Economy needs immigrants, let them stay

I am becoming increasingly concerned with the anti-immigrant xenophobic trend in this country. It seems like most older adults have the attitude, “I've got mine, and I want to keep it for myself. Don't change anything. Who are all these Hispanics? I don't even like Yankees.”

Oh, you're just against the illegal immigrants? Ha Ha. Well, are you a paragon of legality? I bet you violate the traffic laws, cheat on your taxes, and fudge your expense reports. And do you ever do personal things on company time? Of course you do. So don't give me this holier-than-thou “illegal” argument.

The reality is that American business has enticed immigrants to come here any way possible over the past 40 years for the cheap and very productive labor. That new house you are living in would have cost 20 percent more if recent immigrants didn't build it. Hotels, restaurants, masonry, painting and landscaping would all cost more without illegal immigrants.

Look around. Who works harder? Someone who just got here and barely speaks English or someone who has been in the American system for generations?

Trump's Wall will never be built because it's a giant waste of money and won't even work. Now here's the kicker. Because the economy is so good in Mexico, more Hispanics are going back than coming. And it's the best ones who are leaving.

Now if you were a skilled carpenter or mason, wouldn't you get tired of living in the shadows, being disrespected and being underpaid? You know what? I think we should let anyone who is working here (and his immediate family) be allowed to stay.

That's right, amnesty like President Ronald Reagan did in the ‘80s. Pay back taxes, get credit for FICA, no fines, and get on a reasonable path to citizenship that will take over five years.

That's my Christmas gift and solution to this problem for all of us. Do I see some of you smiling?

This story was originally published December 7, 2015 at 7:47 AM with the headline "Economy needs immigrants, let them stay."