CNN.com offers one summary. The key plank is to give illegal workers a three or possibly six-year temporary visa if they step forward with an [illegal] job in hand. When the temporary visa expires, then they have to leave the country. In the meantime they could apply for a greencard, although they would not receive preferential treatment.
The full details remain to be hammered out, but I see at least one obvious flaw with the idea. Most illegal immigrants do not much trust governments of any kind. Unless they expect a significant boost in wages, why should they step forward? To enjoy the benefits of U.S. federal labor regulations? Try telling that story around rural Mexico, where many of the workers come from. The only question is whether you get laughs or hostility in response.
I wonder also how employers of illegals should feel about such an offer to legalize the workers. Either wages will go up or not. If wages don’t go up, workers won’t step forward. If wages do go up, employers won’t necessarily want illegal workers to step forward and may pressure them not to. There is also the question of what legal liability the employer would have, if his workers step forward and admit their illegality.
I can see that this policy is a move in the right direction, but I suspect that a true, workable amnesty will have to be more “blanket” in nature.
Comments are closed.