Mark Steyn on Immigration

[BobK]

I don't post much to politics, but I found this article both informative and on point.
Article (http://www.suntimes.com/news/steyn/430569,CST-EDT-steyn17.article)
America has an illegal immigration problem in part because it has a legal immigration problem. Anyone who enters the system exposes himself to an arbitrary, capricious, whimsical bureaucracy: For example, one of the little-known features of this bill is that in order to ''bring the 12 million undocumented Americans out of the shadows,'' millions of legal applicants are being hurled back into outer darkness. Law-abiding foreign nationals who filed their paperwork in the last two years would be required to go back to their home countries and start all over again. Not only does this bill reward law-breaking, it punishes law-abiding.

[shecky]

Steyn is a rather nasty character who can see a problem, and ignore the fix. It is true that the immigration system is an "arbitrary, capricious, whimsical bureaucracy". The crazy thing is that he doesn't want to change it. He simply wants to make it so illegal immigrants are forced to try their luck in the system. Get in the back of the line, as some say. Which is pretty much the same as ensuring they're never allowed in the country.

Which is the start of the problem. Unless one has a very unique skill, or a relative already legally in the US to be a sponsor, there is no line to get in. The average working guy with no relative in the US simply cannot legally come to the US to better his life. The only path for that person is to come illegally.

The real magic is that the US market wants immigrants, and it'll settle for illegal immigrants if it can't get legal ones. The American economy employs millions of illegal immigrants and with an unemployment rate hovering around the mid single digits for quite a while now, it's difficult to say they're actually taking jobs from any natives.

Immigration hawks are obsessed with punishing lawbreakers. Despite Steyn's comparison of illegal immigrants with murderers, illegal immigration is a victimless crime. An amnesty rewards illegal immigrants the way the end of prohibition rewarded bootleggers.

Instead, immigration needs to be greatly liberalized and responsive to the labor market, not centrally controlled, the way it is now, and the way it will be worse under the proposals of the last couple years.

[GroundStrength]

It is true that the immigration system is an "arbitrary, capricious, whimsical bureaucracy". The crazy thing is that he doesn't want to change it. He simply wants to make it so illegal immigrants are forced to try their luck in the system. Get in the back of the line, as some say. Which is pretty much the same as ensuring they're never allowed in the country.

What is wrong with that? It seems the correct thing to do. Massive amounts of people sneak into a concert with no tickets, those who have tickets have been waiting in line to get in. You are a ticket-holder, but the arena is full. Would you rather the management simply say "Well these people are already here and it would be impossible to make them all leave so you'll just have to buy tickets again and come back another day."?


Which is the start of the problem. Unless one has a very unique skill, or a relative already legally in the US to be a sponsor, there is no line to get in. The average working guy with no relative in the US simply cannot legally come to the US to better his life.

Again, nothing wrong with that. Coming to the US is not a right it is a privilege.


The only path for that person is to come illegally.

Wrong. The only illegal path is to come here illegally.


Instead, immigration needs to be greatly liberalized and responsive to the labor market, not centrally controlled, the way it is now, and the way it will be worse under the proposals of the last couple years.

I will concede this point but those that have broken the current law need to go the back of the line.

[shecky]

What is wrong with that? It seems the correct thing to do. Massive amounts of people sneak into a concert with no tickets, those who have tickets have been waiting in line to get in. You are a ticket-holder, but the arena is full. Would you rather the management simply say "Well these people are already here and it would be impossible to make them all leave so you'll just have to buy tickets again and come back another day."?

The US isn't a concert, and the arena isn't full. Given the low unemployment rate, even with 10-12 million illegal immigrants in the country, labor market demand for immigrant labor seems pretty strong. Illegal immigrants aren't stealing a peek at the performance. The American economy is handing out tickets to anyone willing to work. This isn't a bad thing. The strong market for labor, even by illegal immigrants, is a very good sign pointing to the fundamental strength of the American economy. Prosperity has grown for both Americans and illegal immigrants. The best thing the US could do is get out of the way and let the markets work.

Again, nothing wrong with that. Coming to the US is not a right it is a privilege.

It's a privilege dictated by central planning, not market demands. But you are correct about this: a nation is allowed to regulate immigration, no matter how unrealistic or stupid. The question is, how does the US deal with this and still claim to be the land of freedom and opportunity?



I will concede this point but those that have broken the current law need to go the back of the line.

Once again, there isn't a line to get in, unless you meet specific criteria-a particularly special skill or a relative already in the US to sponsor you, criteria that the government has decided, not employers. Illegal immigrants who have caused no actual harm should be granted an amnesty, and the laws changed to get the government out of the business of running the labor market.

[GroundStrength]

Once again, there isn't a line to get in, unless you meet specific criteria-a particularly special skill or a relative already in the US to sponsor you, criteria that the government has decided, not employers. Illegal immigrants who have caused no actual harm should be granted an amnesty, and the laws changed to get the government out of the business of running the labor market.

If there is no line there is certainly a waiting list, so I think the analogy is good.