Can India learn from the U.S.?

Illegal immigration is not just India’s problem; it’s an issue the world over. Millions of people cross over borders in African nations due to war and oppression. Millions from African, Asian and Arab countries migrate to Europe for jobs and better living. However, the U.S. is still the most attractive destination for immigrants, with a constant flow of illegal crossings over the U.S.-Mexico border.

According to Centre for Immigration Studies (CIS), “There are an estimated 10 million to 12 million illegal aliens in the country, a number estimated to grow by more than 400,000 a year.” Another CIS report states that this illegal immigration problem is unlikely to go away or reduce in magnitude as “communities of recently arrived legal immigrants help create immigration networks used by illegal aliens and serve as incubators for illegal immigration, providing jobs, housing, and entree to America for illegal-alien relatives and fellow countrymen.”

How does the U.S. government tackle this problem?

“The standard response to illegal immigration has been increased border enforcement. And, in fact, such tightening of the border was long overdue. But there has been almost no attention paid to enforcement at worksites within the United States. Nor has there been any recognition that the networks created by high levels of legal immigration contribute to mass illegal immigration.”

In an article Use Enforcement To Ease Situation in The Arizona Republic dated October 23, 2005, Steven A. Camarota, Director of Research at CIS, says: “To deal with the problem some advocate a mass amnesty coupled with increased legal immigration, while others want mass deportations. But there is a third way: attrition through enforcement.”

And, here’s the scary part: Camarota boldly advocates, “If America becomes less hospitable to illegals, many more will simply decide to go home. To do this, we should enforce the law barring illegals from holding jobs by using the national databases that already exist to ensure that each new hire is legally entitled to work here… Attrition through enforcement is really the only option if we want to solve our illegal immigration problem. Implementing such a policy will save taxpayers money, help American workers at the bottom of the labor markets and restore the rule of law.”

Is there a lesson for India here?

[Citation: The Center for Immigration Studies]