In an improvement over the Bush administration's high-profile, yet marginally successful raids, the Obama administration concentrates on working with business to halt the number of large companies that knowingly hire illegal immigrants. I have no problem with that, but I'm no pollyanna. More necessary and more beneficial would be to increase the number of immigrants we allow in each year. As is, available evidence indicates that the marriage of recession and decreased immigration to America threaten Mexico's economy. Ironically, this will only increase the supply of surplus Mexican labor. And, America will be better off when Mexico is better off.
Analysis
What would be better would be comprehensive immigration reform. The Bush administration wasted prime years in neglecting the issue. Congress, then and now, is torn between hard-core anti-immigrant bashers, liberals who don't want to send anyone home, pragmatists who recognize the benefits - cultural and educational that immigration adds to America's cultural milieu, and corporate interests that love cheap immigrant labor.
Compromise will be ugly and unsatisfying, but no resolution equals congressional negligence.
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