Step 5: Give Me Your Weak

I am not a descendant of Native Americans; as is the case with 95% of all citizens of the U.S.. However, studies have shown that the majority of the population of Central and South America are descendants of aboriginal populations. Thus, in genealogical terms, U.S. citizens are, by and large, foreigners. And so called illegal aliens from South America are anything but.

Perspective is the natural enemy of hypocrisy. 

Part of the perspective we need to bring to the immigration debate is what many have labeled the ‘Gumball’ debate. Made popular nearly 10 years ago (well before the current crisis began) this video and subsequent ones by Roy Beck, have postulated the reason for our immigration problem is congress and a hypothetical ‘limit’ that they can place on legal immigration that would solve the crisis.

While Beck’s solutions were not an answer – his numbers were spot on. As a matter of fact – immigration rates since the video first aired have actually been higher than he projected.

The other perspective is that 10 years ago people like Beck (as offered in his video) viewed Mexico as one of the greatest immigration threats. That was false.

Due to improvements in the standard of living in Mexico (due mostly to NAFTA’s elimination of tariffs and trade restrictions – circa 1993)[1], a very small number of the current immigrant population is coming from Mexico.  As a matter of fact, the latest US census indicated that the growth in Mexican immigrant population in the U.S. (both new immigrants and their offspring) from 1990 to 2017 declined by nearly half a million individuals[2]. Yes. That's not a misprint. More people of Mexican descent left the U.S. than entered.

However immigration from South America, Central America and the Middle East has skyrocketed. These perspectives show us – in no uncertain terms – how to fix the immigration woes in the U.S.  

I am not a champion of Roy Beck’s political solution scenarios (like ending DACA).   But one thing he mentions time and again is that the ultimate solution will be to invest in the stability and prosperity of what is unceremoniously called the ‘Third World’.  We need to address the economic and social strife in these countries – because if we do not, we are practically speaking, just asking the downtrodden to escape to the U.S.

By backing dictators and turning a blind eye to American business interests that siphon billions each year from these small economies, we exacerbate the problems. We are causing our own ‘crisis’. Since 1990 asylum seekers, mostly from latin America are "Coming to America" in droves.

An observation often attributed to Albert Einstein, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” – can be applied liberally to this problem.

Several times over we have seen how economic and social engagement changes the course of history.  From the Soviet Union and Glasnost, to NAFTA, economic and social engagement by the richest nation in the world can have tremendous impact.

In the example of Mexico, even with their continued social problems with gangs, drug cartels and official corruption, they have ceased becoming an immigration threat; due primarily to leveling the economic playing field.

With the billions in foreign aid and American business investment that this country can bring to bear - it's unconscionable that any country in the America's is not a healthy democracy.

Our invasion of Iraq brought about ISIS and a flood of refugees that persists today. Our support of dictators in Central and South America cause thousands to flee each year. 

Will we never learn? 

JWB

Sources:

[1]NAFTA, Overview and dates of signatures and ratification, Economic facts, Office of US Trade Representative

[2]2017 Immigration stats (incl Mexican decline) Center for Immigration Studies.