The issue ~ Illegal immigration

Our opinion ~ Sen. Graham faces tough road on key issue

Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina isn’t giving up on immigration reform – and he shouldn’t.

Criticized harshly from within his own party, Republican Graham was a key supporter of immigration reform legislation that critics called a cover for “amnesty” for the 12 million illegals in the United States today. The legislation died amid the furor, even though it had the support of President Bush.

Now, Graham is pushing immigration changes on an issue-by-issue basis, most recently playing a crucial role in gaining Senate approval of $3 billion to tighten security along the nation’s borders. The money will be used to hire border patrol agents, build fences in urban areas and erect observation towers.

“Our immigration system is fundamentally broken,” Graham said. “We’ve made it harder, I think, over time, to walk away from the reform measures necessary to regain control of immigration because of this last debate,” he said of the failed effort to pass an immigration package.

Gaining approval of border security – even though Bush may not go along – is one thing, but securing approval of a guest-worker program is another. And, as Graham has said, there must be “some means of addressing the estimated 12 million people now in the nation illegally.”

Call it amnesty or by another name, but the nation must face the fact that it is impractical – even impossible – to make reality of deporting all present illegals. As much as it is a priority to stop the flow of illegals into the country, the issue of those living and working here now must be addressed.

Graham has stressed the immigration problem is largely a work issue. Illegals come here to obtain work and make money. To stop the flow, the money must go. To effectively end the practice of putting illegals to work means there must be real and harsh consequences for businesses that do the hiring.

But what of business reality? In agriculture, for example, the U.S. Farm Bureau reports that the number of farm workers in the country continues to decline despite the demand. The number is expected to drop to 710,000 this year, which is 40,000 fewer than a year ago and 175,000 less than five years. And this comes despite better wages.

The work force issue is a key reason Farm Bureau and agriculture in general continue calling for a way to ensure adequate farm labor. Immigrants from Latin America are a major portion of the present force. Illegals are included.

Estimates range as high as $9 billion for the amount of U.S. agricultural production that could be lost to foreign competitors if something is not done.

Which is where the guest worker program comes in. Some kind of accommodation is needed.

Lindsey Graham is to be commended for continuing to emphasize the need for immigration reform, even in the face of considerable political opposition. His one-issue-at-a-time approach keeps the issue on the front burner, even if the chances of success as the 2008 elections approach are limited.

You must be logged in to comment.