Fairness and the Immigration Game

^{First, when we attend to the real problems of immigration in the US (especially of Latin Americans from south of the US border), and we choose to use the term "undocumented immigrants," we succeed in placing the current waves in the same category of some 25 millions who arrived in America after 1840. Simply put, most white or Caucasian immigrants to the US arrived as undocumented immigratnts as well. In other words, whether after 1840 or soon after the founding of Jamestown (1607) and Plymouth (1620) people from Europe arrived in America without proper documents and identification. Many did not or could not afford to pay for their passages. Neither did the leaders provide passports, or work permits to the owners of the soil in Virginia and Massachusetts. Moreover, when cities like New York, Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Louis saw Catholics and Southern Europeans outnumber Anglo-Saxons in the 1850s, there was much of the anti-immigrant and prejudicial commentary against "aliens" that we have among us now. (The US population exploded from slightly more than 12 million in 1830 to 31 million in 1860). By the First World War it was easy to execute and deport immigrants labelled as radicals and anarchists.}

^{Second, in the first century of US history as parts of European colonies, most of the "immigrants" were both undocumented and indentured servants. This means that most of today's opponents of immigration are descendants of those who could not afford to pay for passges to America. In similar (but not identical ways to today's undocumented arrivals) European immigrants signed their labor over to employers for a certain number of years in the hope of becoming full citizens (of each of the states, as there was no federal policy on immigration for centuries). So it may be argued that those who do jobs that other Americans are supposedly unwilling to do, are in a similar boat to the indentured servants and tobacco brides who arrived by the shiploads every month since 1607.}

^{Third, most countries of the world have a problem today of peoples arriving in their countries without invitation. Would it surprise you to learn that little Lesotho and Zambia and the former Zaire receive refugees and would-be immigrants -- whites from South Africa and Zimbabwe, browns from the middle east, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, and refugees from other African countries? Australia, Spain and Israel have been in recent headlines for returning arrivals from Africa and elsewhere. But what are the policies generally of these non-American countries? We could adopt some of their approaches in place of our highly localized and politicized local policies and criminalizing of them at the federal level.}

^{Most countries who have undocumented and unsolicited arrivals in their midst generally allow them to become residents if they have been gainfully employed for 5-10 years. That is so fair and common sense, but our obsession with work permits and business for recruitment companies and immigration attorneys prevents us from seeing the trees for the forest. A work permit approach to immigration is a seedbed of corruption, bribery and abuse. The big companies can bring in any nuiumber of workers they want because they have access to the levers of government, and recruitment companies. Also, other Americans can abuse the system: I know that foreigners who claim to be religious workers can obtain a green card in two years! All they need is for a church, and any other 501 (3) c designated religious group to "sponsor" the would-be immigrant. I know of a Hindu priest or "pundit" in New England who "sold" these options to many Caribbean immigrants for "contributions" of several thousand dollars apiece (or indentured servitude as of old). I reported to one of the federal agents (Mr. Scott F), and he made some enquiries but no arrests have been made, as far as I know. Of course, if the group I reported had been Muslim, arrests would have been made as well as big news! But that is a factor of changing politics...today's unwelcome immigrants may be tomorrow's notorious favorites (bad and good!) if their governments are...}

^{I think, therefore, it is more just, fair and historically consistent to allow people to obtain jobs in this country and if they remain gainfully employed for 5-10 years, they ought to be able to apply for citizenship. This is how white immigrants have obtained new lives, plus second and third chances away from Europe old and new. I do not suggest criminals be given these same opportunities. After all Thomas Paine was barely a year in this country (without a visa or work permit) when he helped the revolution with his Common Sense (1776), a publication which condemned the ownership and rule over America (a continent) by an island (and degenerate families who called themselves Royal Majesties). The great federalist, aide-de-camp and "son" of George Washington was an undocumented immigrant (born in the West Indies) but he helped take away rights from the states to create a strong Federal Government -- Alexander Hamilton!}

^{That is a better option for the USA than to shamelessly avoid discussing how Cubans who arrive and become legitimate immediately while similar boatlaods from Haiti or South America are called "illegal aliens.". Thus our turning a blind eye to the million or two arrivals from Ireland in the 1990s and soon after, undocumented arrivals from Russia, but an angry eye and vengeful attitude to "lawbreakers" from other parts of the globe. After all, how sad that to WORK, to labor anywhere for a day's bread, is criminalised while rich bankers and politicians are granted amnesty and pardons almost daily. Shalom and peace, joy and success to all.}