We all are familiar with the debates surrounding illegal immigration: absolute versus flexible laws; amnesty versus deportation or earned citizenship; closed versus open borders; entitlement dependency versus work no one else will do.
We also know the debates over the causation of this perfect storm that has resulted in 12 to 15 million illegal aliens residing in the United States. Was it the Right’s desire for cheap labor or the Left’s wish for more constituents, or both?
Was it abetted by the middle-class habit of wanting inexpensive nannies, housekeepers, and gardeners, and facilitated by the professional Latino elite’s dream of remaking American demography, with the ensuing careerist windfalls?
Advertisement
Of course, there was a desperate Mexico’s tripartite aim of obtaining billions in remittances, exporting what it apparently considers a bothersome poor, and winning a loyal expatriate population that seems to like Mexico all the more the farther it is distant.
The sloganeering and mytho-history were necessary relish: Illegal aliens only do the work others won’t do; the borders crossed indigenous peoples rather than they the borders; aliens are instead “undocumented workers,” who all work and who forgot their documentation at the border; America’s own poor are not hurt by the driving down of wages.
But lost in all of this talk is the real mystery at hand. The United States — ad hoc, often nonchalantly, without much debate or discussion — is currently engaged in one of the largest, most ambitious attempts at foreign aid and nation building in its history, one far more costly and daring that what is going on in either Afghanistan or Iraq. That such a project is not legal, much less approved by our lawmakers, and is funded largely by local and state governments, does not mean that it is not a project nonetheless.
Quite simply, America in almost instantaneous fashion has chosen to take in millions of the poorest citizens of one of the poorer nations in the world in an attempt to transmogrify them into middle-class suburbanites within a generation. That may not be the explicit description of our undertaking, but it surely is one arrived at empirically. And it is a multifaceted political, economic, cultural, and social effort that involves tens of millions of Americans at all levels of society and is proving to be the near salvation of Mexico.
Under the old protocols of legal immigration, we assumed that the world’s poor arrived here, struggled, learned English, assimilated, instructed their children in the exceptionalism of America, and achieved parity — but often not until the third generation. All that — both the methodology and the results — is obsolete today. In short, those who lived in near-18th-century poverty in Oaxaca can become statistical proof of America’s supposed racism and oppression in a nanosecond by simply crossing the border illegally. That they were poor and ignored in Mexico is considered almost natural; that they are still poorer than others after coming a foot north of the border and spending a second on U.S. soil becomes proof of the failure of America itself.
Take away illegal immigration, and in terms of assimilation, intermarriage, integration, income, and general well-being, the so-called Latino population is not all that much out of sync with the rest of America. Factor in millions of Mexican nationals, and we apparently have a massive problem that calls for Manhattan Project–like remedies, with all of the interested parties predictably participating.
Almost all university race-based research — and it is considerable — seeks to discover disparities in longevity, health, housing, and general quality of life, and it finds them, those responsible for them, and the government programs needed to address them. Such studies make no distinction in legal status. A recently arrived Mexican national from Jalisco who delivers a baby without much prenatal care is just as much proof of America’s “broken” health-care system as if she were an American citizen without health insurance. The failure to reach utopian results is as widely lamented as the near impossibility of the task of such massive assimilation is neglected.
Regression analysis - seeing how "dots" are actually "connected" - couldn't be made any easier than by reading the formulations and justifications of those writing and effecting politically the marching orders so many but those faithful to our whig Founders seem not to have the minds to "understand."
Amazon:Customer reviews:National Pastoral Plan for Hispanic Ministry (Publication / Office of Publishing and Promotion Services, United States Catholic Conference, No. 199-7)
I think the reason why much Third World immigrants do not mention America's virtues is actually quite simple: because they don't believe in them.
America is like a garden of plenty, but one that Blind Cold Fortune has placed in the property of the City Bully.
So sneak across the fence, stuff your face with apples and honey, even squat on the premises with your extended family, but God forbid you say anything nice about the owner. Actually, the more you can get away with, even defacing, changing and raping the property, the better for you: stick it to the man!
If you look at what other immigrant groups are doing (Muslims come to mind), you see this mentality to a T. Come to America because you like the plenty of its "garden," but despise, vilify and try to change the "owner," since it's only unfair luck (or worse) that has made him master of this land.
