The U.S. should welcome immigrants with open arms

By Dr. James “Jim” Kadlecek

“Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me.
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

– The New Colossus by Emma Lazarus

Can anyone fail to be inspired by those words inscribed on the Statue of Liberty?

As we debate the issue of immigration, will we be reminded of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s words, “Remember, remember always, that all of us, and you and I especially, are descended from immigrants and revolutionaries?”

Yet the loudest noise lately comes from radicals such as U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado, who cries out that our nation is at peril because of immigration. He proposes a ban on immigration despite his own family roots, and displays an attitude which is at the very least selfish and stems from being a fear-mongering political opportunist.

I served with Tancredo in the Colorado Legislature some years ago, and I am well aware of his biases and prejudices. Knowing him as I do, I try not to take him too seriously. He was known in the Legislature as one of the “house crazies.”

Unfortunately, because of the fear of terrorism and the latent prejudice that some have against persons of a different color, he is getting some undeserved media publicity. The sight of him on the same presidential debate stage with respected politicians such as John McCain, Hillary Clinton and our own Bill Richardson is enough to make me, well, sick to my stomach.

My arguments for immigration stem from beliefs in equity, freedom, openness and history. I strongly believe in these words from John F. Kennedy: “Everywhere immigrants have enriched and strengthened the fabric of American life.”

I also speak from daily experience since I live in southern New Mexico, about 20 miles from the Mexican border. Many of my neighbors are immigrants, good people, hardworking, friendly, family- and church-oriented. I could not ask for better neighbors.

When I hear that immigrants are a drain on our economy, I respond with the anecdotal example of my next door neighbor, who was born in Mexico, worked on farms all his life and raised three fine children. One is now a doctor and two are professionals in other fields.

The truth is that, as is true of my neighbor’s kids, the intergenerational progress of immigrants tends to exceed that made by native-born Americans.

There is an excellent editorial on immigration in (of all places) the conservative Wall Street Journal of June 8. It puts a lie to the argument that immigrants and the public services they receive are costing the American taxpayer. The Journal cites a number of studies, some from conservative think-tanks, which conclude that the value of immigrants to the overall economy is a net positive of some $30 billion.

How about the argument that immigrants are taking jobs away from Americans? According to the same Wall Street Journal piece, that also is false. The National Bureau of Economic Research in 2006 concluded that immigrants have “skill sets that complement those of natives, and do not compete for the same jobs as most natives.”

Here in southern New Mexico and west Texas, we have lived peacefully for generations with our Mexican neighbors and do not understand why immigration from the south would strike fear into the American psyche. Sure, we have border issues related to drugs, environment and health. We also understand the issue of undocumented workers who cross at their peril to work.

However, we believe that the reason so many cross illegally is because the current system of crossing legally is hopelessly cumbersome and bureaucratic. That’s what immigration legislation should be targeting – improving the current system relating to workers, visas, work permits, etc.

About terrorism, I have had border patrol agents and staff in the classes I teach. All of them have told me that they perceive minimal threats from those crossing from the south. Internal border studies have apparently shown this to be the case. Unless my information is in error, didn’t the 9/11 terrorists enter from Canada, and weren’t they all “legal?” So why are we so worried about undocumented workers? Mostly, they come over to work in jobs related to construction and agriculture. They contribute to our economy.

I have a very good friend (of Italian descent) who, in writing about his ancestors’ experiences at Ellis Island, sums it up this way: “How refreshing it would be if the spirit of the 1800s and early 1900s were renewed, and we said to Latinos, ‘If you are unhappy with the people in your country who rule your destiny and keep you in poverty and suffering, come to the United States and bring your children with you. We will find work for you. We will arrange for you to learn English. We will enroll your children in our schools. We will set up plans for you to get medical treatment. We will develop a plan for you to rent or buy a house. We will take you in as a citizen. We will help you and your family. Maybe it will cost us Americans more in taxes, but in the long run, it will be worth it.’”

Amen to that.

“For I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” – Matthew 25:35

Kadlecek has lived in Doña Ana County since 1996, served in the Colorado Legislature and holds a doctorate in public administration. He’s the author of the book “Capitol Rape.” His column runs on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month and other times that he gets fired up about something.