Employer Sanctions and Border Security is Anti-Civil Rights

By: Sarah Viets

Posted: 4/28/08 by Chicago Flame

(sorry for the re-post)

Some folks vehemently believe US borders are weak and feeble. They believe porous borders threaten American security, strain American social services, decline US wages, and foster unemployment. Now, I can either create a counter argument for each claim, or I can seek to change how immigration debates are discussed.

I choose the latter. However, it’s also important to address Americans’ hearts and minds. For, each of us is deeply saddened by the direction of our country and merely seeks an alternative to our current status quo.

But blaming immigrants for old problems confuses me. Inadequate social services, educational resources, low wages, and high unemployment are not new problems. Nor does each specifically derive from broken immigration policies.

For instance, ever since largely unionized industries, such as textile and steel mills and automotive industries moved outside American borders, so did high paying jobs with health care and pensions. The next wave of American jobs that replaced industrial work was low paying service jobs. Large malls, new hotels, restaurants and large retailers filled American landscape and replaced $2,000 monthly paychecks. In other words, American employers paid minimal wages at Americans’ expense.

As a result, real wages (Americans’ income) stayed the same while the cost of living increased. To put it another way, every time the cost of living increased, our wages stayed the same. If our pay increased with the cost of living, minimal wages would exceed $10.00 an hour. Even more, Americans incur new health care costs and receive instable pension plans unparallel to previous decades.

As for social services, the amount of monies allocated for education and social services has been declining for years, which continues to be determined by our elected representatives. They decide what programs to fund and what departments to cut.

So, when folks explain their frustrations with new immigrants, they’re actually fighting for resources. For instance, some Americans say there are not enough resources for everyone. Therefore, we must implement strict border enforcement and employer sanctions to fight and maintain what little resources we have.

However, why should we reserve American resources specifically for Americans? Is it because we’re citizens? If so, are we also suggesting Americans deserve jobs and resources over people who aren’t American?

These questions strike me as odd. And they are the reason why I label strict border enforcement and employer sanctions as anti-civil rights, and here’s why:

According to an on-line dictionary, civil rights are “the rights to full legal, social, and economic equality…” At the same time, some definitions say rights are only guaranteed to citizens. However, I would argue that “legal, social and economic equality” should apply to all human beings, not just citizens. For, if I say only citizens should enjoy “the rights to full legal, social, and economic equality…” and not all human beings, regardless of citizenship, then I’m also defining who has a right to life (particularly since the majority of immigrants come to our country for jobs).

Let me put this another way, if a human being doesn’t have access to basic human needs, such as food, shelter, education and family connections, they won’t survive, they’ll die. Therefore, if I give one person access to sufficient food, shelter, education and family connections, while at the same time restrict another person’s access, then I’ve given one person more of a right to life than another.

I’m not saying our resources are limitless. We have plenty of resources; the problem is how they’re distributed.

I have a better idea: instead of targeting immigrants, why not demand higher wages, better health care and education reforms? For, if we clamp down on immigration, our current problems will continue to exist. It’s not like our resources will suddenly increase if we advocate strict enforcement.

Even more, why delay American prosperity? Immigration reform organizations say strict employer sanctions and strict border security will increase wages and employment and improve our education and health care systems. But what they don’t tell you is that immigration policies don’t guarantee higher wages and employment, and educational and health care improvements. Their idea is merely a theory with a bunch of holes.

But battles for educational reforms, employment, increased wages, and adequate health care do. Why make life harder than it is? The clock is ticking, with no room for mistakes.