IMMIGRATION: GOOD FOR AMERICA,
George Wolfe
GOOD FOR OUR PLANET
by
George Wolfe
Two years ago, the Ball State University School of Music Multicultural Committee sponsored a concert by “Sol Jalisciense,” a well-known Mariachi band based in Indianapolis. As chair of the Multicultural Committee, I was responsible for arranging this performance by these accomplished musicians from Mexico. Their performance in Sursa Hall was outstanding and the 400 strong student audience gave them a much-deserved standing ovation.
After the concert I said to the students, “this is one example of why immigration is good for America.” Today, because of globalization, educational exchange, freedom and economic opportunity, we are attracting to our shores people from many countries who are now sharing their cultural riches. In addition, immigrants are providing a labor force that is needed to perform many of the construction, agrarian, health care, entertainment, travel and food services jobs that undergird our expanding economy. With millions of baby boomers retiring (and I’m one of them), immigrants are vital to filling future gaps in the U.S. labor workforce.
Children and families from Central America are now crossing our southern border in huge numbers seeking refuge from poverty, unemployment, and violence from powerful drug cartels. The reasons for this social and economic dilemma are complex and include political corruption and the fact that the primary market for Central American drug traffickers to sell their contraband is right here in the United States.
According to the website Frontline, the United States is the largest marketplace for illegal drugs. It is estimated that American drug users, both casual users and hardcore addicts, spend roughly $60 billion dollars a year to support their habits.
The U.S. must accept part of the responsibility for creating this refugee/immigration crisis because Americans buy the illegal drugs that help support the violent drug traffickers.
The answer to the crisis is not to send children directly back to impoverished and violent communities, but to assist those who have, out of desperation, made it to our country. Mayor Bill Gluba of Davenport, Iowa is spearheading a “Caring Cities Campaign” to help provide a haven for the children caught in this crisis while immigration judges review their cases. Communities throughout the United States should consider Mayor Gluba’s plan and become a “caring city.”
For those children who qualify, we should provide educational opportunities so we can capitalize on their talents and labor potential. Those who develop skills or have skills to offer should be placed on the path to citizenship.
Immigration is not only good for our country. It is also good for our planet.
Researches on population shifts and demographics have noted that the world’s population is concentrated in specific geographical areas. This uneven distribution creates great stress on our planet. Developed nations, along with the United States, should adopt immigration policies that encourage a more balanced distribution of population. This will help ease pressure on regions of the globe where there is an urgent need for environmental restoration.
With the exception of Native Americans, we are all either immigrants or descendents of immigrants. Those who find refuge within our borders appreciate that the United States stands for equality, diversity and opportunity. Building walls and border fences sends the wrong message and runs counter to America as a light to the “huddled masses yearning to breathe free.
George Wolfe is Professor Emeritus and also serves Coordinator of Outreach Programs for the Ball State University Center for Peace and Conflict Studies. He is also a trained mediator and the author of The Spiritual Power of Nonviolence: Interfaith Understanding for a Future Without War.