Army Post Road

     I don’t remember really weighing in on the raging immigration debate very heavily before but if I have then I’m going to either restate what I’ve said or modify it.
     There are two key things in my mind regarding immigration: 1)immigration of unskilled and semi-skilled workers is good for both the workers and our economy, and 2) we have to know who is coming into our country; every last person who steps onto our shores.
     On my first point: the types of immigrants most commonly thought of in this debate, unskilled workers and semi-skilled workers, are extremely valuable to our economy. Their presence is anti-inflationary for one. They keep down wage pressures and keep the labor market a hire-er’s market. When labor costs grow at slower rates, the flame underneath the inflation kettle is minimized. If immigrant workers will do a job for less than native-born workers or will do one natives turn their noses from, all the better. I don’t have any sympathy for workers who price themselves out of the market or feel superior to a task. They’ve chosen their own course.
     On my second point: we can’t let a single person into the country without, at a minimum, knowing who they are and where they’re going. We have to secure our borders and create immigration bottlenecks that permit us to do this. Along with that, we have to have a comprehensive database of wanted criminals and persona not grata who need to be apprehended at or be prevented from crossing the border. We don’t need any other reasons than that to prevent people from entering this country. If they want to be here and aren’t a public safety or national security risk, let’em come. Nothing should stop them.
     When the discussion comes to those people already here illegally, if their only crime is entering illegally or overstaying their visas, then it’s the old bar-closing cliche: you don’t have to go home but you can’t stay here. If they want to come back, that’s fine but they have to leave and come back through the proper channels. Let a waiting period abroad be the punishment for their crime. Don’t clog our jails and prisons with people whose only crime was trespassing.
     It’s a simple idea for the problem but in this case, the simple plan is the best.