The City of Nashville has witnessed remarkable growth in the past decade. Some of our progress has been fueled by unlawful migration. President Joe Biden estimates there are over 11.5 million undocumented immigrants in this country today. The Migration Policy Institute and the Pew Research Center estimate roughly 124,000 to 130,000 undocumented immigrants in Tennessee. Here in Nashville, according to the Migration Policy Institute and the Pew Research Center, there are roughly 31,000 to 55,000 undocumented immigrants.
In a post 9/11 world, no one should be in this country in an unlawful status. However, we must recognize certain economic realities and acknowledge the role of undocumented immigrants in our society.
The truth is, immigrant workers are desperately needed in certain industries such as farming, hospitality and food service. They are important to Tennessee businesses and to our economy. Talk of a mass removal is unrealistic. Our government is not capable of an orderly removal of millions of undocumented immigrants at once, and even if it could do so, it should not since it would hurt several of our local industries.
We must remember that in addition to doing some jobs that Americans will not do, undocumented immigrants contribute in other ways to our society. According to an American Immigration Council Report, undocumented immigrants contribute approximately 85 million in state and local taxes. So instead of a wholesale removal we should take steps to facilitate lawful migration and reduce the number of undocumented immigrants living in the shadows.
It is far more humane and better policy to identify those individuals who qualify and put them into some type of temporary legal status. If, for example, a migrant has a special skill or a job that would otherwise go unfilled, we should provide a lawful way for them to remain. On the other hand, if a migrant has a criminal record then that individual has to leave America.
Our immigration problems are not limited to unlawful entry. Our visa process should also be revamped to better deal with individuals who come into this country legally on either a student or work visa, but who then remain here in an unlawful status once the visa expires. Technology should be made available and used to make it easier for employers and school administrators to keep track of those here on a work or student visa.
Furthermore, we also need to mandate tougher workplace enforcement. Most immigrants come from countries where jobs are scarce; they come to America to work. Some employers take advantage of the situation in order to hire cheaper labor. Those that do should be fined if they knowingly and repeatedly hire undocumented migrants. Through advancing technology we can, and should, make it easier and more cost effective for employers to verify the legal status of those who they seek to hire.
There appears to be serious disagreement in Congress over whether immigrants who come into the country unlawfully, or who overstay their visas, should ultimately be provided a pathway to citizenship. Biden believes they should. I believe the issue of citizenship is a distraction, and a road block to meaningful reform. Nevertheless, I support putting immigrants into a lawful status, but citizenship should be available only for those who meet certain qualifications and conditions spelled out in the legislation.
Most undocumented immigrants come to America to seek a better life for their families, not to become U.S. citizens. Many would be content knowing they will not be deported once they earn some type of legal status. If, however, lawmakers vote to provide a pathway to citizenship, the law should require the undocumented immigrant to pay a fine and back taxes (thus there can be no claim of amnesty), and to wait for a reasonable period of time to begin the citizenship process. This ensures that others waiting patiently outside the U.S., and who followed the rules, are not disadvantaged, but treated fairly.
The need for reform is obvious. We know this task is difficult. Immigration reform affects our economy and foreign policy. It touches upon family, and the very nature of who we are as a people. For over 30 years the U.S. Congress has failed to take action on a comprehensive revamping of our immigration laws. This failure jeopardizes our security and harms our economy and businesses. It is time for Congress to do its job. If members are unable or unwilling to act, then it is time for us as voters to find people who will. The Tennessee economy depends on it.