Guest Column
Keep the Immigration Debate Civil
By Arnold Schwarzenegger
September 12, 2006
BY NOT FINISHING comprehensive immigration reform this year, Congress left
behind a poisoned debate that will continue to fuel a growing anger in our
country.
Latino leaders, meeting in Los Angeles last week, were already debating
whether they should continue marching in the streets, disrupt the economy or
register voters. At the same time, people who are angry about the federal
government's failure to stop illegal immigration have introduced local
measures to take away housing, jobs and even medical assistance from
noncitizens in their communities. On both sides, people are demanding to be
heard.
Now Congress has walked away from the debate, at least for this year. So
it's up to the rest of us to tone down our rhetoric and listen to the voices
on all sides. As both an immigrant to this country and a proud American
citizen, I have a unique perspective on this debate. I also have some
advice.
To the immigrant rights activists I say: Change your message. When I came to
America, I wrapped myself in the flag because I wanted to be a part of the
American dream. I worked hard, learned English and followed the laws. I
learned the customs and culture of my new country. I spent time with
English-speakers just so I could hear them talk and learn the language from
them.
Being an immigrant is like being a guest in someone's house. Your hosts go
about their daily routine. You can sit on the couch and do your own thing,
or you can ask, "What can I do to help? How can I be a part of this
household?"
What people see today when immigrant rights activists march in the streets
carrying Mexican flags and angry signs is that you do not want to join
America's house. The message that sends is that you do not want to learn our
language or our culture. Unlike the message sent by the masses of Irish,
Italian, German and Asian immigrants, whom Americans now proudly call our
"melting pot," these images suggest that Mexican immigrants do not want to
make that effort.
I do not believe that this is the message most Mexican immigrants — legal or
illegal — wish to send. I believe that most Mexican immigrants are as proud
to be part of America as I was. They are some of the hardest working and
strongest believers in the American dream. So my message to you is: Carry
your home country in your heart, but carry the American flag in our streets.
To those who believe illegal immigration is reaching a crisis level in this
country I say: Tone down the rhetoric. I myself have said things that caused
division even when that was not my intent. Words can be weapons. We must be
careful to distinguish between legal and illegal immigration, between those
who break our laws to do us harm and those who break our laws to find
freedom and prosperity in the greatest nation on Earth. It is hypocritical
for Congress to condemn people for coming here illegally when the federal
government has been unwilling to do what it takes to stop them from coming
in the first place.
Now that they are here, what do we do? Amnesty is not the answer. Congress
granted amnesty in 1986 and promised it would end the problem. It didn't.
Amnesty only made it worse. You don't reward people for breaking the law.
And you don't grant someone the rights of citizenship simply by virtue of
how long they have been in this country illegally — that makes a mockery of
the law and penalizes those who waited years and followed the rules.
But it is not realistic either to round up 12 million people and send them
home. Many have families here now, children and grandchildren who are
citizens. Splitting them up would be inhumane. Some say it would cost as
much as $250 billion to even try. Who would pay for that? It is simply not
realistic.
The answer, as I have repeatedly said, is, first, to secure the border to
stop the problem from getting worse. Second, we must create a
temporary-worker program so people can come here legally to work. We should
also lift the cap on work visas for industries such as technology,
engineering and agriculture so immigrants can be hired when there are not
enough U.S. workers. And we must create a path to legal status for those
living in the shadows illegally. They must pay a fine for breaking our laws.
They must learn English and become part of our culture. They must pay back
taxes and pay for healthcare and education rather than expect American
taxpayers to pay extra when some cannot even afford healthcare or college
for their own children.
Unfortunately, we must wait for Congress to return next year to take up the
critical issue of comprehensive immigration reform. Meanwhile, we must do
all we can to stop the problem from getting worse and to maintain a civil
debate about illegal immigration.
Arnold Schwarzenegger is the Governor of California
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