We need a guest worker program. We desperately need a guest worker program. Right now the only options are green card or illegal. I have been a legal "guest worker" in Italy, Spain and Switzerland. I was also a legal, but undocumented, worker in England. Several characteristics were useful.
- You had to apply in your country of residence. I applied for Italy and Switzerland while still in California. I applied for Spain in Switzerland, where I was a legal resident at the time. Annual renewals were done locally.
- The permit was only valid for a particular job. The employer had to document that you were employed and to justify another year. He had to demonstrate that he could not obtain local workers. In my case, part of the justification was that I was training locals.
- All legal documentation was done in the language of the country. In my case the company provided a translator.
- In England I was doing acceptance testing on a large piece of equipment. The agent at the port of entry had the authority to allow up to 90 days on his own recognizance. I was classified as a buyer and was being paid outside of England. No sweat.
Many of the illegals, particularly agricultural workers, would like to go home off-season. The difficulty of re-entry keeps them here, and frequently involved in criminal activity, over the winter. Many, if not most, have a basic loyalty to their home country and only want a work permit, not the citizenship (green card) path.
Unfortunately everybody is jumping on to pursue their agendas. A lot of fear mongering is going on.
TO THE RIGHT: Amnesty is not an integral part of a guest worker program. See item 1. Illegals would need to return home to apply and would be at the bottom of the list behind those who applied legally and were properly waiting. Some of course would slide through, but not enough to justify a major law enforcement investigation. Should they apply for a green card, having been an illegal would be a negative on the review.
TO THE LEFT: It is not racist to insist that workers are here legally. Illegals have demonstrated a scofflaw attitude. Let's set a system that brings in the best instead of the worst from a given country. Those who say that requiring any group to obey the law is racist should look at their own (il)logic. Either that group is receiving preference due to group membership (unacceptable) or incapable of complying (rank prejudice).
Jack