After years of failure on many key issues, President Bush was almost able to gain at least one success under his belt over the summer and before he steps out of office in 2009.In a defining issue of this century, other than the Iraq War, Bush and many in Congress pushed for a bill that would have given legal status and a path to citizenship to five percent of the nation’s workforce and their families.
But the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007 was essentially put to rest on June 28 with a vote a closing debate.
According to a CNN report, the White House says it is now being forced to act without Congress. The Bush administration is proposing a crackdown on businesses and the undocumented workers they employ. If the proposal moves forward, industries such as agriculture will suffer, along with illegal immigrants.
As of March 2005, 24 percent of farming occupations were held by unauthorized workers, according to a Pew Hispanic Center estimate. Illegal immigrants also make up 17 percent of cleaning occupations, 14 percent of construction occupations and 12 percent of food preparation occupations.
Although the bill was not perfect and there were several impracticalities, it was the starting point of a levelheaded approach to reforming immigration rather than aimlessly applying current laws.
And applying current laws is clearly not the answer. Despite impracticalities in the recently failed bill, it is also impractical to try to enact widespread deportation. Such a deportation would require many more resources than we have, and the Center for American Progress estimated that a successful widespread deportation would cost half of the amount spent on the Iraq War.
It would also separate families and burden our economy for no reason.
Representatives in Congress know a widespread deportation is out of the question, yet their decision does not leave for much else to be done regarding immigration.
At the current rate, some unfortunate illegal immigrants will be deported, while many others will not. Some illegal immigrants will be better protected depending on where they live, while others will continue to live with the increasing threat of losing their jobs and being separated from their families.
Lawmakers are saying it will be a few more years before comprehensive immigration reform has another chance. Although the summer has been a failure on Congress’ part regarding immigration, reform will eventually have to take place once everyone realizes the truth: deporting people here and there is not effective.