South of the Border: A Quick History of the Latin American Immigration Crisis and How We Can Solve it Ethically.
History has shown that our routine engagement with Latin America, whether marked by political intervention, military operations, or increased United States order security, has done little to curb the tide of illegal immigration. On the contrary, our actions have contributed to a decades-long quagmire that has abetted the proliferation of drugs and organized crime across our southern border, costing the American taxpayer billions of dollars. Thus, in order to address the massive influx of undocumented immigrants, predominantly from Mexico and Central America, the U.S. would benefit from adopting a new vision for foreign workers, whereby they, skilled or not, would receive work visas, allowing them to earn an income and eventually return home. This approach would make coming to the United States legally a more attractive option for Latin Americans.
Allowing temporary workers legal residence in our country is not a novel idea. This system has precedents that date back one hundred fifty years. In the mid 1800s, thousands of Chinese workers flocked to the United States to work on both the Pacific and Transcontinental Railroads, many settling along the Pacific Coast. While they endured discrimination in the workplace, the Chinese laborers were granted residence in the United States. After the railroads were completed, many of the migrant workers chose to remain in the United States, while others repatriated to China. The Bracero Program illustrates another salient example of a U.S migrant worker project. Introduced in 1942 during World War II, this initiative granted millions of Mexican workers an opportunity to work within the United States for contracted periods of time. The braceros buttressed the war effort, helping to fill the void left by the hundreds of thousands of U.S. soldiers fighting overseas. In the post-war era, Mexicans continued to occupy jobs in agriculture. However, beginning in 1954, the United States government launched “Operation Wetback”, swiftly expelling the braceros, and in the process, depriving many of them of their salaries. In 1962, as a result of this abrupt expulsion, record numbers of Mexicans entered illegally into the United States, more than half of them former braceros hoping to reclaim their lost wages. This surge in illegal immigration did not constitute a coincidence, rather it was the by-product of a flawed immigration policy. Had the U.S. faithfully abided by the terms of the Bracero Program, paying migrant workers for the entirety of their services, perhaps the course of U.S.-Mexican relations would have unfolded differently.
An innovative temporary work visa would apply to all foreign nationals, but especially would address individuals from Latin American countries between the ages of 18 and 65 with no extensive criminal record. Additionally, the individual, if approved, would be able to bring his or her immediate family, defined as spouse, children, and parents. Before entering the United States, all applicants would be subject to a provisional period, whereby the entire family record would be scrutinized for any ties to contraband, terrorist organizations, or other compromising factors. In order to make a work visa more accessible and discourage illegal immigration, it would only cost 500 dollars per person to obtain. People with dependents or existing connections in the United States would be prioritized over others. Depending on the individual contract, the visa would allow beneficiaries to legally reside in the United States between five and ten years, with a possibility of a ten-year extension.
While for some families working temporarily in the United States would suffice, others would need to obtain permanent residency in the country. After visa extensions have expired, immigrant workers, who have been law-abiding residents and have not traveled outside the country for more than three months at a time, would be able to apply for a green card. Consistent with current immigration policy, migrant workers who marry a U.S. citizen would be able to immediately apply for permanent resident status. For all others who wish to apply for U.S. citizenship, they would need to provide evidence that returning to their native countries would present an imminent threat or that their homeland has been severely imperiled.
To effectively deter illegal immigration, we must forge a path to legal immigration that is both humane and inclusive. Approximately thirty percent of undocumented immigrants in the United States claim that immigrating to the U.S. legally was simply not an option. Exorbitant immigration fees and long waiting periods were the strongest deterrents. However, by purging our immigration system of these substantial obstacles, we would see an unsurpassed spike in legal immigration from Latin America, slashing illegal immigration by a factor of 75 percent. Following these reforms, the U.S. Government would save billions of dollars annually in border security and be able to dedicate more time and resources to domestic issues such as infrastructure, education, and healthcare.
