By Richard N. Baldwin T. /HispanicVista.com

     Well, in a word, it's neither. It's a badly needed start but far from complete.

     First, let's agree on one thing: The present immigration system in the US is hopelessly out of date, and has been for 25 years. As it is now, it is a total free-for-all with no controls or provisions for the rights of either US citizens or the immigrants.

   Business interests, battered by both productivity issues (and yes, greed) in the global economy and also the downturn of 2002 have needed entry-level input to increase productivity.  Now, if you are trying to keep a plant on shore in the US instead of going overseas, immigrants for entry level makes sense. And especially, if they are illegal, you don't have to worry about benefits or union problems. But to be fair, there are a lot of seasoned US workers who have kept their jobs because of the addition of immigrant labor in their companies. It is not all a one way street. But in the wake of 9/11 and concerns about securing borders, the present free-for-all is insane.

     S.1033 is at least opening up a discussion (I hope) on this issue. From what we hear, it offers a three-year work permit for those who pay a $2,000 fine for illegal entry, pass screening to weed out those with criminal backgrounds, prove that they do have viable work in the US and have some understanding of English. This is the carrot. But what about those who do not register? There are no provisions for what to do about those who choose to remain illegal. And that would include many of those whom the US would not want in their country, including active criminals and Mara 13 gang members.

     There are problems to be coped with on the vetting process. When I immigrated to México, I was required to present a notarized statement from my local police department attesting to my being a lawful citizen with no outstanding legal problems. That would be problematical in México considering the state or our law enforcement and legal system.

    The proposed law further states that those who keep their noses clean, do not end up on welfare and have continual employment can apply for a legal permanent resident status. Well, if this can be an orderly process, so far, so good. But with the present bureaucracy in what is now the ICS, can you believe that this can be done? We are talking about numbers that can only be guessed at. Take your pick, 10 million, 20 million, 30 million? And it is getting worse.

     And, of course, without securing the borders (note that I say secure, not shut down), for every registering immigrant there will be two more coming across illegally. Ask yourself this: Why is it that congress keeps providing more funds for more border patrol agents, and the Bush administration only spends about 10% of what congress has given them? Both the carrot and the stick must be included to make anything work.

     Another thing. The US is "graying". With more retired and less workers contributing to the Social Security, there are now only three paying in to each retiree. Many other countries have this problem. Their answer is to get younger immigrants to do entry-level work and build up the contributions . . .  along with productivity. It is a fact that Canada actively recruits Mexicans for their farm sector work and is expanding the program. Europe has, for a long time, had a policy of a flexible work force to go where needed for the general good from country to country. Is this really so hard to understand?

      What if I told you that illegals contribute over 1 billion dollars a year into the Social Security Agency? They do. And on top of this, they will never be able to collect anything. This money is simply deposited into the "general" fund and is used to help delay the time that the SSA goes bankrupt. Stop this and Social Security goes bankrupt a little sooner.

     Now if you have legal workers, they are making contributions in direct taxes to support local medical and welfare benefits. Our border states are now being run into bankruptcy trying to take care of the needs of the illegal population. The federal government is finally recognizing that border control is their job, and that they are not doing it. They have offered a substantial payment structure to pay the Border States for the illegal impact. At least the federal government is admitting to their involvement in this mess. Yet there are those who don't even want this. Just let the Border States go broke. Rather short sighted I feel. But on the other hand, a more rational system of immigration is the real answer.

     I might also ask why those that hire illegals are not prosecuted under existing laws for this? If they are needed, make the process legal. Under the present unrealistic rules, a "quota" of 6,000 applicants for work visas from México a year is just plain out of touch with reality. In other words, neither the worker nor the prospective employer can satisfy their needs legally in this catch 22.

    Of course México has its hands in this too. For years, they have relied on the "safety valve" to get rid of excess Mexicans who cannot find work in their homeland. Now "remittances" from those ex-pats account for the second highest source of foreign income for México! México should be ashamed.

    For the US, a blanket amnesty insults all of those immigrants who worked hard for legal status. And for México, it remains their problem to make an economy that really works for their people.

     It remains to be seen if S.1033 can address these issues, and it might require more cooperation from both sides of the aisle in congress than has been demonstrated so far, but these issues are not going to go away by themselves. They are only going to get worse.

     By the way, as much as México is squealing about militarizing the US border, México is doing just this with its the southern border. Trying to keep druggies and Mara 13s out. So what are they really complaining about? In reality, they won't admit to their own lack of attention of the problem. Something that those up north are also doing.
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Richard N. Baldwin T., a HispanicVista.com (http://www.hispanicvista.com/) contributing columnist, lives in Tlalnepantla, Edo de México. E-mail at: R1041643422@aol.com