November 23, 2007
The New Immigration Bill Is Pointless for This Industry
Both sets of my grandparents were Italian immigrants. My grandfathers had relatives in Ohio who sponsored their entry into this country and the job market. Later, my grandfathers sponsored other members of my family and our numbers grew. Not one of my grandparents had a college education, yet they created a thriving produce business that generated enough money to buy homes, nice cars and college educations for their kids. This is hardly an unusual scenario; it’s the American dream, and it’s why this country became the powerhouse it is. The dream is at risk of fading away.
Senators from both parties announced late last month that they had reached agreement on a comprehensive immigration bill that would offer legal status to the millions of illegal immigrants in this country. At the heart of the bill is a government-established point system that will evaluate prospective immigrants. Points would be awarded for English language proficiency, education and job skills.
Under the current system a would-be immigrant can’t get a green card unless sponsored by an employer who pledges to put the person to work. The employer decides if he or she will sponsor a potential worker. But if the bill is approved, the new point system would take the hiring decision out of the employer’s hands and put it in the hands of the federal government. The point system would be skewed in favor of those with the most education and skills.
On the surface, that sounds pretty good. It would allow this country to compete for the best minds. However, the Labor Department estimates that 37 percent of all new jobs in the next decade will be filled by people with a high school education or less. During that same period, the restaurant industry is expected to add two million jobs. Most of those jobs do not require advanced education.
And let’s be honest here: a majority of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in this country are doing jobs that most Americans don’t want. There are not enough workers now to support our growing economy, and an army of college-educated immigrants are not what is needed. This bill will not help the hospitality industry.
There’s plenty of trouble with this bill. Under a 1986 law, you are now required to ask job applicants for verification of their legal right to work in this country. Under the proposed bill, you would be required to confirm the identity and employment eligibility of all your employees on an electronic government database. There are nearly 13 million people employed by this industry, and the government will insist that you check the database for everyone or face a stiff fine. Are you willing to bet the goverment can or will keep the database updated and acccurate?
This country was built by immigrants and their families. Under the proposed point system, some family members may pass the grade, while others may not. This bill has all the potential to rip families apart. My family and maybe yours would not have made it into the country if a similar bill had existed way back when. It smacks of elitism and discriminates against the poor and humble.
