The Immigration debate; Eric Cantor and others weigh in

Saw this in the Richmond Times Dispatch this morning. It deals with the current debate on immigration into the United States, and how it should be dealt with. My U.S. rep., Eric Cantor (R-7th) whom I almost never agree with, and has never gotten my vote (I voted for Brad Blanton (I) in 2004, and Jim Nachman in this past election) says:

"We need an entry system that has integrity."

Which completely contradicts his vote for a 700 mile fence along the U.S./Mexican border, especially since the border is 1,951 miles long. I wonder if Cantor even knows the definition of the word "integrity," which means adherence to a strict moral/ethical code, or the state of being COMPLETE. Placing a fence along the border with Mexico, aside from being ineffective, would be incomplete (by less than half), unethical, and immoral.

I do however, agree with Cantor's vote to allow more legal immigrant workers into the U.S., AND his acknowledgement that the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States will never be sent back to their original countries in total.

The President and chief executive of the Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Michel Zajur, told the RTD:

"Virginia has some of the most negative anti-immigration legislation in the country. For example, proposed legislation would charge business owners with a felony if their employers are found to be undocumented. That's a burden owners shouldn't have to carry when they're trying to run a business."

Why? Every single job I've EVER had, has usually required two forms of identification (usually a driver's license, and a social security card), and they have ALL required that I give them my social security number. How is that a burden? If a business owner is not requiring social security numbers from employees, doesn't that in turn mean that the employee AND the employer are likely skipping out on paying income, and other forms of tax? A business owner shouldn't be the sole ENFORCER of the law, but c'mon, that's like saying that a drug user shouldn't be charged with using drugs, if the government didn't stop it from getting here.

The United States needs to implement a guest worker program, and INCREASE the number of immigrants coming here to work. We do NOT need to be erecting ineffective, over priced, incomplete WALLS along the border.