Meanwhile, the "owner" is celebrating diversity and patting himself on the back for his own magnanimity.
Two questions and quick anecdote:
(1) Can we tax remittances? If no, why not? A nominal sales tax on international remittances would be a great way to fund a fence.
(2) When is Nicky Diaz going to be deported? The proud illegal that sought to bring down Meg Whitman ought to already be back in Mexico. Why does Holder et al have time to target a state that seeks to enforce the law but can't process an individual that flaunts the law loud and proud?
As an aside, a large mill in my town hired a consultant to audit hiring practices and avoid abetting illegals working with fake ids. The consultant created a program to explain the law to all employees and then management would meet with each individual to verify that names, ss#, etc were all authentic.
When the boss would meet with Mr. X and ask him to verify his info, many of these men lowered their eyes, apologized for lying and thanked the employer for the opportunity to work there. Many of these illegals ARE good people here for financial reasons. But the fact that Mexican is a TERRIBLE place doesn't mean the US must be the pressure valve for that country. Closer the border and let's figure out how to manage our domestic labor supply and demand issues.
As a son of immigrants, I feel a bit churlish when I say: control our borders. Just a bit, mind you.
Back in the early 1900s, my Dad worked hard, very hard, at jobs that the Yankees (in Boston) wouldn't touch. My parents assimilated, quickly.
More to the point, they, never, ever stopped being grateful for being in America, as against back in Europe.
I'm very much in favor of legal immigration, in limited numbers, and restricted to those who can pay their own way or who have particular skills that are needed, with exceptions always made for true victims of oppression.
Otherwise, close and seal our borders, letting in only those we agree ought to come.
Since the Mexican government owns the oil industry, (i.e. the means of production), should not Mexico be a glorious workers paradise just as is Venezuela?
I feel that we Americans no longer have any control of our own country's future. We have no control over whether our neighbors, and our children's or grandchildren's future schoolmates, will be from anything approaching our own cultural, educational or social milieu. We have no idea if our own culture or uniqueness as a people will continue in a generation or two. Where I live in the New York metro area, I am so overwhelmed by Spanish language TV, radio, bus signs, street advertisements and airport announcements that I feel like an exile in my own homeland.
Nobody asked whether any citizen of this country wanted this; nobody asks where it's headed; nobody asks if it's for the better, or worse. But it's astounding, and profoundly sad.
I met an employee of the Mexican consulate in New York at a party a few months back. He said there were over 1 million Mexican citizens illegally in New York, and most of his work consisted of advising them how to avoid being deported.
I asked him what he felt about violating the laws of another country, and he was aghast: "It is their human right to be here, and I am helping that."
Meanwhile, my wife, in getting a tourist visa to visit the US from Asia before we married, had to spend hundreds of dollars and weeks compiling paperwork to meet the burden the US places on (non-Hispanic) foreigners to prove they are not an "immigration risk" before visiting. After we were married, we had to wait two years before she could get a green card and work -- this is for someone with a degree from a top UK university.
As an American, I not only wonder what is happening to our country's culture but have lost all faith in the government's ability to uphold the Rule of Law in a race-neutral way, which in a country founded not upon nationalist principles is really all we have holding us together.
I am seriously considering moving to the UK, Canada or Australia, where I feel a higher standard of living is much more likely 50 years hence.
We must quit running our country by political correctness and return to the rule of law. No sanctuary cities, ENFORCE the laws against ILLEGAL immigration! Use E-verify! There must be JUSTICE again in our nation! End special rights for a few based on race! My God ILLEGAL aliens are treated better than legal immigrants and citizens! That is wrong and just plain EVIL!
To some extent, I can't help but see the similarities between the immigrants and expatriate New Yorkers and Californians. All leave their beloved homeland to live among the uncouth bigots. All never stop expounding on the wonders of their homeland and the horrible nature of their current environs. All, for some reason, won't go back to their garden of eden.
As I observe the immigration debate and the related subject of the decline of our culture there is one thing that frequently comes to my mind.
