Law, Grace and Illegal Immigration

I really don't think the migration debate will ever end... either in this country or any other. Some countries are debating how to control immigration (people coming in) and others are more worried about emigration (people leaving.) But I imagine just about every country is happy when the right people (the ethnically and religiously acceptable, the educated, the hard-working) arrive, or stay, and unhappy when the wrong people (the opposite of the right people) arrive, or stay.

I probably don't have to tell you this, but the debate in the U.S. is about the wrong people coming in... or at least coming in the wrong way. I've always made sure to share my opinion on this stuff when it comes up, but I feel like now is the time to go on record, both with my certainties and uncertainties.

Upon Introspect

The first thing each of us should do, as Americans, is check our hearts. Ask yourself, "Am I a racist?" After your self says, "No, of course not," keep pushing. Think about the last time you were standing in a check-out line, and there was a Mexican family in front of you "yammering" in Spanish. Let's assume that it caused you no actual inconvenience. How did you feel about that? Did you think, "Why don't they just learn English?" Did you dread the time, 10 or 20 years down the road, when white people may be in the minority, and every sign in the entire country is in two languages?

If you're honest, and you answered "yes" to any of these questions, don't worry. You may not actually be a racist. You may just be an anglo-centric nationalist bigot.

Just kidding.

Nevertheless... these are important things to sort through in your heart, before you take a serious look at the immigration debate.

Goooooooal!!!

Now that we've got that out of the way, I think the second thing to do is recognize that there is an illegal immigration problem in our country, and figure out what the goal is.

So what is the goal? What's the ideal? I hear very few people talk about this, but how silly is it to talk about billion-dollar programs to solve a problem if we don't have a clear goal in mind?

So let me propose a goal... and ask you to do the same when you add your comments. I think the goal is to continue to be a highly diverse nation of immigrants, with the following provisos: 1) We should not show favoritism to any nation, regardless of alliance or proximity (although we may have to put in extra filters for immigrants from enemy nations), 2) We should stack our deck in favor of those most likely to work, and obey the law (although we should not favor professionals over laborers), 3) We should put regulations in place to ensure ongoing efficiency of communication in society, 4) We should grant citizenship only to those who are serious about being Americans, and upholding our nation's best interests and founding principles.

Global Citizens

I'm going to outline what I think are a few reasonable steps to take. But before I do that, I have to make it clear that we cannot proceed with only American interests in mind. If you and I are going to be followers of Christ (although that may be a big "if") it is imperative that we see ourselves as members of the human race first, and Americans second. We cannot take a dollar from a foreigner to give an American a dime. We cannot kill an alien to heal a citizen. Of course, it is natural to favor your kin. I show more concern if my wife bangs her head than if someone is murdered in Iraq.... and you are the same way. So let's just recognize our natural biases and move on. But let's also recognize that we are global citizens, and that anytime we have an impact on another human's well-being, we must approach them with true compassion.

Stem the Tide

I have heard of very few, on either side of the debate, who are not calling for a way to stem the tide of illegal immigrants. Sometimes this involves plans to improve the conditions in Mexico, often it involves building a wall. Whatever it is, I don't think we can really even get started solving the problem until we have gotten the deluge under control.

The Bowser

To me, the biggest bad guy... the Bowser at the end of Level 8... is the contingent of Corporate America who sees illegal immigration as an opportunity to cut labor costs. I'm not talking about the companies who take steps to verify proper work status, and still miss a few. I'm talking about those companies who are clearly seeking out illegals, and paying them sub-standard wages. They need to be slapped with huge fines, and put on some sort of employment probation.

Law vs. Grace

Now we get to the immigrants themselves, and the question of law vs. grace. Did they knowingly break the law? For the most part, yes. Were they in desperate straits, just trying to give their families a fighting chance? Again, mostly yes. It looks a lot like the quintessential "stealing a crust of bread" dilemma. So this is a question I'm not going to try to answer definitively. But I will try to clear some of the smoke around it.

Let's start by asking what grace really is. Is it mere pardon (or in this case, amnesty?) Is it grace to dismiss another's trespasses with a wave of the hand? Or might it actually be in the best interests of both current illegals, and all future immigrants, to show that there are consistent consequences to breaking the law? Otherwise, one man's grace can become another man's injustice.

I hope you agree that we have to be fair. Mexicans (and other Latin Americans) are not the only people in the world who can benefit from life in these United States. And if extending grace to Latin Americans means withdrawing welcome from others (for fear of over-crowding,) than our grace is really not very gracious at all.

I guess what I'm saying is that I agree with those who want to impose a fine on illegals, and require them to return to their home country within a generous period of time to apply for a visa.

And now I think we've come to the end of my ability to talk intelligently about the issue. It is indeed a huge, complex problem, and ultimately I have to be thankful that it's not up to me to solve it.

I also must recognize that this post has become quite lengthy. And so I shall sign off now before I wear out my welcome among the kind citizens of Weblogistan.

Adios.