Immigrant Amnesty Has a Conservative History

Townhall ^ | 11/17/2014 | Casey Given

[SeekAndFind]

Here’s a pop quiz. Which president once said, "Illegal immigrants in considerable numbers have become productive members of our society and are a basic part of our work force”? Was it a liberal like Bill Clinton when he pushed for amnesty in 2000? Or, what about Barack Obama foreshadowing his forthcoming executive actions?

Actually, it was Ronald Reagan. As hard as it is to believe only three decades later, such pro-immigrant policy used to be a cornerstone of conservative politics. Many immigrants, after all, epitomize the American dream, traveling far from a foreign country with little other than the hope for a better life after some hard work. As President Obama considers extending amnesty to millions of immigrants who have already established roots in the United States, it’s important to reconsider Reagan’s actions as a conservative compass.

President Reagan worked with Congress to pass the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA). The law extended amnesty to over four million immigrants who had been living in the United States prior to 1982 while beefing up border security and legal repercussions for employers that hired undocumented labor. This paradigm of stricter rules with compassionate enforcement continued into the presidency of George H.W. Bush, who imposed a “family fairness” program by executive fiat that provided approximately 1.5 million children and spouses of immigrants covered under the 1986 law to remain in the country. Congress quickly formalized the policy with the Immigration Act of 1990 by providing a legal pathway to citizenship for family members of immigrants who have received amnesty.

Subsequent studies following the IRCA immigrants have found that most moved out of poverty. In fact, one 2009 study by the Immigration Policy Center found that “IRCA immigrants age 25-34 years in 1990 experienced an increase of 41 percentage points in home ownership rates by 2006.” Contrary to the popular myth of the lazy immigrant mooching off of welfare, immigrants as a group are more entrepreneurial than native-born Americans. In fact, 40 percent of Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children. One 2010 study by the Competitive Enterprise Institute estimates that an immigrant is 30 percent more likely to start a business than a native-born American.

Hard work and entrepreneurship are conservative values, so it’s hard to grapple why Congressional Republicans are now threatening to sue or even impeach President Obama for taking executive action on amnesty. The details of Obama’s plan remain unclear as of the time of writing but may include a pathway to citizenship for parents of children who are US citizens. Republicans may object that such an action is an unconstitutional overreach of the president’s executive authority, but, again, it is not unprecedented. President Bush enforced a very similar policy in 1989 at first through executive action and later through Congress.

Of course, it would be better for the President to follow Reagan and Bush’s footsteps of working with congress to exact reform, but is such a strategy even conceivable given today’s GOP? Considering that such attempts at legislative reform went nowhere in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives over the past two years, it seems like a philosophical shift must first occur among conservatives towards a more compassionate immigration policy. Conservatives must once again embrace the words of Reagan who reminded us, “Our nation is a nation of immigrants.” Let us pay homage to the spirit of freedom and entrepreneurship that made America great by welcoming the people who value both the most — immigrants.

- Casey Given is an editor at Young Voices, a project of Students For Liberty dedicated to promoting young libertarians' policy voice in the media.

[GeronL]

The attack on America continues

[A CA Guy]

Close the borer first.

Make sure no resident or illegal can access the treasury for the dole.

Don't give support for more than one child under welfare to anyone since if you can't afford to feed them, don't breed them.

If the immigrant can't maintain employment at 125% of income above poverty, then show them the door to leave.

Don't allow access to the young and capable to welfare, EBT or Obama phones.

[henkster]

Actually, two policies would end illegal immigration fairly quickly, or at least make sure the immigrants who came were capable of becoming productive and responsible American citizens.

1. End welfare. Don’t reform it, END IT.

2. Abolish all minimum wage laws.

After an unpleasant but absolutely necessary period of rioting, looting and burning, you would find that there are plenty of Americans willing to do the jobs Americans aren’t willing to do. And there would be no need for illegal immigrants to do them. Also, you would find no immigrants coming to the country to sponge off of welfare, because that trough has run dry.

[Little Ray]

The “Reagan Signed an Amnesty” BS.
Reagan signed an Amnesty that provided for border security and internal enforcement - neither of which were implemented. It was a one-time-only deal.
No amnesty.
Oppress the illegals until they self-deport. They are not “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” and not entitled to the rights that protect citizens and legal residents.

[Jim Robinson]

Enforce the law!! Amnesty pimps be damned!!

[skinkinthegrass]

the author's brain, is stuck on stupid.

[Democrat_media]

I think Reagan wanted to secure the border so that’s why he gave the democrats the 1 million amnestied in return for border security. but the democrats didn’t fulfill the border security part

that’s why i say no deal , no immigration bill of any kind. . just enforce current laws. no executive orders. The Constitution makes the presidency an inherently weak office. didn’t we learn from being conned already?

[zeestephen]

Believe it not, the 1986 Reagan Amnesty is still in effect, 28 years later!

I don’t recall the exact numbers - it’s in the low thousands - but each year, including 2014, people actually apply for - and are approved for - USA legal residency based on the fact - or, more likely, the claim - that they meet the criteria set out in the 1986 Amnesty.

Here’s the short bio on the author of this posted article:

“Casey Given is an editor at Young Voices, a project of Students For Liberty dedicated to promoting young libertarians’ policy voice in the media.”

[skeeter]

So, we once granted amnesty ergo we should support all subsequent amnesties. Regardless of what we now know are the deleterious effects of those past amnesties.

I like to think conservatives are more logical than that.

[ansel12]

You think the Pilgrims were illegal immigrants?

[olezip]

Here’s a pop quiz. Which president once said, "Illegal immigrants in considerable numbers have become productive members of our society and are a basic part of our work force”?

I remember that well. I also remember that a very important part of Reagan's argument was that we would secure our borders and NOT continue to let in another 30 million illegal immigrants. Promises were made to stop the influx of illegals to secure the legislation; promises to secure our borders were NOT kept because of lack of funding and lack of interest once the amnesty legislation was passed.

The writer of this piece also seems to blur the distinction between legal immigrants and illegal aliens.

[Dagnabitt]

Our grandchildren will visit the USA in books and old movies.

It won't exist in the present.

[DoughtyOne]

Thank you Eva.

[Eva]

That was the best response that I have read.

[DoughtyOne]

In the Left's mind:

If it's the Left, the Presidency is darn near a kingship.  You don't need Congress for anything.

If it's the right, the Presidency is darn near meaningless, and the Left controlling the Senate or the House, Bills don't even come to the floor of Congress for votes.


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[usurper]

Many conservatives LEARN from their mistakes.

Yes and progressives learn from their successes. The last amnesty flipped California from solid red to deep deep blue. Now they hope and pray to do the same to Texas and several other states.

The GOP is just to stupid to learn from anything.

[sheana]

Reagan also had a bill on his desk to sign. He didn’t just declare it so.

[skeeter]

Of course the left loves the idea of an all powerful potentate - government action is their salvation. It is the fount of all things - their miserable lives are worthless without it.

How lucky for them they currently have one who shares their warped worldview, and they don't have to deal with bothersome impediments, like alternative points of view.

[beelzepug]

Casey Given is young, libertarian, and a product of UC Berkeley. And while I’m not one to poke fun at other peoples’ appearances, he’s also as cross-eyed as a Siamese cat, which may have something to do with how he looks at things.

[DoughtyOne]

I appreciate your thoughts on that. Thank you again. I appreciate it.