Statehood: The Elegant Solution to Illegal Immigration!

The Issachar Report<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
1 Chronicles 12:32
Dennis A.  Wright, DMin
 
Statehood: The Elegant Solution to Illegal Immigration!
 
"Nearly half of Mexican adults would move to the U.S. if they could – and one in five say they would do so illegally, new surveys reveal," says Jim Meyers at NewsMax (August 18th edition).  These same surveys suggest that America's problem with illegals will only get worse in the years to come.  Waves of illegals continue to wreak havoc on America's southern border, and this past weekend New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson ordered a state of emergency in four of his state's counties that border Mexico "because of the urgency of the situation and, unfortunately, because of the total inaction and lack of resources from the federal government and Congress."
 
On Monday, Arizona followed suit and declared a state of emergency.  In fact, the Arizona Daily Sun reported on August 17 that Rep. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, believes Arizonans are so frustrated with illegal immigration that they're willing to raise fees to build a fence along the state's southern border.  So Pearce is crafting a measure to ask voters next year to spend the money to erect a climb-proof fence wherever possible stretching for 341 miles from Yuma to east of Douglas. 
 
The Pew Hispanic Center surveys of Mexican citizens also discovered that increased education and an improved standard of living wouldn't dampen the stampede of illegals coming across the border.  The two surveys conducted in Mexico asked: "If at this moment you had the means and opportunity to go to live in the USA, would you go?" Almost half – 46 percent – said yes.  When asked if they would be inclined to work and live in the USA "without authorization," meaning illegally, 21 percent said they would. 
 
Showing that interest in emigrating isn't confined to the poor, more than one-third of Mexican college graduates said they would move to the U.S. if they could, and more than one in eight said they'd be willing to migrate even if they had to enter the country illegally. 
 
"People with college degrees believe they have greater economic opportunities by migration to the U.S. – even illegally – than they would staying at home," Roberto Suro, director of the Pew Hispanic Center, a research group in Washington, told USA Today.  Mexicans wishing to come to the U.S. are "distributed across the whole breadth of Mexican society," he added.
 
The idea of a 341-mile-long fence got a chilly reception from Cochise County (Arizona) Supervisor Paul Newman whose district includes a large stretch of border land.  He said it would be a waste of state money and, anyway, a fence will "resolve nothing," saying the real solution is a good guest worker program.
 
It seems to me that the solution to this admittedly significant problem of illegal immigration is staring us in the face: Statehood!  I am being quite serious here.  In fact, I am amazed that no politician has publicly proposed it. 
 
Consider this:  If 46% of Mexicans really do want to come to the United States, then why not bring the United States to them in a manner that pleases everyone.  (Oh, I know that no Liberal is every really pleased!)  Once before we brought the United States to them during the Mexican War.  This war was fought as a result of the annexation of the Republic of Texas in 1845, which resulted in Mexican aggression against the citizens of Texas.  Numerous battles ensued and finally General Winfield Scott and the American army captured Vera Cruz in March 1847 and by August was in Mexico City.  The resulting Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo established the western borders of the United States (along with the later Gadsden Purchase).  [A really fair and balanced treatment of the Mexican War can be found at http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist6/muzzey.html].
 
This time, why not offer the Mexicans statehood with the United States?  Our federal government could offer the entire nation of Mexico territorial status.  In return, the federal government and military of Mexico would cease to exist, all debts owed by that government would be assumed by the US government, all treaties made by Mexico would become null and void, and Mexican would then enjoy all the rights and privileges of any citizen of existing US territories such as Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
 
Current Mexican president Vicente Fox could become Territorial Governor over a new confederation of the existing 31 Mexican states plus the Mexican Federal District.  Each Mexican territory could then apply for American statehood once adequate reconstruction, based upon the U.S. constitution, has taken place within that state's government and judicial system.
 
Now how does this modest proposal benefit America?  For one thing, our southern border shrinks dramatically to just a few hundred miles along the boundary with Guatemala and Belize.  There we build the fence!  Secondly, the American army could establish order where chaos now reigns with the drug traffickers and other smugglers that work with impunity within eyesight of American territory.  Thirdly, any American citizen (read: Mexican) would be free to venture northward and take any job legally offered to him.  Fourthly, any American corporation would be free to establish manufacturing plants all across the new territories to take advantage of lower wages of the local citizens. This last suggestion would eventually provide incentive for local citizens to stay close to home instead of migrating northward.
 
Conservatives should like this idea because it provides a reasonable "Guest Worker Program" as well as new business opportunities.  Liberals should like this idea because they perceive the "Hispanic vote" to already be in their pockets and with 106 million new American's their mouths will certainly salivate at the prospects.  Libertarians should like this idea because it allows Mexicans a choice to decide their citizenship.  Everyone should like this proposal because it can guarantee secure borders!  Finally, it would save the American taxpayer billions in foreign aid!
 
Will it happen?  Naw, not a chance!  But it is a most worthy idea, don't you think?
 
 
 
Dennis A.  Wright, DMin, is Founder and President of Understanding The Times Ministries.  An accomplished writer and educator, Wright has spoken in churches and conferences all over America on spiritual counterfeits and Christian Worldview topics.  He can be emailed at [email protected] and his new website can be found at www.UnderstandingTheTimes.org.
 

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