George Wenschhof
Insistence
on fines, payment of back taxes and a long waiting period by undocumented
workers as part of a pathway to citizenship is a non starter and is why the
last effort at immigration reform failed.
Instead,
what is needed is a win-win scenario that would require an undocumented worker
to provide a minimum of 2,000 hours in community service in the
government/nonprofit sector over a four year period.
Upon registering and passing a background check, the undocumented worker would receive a temporary status allowing them to remain and work in the U.S. over a four year period, provided they perform a minimum of 10 hours of community service per week.
Local, state and federal government, along with nonprofits have been severely impacted by the economic downturn and a massive influx of an estimated 11 million workers contributing work a minimum of ten hours per week over the next four years at no cost would be a major plus and help to grow the U.S. out of the lingering sluggish economy.
The federal minimum wage, as of 2009, was $7.25 per hour. So, doing the math, the value of 2,000 hours of community service would be a minimum of $14,500. A much higher figure than is currently being discussed for a proposed fine.
The added plus would be the gain of taxes received from 11 million workers now paying taxes. This would significantly help to reduce the national debt.
Upon registering and passing a background check, the undocumented worker would receive a temporary status allowing them to remain and work in the U.S. over a four year period, provided they perform a minimum of 10 hours of community service per week.
Local, state and federal government, along with nonprofits have been severely impacted by the economic downturn and a massive influx of an estimated 11 million workers contributing work a minimum of ten hours per week over the next four years at no cost would be a major plus and help to grow the U.S. out of the lingering sluggish economy.
The federal minimum wage, as of 2009, was $7.25 per hour. So, doing the math, the value of 2,000 hours of community service would be a minimum of $14,500. A much higher figure than is currently being discussed for a proposed fine.
The added plus would be the gain of taxes received from 11 million workers now paying taxes. This would significantly help to reduce the national debt.
It
is encouraging to see the momentum build as President Obama and a bipartisan
group of eight U.S. Senators came forward this week with proposals for
comprehensive immigration reform.
Even, Republican
leaders of Congress are grudgingly voicing support, due to the realization they
received little support from Hispanic/Latino voters in the 2012 election, won
easily by President Obama.
However,
it is the forthcoming details that could still derail passage of a bill by
Congress or result in a “more blow” than “go” bill.
The
areas which need to be addressed in regard to illegal immigration are not
difficult to identify. An update of the
current immigration procedures, securing borders, cracking down on employers
who hire undocumented workers and providing a reasonable pathway to citizenship
is what is needed.
In
2007, Senators Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and John McCain (R-Az.) worked together
to propose the “Secure Borders, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Reform Act
of 2007”.
It
failed, in large part, due to the convoluted manner for an undocumented worker
to obtain citizenship.
The
bill called for an undocumented worker to pay a fine, return to their country
and then pay thousands to be able to return to the United States, an onerous
requirement which would have produced few “takers”.
Requiring
a fine and/or payment of back taxes will never result in illegal immigrants
coming forward and is an unreasonable demand.
They are here in the first place due to underemployment in their native
countries and currently exist on low wages from undesirable jobs in America.
In
addition to requiring a 2,000 hour community service component, learning the English
language could be included, if necessary to win support of conservative
members of Congress. Of course, a background
check would be conducted and any illegal immigrant with a criminal record would
not be eligible for the program and be deported to their native country.
Securing
the borders, updating immigration law, and severely cracking down on employers who
hire undocumented workers are the easier areas to reach agreement on, in a
divided congress.
A
community service component to earn a pathway to citizenship makes sense in so
many ways and requiring an undocumented worker to apply within six months of
the bill being passed to be eligible for the program would help ensure
compliance in a timely fashion.
Let’s
hope Congress seizes this opportunity to pass comprehensive immigration reform
that will be successful.
Now, is the time.
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