If the United States got serious about its immigration policy, it could solve it. It could start by not putting all the blame and emphasis on external forces, but rather on its internal encouragement of illegal immigration. Immigrants primarily come to this country seeking work to feed their families back home. They don’t come to America to become citizens, so that negates any potential offers of amnesty or U.S. citizenship. Americans should accept this reality and use it as the basis for our immigration policy. The U.S. government should institute a realistic, equitable immigration policy in collaboration with Mexico and other Latin American countries (unlike President Bush’s proposal which fell by the wayside). They could fund it by imposing fines on American citizens who knowingly hire undocumented workers.

Growing up in the border town of Calexico, California, I remember as a boy seeing trucks being loaded with Mexican laborers to be transported to work in the fields of Central California. This was the “Bracero” program started during World War II because the U.S. didn’t have the manpower in the agriculture industry due to its men going off to war. The program continued into the 1960’s when it was canceled. We should reinstitute a modified version of this program where the U.S. in conjunction with Mexico could provide basic medical and housing needs while our “guests” are working in this country. This would also stimulate the Mexican economy since a lot of the earned U.S. dollars would go back to Mexico. A vibrant Mexican economy would reduce the need for it’s laborers to come here seeking work. I am not an economist and I’m sure a myriad of details would have to be worked out. What I’m offering are creative ideas for solving this problem, something the U.S. government seems to be lacking. Perhaps if government agencies hired more creative and innovative minds we would go a long way toward solving many of the world’s ills and shortcomings.