I read an interesting article recently in the New York Times documenting the evolution of the Obama administration's immigration policy.
The majority of activity by the administration has involved toughening enforcement measures against undocumented aliens. Janet Napolitano and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have expanded a number of programs designed to assist in identification of the undocumented. One program that DHS has pushed hard over recent months is the E-Verify program. E-Verify is a program that is designed to allow employers to identify the immigration status of prospective employees prior to hiring. Proponents of expansion of this program point to the fact that over the past year only 0.3% of 6.4 million E-Verify checks have lead to false denials of jobs. However, opponents believe that the program is loaded with inaccuracies, and point out that the 0.3% false denial rate still means that 19,000 U.S. citizens and prospective employees have been denied a job under false pretenses. Other recent activity by DHS has included promotion of programs designed to increase cooperation between Federal and State authorities, and prosecution of immigration violators at higher levels than in years past.
While DHS has worked hard to stiffen enforcement, little to no progress has been made toward providing the millions of undocumented aliens currently in the U.S. with a path to securing legal status. The other side of the equation in fixing our broken immigration system is to grant undocumented aliens a discerable path to legal status, so that enforceable wage and labor standards can apply to all workers in the U.S. Without the creation of a path to legal status for undocumented aliens, the American worker will continue to suffer as employers exploit undocumented laborer for wages far below our minimum standards. Enforcement measures are critical in solving the immigration crisis, but enforcement measures should target employers who continually employ the undocumented and avoid paying their workforce a fair wage.
An added benefit of creating a path to legal status for undocumented aliens is that the government would see a large increase in tax revenue. Allowing the undocumented a way to become legal gives the government the right to regulate them in a fair manner. The Obama administration has taken some noticeable actions regarding our immigration policy thus far, but until the importance of a path to legal status is understood, our immigration system will still be a broken one. Here's hoping that heightened enforcement will be complemented with providing the undocumented a way to get legal in the near future.
For answers to your immigration questions, please visit our website at www.portnerandshure.com.
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