Chavez’s proposals are not the answer

Re “Immigration: The Real World,” three-part series, Opinion, Dec. 19-21

What Lydia Chavez is advocating is nothing more than another amnesty program for those who have broken our laws. Apparently she thinks that nothing can be done about illegal immigrants so we should just reward them with driver’s licenses, in-state tuition and home mortgages.

I disagree. The fact is that President Eisenhower’s “Operation Wetback” was highly successful in repatriating illegals to their home countries and would work again if we just tried it.

As far as picking crops, building houses and anything else, all you have to do is raise wages enough and you will have all of the legal employees you want. It’s called the law of supply and demand.

RANDLE C. SINK

Encinitas

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Chavez glosses over the fact that undocumented workers are breaking the law. If this crime is not punished, there will be no incentive to comply with any new guest-worker program. These two proposals must go hand in hand. Such a program would be in line with what just about every other country does to bring in expatriate workers.

The status of a legal expatriate worker affords all expatriate workers better access to protections under U.S. labor laws and workplace safety and health laws. I imagine they would also be allowed to join unions.

The system as it exists in realidad has created an underground workforce susceptible to employer abuse and hazardous working conditions. The changes proposed would be a great leap to ending such an inequitable situation.

RAY TORRES

Menifee

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Professor Chavez shares the same point of view of individuals from south of the border. It seems that the professor and Mexico President Vicente Fox do not respect the process we have to gain access to this country or to control our borders.

Lydia, remember what Mick Jagger said years ago, “You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometime you might find you get what you need.” And if you follow the rules, you will get what you need.

RICK HARDY

Aliso Viejo