This story in the Tucson Citizen is supposed to make us feel sorry for illegal aliens forced to go home because of stricter enforcement of our immigration laws. At least, that's what I think it's supposed to do.
First, the human face.
On Mexico 15 on the outskirts of Nogales, Son., the Francos were getting ready for the final leg of their journey from Arizona to Ciudad Obregon, their hometown six hours south of the border.
Jorge, 34, was driving an extended-cab Ford F-150 pickup that was so overloaded with the family's belongings that the vehicle no longer looked safe for highway travel. The bed of the pickup sagged under the weight of a full-size refrigerator, an air-conditioning unit, a television and a microwave oven, while the Francos' three young children grew restless inside the cab.
Franco's wife, Liliana, 25, drove a second vehicle. Her Dodge minivan was packed just as full, with clothing, toys and household items. Several suitcases that didn't fit inside had been lashed to the roof.
The couple said they had lived in Wickenburg for the past five years. They and their two children had originally entered the United States legally with tourist visas and then stayed beyond the expiration dates. The couple had no legal status to work in the U.S., but both were able to get jobs using fake documents, Jorge at a small landscaping company, Liliana at a Burger King. Two years ago, their third child, Michael, was born in Arizona, making him a U.S. citizen.
The couple said life for them in Arizona began to unravel earlier this year when Congress failed to pass comprehensive immigration reform. The collapse caused the Francos to give up hope that Congress would pass a legalization program anytime soon. Then, Gov. Janet Napolitano signed Arizona's employer-sanctions law.
The law threatens to suspend or revoke business licenses from employers caught knowingly hiring illegal immigrants. It also requires employers to use a federal computer program to electronically verify the employment eligibility of new hires.
The law takes effect Jan. 1, and several business groups are suing to have the law tossed out, claiming it is unconstitutional. Nevertheless, thousands of illegal immigrants have been let go as worried employers conduct reviews of I-9s, the federal forms employers are required to use to verify the employment eligibility of their workers.
In November, employers checked the Francos' employment records and discovered they had used false documents to get their jobs, the couple said. Both were let go.
The Francos tried getting other jobs but were turned down every place they applied.
"Everyone wants a good Social Security number now," Liliana said.
Imagine that. Everybody wants to comply with the law.
I wish I could say I feel sorry for the Francos, but I don't. They came to this country legally, then broke multiple laws to stay, from overstaying their visas, using false Social Security numbers and getting jobs (which is forbidden under tourist visas). They knew they were breaking the law and did it anyway. Now they are going home, which is what they should have done when their tourist visas expired. If they wanted to work, they could have applied for work visas and gotten in line with everybody else trying to come to the U.S.
What happens to the jobs illegals were doing? Other people will do them. Perhaps employers will have to pay more, which will increase the costs to consumers. Perhaps people who haven't been working will now take these jobs (liberals should like that, since they are always complaining that the unemployment figures don't count people who have given up). In any event, jobs will be done, either by individuals (who may have to mow their own lawns) or by paying someone else more than before (because the job is now worth more).
We have laws. Now we need to enforce them.
|