immigration

This is a good moment to talk about immigration, given the draconian proposal of Mr. Senselessbrenner (R-WI) and the massive protests it has evoked.

My proposal would consist of two parts. The first is normalization. Legalize the status quo. Allow a vast number of Mexicans to immigrate, based on the numbers estimated to be doing so already without all having legal sanction. Enact an automatic amnesty for all current undocumented. Create a guest worker program that allows these workers to participate in the economy on terms close to those actually existing. Regulate the inflow and permanent presence of a huge alien population by requiring people to become documented. Such normalization gets rid of the winking illegality and disregard for the law, frees up misspent enforcement resources, and allows an underground world to come into the sunshine, facilitating a vast array of important government functions. Border patrol would be more about contraband control, fugitive detection, and public health monitoring. All without really changing anything. It's all upside and no downside.

Part two is actual reform. Domestically, raise the minimum wage, allow aliens the right to vote, and guarantee rights to full economic and social participation, streamline citizenship requirements and requirements for permanent alien status. Fund indigent services, legal clinics, health care, etc. for aliens and citizens alike. Engage a national policy of promoting English-Spanish bilingualism. Promote Mexican cultural products. Internationally, create a special relationship with Mexico aimed at economic and cultural harmonization. Make Mexico the largest recipient of U.S. foreign aid. Renegotiate NAFTA. Revitalize Mexican agriculture, allowing subsidies and tarriffs. Require U.S. businesses in Mexico to pay equivalent wages to Mexican workers per unit of productivity as paid to U.S. workers.