come to our offices.  Those who claim to do so too often cause more disappointment.

Many of us know that U. S. Immigration laws are extremely restrictive.  Those of us who live in major metropolitan cities witness the consequences. We see fewer willing to act as witnesses to crime. Also, minimal efforts to enforce the I-9 forms. Even e-Verify will likely receive the same fate.  Too many employers just don’t care, because that is how things are run and want to live in the suburbs. These businesses take risks, because these white collar crimes are too rarely prosecuted.

Many U. S. Citizens in major U.S. Cities are more often shocked that their fiance or spouse cannot lawfully immigrate. This is too often true even if their loved ones leave the U. S. for consular processing. The ten year ban too often ends those thoughts.  So called pardons, even those with merit are being turned down at record pace! Waiver appeals at the AAO can take three years for a decision.

Does it serve Alabama’s sense of equality and justice to create secondary class residents, who will remain in the U.S.? Does Alabama, too, deceive itself by doing the same thing that Congressman LaMar Smith, among others, did in Congress during 1996? Should we pretend that civil immigration violators will remain outside the U.S. even after deported? Don’t we create more criminals by enacting more restrictive deportation and immigration laws? Can we really build a wall high enough? Can we create a system that can thwart human ingenuity and its need for human rights? I’m afraid that it just isn’t part of God’s plan!

It is always wise to improve border relations. It may make sense to re-evaluate the laws that create economic disparity and poverty. Our ability to encourage Mexican Citizens to economically thrive in Mexico is only offset by Our own envy and greed. Do we hurt ourselves, when we discourage emigration by encouraging an economically and morally bankrupt Mexico? Perhaps, Mexico, too, needs to reform its Own immigration laws!

The U.S. creates laws that we should know some Americans, Canadians and Mexicans will abuse. We keep ignoring it! If the demand for substances like cocaine, heroin and marijuana rise, then the desire to deliver a highly profitable product rises due to free market factors. If we can devaluate the value of these drugs, then America better deters drug abuse and best controls the situation. The same goes for more challenges in smuggling; the cost goes up, but the problem persists.  The U. S. cannot focus law enforcement on more serious and offensive white collar crimes without a fiscal reckoning on Our immigration and substance laws.

Alabama, like the U. S., seems more inclined to drive up its deficits, or pretend that the challenge is solved. Simply enacting a few anti-immigrant laws does little to control unlawful immigration. Unfortunately, those who practice immigration and visa laws know. Those proclamations do little to rise to the challenge. Such laws are paper tigers meant to look fierce, yet create disparity, disenfranchisement, and disrespect for a population that is in need of our attention and concern.

Alabama, like the U. S., cannot promote life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness if it is ripping out the roots out of Our Nation.  Congress passed a few laws too quickly and without careful contemplation.  Now, Alabama, Arizona and others do the same.

You know, Ronald Reagan, had it right, but had it wrong, as well. He supervised a compromise in the Simpson-Mazzola Act. He temporarily cut the red tape, but in exchange resurrected a system of immigration red tape that now create more frustration, ridicule and harm than good.

If Alabama and the U.S. Congress refuse to appreciate the rising deficit, yet won’t cut the anti-immigration red tape, then Obama’s overtures towards supporting the Reagan Revolution appear futile.  Yet, just when we thought that conservatives were sincere, they create even more red tape that costs tax payers even more, when their State’s deficits don’t deserve the pressure.  Pick your poison, Alabama, your sweet home has gone sour.