While visiting Mexico, Barack Obama mentioned immigration reform.  He hopes to see legislation drafted this year, but doesn't expect to see it addressed until 2010.  The President wants to be sure health care and immigration reform are not competing for attention, so that they don't  "...just crash at the same time."  

     What can we expect from an Obama-backed immigration reform bill?  It's hard to know for sure, but a quick look at BarackObama.com offers some guidance as to what comprehensive immigration reform would look like.  Here are 5 points from the site:


Create Secure Borders
Obama and Biden want to preserve the integrity of our borders. He supports additional personnel, infrastructure and technology on the border and at our ports of entry.

Improve Our Immigration System
Obama and Biden believe we must fix the dysfunctional immigration bureaucracy and increase the number of legal immigrants to keep families together and meet the demand for jobs that employers cannot fill.

Remove Incentives to Enter Illegally
Obama and Biden will remove incentives to enter the country illegally by cracking down on employers who hire undocumented immigrants.

Bring People Out of the Shadows
Obama and Biden support a system that allows undocumented immigrants who are in good standing to pay a fine, learn English, and go to the back of the line for the opportunity to become citizens.

Work with Mexico
Obama and Biden believe we need to do more to promote economic development in Mexico to decrease illegal immigration. 



     Creating secure borders is one of the most important aspects of immigration reform.  The big question is this: How serious is Barack Obama about border security?  I fear he isn't serious at all.  Sure, we might see some extra personnel on patrol, but will it be enough to make a real difference?

     The second point refers generically to improving our immigration system.  That sounds great at first, but what does it mean?  To Barack Obama, it means fixing the "dysfunctional immigration bureaucracy," increasing the number of illegal immigrants, keeping families together, and providing cheap labor for American businesses.  First, we need to define what aspects of the immigration bureaucracy are "dysfunctional."  Is it dysfunctional because some illegal aliens feel stressed by what little enforcement actually exists?  Next, we have the possibility of bringing more legal immigrants to the United States.  This could be a great idea when the economy is strong, but certainly not now.  With an unemployment rate approaching 10%, do we really want to import more workers than the economy can support?  Also, changes in immigration policy should favor immigrants with skills that are needed (such as nurses).  Our economic well-being is more important that family reunification.

     Barack Obama has mentioned cracking down on employers.  This is an excellent idea.  E-verify needs to be instituted nationally, and those who hire illegal immigrants need to face substantial punishment, including fines and jail time.  Once a few business owners are pictured in handcuffs on the front page of the newspaper, fewer business people will be willing to take the same risk.  If you can reduce the number of jobs, you will probably reduce the number of illegal aliens, while assuring that their are more positions available for American citizens and legal residents.

     Barack Obama''s next step involves "bringing people out of the shadows."  Can you say amnesty?  That's what it looks like to me.  Here's what I don't understand: If illegal aliens are poor, then how will they afford to pay fines and take English classes?  Also, where will the "back of the line" start?  Will it be in their home country, or on American soil?  If it's the latter, then they will technically be here legally...recipients of amnesty.

     Finally, we have Barack Obama's promise  "to promote economic development" in Mexico.  How would this be done, and how much would it cost?  More importantly, what about illegal aliens from other countries?  Will the U.S. just throw more money at the countries who have the most citizens violating our laws?  That's the way it appears.

     There are certainly many potential problems with Barack Obama's immigration plan.  We definitely need to take tough action on businesses who employ illegal aliens.  We also need to assure that the level of legal immigration is some how linked to the nation's unemployment rate, while ensuring that those who possess needed skills are given an advantage over those who don't possess skills that are in demand.  We need an immigration policy which focuses on enhancing the nation's economy, not family reunification.  Finally, we must be sure to deport those who are here illegally, not just release them unsupervised with a meaningless deportation order.

     Once the immigration reform bill is drafted, I suspect the public debate to be as heated as the health care debate.  My only fear is that those who support effective immigration reform will be silenced by supporters of illegal aliens, who enjoy twisting the truth to fit their agenda.  Those who support amnesty for the law-breakers will conveniently drop the word "illegal" when mentioning those who want effective immigration reform, making it seem as though we are opposed to immigrants, when in fact, our focus is on illegal immigrants.  It's a common tactic that I expect to see used frequently.  Silence the opposition by threatening to call them racists.  It's not true, and it isn't the right thing to do, but when has that ever mattered?