The immigration agenda hasn’t been a priority for an endless number of developed countries. The United States of America seems to not be the exception to the rule. There’s no doubt that the arrival of the newcomers, mainly in the beginning of the 20th century and post 1965 has drawn the demographical map the United States is today. The new settlers have been the source of the economic, social and political growth of a nation that has been receiving them since colonial times. It has been the subject of discussion in each political platform, a subtle lure any candidate running for the White House will resort in order to collect votes. Nonetheless, failure to properly address this issue throughout decades or even centuries has led the nation into turmoil.
As of July 29th, SB 1070 will take effect. This is a law signed by the Arizona governor that, according to Human Rights and Latino organizations, will lead to racial profiling and the harassment of authorized visitors, immigrants or citizens who don’t carry the proper documentation. The local authorities will enforce it whenever they have enough evidence or suspicion that a person is in the country illegally; causing friction between the state and the federal government since it’s the latter’s job to regulate such matters.
Now, the attacks the Arizona government is facing go beyond this dispute between federal laws and state laws. The problem is rooted in the illegal immigration the Grand Canyon State cannot control. Should the current Arizona authorities stand still and wait for a solution that will probably take longer than expected? Are all aliens illegal? The answer seems to be: No. The state of Arizona has taking matters to the next level due to a lack of a way out to the problem. The alarming factor seems to be two-sided. Other states are willing to implement the same law; and a considerable amount of people, who have applied for their working visas or residencies, are still waiting for answers the government won’t provide. Some of those waiting lists can be traced back to 1994.
On the other hand, those living outside the law are not the only ones to blame for breaking it. One can get a social security number for a few dollars that opens doors in the labor market that would be otherwise closed. Construction and landscaping companies find in these outlaws a lower cost labor promoting and encouraging these practices. Employers who unlawfully hire illegal immigrants should be penalized and fined. This would discourage those looking for a job without the proper documentation and bosses from hiring them. Although people wouldn’t migrate if they didn’t have to, searching for new horizons means a better life for them and in most cases for the ones left behind.
However, there seems to be a bigger issue. The US-Mexican border is being threatened by a war carried on by drug cartels, kidnappers, trafficing of children and murders. A national ID carried by every citizen will probably cool things down; also bringing a sense of safety and security. Is this discriminatory? Absolutely not. Any person will have to show it upon request. Argentina, for example, has its own National Identity Document (DNI). “It is a small book, about half the size of a passport, and includes vital information about your identity, including a unique number that identifies you. This DNI number is the rough equivalent of the social security number in the United States”(*). These changes in homeland security policies will bring an obvious increase in state budget, but the addition of human resources and technology are imperative for the implementation of the law. It should be seen as an investment rather than an expense. Will SB 1070 be effective? That will be something we will have to wait for. In the mean time, few won’t deny that the American dream has rules that apparently no one is ready or willing to follow yet.
(*) ARCA
Argentina Residency & Citizenship Advisors
July 21, 2010
http://www.argentinaresidency.com/faqs/about-argentina-information.htm
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