OPINION:
The Trump administration’s dramatic efforts to deport some very bad actors in the illegal immigrant community have captured headlines and sent a powerful message. Although necessary, however, the nation’s illegal immigration crisis cannot be solved by law enforcement efforts alone.
A lasting solution will be found only by remembering the most basic rule of politics: Follow the money. We have an illegal immigration crisis because financial incentives built into our laws encourage such behavior. If we take away the financial incentives, the flood of illegal border crossings will slow to a trickle.
The place to begin is by removing the biggest financial incentive for people to enter the United States illegally: jobs. Sixty-three percent of voters recognize why people from around the globe dream of bringing their families here for a better life. America is still the land of opportunity.
To ensure that people pursuing the American dream do so while respecting America’s laws, every American employer must verify that every employee is a legal resident of the United States. A Napolitan News national survey found that 70% of voters support this commonsense reform.
The federal government has created an E-Verify system, a free program that lets companies verify the legal status of potential employees. Only 10 states require employers to use that system. Another 11 states require verification for all public employees and government contractors but not for private businesses. Most of the rest leave it up to the employer. California and Illinois significantly restrict the ability of employers to use the E-Verify system.
Most Americans find such political behavior incomprehensible. They can’t understand why political leaders would encourage people to break the law by entering the country illegally. When told that not all states use the E-Verify system, 68% of voters think the federal government should mandate its use everywhere for every company and every employee.
Such attitudes are found even in California, whose political leaders are among the most supportive of open borders and illegal immigration. Sixty-nine percent of California voters want employers to verify that their employees are in the United States legally, while only 20% are opposed.
Making sure that American jobs are available only to legal residents and legal immigrants will reverse the tide of illegal immigration. It will also more closely align immigration policy with public opinion: 83% of voters believe legal immigration is good for America, and 81% believe illegal immigration is bad. Although politicians often miss the point, voters recognize that America is a nation of immigrants and laws.
Removing job opportunities for illegal immigrants, while essential, is only one part of the needed reforms.
The federal government provides billions of dollars to support illegal immigrants directly and indirectly. Some of the money goes to city and state governments. Recent headlines focused on a $59 million payment to New York City for housing illegal immigrants, but that’s just the tip of the multibillion-dollar iceberg.
Some payments directly support individuals. California allows illegal immigrants to enroll in Medicaid, a practice 68% of voters nationwide oppose. Some funding goes to “ministries” and other nongovernmental organizations encouraging and supporting illegal immigration. On top of that, some federal funding is allocated based on the number of residents in a community, including illegal immigrants. The more people you have, the more money you get.
Like the lure of jobs, money from the federal government encourages people to break the law and cross the border illegally. Even worse, it has corrupted our political system by creating a network of nonprofit leaders, government workers and politicians addicted to the funding. To keep their money flowing, they keep defying America’s voters and America’s immigration law.
Voters may not understand all the details, but they do understand what’s going on. That’s why 66% of voters favor eliminating all federal government spending that benefits illegal immigrants. This reform and ensuring that jobs are available only to legal residents will go a long way toward securing the border.
Stopping the flow of money is the only long-term solution to stopping the flow of illegal immigrants.
• Scott Rasmussen is the president of RMG Research Inc. and founder of the Napolitan Institute. All surveys mentioned were conducted by Mr. Rasmussen for the Napolitan News Service.
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