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Originally published in the December 12, 2004 issue of the Alamance Independent
AMERICA FOR MEXICANS
By Mark Andrew Dwyer -- Posted 12/14/04You may blame Bush administration for not enforcing the American-Mexican border and for letting more than million Mexican "migrants" a year illegally sneak into the U.S. (and even promising them a legal status and respect for their lawbreaking), but when it comes to other nations, Bush and his team know how to be harsh and strict, and to say "No" to prospective immigrants, no matter how this country may need them.
As reported by the Orange County Register (see [1]), "Immigration officials beginning Jan. 1 will block a shortcut that allowed thousands of foreign nurses, predominantly from the Philippines, to get fast-track U.S. work permits [...]." The Register quotes a warning by unspecified U.S. authorities that "the country could face a shortage of about 275,00 nurses by 2010".
No matter what one may think of the current immigration levels, which, in my opinion, are way too high, the blocking of Filipino nurses from temporarily working in the U.S. while every Mexican, from laborer to gang banger to drug trafficker who only knows how to jump the American border, is extended a red carpet welcome here, defies a logic and common sense. Somehow, when it comes to non-Mexicans, Bush's half-baked idea of matching "willing workers with willing employers" doesn't apply anymore. Nor is it racist to target (prospective) immigrants from one country; imagine an uproar if foreign agriculture workers, a vast majority of whom are from Mexico, were put at the end of waiting line (just a suggestion that the American border should be strictly enforced is fiercely labeled as "racist" as these are almost exclusively Mexicans that violate it). Never mind Filipino nurses' desire to improve lives of theirs and their families.
But there is much more to it than inequitable treatment of needy nations.
The Philippines sent their troops to Iraq in support of the U.S.-led removal of Saddam Hussein. Mexico offered no help to us and thwarted American diplomatic efforts to secure the U.N. involvement in the invasion of Iraq.
A vast majority of Filipino immigrants respect the U.S. border and laws, and come to America legally. They admire our culture and don't demand any special rights or privileges. They assimilate quickly and become productive members of the American society. A vast majority of Mexican immigrants illegally jumped the border. They demand special privileges, like quota in hiring and a mandate to drive without a license and disobey the immigration law, and free public benefits, like free education, free health care, and subsidized housing. Together with their countless kids and numerous relatives, they overburden American schools, public medical facilities, and welfare agencies. They claim that the American Southwest is their "historic land" and should be returned to them.
Filipino nurses are well educated and compassionate. They are not likely to break the law or to become a burden for the society. They must past a T.O.E.F.L exam (which is pretty difficult a test of English proficiency) before they can have their credentials endorsed by the U.S. authorities. Mexican "migrants" usually don't speak any English. They stick to their native language and demand that Spanish be recognized in par with English as the second official language in the U.S. They are notorious for breaking the law, particularly, for drunk driving without a license, and for drug trafficking.
While it's difficult to replace nurses with machines, low skilled labor provided by Mexican "migrants" can (and should) be replaced with technology. Blocking Filipino nurses from temporarily working in American hospitals doesn't seem to have any economic advantages, but opening border to cheap Mexican labor must inevitably slow down progress in technology and move the U.S. back towards the Third World. Being licensed professionals that cannot practically be employed without a valid work permit, Filipino nurses are not likely to overstay their temporary visas. Mexican laborers usually will work with no paperwork and, regardless whether they have a work permit or not, are the most likely absconders that I can think of.
Yet not the Mexican "migrants" but Filipino nurses are being blocked. Tell me more about hypocrisy.
I don't particularly care what President Bush thinks, what are his motives, and who his advisors are. What I do care about is what he does. And that doesn't look rosy to me. Since the very beginning of his first term in the Oval Office, he has acted as if Mexico's interest was one of his top priorities, despite that country's long record of hostilities towards the U.S. (see [2]). Under no other president did so many illegal Mexican "migrants" root themselves in the U.S. Under no other administration did they become so arrogant and blatant in their trashing our laws, our culture, and our country. It was during the Bush years when double standard towards lawbreakers that let illegal Mexicans of the hook just because they were illegal or Mexicans, set the tone for many law enforcement agencies across the country. Now, he acts as if he wanted to jealously guard whatever is left of America and her land on behalf of millions of Mexican "migrants" while keeping all OTMs (see Note below) out. They (Mexicans) couldn't have a better ally than Bush in the White House even if they were allowed to elect one.
REFERENCES
[1] U.S. Immigration to block shortcut for foreign nurses
O.C. Register, Business Section, p. 6, Dec. 10, 2004.Note. OTM (Other Than Mexican) - a code used by immigration and border authorities while indicating all those foreign nationals to whom the law of the land still applies.
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