Solving Immigration

 

Dear Leader Takes on Immigration . . .

(For Better or Worse)  

ICE Detainees - CECOT Prison El Salvador
(of Kristi Noem picture fame)

Hold on to your hats, this could be a doozy!

Prelude

I won’t go into how we have arrived at this crappy point in time because it’s a story we all know. It’s about a dysfunctional government that goes back many presidential administrations as it regards immigration (and a lot of other things.) Let’s just say, it is what it is.

On the Horizon

It is important that we to consider something else as we try to fix our current immigration woes: a looming international humanitarian nightmare. I have written about this before - and perhaps you have already thought about it too - so it shouldn't be a surprise. Like our current mess this is a complex and unpleasant topic but understanding it has great bearing on what we do in the coming years. 

Modern Migrants

Experts tell us that humans started migrating out of Africa 50,000 years ago. Imagine the courage and determination it took for early humans to leave the only home they had known for thousands of years and just start walking. Now, imagine the 2500 generations that experts say it took us to spread all over the world. THAT’S bravery and persistence - not unlike that of many migrants today.

Today, due to conflict, persecution, violence and other crises, there are some 117 million refugees wandering throughout the world. Our ancient ancestors dealt with wild animals, deserts, and mountains. Today migrants must deal with arbitrary national borders and a modern world that neither trusts nor wants them. These numbers do not count the millions of people who will become homeless due to climate change, especially all those people living close to the oceans of the world.

For example, it is not difficult to envision large numbers of our fellow Americans being uprooted here in the next 50-100 years. Florida, Louisiana, the Carolina’s with their hurricanes and flooding. Arizona, Nevada, So. California with drought. Millions of people are going to be on the move. Where will they go? 

 

Hoover Dam & Lk Mead today - 30% of capacity

Back to Today

A brief recap for those unfortunates who missed my earlier post, "Things I Think I Think," regarding immigration and the ICE invasion here in Minnesota.

There is no doubt that millions of people have entered our country “illegally” and it became a Trump (along with Stephen Miller) promise to get rid of them. It was the “worst of the worst,” according ICE leaders, that were the target of their actions. So far, so good. If that were true very few of us would have resisted. The brutal tactics in our state by those ICE agents, however, totally belied that goal. Sadly, their actions were also completely predictable; it was also going to be punishment. 

Punishment for having the temerity to not vote for the would-be Fuhrer in the White House.  Of course, there is also a strong strain of racism, white nationalism and general nastiness that has not been seen in this country since the 1930’s. All of it condoned if not outright encouraged by this administration. It all went horribly awry, however, with a heavy price paid by us including two people murdered. In the face of that tragedy I am mightily proud of how my fellow Minneapolitans keep fighting back.

Brave ICE arresting terrorist protester

We all want to throw the “worst of the worst” out, the more the better!  But "shockingly," the DHS lied about who they detained and why. In Minnesota of roughly 4000 individuals apprehended, about 25% had any criminal records and less than 10% of those could be considered worst of the worst - and many of those were already in jail. (BTW 3000 Agents, 10 weeks, 4000 arrests = US cost $200 million. Minneapolis cost = $200 million, two dead and one wounded.) 

Of course, Minnesota is not alone in ICE pain. This from Wes Moore, governor of Maryland:

    "And just recently in Salisbury, on the Eastern Shore, a mother with a sick son was arrested by ICE. She told them she needed to see him, and they didn’t care. He died of cancer while she was in custody. This cruelty isn’t making any of us safer."

The facts: about half of "illegals" came here legally but overstayed their visa. Millions more were allowed in under an international law for refugees. The rest? Well, like many of our ancestors, they wanted a chance to improve their lives so - no way around it - they snuck in. Sorry.

Of course, none of these reasons are legally right. On the other hand, they are hardly heinous crimes either, certainly not deserving of the horrendous treatment many have received. Whatever their crime, there is no denying that our immigration system is terribly misguided, dysfunctional, and essentially effed up. At one time DHS was underfunded but is now very well-funded (more than the entire US Marine Corps!) - just not in the right areas.

