Will Immigrants Bring Their Own Water?

By Randy Alcorn
September 15, 2014

Nature’s greatest gift to humans is the ability to think critically, to evaluate data and arrive at logical conclusions, including reasonably predicting consequences. Yet, many people apparently haven’t unwrapped that gift. The depth and breath of human stupidity continues to astound. When it occurs in those who hold leadership positions, it is troublesome.

With politicians it can be difficult to determine whether stupidity is due to addled intellect or to political conniving. Consider Governor Jerry Brown’s recent statement to Mexican immigrants, legal or illegal: “You’re all welcome in California.” Whether Brown’s bulb is dimming or he is just pandering to the growing Hispanic population, his thinking on illegal immigration is terribly flawed. 

Brown and Mexican President, Enrique Pena Nieto, who in his recent visit to California, referred to America as “the other Mexico”, have unabashedly colluded to erase the Mexican border with California. A flimsy border benefits Mexico at the expense of California. Brown has effectively made California a sanctuary state where foreign trespassers can not only safely remain in the state, but can also readily take full advantage of California’s welfare benefits and education system. Additionally, Brown has signed legislation granting California driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants. What the hell, in for a penny in for a pound.

The governor’s warm welcome is no doubt encouraging various pro-immigration lobbies to push for further accommodations including a return to bi-lingual education and more college admissions for illegal immigrants—preferably funded by California’s taxpayers.

The core cause of nearly all of California’s problems is excessive human population. The state’s infrastructure, energy, natural resources, and most immediately and critically, water are straining to support the nearly 40 million people who already reside here. Why, then, would any rational person encourage more immigration? Will immigrants bring their own water?

People demanding immigration reform typically expect reform will mean condoning illegal immigration. Their primary rational for that kind of reform is “justice and fairness”. But, what passes for justice and fairness among these folks derives from an absurd entitlement mentality.   

Their most repeated contention is that because illegal immigrants are just hardworking people trying to support their families, they should be allowed to stay in the U.S. Is the fact that they broke our laws to be here somehow excused by their irresponsibly having children that they could not support in their native lands? Extending that rationale we could forgive bank robbers, burglars, and tax cheats who have families to support.

And, if the need to support a family earns one a free-pass to America, then we had better be prepared for a tidal wave of immigrants. The world has millions of families just a missed meal away from starvation. Unconditional charity is not a virtue. Our national resources have limits—a reality we ignore at our own peril.

Their next distortion of justice and fairness argues that illegal immigrants are essential to the economy because they take jobs that American citizens reject. America, however, is not suffering a labor shortage, but quite the opposite. There aren’t enough jobs of any kind for Americans. American workers in certain industries, notably construction and packing, have been largely replaced with illegal immigrants who are paid substantially less. The problem is not that Americans refuse certain jobs; it is that greedy employers prefer to hire cheap illegal labor. Any immigration reform must honestly acknowledge and effectively address this reality.   

Another perversion of justice and fairness proposes that because they are here already, illegal immigrants should be allowed to stay. Many have established themselves here and have families with children. Wouldn’t it be unfair to expel them now?

No, it would not. There is no statute of limitations on international trespassing that allows one to become a legal permanent resident simply by avoiding deportation long enough. Besides, we already tried granting comprehensive amnesty back in 1986. What did that get us but millions more trespassers?

Failing logic, the final refuge of pro-immigration sympathizers is racism. What is more unfair than racism? The primitive reasoning here is that since most illegal immigrants are Hispanic those who oppose illegal immigration must be racists. This calumnious canard has been so overused that it has virtually lost all its power to shame, embarrass, or convince anyone. But, let’s pretend for a moment that it is true. What would it change? Would all the deleterious consequences of illegal immigration go away simply because those who opposed it were racists?

California’s problematic population growth has been propelled by a proliferation of immigrants, mostly illegal, from Mexico and Central America. By actively condoning and encouraging illegal immigration, Governor Brown is doing California a great disservice. Illegal immigrants are lawbreakers, no less guilty than the folks serving time for drug possession. But, if Brown wants to forgive crime for the sake of justice and fairness, he would do better by granting amnesty to non-violent drug offenders. At least that would help him comply with the federal order to alleviate the state’s overcrowded prisons instead of further overcrowding the state with illegal immigrants.

Randy Alcorn is a Writing Fellow for Californians for Population Stabilization (CAPS) and can be reached at [email protected]