News and views from the award-winning author of the novels The Skinny Years, America Libre, House Divided and Pancho Land

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Looking tough

How far will our legislators go to look tough on immigration? Senator Lindsey Graham has taken up the cudgel. The Republican from South Carolina has tacked an amendment on the most current incarnation of the immigration bill that would impose mandatory detention for all people who overstay their visas.

Aren’t our jails already overcrowded? Wouldn’t this put working men and women of all ages in the same cells with hardened criminals? Not his problem. We have to look tough. We can’t give amnesty to lawbreakers.

Today we face a situation where millions of desperate people have come to work in our nation ahead of those who are going through the legal process. Is this right? I don’t think so. But we need a smart, workable solution to the problem. Posturing to look tough is not going to help.

Raul Ramos y Sanchez