Congress on Illegal Immigration - Treating Symptoms

In a article today in the Wall Street Journal's Opinion Journal titled, Tom Tancredo's Wall you get some insight into how Congress is working to solve the threat to our national security posed by the flood of illegal immigrants. The article describes the Colorado Congressman as trying to make , "the worlds biggest gated community." It may not be totally unfair in that characterization.

The Article begins with this quote from the Congressman.

"We have a supply and a demand problem. The supply problem is coming across the border. We are in this bill doing something very specific about that with the inclusion of the amendment, with the passage of the amendment, to build some barrier along at least 700 miles of our southern border. I hope we continue with that, by the way, along the entire border, to the extent it is feasible, and the northern border we could start next."
--Rep. Tom Tancredo (R., Colo.)

Reading this, I was reminded of that recent IBM TV advertisement in which medieval ruler turns to his advisor and says, "You mean you want me to throw money at the problem?" It is evident that Congress has no clue how to resolve the problem, except by spending more money on the problem and man they have sure succeeded in doing that more than anything. That was clear as this article points out that illegal immigration has increased 7 million over the last 20 years, while funding has increased 519% and border patrol staffing is up 221%.

So now we are going to build a fence. Yeah I know, technology has improved a lot since Robert McNamara decided to built a high tech wall to keep the communists out of South Vietnam. But technology is not the answer now, anymore than it was then. What we are seeing is spending more money on treating the symptoms, not the root cause of our illegal immigration problem.

The fence is going to be a boon for defense contractors. Lockheed Martin and Texas divisions of Raytheon and L-3 Communications, are preparing to compete for a multibillion-dollar Department of Homeland Security initiative designed to fortify the borders with an array of sophisticated technology. This money is being spent under the "Secure Border Initiative" and will encompass what Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff describes as a "virtual fence" stretching 6,000 miles along the borders with Mexico and Canada, as well as 2,000 of miles of coastline. Potential components include satellites, unmanned aerial vehicles, radar-equipped airships and next-generation replacements for thousands of sensors and mounted cameras already in place. The gadgetry will augment Border Patrol agents. Other "features" will undoubtedly materialize after the department formally solicits proposals early in 2006. The cost was initially projected at $2.5 billion but will likely grow. Hey! It's only taxpayer money right?

Congress likes throwing taxpayer money at problems, it makes em' feel better and they can go home and proclaim to their constituents how they are "battling" the problem. The real problem is that they are following the failed recipe on their last failed "War on Drugs." Once again they are going to create felons that shouldn't be and redefining the law so legal immigrants become accessories (e.g. criminals) because they interacted with someone from their homeland and failed to check their immigration status. That means if one gives a illegal immigrant a ride, or a place to sleep, they are criminally liable for that action.

You solve the problem of illegal immigration by attacking the real problem, which is the demand that makes it worthwhile to take the risk of entering the US illegally. When I was hired by my last employer, I had to provide information to them that allowed them to check my immigration status. It was one more cost to a small business that the Feds had imposed, but necessary to prevent them from hiring an illegal and fueling corporate demand for labor.

Reality also demands that there needs to be an efficient way for a "guest worker" to enter the US and work. Without that, all the money and the walls will be nothing more than feel good exercises in futility.