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The Bracero program was a way to handle the seasonal labor situation, but as Regulator said, while the money was held in Mexico, it was often stolen. Developing an honest banking system, perhaps run through USAID, not Mexican banks might improve the situation. Social security deducted from the workers wages (not the employer component) could be reserved as a nest egg for return. Some jobs are not just seasonal.

For example, at a camp site in southern Alabama I spoke with a Mexican (in Spanish) about his work. This was in 2006 and he was working as part of the after Katrina clean up/build back. He was employed by an Atlanta corporation, paid $4 an hour and was painting all the new housing, not a summer job only in that climate, and was sending money home to his family in Mexico. I asked him if he could get that pay in Mexico would he rather work there or live here. When he said he preferred living in Mexico, I asked what he like best here in US aside from pay. He said that in the US the police were honest. The drug war has been a major failure and the proliferation of vicious drug gangs in Mexico is an important reason for the migration of many to the US. It is estimated that as many as 70 million Mexicans would prefer to live here. We must develop new solutions to the drug issue.

For year round work, we could have a system of contracts whereby the worker has his personal SS money reserved for payment when he returns home. Contracts could be anywhere from 1 to 4 years, but at the end of the contract they (and any dependent family with them) must return home for a year. Once they had worked a total of ten (10) contract years, they could apply for citizenship. If granted citizenship, then they would be eligible for the employer portion of their SS at retirement age. This system would have several beneficial effects. By insisting on return home with a next egg, they might decide to stay there (cheaper than foreign aid). With a total of 10 years living here they should develop a command of the language. Since they would have to return home for a year after each contract period, they would NOT be eligible for citizenship application for at least 12 years, and if not using 4 year contracts even more years. [But if the lived in one of the drug gang hotbeds, they still would not want to stay there.] So we really do need to tackle the drug gang issue more effectively. Incidentally, it is not just Mexicans. In the DC metropolitan area there are more from El Salvdor, and Guatemala. On a visit to Miami I was surprised to find a lot from Ecuador. [Anyway, this is a spur of the moment idea, what do you think?]

As the late KennyBunk told me, its too late to be talking common sense.

The whole damn thing spiraled way beyond technical fixes 20 years ago.

A few points....

- the police in Mexico have been corrupt since the Spaniards arrived. Its a feature of macho culture: he who is strong takes from the weak. Its utterly opposite AngloProtestant culture, which is why America looks the way it does, and all of Central and South America looks the way IT does.

- under any guest worker program, will “hispanics” be afforded privileges under affirmative action? Will they be counted in the census, and will their ethicity be used to further discriminate against the Americans?

- will their children born here have citizenship? Remember, they will be legal residents.

I could go on and on. The money spent to police and deport people could just as easily be spent as foreign aid. Its a small amount. Every time it has been suggested, the problem has been that the Mexican ruling class will steal the money, any way they can. They have to: they would be considered weak if they didnt.

The drug trafficers magnified all this by 10000% as you said. For the mafias (thats what they’re called in Mexico, not cartels) I recommend napalm and ruthless extinction. Legalization of pot could help, but they will simply move on to something worse. They’re a cancer on the Americas in need of excision.

And in all this, did anyone mention encouraging and enabling us Americans to have more children, bigger families? We used to. If we’re in need of people, its simple: make more of us, not import aliens.

Here’s a problem that I’ve not seen addressed despite several VERY good & informative posts on this thread:

Even legal immigrant workers are sending a lot of the $$ they earn, home, rather than spending it here. Citizen workers spend almost all of their money here (neglecting for the moment citizen gifts to relatives overseas, and our already problematic balance of trade, before the above is added in.)

I have no problem with bringing in limited numbers of very talented people willing to become citizens, or at least permanent residents, as long as they are paid commensurate to their talent. Ditto for spouses of long term US citizens, which citizens are proven to be productive citizens. (That’s how it actually is supposed to work - when I married a woman overseas and brought her over, some years back I had to PROVE I could support her indefinitely.) (It worked well: She is a blessing to both me AND this country.)

When it comes to most labor, however, we presently have a tremendous oversupply, coupled with a system willing to increasingly support those who just want to get by (on gov’t largesse, often phony “disability” payments, and so on.)

It IS true that many jobs in AG are short term. I suppose most people are not old enough to recall a time when most migrant workers were US citizens. But, that could work again. (Maybe make low interest loans on purchases by US citizens of 10 yr. old Ford Explorers with trailer hitches and light weight campers, with pay to be by debit cards good only for goods and services or that loan repayment (ie., not cashable, or cashable on in small amounts each month.) Or, as often happens now, have farmers provide the housing, but include a farmer operated and paid program to cover housing during off-season(s). If I have to pay 5 cents more per apple, so be it. I come out way ahead in other areas, and my country does too.