Quantcast
MobileRJ | RSS Twitter Twitter FacebookFacebook E-mail Alerts
Home manage Las Vegas Review-Journal
  Jobs Cars Homes Shopping Travel Weddings Golf Best of Las Vegas Photo   Search:

RECENT EDITIONS
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

Opinion
Jun. 24, 2007
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

J.C. WATTS: We must get immigration reform right

J.C. WATTS
MORE COLUMNS

The whole immigration reform/amnesty/path to citizenship/border security debate has gotten really messy.

My position is similar to one I advanced a couple of years ago on the matter of lobbying reform on Capitol Hill: If we would just enforce the laws on the books, there would be no reason for this debate. But because of the sins of our fathers, the issue is more complicated than that today.

Most Popular Stories
  • LETTERS: With economists like these, who needs enemies?
  • LETTERS: Brace yourself for coming tax hikes
  • LETTERS: Nuclear power could be the answer for Nevada
  • EDITORIAL: Firemen's pensions past due for reform
  • EDITORIAL: Education 'consultants'
  • J.C. WATTS: Sonia Sotomayor and bootstraps
  • EDITORIAL: Internet sales taxes
  • LETTERS: So now you're in favor of regulation, eh?
  • EDITORIAL: Hoe, hoe, hoe
  • VIN SUPRYNOWICZ: Letting the looters vote on who's for lunch




    • In 1965, Ted Kennedy was chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Immigration and Naturalization. He essentially directed President Lyndon B. Johnson's immigration policy.

    A younger, slimmer, dark-haired Kennedy, in supporting an immigration reform bill, said, "I want to comment on what this bill will not do. First, our cities will not be flooded with a million immigrants annually. Under the proposed bill, the present level of immigration remains substantially the same."

    In 1986, speaking on behalf of another immigration bill, Kennedy said, "This amnesty will give citizenship to only 1.3 million illegal aliens. We will secure the borders. We will never again bring forth an amnesty bill like this."

    Now, another 21 years later, we revisit the debate, and we are dealing with 10 times the amount of immigrants Kennedy promised in 1986. If we don't act now, I dread the debate 21 years hence.

    Let's take a deep breath and ponder semantics and priorities for a moment. I don't believe this is truly an amnesty bill. To me, amnesty means you get off without consequence. A convict granted amnesty gets to pick up with his life where it left off prior to his conviction. It's almost as though nothing had happened. That's not what I read in this legislation.

    The bottom line is we have 12 million to 15 million illegal immigrants in our country today who came in the back door while those monitoring the front door napped. Millions now cannot be accounted for. How do we deal with this? Some would say put them at the front of the line and let them in. Others suggest a path to citizenship over an extended course of time. Others support enforcement and border security only.

    I believe border security must come first, but we can't stop there. If you've got a leak in your kitchen, it won't do a lot of good to start mopping the floor without fixing the leak. Fix the source of the leak and the water will stop overflowing the room.

    We have a leaky border problem. Let's secure the border first. We've been promised a 1,200 mile-long border fence, of which about 12 miles have been constructed. Maybe this is why conservatives don't trust government.

    I believe many Americans would support immigration reform, but they know that it's very difficult to trust politicians and government to do what they say they'll do. The American people trusted government with Social Security and Medicare, and those programs verge on bankruptcy today.

    It's important to do immigration reform and do it right. However, when you have Chamber of Commerce-types looking for cheap labor, Democrats looking for new voters and Republicans thinking border security only will solve the problem, I'm afraid we create a greater mess for the next generation, and not a better solution.

    I'm willing to work for a solution, because I believe there are millions of good people in this country who are not terrorists. They're here for opportunity and to pursue the American dream, much as your ancestors did. But the president and immigration reform proponents have a lot of work to do to build the trust of American people, based on generations of poor performance.

    J.C. Watts (JCWatts01@jcwatts.com) is former chairman of the Republican Conference of the U.S. House, where he served as an Oklahoma representative from 1995 to 2002. He writes twice monthly for the Review-Journal.

    Newsvine Digg Fark Technorati reddit StumbleUpon del.icio.us Slashdot Propeller Mixx Furl Twitter MySpace Facebook Google Bookmarks Yahoo! Bookmarks Windows Live Favorites Ask MyStuff myAOL Favorites

    Leave Your Comment 15 Reader Comments
    Terms & Conditions
    The following comments are provided by readers and are the sole responsiblity of the authors. The reviewjournal.com does not review comments before publication nor guarantee their accuracy. By publishing a comment here you agree to abide by the comment policy. If you see a comment that violates the policy, please notify the web editor.

