IMMIGRATION

The flood of undocumented workers into the US seeking jobs is, at its root an economic problem that requires an economic solution which must come from the US Congress. It is easy to say that, if the jobs did not exist, the immigrants would stop coming, but the reality is that the jobs do exist. More jobs exist than the approximately one million legal immigrants a year plus the US workers can or will fill. The dairies, restaurants, hotels, construction businesses, etc. play a major role in the economy of House District 59, and all of these need laborers. These important players in the economy must be guaranteed an adequate supply of workers, but that is the responsibility of the national Congress and not the state legislature. The college prep education system that has been forced on the public school is preventing the schools from training potential employees for many of the jobs that are begging to be filled. The legislature can and must revamp the education system so the employers can find the employees that they need.

We frequently hear about illegal immigrants but we seldom hear about illegal business owners who employ them. Both groups are breaking the law. The legislature did pass a law that punishes anyone who is found to be employing undocumented workers by taking away tax breaks. The problem on the state level, as on the national level, is a serious shortage of personnel to enforce the laws. It has been reported that until recently the US government only employed 195 enforcement officials for the entire nation. Law breakers should be punished, but no matter how many officials are hired, unless the enforcement is fair and not controlled by politics, the enforcement will be ineffective.

The national leadership has proposed building a fence along the border. Instead of wasting precious tax dollars building a fence that will harm the border area economy, will disrupt movement of wildlife such as the bear population in Big Bend National Park, and will probably threaten some endangered species which will result in wasting time and money in courts, more enforcement agents could be employed. More agents could tighten the border security and reduce illegal entry. Building the fence and hiring enforcement agents is the duty of the National government not the state.

Terrorism is a real concern in today’s world and should be considered by officials in making all decisions. Evidently terrorism was not considered when the legislature approved the Trans Texas Corridor which places the rail lines, utility corridors, and highways in a concentrated area. One attack on the TTC has the potential of closing down the super toll way and of doing serious harm to the nation’s economy. The proposed idea that Mexican trucks and Mexican trains will be able to enter the state unchecked from the point of origin in Mexico is disturbing because it could enable terrorists to enter the country with little chance of being caught. The TTC must be stopped.

Not all immigrants are illegal, and not all illegal immigrants come from Mexico. Illegal immigration is a serious problem that the national government has allowed to fester for way too long, making a quick fix impossible.