When I was a kid, I was taught that one of the principles of good governance is that if you want to complain about a problem, you had better have a solution in mind to present about how to fix it. Apparently, Ron DeSantis never learned this principle. We all know the immigration system is broken. I, too, am still very disappointed at the Biden administration’s handling of the crisis overall, despite his finally taking steps in the right direction. Yes, obviously, immigration needs to be fixed. No, denying people health care is not an answer. Heartlessness toward people who have come to America seeking a better way of life does nothing but make circumstances worse. The problem is not the undocumented people living in this country trying to eke out a living while being exploited. Nor does the problem lie with people who extend a helping hand and offer care and compassion. The immigration system itself is responsible, not the people caught up in it.
We have made it next to impossible for people to come here legally. Over the years the process has become more and more of a bureaucratic nightmare–the time that it takes to have a hearing, the amount of paperwork and documentation, the arbitrary standards–the overall unwillingness to give asylum to people who need it.
Meanwhile, we need immigrants. Many businesses are opposed to DeSantis’ crackdown because they are reliant on labor from undocumented workers. DeSantis’ crackdown threatens industries in his state from agriculture to tourism. It makes sense to allow an essential labor force to get permission to work legally. Do something to make it easier for the people who need to be here to come here; and for those who are essential who are here to stay here. Don’t spurn the people our national economy needs. DeSantis and his allies imagine that the country is being overrun by immigrants. If it is, it is being overrun by essential workers.
The border is a mess. More must be done. But at the end of the day, the issues are logistical, not fundamental. America does have room for immigrants. It is a matter of finding a way to integrate them into our society; of having a fair, equitable system that will make common sense decisions about who should or should not stay. Unfortunately, that system doesn’t exist. This, not an inherent threat from those who come here seeking a better life, is where the problem lies.
Ultimately, America can’t say there is solely an economic imperative. There is a moral imperative. Consider what people are going through to get here. Also consider what they go through once they get here. Acknowledge how desperate someone would have to be in order to make that journey. It is so disheartening to see someone gain traction in the Republican primary by simultaneously waving the flag and withdrawing into nativism. DeSantis forgets that America is a nation built by immigrants. DeSantis has lost touch with American values.
Progressive Without Apology 