Mass deportation?

Illegal immigration continues to create problems for the country. The security of the nation can be compromised when individuals crossing our borders are not confirmed to pose no threat. In most cases, immigrants want to live and work and thrive in the United States, even while a few may believe that moving here presents opportunities to make a fortune, or at least a living, in criminal activities. Yet many American citizens benefit from the labors of those who come here. Immigrants—even those who are illegal residents—can serve the nation in various ways.

President-elect Trump proposed deportation of illegal immigrants. Such a task would be daunting.
• Who would be deported—all illegal immigrants or just those convicted of crimes?
• How would people be apprehended? Would ICE and/or the National Guard and/or the local police be involved?
• Would we build and maintain holding areas (‘concentration camps’) for detainees awaiting deportation?
• Where would they be sent? What countries would accept them? How would countries respond when faced with an influx of deportees from the United States? In any case we wouldn’t get plaudits.
• Might our leaders just be using threats of incarceration or deportation to encourage illegal immigrants to return to their home countries?

Mass deportation would be costly and disruptive to some sectors of our society. The dependence on the relatively inexpensive labor of illegal immigrants, often exploitative and unethical, fosters among many parties disrespect for our laws. But this expedient arrangement integrates immigrants into parts of the American economy. Removing them would hurt some businesses; even if those businesses skirt some laws, they nevertheless meet the needs and desires of some of our fellow citizens.

A solution to the problem of illegal immigration should not involve creating any fast track to citizenship or rewarding anyone for having jumped ahead in the line of people wanting to join us. We might apprehend illegal immigrants and register them with authorities and in the process issue them documents with a view to bringing them ‘out of the shadows’ and into our stores of information. We should offer them the chance to work and pay taxes and pay a fine for having violated American laws in return for the privilege of residing in the United States. This would not be 'slavery' or 'indentured servitude', but their criminal status would justify our expectation that illegal immigrants pay their debt to society. Those who pay that price for their crime, since they showed their commitment to America, should be eligible for citizenship after several years. The wait in line would not be short.

The voluntary submission of illegal immigrants to authorities would result in
• Savings to the country as it avoids the need to round up, house and then ship out illegal immigrants.
• Identification and documentation of individuals. This affords authorities the ability to track residents and ensure that they pay taxes and continue to live in compliance with our laws.
• Additions to our workforce.
• A benefit to those who come forward: freedom from fear of imprisonment or deportation, a chance to win full citizenship after meeting their obligations to our system of justice.

Given the power a president possesses, a president wields enormous power to frighten individuals and groups in the nation and indeed around the world. The threat of mass deportation may have—should have—captured the attention of many of those who live ‘in the shadows’ of our country—reside here without documentation. And the president who threatens people can nevertheless have a remarkable ability to win them as supporters by providing them an attractive offer—one they shouldn’t refuse—as an alternative to the option they dread. Bringing illegal immigrants into the light is the best way to serve the interests of all. Useful people should be allowed to stay and pay their dues. The country benefits from their labors and all the while the country avoids the hassles and expense of rounding people up and shipping them out. The best alternative among the many possibilities benefits all parties to the deal, offers everyone something to gain. That makes a deal sweet. And wins a president high marks in history.