The damage to the rule of law that would come from giving citizenship to 11 million to 12 million illegal immigrants is reason enough not to pass amnesty, but consider the practical effects it would have on American workers.
We are in the midst of a prolonged economic stagnation. Unemployment is unacceptably high. Things are bad enough that when the official unemployment rate drops it is usually because people have given up looking for work, and thus are no longer counted in the statistics. Low-skilled workers, those without advanced degrees or just starting out, have the worst of it. Young workers and black workers face unemployment rates far higher than the national average.
And, now, liberals want to make them compete with another 12 million for the few jobs that remain? This is madness.
While we can sympathize with these undocumented immigrants wanting a better life, the fact remains that we should be focusing our efforts on getting our own people working, not making it more difficult for them. They should come first, as they are the people this government was created to serve.
Add to this the problem of chain immigration. Legalized immigrants would no doubt want to bring in family to share in their good fortune, meaning even more workers being added to an economy that cannot currently employ the people it has.
Instead of trying to shove amnesty down our throats like they did Obamacare, the government should be focusing its energies on restoring economic prosperity and getting its unemployed citizens back to work.
David Welch
Scotia