Unrestricted legal immigration would mean paying the millions of currently-undocumented workers the minimum wage, enrolling them in certain benefits programs, permitting labor unions in their industries, etc. Big price tag. Right now, the employers in the Southwest readily use the threat of deportation to keep their employees silent and poor.

From a theoretical stance, I'd greatly prefer if we had a real system. People can come in on a work visa, and they can stay as long as they have steady employment and don't commit serious crimes. In addition, they would pass through the standard background checks and such that all legal immigrants undergo to make sure we aren't importing dangerous people, negating one of the significant drawbacks of the current (non-)system.

A variant on that would be low-restriction legal immigration with a point system, similar to Canada's. There, you get credit for work experience, education, and skills which make you attractive to prospective employers (including fluency in English/French). The more of that you have, the easier it is to enter. Not very Statue Of Liberty in philosophy, but apparently very effective in improving your bottom line.

But any of the above would cost a lot more money than the current "look the other way" system does, and that comes with a lot of inertia. Congress will put on a dog-n-pony show as needed, but I don't foresee any real changes in the short term.

valguarnera@carrionfields.com