    Some comments may not display immediately due to an automatic filter. These comments will be reviewed within 48 hours. Please do not submit a comment more than once.
    Current Word Count:

    Note: Comments made by reporters and editors of the Las Vegas Review-Journal are presented with a yellow background.

    jer999 wrote on July 19, 2007 02:15 PM: J.C.: After reading your article , I agree with some of it, BUT, as a Sheriff, I did not see my comrades die, our Servicemen die,for 'Illegal' LAWBREAKERS,to benefit in any way...!!!

    These good people died for what is right and just, and not to give one damn inch to those who were 'NOT' invited.
    We have a legal way to come here as been done for 200 years, why do you feel sympathy for them ?
    We built our country up over many years, where were they ? taking Siestas?
    Build your own country, build your own
    feathered nest...stop stealing ours!!!
    Thieves and law breakers, do not make good citizens,,,!!!I think I have the right to speak on this subject, having been shot and stabbed, buy those bad boys, nothing but bad will ever come of Amenesty. Whats wrong with the engineers, Doctors, Attorneys, Demtists, etc.etc.etc. who already speak our lasnguage, and would be an immediate asset to our country , instead of trying to shove these
    "illegals"down ourthroats....???


    Frank wrote on July 05, 2007 07:31 PM: Mr Watts,
    You're not lying about the Federal Government napping while twelve million-plus illegal immigrants were allowed to enter this country. Worse yet, they were allowed to stay here illegally. Its not just the borders that need securing; its the enforcement of current laws, passing laws that discourage illegal immigration, and changing outdated laws, such as the antiquated "Anchor Baby" laws that are the issues. As time goes by, this problem becomes more complex and expensive to solve.
    This government and your fellow lawmakers need to punish illegal immigrants and the businesses that hire them; no rewards for lawbreakers.


    Break Border=Break Laws wrote on June 29, 2007 04:45 PM: Deportation= we have entry and tax laws
    No deportation= US taxpayer is fool


    Shell wrote on June 28, 2007 08:27 PM: That is it exactly. We cannot trust the Government to enforce the laws they created. If they would just seal the borders and start enforcing all of the immigration laws that are presently on the books, then maybe we would be open for change.


    David Darby wrote on June 27, 2007 08:30 PM: I agree with Mr. Watts' analysis of the current immigration reform mess. I can only pray that the current immigration bill fails the Senate vote. Let's try enforcing the current laws on the books and securing the borders before we give those who break our laws and come here illegally an easy path to citizenship.


    COURT ORDER wrote on June 26, 2007 03:48 PM: COURT ORDER: The Court hereby finds that many Mexicans have "knowingly" violated the Law and are guilty of a crime. The Court further finds that the Executive branch (from the President down to local police) has knowingly not enforced the Law, and thereby is guilty of a crime. The Court orders the immediate deportation of all illegal aliens. The Court further orders the IRS to determine how much income-tax the illegal alien evaded, assert a lien against such alien that can be enforced in the alien's home country, and bring charges for the crime of income-tax evasion. We, like all countries, have entry laws and standards to be followed. This Order will send the message that our laws must be followed, not broken. When the farmers and factories lose their illegal workers, those jobs will rapidly be filled by legal workers. Judge Right


    Bob Dale wrote on June 25, 2007 11:10 PM: Borders, language, Traditions, Values,Financial stability, Existing laws and devotion to American principles! If we compromise these ideals, as did the roman empire, we too will loose our beloved free way of life!!


    Patrick F. Pein wrote on June 25, 2007 03:16 PM: Right On!

    Fix the borders first. Then we can talk about the other things. I believe we should reach out to help those who are not as blessed as we've been. But do so reasonably and not by committing national suicide.

    Run for President, J. C.! I'd help out on that campaign if it ever comes to be!

    Sincerely,

    Patrick "Joe" Pein FNP


    William Duffy wrote on June 25, 2007 12:04 PM: JC it seems you haven't lost your political posturing as you start strong and waffle into some idiotic mish-mash of let everyone in as our fathers mumbled from somewhere and the statue of Liberty opened its arms. Its BS your opening should have been your ending. We have all the laws we need let's just enforce them. along with the fence and border security and employer sanctions sit back and watch the problem subside and if enforced to the hilt it will go away. just as this should have been one sentence so should have your.


    GEORGE MOSS wrote on June 25, 2007 03:45 AM: Immigration debate avoids the question of population growth. At the present immigration and birth rate, U.S. population will be about 500 million by the year 2050 and about 1 billion by the year 2100. It does not take a crystal ball to predict the environmental and social catastrophe that will cause.


    Read All Comments