By
Lora J. Mackel
U.S. border policy - keep them out and us in - has pretty much remained the same since the late 1920s. Ironically, huge segments of our economy depend on the labor that Mexican migrants provide. So Mexicans continue to come to the United States in search of jobs, as the border has become heavily armed.
Despite increased border monitoring, the U.S.-Mexican border remains porous. Millions of migrants make their way into the United States every year. What the increased border enforcement has done is drive migrants to engage in risky behavior to work in the United States. Thousands of these migrants are either hurt, killed or swindled in their attempt to cross the border. To save both lives and money in enforcement, a new border policy - including a guest migrant worker program - must be created.
Vicente Fox, the newly elected Mexican president, directed his attention to the plight of the millions of Mexicans who risk their lives to cross over into the United States. Today, he will meet with President George W. Bush, and the migrant issue is set at the top of their agenda.
Fox realizes, along with the majority of Mexicans, the labor the migrants provided was instrumental in the rapid growth our economy went through in recent years. Many low-paying service and construction jobs went to these workers, jobs that many Americans feel are beneath them. Americans take for granted the unskilled labor that many migrants provide. Without this labor, it would mean a drastic reduction in construction, in janitorial work in both office buildings and hotels, and the other invisible jobs that make the everyday economy hum.
It is time this labor is officially recognized and the people who contribute so much behind the scenes get something back in return.
Both Mexico and the United States have proposed a guest worker program. Mexican migrants could apply for a larger number of worker visas and stay in the country as long as they are employed.
This simple program would make a world of difference for both the migrant and American communities. Mexicans would no longer risk their lives to cross the border but could come across freely and without fear. The illegal smuggling of immigrants would stop, and migrants would no longer have to pay exorbitant fees to cross. There would be no more wandering in the desert, no more jumping into highly polluted rivers and no more dying of exposure to heat or cold. In short, the human dignity of the migrants would be restored.
If migrants stopped crossing the U.S. border illegally, the impact on the United States and American border communities would be tremendous. Each year, the federal government spends millions to combat illegal crossing, and local governments spend their resources on rescuing and tracking illegal migrants. Millions of dollars would be saved if the migrant worker program was implemented.
In Arizona, the guest migrant program has a great deal of support, especially from Gov. Jane Hull. There is good reason for the support - it would save millions of dollars and thousands of lives.
It is high time the government admits that the Mexican border is impossible to control and that their time and energy would be better spent on other solutions. The guest worker program is one of the best ideas to emerge from the debate over immigration. It restores the dignity to the migrants and admits the vital role they play in our economy.
