So did this cumbersome and bureaucratic enforcement mechanism work to reduce illegal immigration? No, in fact, the number of illegal immigrants living here has quadrupled since the law passed. Like Prohibition, IRCA has been a monumental failure. Although most Americans abhor illegal immigration, according to recent polls on the subject, they would not like the consequences if we actually were able to kick out the 12 million illegal aliens currently living here. Are we really prepared to pay more for everything from burgers at the local fast-food restaurant to the cost of new homes? There is no question this would happen if we eliminated those workers from our labor pool.
The only solution is to make it easier -- not harder -- for immigrants who want to work to come here legally. The president's much-maligned guest worker proposal is a step in the right direction. But a solution still has to be found for dealing with those illegal aliens already here. It makes no sense to kick them out in order to bring in millions of different people to fill their jobs. A one-time fine of both illegal aliens and the employers who knowingly hire them, along with the chance for undocumented workers to legalize their status if they have not broken other laws, would seem the proper punishment. Then maybe we could quit disqualifying otherwise good candidates from serving the nation.