<p>“I think no matter how smart and factual you are on immigration the problem is virtually impossible to solve. It goes well beyond rhetoric and politics. Unions dislike it for one reason, conservatives for another, and even middle of the road types know we can’t handle all the people that might want to come in if we had open immigration.”</p>
<p>Barrons, the issue is indeed very complex, but is it really true that it is impossible to solve? In the same vein, is it really true that we could not handle an open door immigration? Inasmuch as I am not suggesting a free-for-all entrance to the United States, I see little evidence that relying on tough-as-nails policy and allowing the former INS to operate in a manner that would have made the National Socialist German Workers Party proud IS working at all. The mere fact that we are facing the need to legalize millions of families every decade should be sufficent of an indictment of our effectiveness to “handle” the problem. Another reality is that our country has become dependent on illegal workers to address our most menial jobs or shore up our social security deficits. Would there be illegal workers if there weren’t any illegal bosses and illegal jobs? Or do we believe that there is a magical underground economy for foreigners? </p>
<p>Do we know what happened to Europe when most of the political and legal barriers came tumbling down? What happened to the fear of Belgium or the Netherlands to be overran by hordes of Spaniards or Italians? What happened to Spain’s fear to be thrown in an economic nightmare if the majority of its workers would depart for less sunny skies but better wages? </p>
<p>Freer movements of goods and people are not synonymous with bottlenecks; often, the results are found in better and more efficient systems. Freer entrance also means that the doors swing open … both ways. Many people stay illegally in the United States because it is so hard to attempt to make round-trips. Many of us assume that our southern neighboors view the US as a contemporary Shangri-La. The reality is that there is no paradise on earth. Their economic situation might be -marginally- better, but their social conditions are often worse. For many, embarking on the risky adventure to cross the Rio Grande results in a life of sacrifices and absolute loss of self-esteem. Yet, they come and will continue to come! On the other hand, we will never how many would gladly return to a better social environment if allowed to earn a decent wage in the US or Mexico.</p>