Immigration Policy Rests with Government, Not with Businesses
May 1, 2006
I congratulate President Bush’s steadfastness for supporting an immigration agreement that provides the U.S. border with more security, an overhaul of the inefficient immigration application system, and his unwavering support for a work visa program for immigrants to have the opportunity to participate in the U.S. economy.
Today, millions of immigrants will walk out from the shadows and into the limelight. They have been working day and night – yes, an increasing majority work illegally. Many have used fraudulent social security numbers to secure employment and have had income and social security taxes withheld from paychecks. Yes, some workers are illegally using someone else’s social security number to pay taxes.
In fact, over 12 million immigrants work and live on the border of illegality and the U.S. economy suffers from their unauthorized status participation. Without a proper identity, local schools and hospitals are overburden with unexpected arrivals and uninsured individuals.
Last month’s crackdown on wooden pallet maker IFCO Systems for illegally hiring undocumented workers signals an end to business models which employ illegal labor. Businesses that encourage people to work illegally should be penalized and management held accountable.
Businesses that bypass laws to employ illegal immigrants are not helping America and they are not helping immigrants. Remaining undocumented prohibits a worker from fully enjoying future opportunities from his or her previous labor in the United States. So the perceived crackdown indicates that the government is prepared to implement a system where the employer and employee mutually benefit.
In other words, the government’s primary roles to a successful immigration system are providing the necessary legal documents in a timely fashion to eligible individuals and enforcing immigration laws. However, the government is not in the match-making business of pairing a willing employer with a willing worker.
Most employment decisions are made on an individual basis, not at a government level. So judiciously issuing readily verifiable legal documents releases the government from the match-making business and into making immigration policy.
These legal work visas are quickly verified by businesses in a credit card processing manner. Determining valid visas from expired or fraudulent ones is known within minutes. Furthermore, the government can investigate if an expired or fraudulent document remains in circulation. For example, before the federal raid on IFCO, the company was notified 13 times that more than half its workers had faulty social security numbers.
Having a visa and a corresponding social security number complies with government immigration policy and improves the worker eligibility pool. The government should focus on issuing work visas and not administering an independent guest-worker program. Meanwhile, those without visas will be discouraged and clearly ineligible from working in the United States. Without a job and an identity, it is almost impossible to work and live in America. Then for those employers who continue to hire non-visa workers, like IFCO, businesses will face the federal authorities for non-compliance.
Still ahead is a bureaucratic nightmare of documenting millions of immigrants who have been living in the shadows of success. The price to stay is no amnesty program. Workers will have to wait in a line with over 15 million immigration applicants. Workers must have documents indicating their legal status in the United States. Must pay back taxes, if they can’t determine they have already paid. Must learn English. Must have a clean criminal record.
This is on a case by case basis and should be labeled the UNO visa program for the importance of individual responsibility. There will be similarities among immigrants but having the opportunity to remain legally in the United States is now one’s individual responsibility for securing justice and freedom. By participating in the UNO visa immigration system, naturalization is now much more achievable and remains the responsibility of the individual to fulfill all the requirements.
With a UNO visa card program—probably serving several million hardworking individuals—businesses will seek to employ, insure, and offer incentives to this highly productive group of workers. These legal immigrants will gain workers' rights and their local communities will benefit as well as the economy from their recognized labor.
As we see today, as a group, immigrants are stronger by announcing their common individual experiences. Americans do understand their plight and hardworking dedication. Yet, understandably, the U.S. government encourages people to work and live legally in the United States.
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Source: www.usmex-unopact.com