Very simply, the cultures that are pressing on us have significantly higher birth rates than we do. For whatever reason, Americans and Western Europeans have decided not to have children in significant numbers. Among some people this is considered wise and virtuous frequently for environmental reasons. With others career and general life makes it difficult or inconvenient. Some seem to plan on having children later, but later does not come. Still others feel that by having fewer children, you can concentrate greater attention and resources on each one.
Regardless of the reason, it only seems logical to me that no matter what methods we use to control our borders, protect our institutions and values or protect our wallets, they are unlikely to succeed long term with the current low birth rates. The pressure coming from societies with higher birth rates looks overwhelming to me.
There is an unreported malady permeating American upper and upper middle class citizens today (sprung, I'm afraid from their greater "education" at universities where this malady was hatched in the laboratory of academic debate and unfortunately escaped and spread like a deadly virus to all branches of the education industry and then into the real world) and its name, also known to psychologists, is self-loathing. Many have been taught selectively about America's (and usually by extension Great Britain's) past transgressions without gaining knowledge about other nations' generally far worse transgressions and more importantly without learning classical norms of critical thinking and value judgments based on wide ranging knowledge of man's past. Thus, the readiness to accept the post-modern Left's narrative about racism, illegal aliens, moral equivalency, and the rest.
This country is doomed becasue the PC sickness is rooted in all fibre of this great society. People infected with PC sickness would die with gladness and feeling righteous while pulling you down with them.
Tell me: why should illegal immigrants act any differently than so much of the American public - starting with our President, and most of his administration - who live better and longer than just about every other member of the human race by virtue of the products and services provided by business, all the while castigating and demonizing businessmen and -women?
We can never be defined as a "nation of laws" as long as one illegal alien is allowed to stay here. Americans are without jobs because this, and past, administrations have encouraged the invasion across our southern border for votes and cheap labor. How sad to see our government sell us out for those who laugh at our laws.
I disagree with Prof. Hanson's characterizations in the first paragraph. He claims that Conservatives want cheap labor? Let's try Republicans instead. You can simply peruse the comments on NRO and other websites to understand the glaring difference between the two. Sometimes, for all his brilliance and erudition, Prof. Hanson doesn't seem to grasp that.
Also, Conservatives have sensitive antennae for the inevitable lies and deceit the Left engages in, as a further revulsion to open borders. All the caterwauling about the DREAM act by Reid as "punishing the children for the sins of the parents." Just who will the children seek to bring into legal status in this country, once they themselves become citizens? Why, their "victimizers", of course.
THE SINGLE BEST article on illegal immigration I've read, and I have read hundreds. What a brilliant way of framing the questions.
Mr. Hanson has been on overdrive - has anyone else noticed? In addition to his books, he is cranking out top-flight articles on a wide variety of subjects at breakneck pace.
My guess is that he loves this country deeply, and believes that if there is a time to go all out, this is it. God bless him and keep him safe in little Zimbabwe.
Framing crews building houses were making 20 to 30 dollars an hour, roofers were doing very well installing shingles at a rate per square, and Sheetrock was a profitable business. Now we have Mexicans doing the framing for $10 an hour, and roofers work for the contractor by the hour. Sheetrock is installed by them as well. Foreman jobs advertised require fluent Spanish to get the job. This is America, I refuse to do business with a company that requires me to push 1 for English. The illegals are not doing jobs we won't do, they are doing jobs at rates we will not work for.
You should have asked your consulate the most important question of all: Whose country do you think you are in?
I can tell you what he would have said.
"It is ours - Mexico's. Everything you gringo's have is ours. You stole it from us. We are poor because you came here is thieves from a continent of thieves who has stolen everything they have ever had".
"We are coming here to take back what is ours - along with every last cent you have taken, to make you serve to pay us back as punishment for you theft, and one day to throw you out of our land. We understand this is a war a long war which you are too weak and stupid to fight - you can't even make enough babies to compete. You are weak and stupid and that is why we have already won".
Most of the American working class understand this disconnect between our leadership and what the people want.
Both political parties have conspired to destroy the middle class. We need to replace them with members of the working class who have suffered the impact of their legislative transgressions. This new leadership must demonstrate they understand economics and appropriate incentives to bring back business and jobs and stimulate economic growth. I suggest exiling their predecessors.
