Immigration Rally & Debate

I took a stroll through the immigration rally here in Milwaukee yesterday. The rallies have been described as well organized, but that didn't seem to apply to the local one. To be fair, I caught it near the end, so that could be why. What I saw was a large mass of people, primarily Hispanic and speaking Spanish, just standing around. I had to work my way to the middle of the crowd to realize there actually were speakers and to hear what they had to say. SWAT teams were all around the perimeter of the gathering, but the event was peaceful.

One amusing sight: there was a single protester holding up a sign saying "Enforce Immigration Laws", with about 5 cops around him. I don't know if they were protecting him, or if they were just patrolling the perimeter and that's where he chose to stand. Regardless, it was amusing.

The theme of the rally seemed to be summed up in the placard carried by many in the crowd: Liberty and Dignity for All Immigrants. A secondary theme was a T-shirt several people wore proclaiming "I am not a criminal." This is one of the things that bothers me about this whole debate, and why it's so difficult to find common ground for discussion. For discussion to happen, we have to agree on a few basic parameters. We have to recognize there is not an equivalence between legal and illegal immigrants, such as is implied by the placard calling for liberty for all immigrants, regardless of legal status. We have to recognize that there is a fundamental difference in the legal status of two different groups of immigrants: those who are here legally those who are not. The question is, what do we do with those who are here illegally. This has nothing at all to do with those who have followed the rules and are here legally. I presume most of those proclaiming they are not criminals are here legally, in which case they're absolutely right and nothing is being proposed to change that. The statement is a non sequitur.

What is the answer? Both sides, those who call for stricter enforcement of existing law and deportation, and who call for some form of amnesty, have valid points. Certainly we should always enforce the law, and deal with those who break the law. But we have to also recognize the terrible impact that might have on families. Many of these illegal immigrants have had children born in the US, and who are therefore citizens. If we start mass deportation of millions of illegals, how many families will be ripped apart? How many poverty-stricken families back in Mexico will lose what little they have because they are supported by family members who cross the border illegally to get better pay? This is very much a human story, not simply a law & order question. Personally, I choose to err on the side of compassion.

What the hard-liners don't want to talk about is the economic impact of the mass deportation they want. Illegal immigrants comprise a significant portion of agricultural labor, not to mention other industries. Use of this cheap work force allows the agriculture industry to keep prices down at the grocery counter. What happens to those prices if the industry is forced to use a more expensive labor force? Prices go up, obviously. Inflation is not a good thing for the economy.

The hardliners, while having a valid point that must not be forgotten, must consider the personal and economic impact of their policies.