Immigration in an ideal world

In an ideal world, Mexico wouldn’t be a feudal society owned and operated by 500 super-wealthy families, controlling the lives and welfare of its 106 million citizens to their extreme detriment.

In an ideal world, these overwhelmingly poor citizens wouldn’t feel the need to illegally cross into the United States in search of gainful employment so lacking at home. And they wouldn’t be sending some $15 billion back to their families in Mexico each year, which, in my humble opinion, is the primary reason the Mexican government aids and abets their wholesale border-crossing crimes on a daily basis.

In an ideal world, our two primary political parties would rail against this illegal immigration and do what it takes to end it, right here, right now, just as they are required to do as representatives of our federal government, along with minting our money and delivering our mail. Instead, the Democrats are looking at these immigrants as future voters, legal or otherwise, and the Republicans are looking to them for cheap(er) labor. A sad commentary, indeed.

In an ideal world, there would be no need or opportunity for small-town politicians to exacerbate or attempt to capitalize on the illegal immigration issue. Nor would they feel the need to make decisions that serve to unnecessarily divide a populace.

In an ideal world, Mexican activists wouldn’t justify their support for illegal immigration into the U.S. by the rationale that they really “own” Alta California because it was stolen from them as a consequence of the Mexican-American War.

In an ideal world, there would be no need for a job center, or a human relations committee or checking those incarcerated for serious crimes to see if they’re here legally because there would be full employment, everybody of every color or nationality or religion would peacefully coexist, no one would commit crimes, and there wouldn’t be illegal immigration.

But, alas, this is not an ideal world. Millions of immigrants are here illegally, mostly working hard and scratching out a living, with some no doubt here to do us harm, and we need to do something about it. We either have to once and for all erase the borders and welcome this sea of humanity or start enforcing the law.

The current situation just won’t do. We very simply need a legislative assault at the federal level that results in:

1. A border impervious to illegal entry.

2. A mechanism to identify, register and legalize the qualifying illegal immigrants who are already here.

3. An intelligent guest-worker program for the millions who are here and those who will no doubt come in the future and does not displace Americans who are willing to take those jobs.

4. Stiff penalties on employers who hire undocumented workers.

I think a little slammer time would send a strong message to these folks and their ilk.

It’s axiomatic that you’re either part of the problem or you’re part of the solution.

Since it’s evident the government of Mexico is a very big part of an ongoing, mammoth problem, I have a suggestion: We should either invade Mexico, or just simply buy it from its feudal lords. With 4,000 miles of beautiful ocean shoreline up and down the Baja and the mainland, imagine how many Hilton and Intercontinental and Ritz-Carlton and Marriott resorts we could build. And then, I’m pretty sure the migration invasion might just start going in the opposite direction.

Wouldn’t it be fun to find out?

* EDITOR’S NOTE: Chuck Cassity is a Costa Mesa resident.