HispanicVista Columnists

The Immigration Puzzle
By Hector M. Barajas

While visiting my family for Thanksgiving, a large portion of our dinner discussion centered around the dramatic support that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger received from the Latino community and the impact that the newly elected Democrat congress will have on the issue of immigration. While many in my family believe that immigration reform is possible, what I found most unique was that the points of contention regarding immigration were not necessarily those expounded by the pro-immigration groups.

My parents, like the rest of my family immigrated to this country without documents over 35 years ago. They have four children who were born in this country, including one they adopted ten years ago. My father, a union member who has worked in the produce business his entire life, became a Republican supporter the first day he stepped into this country. My mother a former seamstress who has dedicated the past fifteen years as a foster care parent is a registered Democrat, who considers herself a middle of the road voter, but a stanch conservative on the issues of family and fiscal responsibility.

As the immigration debate dominated headlines in this past year, as a spokesperson for the California Republican Party, I found myself in the middle of this debate. I have personally been taken aback by the naïve understanding that many of these pro-immigration groups presented as rationale for their positions as well as the racist and divisive language used by all sides. In these immigration debates, I have been asked whether the proposal to deny amnesty to approximately 11 million illegal aliens was the manifestation of the prejudicial and racist policies of Republicans. I have been accused of being inhumane and unjust. As the son of immigrants, not only was I offended, but it also became clear that these people, by choice of ignorance, were purposely arguing this problem from only one side.

The issue of immigration has no easy solution and it is not something that should be rushed or hurried for the purpose of checking off a "to do" box. Twenty years ago, the federal government dealt with the issue of granting amnesty to 2.7 million people. This year we are dealing with a number close to 12 million and unless we find a comprehensive solution to this problem we might find ourselves with an even bigger number, but in less time.

The United States is a country that has been defined by immigrants. America has embraced the diversity of food, music, language, religion, and culture from all corners of the world in an environment that protects freedom and liberty. Immigrants have defined our country's contribution to the fields of history, science, theology, philosophy, mathematics, law, literature, and the arts. We are a country that supports excellence and creativity, acts as a sanctuary for those fleeing violence and oppression; all in an environment that respects the rule of law. We are a country of discourse, a nation of democracy willing to face its shortcomings with a directness found no where else on Earth.
On the national and international level, the debate on immigration is economic in nature: inexpensive foreign labor, remittances, and trade negotiations. But as my family highlighted this past weekend, lost in the debate is the social impact that illegal immigration has on recent and future legal immigrants who seek a better future for themselves and family.

We face an imbalance now that is unlike anything we have addressed before. The porous nature of our borders are having unintended consequences which are undermining our ability to provide for opportunity and security to people immigrating to America. While our nation has benefited by the determination, energy, and diversity of immigrants, the prospects of securing this nation's borders and developing a comprehensive immigration plan is vital to the American experience as we know it.

The immigration rhetoric expounded by citizen groups on one-side and immigration activists on the other is often riddled with prejudice, racism, and false accusations. They often fail to address the impact of illegal immigration on our nation, state, and community. They fight for full amnesty for lawbreakers and laud the efforts of cities like Maywood, California, which declared itself a "sanctuary for illegal aliens." They advocate for a system that will deteriorate an already strained social services network, perpetuate human exploitation here and abroad, support drug and human trafficking, and propagate an international environment that fails to support change in people's respective countries of origin.

Before we adopt legislation that might only serve to delay the hard decisions until later, we should be working to address the issues that bring people here in the first place. While we might not be able to do anything at the present time to address the cross border issues, it is a vital piece that is needed to solve the immigration puzzle.
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Hector M. Barajas is the Press Secretary for the California Republican Party, Contact at: hbarajas@cagop.org