The source of the illegal immigration problem is simple: currently there exists an incentive for illegal immigrants from Mexico and other countries to come to the United States based upon a massive disparity in living conditions. Large portions of Mexico still find themselves in the third world. It is no wonder that many view a life in the United States, even making only $6-$8 an hour in hard labor, and sometimes far less, as a dramatic increase in the quality of life worth striving for.

Any immigration reform needs to aim its sights on eliminating this incentive for illegal immigration. Unfortunately this is not an easy task as there are several sources of this incentive.

It is certain, however, that any type of amnesty, whether it be full citizenship or a guest worker program, does absolutely nothing to eliminate the incentive for illegal immigration. If anything, they actually increase it. Such programs only temporarily alleviate political pressure. They reward illegals who came yesterday and today and do nothing to prevent the continued flow tomorrow.

Fences and a temporary increased National Gaurd presence aren't a solution either. The most powerful earthly force is human will. We could build the most formidable fence and have tremendous military presence at the border and people who really want to come into the United States will still find a way. We see on the news with frequency tunnels that are miles long dug beneath the border to smuggle people and drugs. People will find a way. There is no way to eliminate every porous feature on the U.S.-Mexican border. And besides that, any attempt to do so would create an inordinate burden upon tax payers. An increased physical barrier will certainly be a corrolary to any successful reform, however, it is not a solution in and of itself.

The solution is to eliminate the incentive for illegal immigration. There are several sources of this incentive that must be eliminated. First, real heavy and stifling penalties must be handed down to employers to knowingly and repeatedly hire illegal immigrants. Second, until corruption leaves Mexico's government and economic institutions and stability and prosperity take root, the United States has every right to monitor and become involved in Mexican domestic policy. Third, all non-essential services must be denied illegal immigrants.

Is there a demand for the unskilled labor that many immigrants provide? Certainly. However, it is not because there are "jobs Americans won't do". This implies that Americans are lazy and indolent. A more correct analysis is that there are "jobs that Americans won't do for $6/hour". You pay me enough and there isn't a job that I or any other able bodied American won't do. Illegals are willing to do the jobs for low pay because to them it is a step up, to American citizens to be paid at those low rates it is a step down. If there exists an excess demand for unskilled labor in the United States then we should allow full fledged legal immigration (none of this guest worker permit talk) that the U.S. government can control and monitor.

Right now there is no control. We have no control over who is entering our country. While we worry about al-Queda sneaking across the border there are many other serious, more constant threats. Drug cartels and violent criminals easily slip past the border bringing with them the violence and lawlessness of organized crime. Many border towns on the Mexican side of the border, such as Neuvo Laredo, are so completely run over by drug cartels and organized crime that several attempts have been made to restore order through martial law. These violent criminal elements are literally standing at our door and we are doing an inadequate job of keeping them out.

It is easy to lash out and saddle blame for the illegal immigration problem upon the immigrants themselves. They are only responding how many of us would in a similar situation. A realization of this, however, does not mean that our hearts swell with pity and we amplify the incentive for future illegal immigration through amnesty. These illegal immigrants were given no promises or commitments when they came to the United States. The U.S. government is under no obligation, moral legal or otherwise, to extend or promote a legal absorbtion into American society. For the problem of illegal immigration to end, the incentives must be eliminated.

This was originally posted today at 610kvnu.com.  Ryan Yonk and I host a call in program, For the People, weeknights at 6:00 PM on News Talk 610 KVNU.

Very well said Tom!

Do you really believe that anything meaningfull will be done about the problem. Mexico doesn't really want to reform. The whole structure there is about defending the wealthy against the peasants. And in America big business and potential votes are far more important than protecting America! Unless people wake up nothing is going to change. Remember we faces this problem on a much smaller scale in 1986. Congress passed a law requiring enhanced border enforcement, but was just ignored by both Clinton and now Bush.