US Mexican Border – Solution Mired In Politics
authored by jain and govil - astute political observers
This is the third part of this multipart series. I do appreciate your comments and read them, so please provide your comments.
Click the URLs below to read previous parts of this series
https://steemit.com/politics/@ajain/politics-of-immigration-part-1
https://steemit.com/politics/@ajain/politics-of-immigration-part-2-evolution-of-vote-bank-politics
The lure of greener pastures has from times immemorial been one of the most important factors towards the movement of humans across borders. Today it has become even more pronounced. With so much of income and wealth disparity across the globe, it comes as no surprise. And, if there is strife in the country of origin, the case for moving becomes that much more compelling. The caravan of human mass on the US Mexican borders is a classic example of immigration seekers driven by more lucrative work opportunities, better lifestyle, and, running away from strife in their homeland. As we speak, the whole world is riveted to the theatre of the US Mexican borders, and, the internal slugfest between the two US political parties over the issue of protecting the borders and maintaining border sanctity.
The blow-up in White House (just a few days back) between US President, and, the leaders of the Democratic party - House and Senate - over the issue of funding ‘The Wall’, was a spectacle watched by people all over the world. It was not a very reassuring conversation. The politics were written all over it. The words they spoke, the gestures they made, the one-upmanship they displayed. The entire demeanor was confrontationist. Driven more by a desire to protect their own political turf rather than working towards a solution. If at all there is an issue that has got mired in politics – both national as well international – it is the Caravans of immigration seekers on the US southern borders.
Infiltration on the US borders is not a new phenomenon. It has been happening over so many decades. US and Mexico share a 1950 miles plus border (see map on the side).
As a result, US today has a sizeable population of Latino Americans, many or most of who, are Spanish speaking. Commonly referred to as Hispanics, this group today has come of age. Besides being sizeable in numbers, the Hispanics wield enormous political power. The Hispanic population in the US is estimated to be approximately 58 million (as of July 2016). This is about 18% of the total US population. No wonder Marco Rubio, who is of Hispanic origin, was a leading contender till almost the end, for winning the Republican party ticket to US Presidential elections in 2016. Another important dimension is that Hispanic population today is no longer concentrated in the Southern States of US. At the turn of the 21st century (end of the '90s and beginning of the 2000s) the Hispanics were predominantly concentrated in the States of Florida (mostly Miami), Texas (mostly Laredo, Brownsville), and, California (mostly east of LA). Today, their presence is found in good numbers across the entire United States. About 13 states have a population of more than a million Hispanics. Some of these states are up north (Illinois, New Jersey, Pennsylvania). Bottom line - an issue which was localized to about three states just about two decades back, today engulfs the entire USA. And due to ‘Vote bank politics’ it eludes solution. What is a ‘Vote Bank’? In common understanding, a Vote Bank is a section of an electorate that will vote for a particular party or formation, come what may.
In order to understand whether there is really no solution to the problem, or, it is due to politics that a solution is not emerging, one needs to examine the dimensions of the issue. Let’s try and break up the issue into constituent dimensions.
- Why are the people moving – It is the better living opportunities that attract people towards moving into the US. No doubt, there is also an element of social unrest, violence, strife and sometimes political issues in their home country. But the overwhelming driving force is ‘better life’ or ‘greener pastures’.
- How to handle the movement going forward - If one accepts the premise under point 1 above, then it logically follows how does one facilitate this movement consistent with
● the country’s needs (US) – economic needs, social obligations, and such other issues
● the law of the land in the US
● a defined and controlled procedure which keeps the number and types of people moving in under check, and, makes sure unwanted elements do not take advantage.
● organized movement causing minimal social upheaval.
● shared burden across all geographies (should not be a burden on one state)
● measures for drafting and assimilating immigrants into the existing society. - How do you handle those who have already come in - This issue has many sub-dimensions. Broadly speaking the dimensions are as follows
● those who came into the country illegally. Some of them may have come many years ago.
● offsprings born to those who are here illegally.
● the blood relatives who may still be there in their native country.
There can be many more such issues which call for a coherent and consistent thinking on part of the Government, and, a political consensus across party lines. While the first part, ‘coherent and consistent thinking’ is feasible, it is the second part that vitiates the atmosphere. And all due to ‘vote bank politics’. Let’s take two tangible actions that have been thought about in the recent past. One by the Democrat Govt. and the other by the Republican govt. But have the solutions come about? The answer is No. Why? All because of ‘Vote Bank Politics’. Let’s see through the examples below.
The first one was - Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals – DACA as it is commonly known. This was introduced by Obama in Aug 2012. In June 2017, under Trump administration, the expansion of DACA was rescinded by United States Department of Homeland Security, and, in Sep 2017 Trump administration announced plans to phase out DACA. And, if you take into account the previous effort (DREAM Act – Development Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act) then you realize that the solution has been eluding for more than two decades now (Republicans – Democrats – Republicans). A solution would have addressed many aspects of the three points mentioned above in this article. There could be a debate, disagreements over the treatment of some provisions, or on some facets missed out. So why is the solution eluding the two political parties? The question goes a begging - was the DREAM Act or its later avatar DACA, something so horribly wrong that a consensus could not have been worked out all these years (almost two decades or more)?. No Sir. Or, was it something against the nation’s interest. No Sir. Then what is it that prevents a solution. It is pure and simple – Vote Bank Politics.
The second one is the famous ‘Wall’ promised by Trump during his election campaign. The Wall was Trump’s solution for securing and sealing the borders. It was a prominent promise in almost all his election speeches. He reiterated the same post his election win. Trump has since then being thwarted in his attempt by Democrats to carry out the promise, in any which way they can. The most recent being the refusal to fund The Wall. This was very evident in the blow out that happened in the recent White House meeting between the President, Vice President on one side and the Democrat leaders on the other side. Again the question goes. Are the Democrats against securing the borders? No Sir. Is there something drastically wrong with the proposal of building the Wall. No Sir. Can the country not afford it? No Sir, that is not true. Should it be called a ‘Wall’ or ‘Fence’ or ‘Barrier’? How does it matter, and, who cares. Then what is it that makes the solution so elusive? What is it that forces the people to witness such a blow out between the President and the opposition? It is pure and simple – Vote Bank Politics.
So while the house leader from Democrats may feel the urge to play to her gallery by making a demeaning sexual comment about the President calling his insistence on the funding for Wall as equivalent to a display of manhood, she has not acquitted herself very well either. And neither has the leader of Senate for Democrats. The smirk on his face was an indicator of the vicarious pleasure he was driving, and, that he was least bothered about the issue on hand.
The situation becomes worrisome and untenable when one comes face to face with the fact that the United States is probably the leading choice for people to migrate to. People want to migrate to the US not just from areas which are disturbed, or poverty-stricken, or facing natural disaster or calamity, but also from normal areas. They want to migrate for greener pastures, better living conditions and better quality of life. A recent Gallup poll pegged the number of people wanting to migrate to the US as 158 million i.e. one in five potential migrants (It is estimated that world over approximately 750 million people have a desire to migrate). The number for the US is more than three times the number that wants to migrate to the next destination on the list – Canada. This aspiration of people is quite a problem on hand for the US. And, if the US has to tackle this situation effectively, and, in the national interest, then the two parties (Democrats and Republicans) need to work in unison keeping the national interest in mind. Not through the prism of ‘Vote Bank Politics’.
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Folks, this is the third part in the series. By mistake I wrote second part. Fixed the error now. Inconvenience regretted.
Fourth part of this series will be published next Tuesday, so stay tuned!
This is probably the least biased article on a politically charged topic I have seen on steemit. Thanks.