Gainesville Times
May 17, 2006

Bringing order to border is key to reform plans

For months, the debate over the nation's illegal immigrant issue has dominated the headlines and debate on editorial pages such as this one. And with a few exceptions, there have been more words than action.

Congress continues to debate immigration reform but its two houses can't agree on a measure that addresses the presence of some 12 million or more illegal immigrants from Latin American living and working in the United States.

President Bush moved the debate forward Monday by announcing that National Guard troops will begin patrolling the U.S.-Mexico border.

The president has been a strong advocate of a guest worker program to put illegal immigrants on a path toward citizenship. Many Republicans join him in such a push, particularly those in the U.S. Senate.

But other GOP members, mostly from the House, seek a stronger enforcement plan to clamp down on the loose border while enforcing current immigration laws more strictly.

Many see Bush's move as a way to bring both sides together and work toward a common solution. Others see him as trying to shore up his eroding political base among conservatives hungry for action on immigration.

Yet reasonable people agree that it is futile to begin reforming our broken immigration system until we get a better handle on the flow of illegal migrant workers into the country.

First, it's dangerous. Many risk their lives crossing the harsh desert or trying to swim the Rio Grande. Others employ the services of hired smugglers who bilk desperate Mexicans out of their money in order to spirit them across the border in crowded, unhealthy conditions.

It's pointless to propose a plan to document migrant workers already here if there is no control of those continuing to come across the border. The only way a guest worker plan can succeed is if there is a strong incentive for immigrants to sign up and be counted. The best way to do that is to cut off the alternative, which is illegal and clandestine entry in the country.

The main reason our immigration system is such a mess is that there are few consequences for those who skirt the law by crossing the border without permission. Federal agencies are understaffed and do not have the resources to seek out and deport all of those who enter the United States improperly. As long as the border remains largely unguarded, the legal process for immigration will be ignored. That's why border security needs to come first and why the president is right to take action.

But while enforcement is a necessary goal, there are concerns about using Guard troops to do so. Many Guard forces have been stretched thin by war overseas and natural disasters at home. What's more, troops are not trained for the specific tasks of securing the border; that's why Bush says they will be used primarily as backup and technical support for the current border guard.

For long-term security, the nation must spend to upgrade its permanent border forces, both with personnel and technology. It won't come cheaply, but it will show that the United States is serious about keeping out those who don't belong here.

Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., proposed a plan Tuesday to beef up our border patrol before passing a guest worker plan, with fellow Georgia Sen. Saxby Chambliss as co-sponsor. The Senate defeated the plan and will stick to the president's idea to consider both proposals in a comprehensive immigration reform bill.

Time will tell if the temporary presence of Guard troops on the border will help slow the immigration flood. But by securing the border now, the United States sends the message that though laws may be changed to adapt to our changing reality, they still must be obeyed, now and in the future.