     Perhaps the only bright spot of this ugly episode is that many Minnesotans, and perhaps even most Americans, have come to a new realization about our "invisible illegals.” That is, how deeply most have become ingrained in the fabric of our communities. The vast majority work hard, go to church, and pay taxes - including Social Security which they will NEVER collect unless they achieve citizenship - and generally live quiet peaceful lives. (In many cases much better than us natural borns.)

     Quite a conundrum. What are we to do, how to go forward? Here's Dear Leader's suggestions:    

     First, before all else, knock off the overwrought rage aimed at immigrants in general. This has been an age-old tactic by authoritarians throughout history: the Jews, the Irish, the Catholics, Hispanics . . . the Trans? They create and demonize a subset group of people giving the “good" citizens an enemy to blame. (And deflect from a lawless government.) 

     Next, stop indiscriminately throwing out all the non-criminal immigrants, "legal" or not. Congress should come up with a path to citizenship for all those law-abiding immigrants that want to stay here. Also, both parties need to stop politicizing immigration for their campaign donations.     

     Finally - and this is the hard part - I believe we need to make the process easier rather than harder for immigrants to come in. Of course, we can’t take in an infinite number of people so we will still have to decide by some sort of triage or limit for any particular group of people – as painful as that will be - but instead of giving billions to ICE for simple (vicious) enforcement, give them billions to build the infrastructure for organized, efficient and effective screening and management to help the most immigrants possible to join our society.  

Why do this?

We need to recognize it is unlikely that we are ever going to get many doctors, lawyers and professionals (read:white) from other western countries. Why would they want to come here? 

But we still need people.

1) Demographics - This a very big country with a very big economy - and we need people.  Without them we are a shrinking state and nation which is bad in every way.

2) It’s simpler, cheaper, more humane – and the right thing to do. 

Nice ICE  -10 degrees
(Looks like a good place to leave him)

3) Regarding the borders, the third and final reason may be the most important of all.  As mentioned in the opening, the vast national and international migration of people is a much larger problem on the horizon. It will require a totally different mindset about immigration and borders. It will also require international cooperation and massive economic changes. (I shall now commence holding my breath on that.)

     I understand that there are those of us who simply want them all gone on the principle of "fairness" or borders but it's a fact that we, the world, our country - reality? - constantly change. Many laws, rules and lofty, philosophical ideals or beliefs also must (or should) change in the face of that reality. After all, we have amended the Constitution 27 times.

     As an aside, I understand there are those who worry about the “replacement theory.” That is, replacing white, northern (Christian) Europeans – like me – with “others.” Personally, I think that train left the station a long time ago and no amount of wishful thinking - or racism - will change it. You can hate "DEI" but diversity itself is the way of the world; live with it. 

     Who knows, if we were to make our country more welcoming with things like reasonable healthcare, affordable daycare, and reduced crime (read: shootings) and income inequality, we might even get a few Norwegians to move here!

    Fini

     Yes, we have our hands full today and it is difficult to worry about the distant future. To me, that means we need to fix our current immigration morass as soon as possible with what is looming in the near future. Most of our problems today were predictable and could have been eliminated or minimized years ago if we had had a functional, forward-thinking government. (Lmao!) Sadly, this won’t help us now as we are bearing the results of past mistakes and negligence. That said, perhaps we can make things a little easier for those poor souls who are currently stuck in this nightmare. (And a government that doesn't appear in the mood to solve it.) In the long run, however, will we condemn many of those future migrants to poverty or death because we can’t - or won’t - allow them across the borders into our city, state, or country?

Okay, I realize that many folks won't like my suggestions and that's okay (Hey, at least I'm trying - I'm Dear Leader, not Dear Immigration Genius!) but the question remains: what will it take to solve it? Will we even try? 

. . . Or just stay

I guess “we” is not quite the right word. A better word is "you." As with so many other current problems, this old baby boomer will be leaving this one behind too as a “gift” for my children and grandchildren.

Sorry guys, good luck.

 Immigration Blues     Chris Rea

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