The domestic debate over illegal immigration is radicalized. Large-scale demonstrations in March and April 2006 were organized to oppose proposed criminal sanctions against migrants and those individuals and organizations, such as the Central American Resource Center, which aid them.

Meanwhile grassroots organizations, such as the Minuteman Project, have formed to patrol the vast, unprotected desert regions of California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas to prevent illegal border crossings. As one extreme seeks to fortify the entire US/Mexico international boundary to prevent more Mexicans from entering the United States, the other faction seeks blanket amnesty (and expedited citizenship) for all illegal aliens.

Regardless of party affiliation, income, or ethnicity, public attitudes on the issue have become increasingly intense, even hostile, toward immigrants (illegal and legal) in recent months One poll found that 91 percent of people surveyed think the illegal or undocumented immigration situation in the United States today is a "very" serious (63 percent) or "somewhat" serious (28 percent) problem.

A USA Today/Gallup Poll found that nearly half of all Americans believe that the level of immigration to the United States should be “decreased” [down only slightly from the high water mark in the immediate aftermath of the terrorist attacks of on September 11, 2001] and that an overwhelming majority of people (81%) expressed the view that “illegal immigration to the United States is out of control.”

Specifically, the American public is concerned, by wide margins, that illegal immigrants "overburden government programs and services" (87%), “lead to an increase in crime” (75%) and “take jobs away from U.S. citizens” (66%). Remarkably, 66% of all those polled believe that illegal immigrants “lead to an increase in terrorism;” though several “9-11” terrorists entered the United States legally. However, in fiscal year 2005, 155,000 people “Other Than Mexicans” (OTMs) were apprehended along the southwest border of the United States. Some were from nations with active terrorist networks including Syria, Jordan, and Pakistan. So far in FY 2006, over 50,000 OTM's have been apprehended on the southwest border.

The estimate of the number of illegal aliens in the United States varies. A generally accepted figure seems to be 11 million people.6 The figure is imprecise because of limitations of the enumeration process. The Immigration and Naturalization Service estimated, based on the 2000 Census, that 7 million “unauthorized immigrants resided in the United States as of January 2000” identifying “Mexico as the largest source country for unauthorized immigration to the United States.” The INS also reported that “Mexico’s share of the total unauthorized resident population increased from 58 percent in 1990 to 69 percent in 2000.”

That the number is large and growing seems beyond dispute, but the question that is infrequently asked is what are Mexican nationals running from and what are they running to? The short answers to those questions are these: they are running from extreme poverty to the promise of higher wages and public benefits. They flee for a legitimate purpose -- a better life – and are, for the most part, willing to work to achieve that goal when they get here. Indeed, these are the people that we should be all too happy to welcome to our country.

The problem is that regardless of their character, or the risks that they are prepared to take to get here, illegal immigrants are illegal. They know perfectly well there is a process in place which requires them to apply for entry into the United States. Scenes of Mexican nationals and other Latin Americans scaling walls, wading rivers, traversing deserts, and stealing a ride in tractor-trailers are all tragic and depressing. But talk of amnesty and “paths to citizenship” is falderal.

There are plenty of people who come to the United States legally every year, having completed an arduous, bureaucratic, and expensive process. Those who fail to live up to the bargain – to legally gain entry into our country and learn our language – degrades the value of citizenship and undercuts the rule of law: a disruption that all too many people in the private sector are too willing to aid and abet.

The acknowledgement that Texas invites illegal immigration through lax enforcement of the citizenship requirements to enroll in public benefit programs, abundant employment opportunities for illegal immigrants, a public school system that will teach students entirely in Spanish, and the presence of active political movements that advocate for and on behalf of illegal immigrants (to name but a few of the factors), is the basis upon which effective immigration reform should be based.

The Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institute’s Illegal Immigration Task Force began its work with the objective of offering practical policy solutions that address the incentives that draw immigrants to Texas illegally. To this end, the TCCRI’s Illegal Immigration Task Force has focused its work in four key areas:

• Voter identification;
• Access to state and federal welfare programs;
• Employer sanctions; and,
• Bilingual education in public schools.

By laying out the fundamental problems in each of these areas, the Task Force is able to offer lawmakers not only a map for evaluating these issues, but also specific legislative recommendations to address illegal immigration in Texas. Despite the fact that federal regulations govern immigration policy, there are clearly many policy options at the state level that can provide solutions to the problems posed by illegal immigration.

For border states, such as Texas, this acknowledgement must drive legislators to enact meaningful reforms that will reduce illegal immigration and will give state agencies and officials the tools they need to effectively enforce both state and federal regulations.

Illegal Immigration

Illegal immigration is a source of mounting concern for politicians in the United States. In the past ten years, the U.S. population of illegal immigrants has risen from five million to nearly twelve million, prompting angry charges that the country has lost control over its borders.

Download State Approaches to Illegal Immigration

PDF format, 579KB, 59Pages.

Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institute
Illegal Immigration Task Force Report
www.txccri.org
PO Box 2659 -- Austin TX 78769 -- 512-474-6042

CONTENTS
Executive Summary 5
Summary of Recommendations 8
Part I: Voting, Citizenship, and Identity 12
Laws without Meaning 12
Opening the Door to Fraud 14
The Right to Vote 16
Proposals to Verify Citizenship 18
Recommendations 20
Answering Anticipated Objections 24
Conclusion 27
Part II: Denying Benefits to Illegal Immigrants 29
The Philosophy of Denying Benefits 31
Medicaid 33
TANF and Food Stamps 35
CHIP 36
Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program 37
Recommendations 38
Conclusion 43
Part III: Employer Sanctions 44
The Dynamics of Illegal Immigration 44
An Economic Benefit to America? 45
Exploring Employer Sanctions 47
Recommendations 48
Conclusion 49
Part IV: Ending Bilingual Education Programs 50
The Californian Experience: Proposition 227 50
Assimilation 51
The Benefits of Ending Bilingual Programs 52
Bilingual Education in Texas 53
The Cost of Bilingual Education 53
Enrollment of English-Speaking Students 54
Recommendations 55
Conclusion 55
Part V: Border Security and Local Law Enforcement 56
Appendix A: Texas Voter Registration Application 58
Appendix B: USCIS Civic Flash Card 59

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