Misinformation onthe border

Illegal immigration is the red-hot topic of this election cycle. The decades-old, immensely complicated issue has sparked strong feelings on both sides. Opposition to illegal immigration is especially vehement among the Republican base, which has clung to the issue like a life preserver as the party watched its favorite son, President George W. Bush, drown in a sea of negative public opinion.

Immigration seems poised to divide the nation in much the same way abortion did during the 1980s and early 1990s. Similar to their stance on abortion, Republicans wish to portray themselves as tough and uncompromising, and are dragged to the right to appease their base by the presidential primaries.

Anger over immigrants has replaced the 2006 anger over the war in Iraq, and the public is becoming attentive to the issue. Candidates attest to the number of immigration questions they face on the stump. Hillary Clinton cannot remember ever being asked about the issue in the 1990s, and Mike Huckabee calls the intensity of the issue "the biggest surprise of the race." Candidates are scrambling to find a way to appease Iowans before the Jan. 3, 2008 caucuses, while not straying too far into the extremes.

The attention focused on the issues has strong political positions on the issue essential. Formerly pro-immigration Mass. Governor Mitt Romney and NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani are now vociferous opponents of the practice. Tom Tancredo, a Colorado congressman, is running for president entirely on an anti-immigration platform (legal or illegal). The first half hour of the most recent Republican debate concerned illegal immigration.

One could almost forget that we are in the middle of a war.

Democrats have been pulled to the right as well. Even Democratic candidates cannot utter the bad word "amnesty," lest they be labeled soft. In general, Democrats support a path to legalization, stronger border enforcement, and a requirement to learn English. Known as "comprehensive reform," all major Democrats support such a change in policy, as do many well-known Republicans.

The debate is far more complicated than can be expressed through simple partisan division. One of the leading proponents of comprehensive reform in the Senate, Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) is a candidate for president. Bush was the driving force behind the 2007 attempt at comprehensive immigration reform, gaining him rare applause from the media and from the left. The fact that these politicians are from the border states of Arizona and Texas should not be forgotten: They understand the importance of practicality over ideology on this matter.

The bottom line is that the vast majority of Americans can sense that something is deeply wrong, and illegal immigrants are a convenient scapegoats. They are all inherently law-breakers by their very presence on our soil, and punishing criminals always scores political points - just ask Giuliani.

There seems to be nothing illegal immigrants can't be blamed for. They are perceived to be a national-security threat because they are unaccounted for, a leech on society because they benefit without contributing, and a threat to national sovereignty because of their refusal to learn English.

I cannot dispute the fact that illegal immigrants are, in a sense, criminals, but most other claims about illegal immigration are easily refutable. The border is long and difficult to shut down, the political willpower does not exist, and the logistical task is too great.

A study by the nonpartisan Urban Institute of the state of Arkansas shows that illegal immigrants pay more in taxes than they cost in education and health care. Instead of being a drain on the system, illegal immigrants actually add to government revenue. And who are the biggest supporters of illegal immigration? I'll give you a hint: It's not hippy liberals. It's those Republican sectors - big business and farmers - who use illegal immigrants as cheap workers for undesirable jobs.

As for the supposed decline of English, everyone who wants to make it in this country knows they need to learn English. My own relatives lived in an exclusively German-speaking farm community in northern Ohio, and I turned out all right. Diversity of language and culture makes America strong.

I am proud to live in a nation that people will risk life and limb to enter. The lower classes and ideologues are just looking for someone to blame for the widening gap between the rich and the poor, the scarcity of good-paying jobs, and the real-estate crisis. Scapegoating illegal immigrants is not a solution, especially in a time of crisis. We must expect more from our leaders than reflexive nativism. Candidates can influence public opinion as well, and need to begin taking a stand based on the facts, not the misinformation that has infected popular discourse. America requires a comprehensive solution to a complex problem, regardless of public opinion.

Josh Darr is a Heights staff columnist. He welcomes comments at jdarr@bcheights.com.