An argument against any guest-worker program in the U.S. by the editors of The New Republic. They consider it completely un-American, as it institutionalizes a second-class "citizenry" and is utterly in conflict with America's idea of nationhood.
"The problem with Bush's plan lies in the term--and the concept of--"guest workers," because there is little that is more antithetical to the American ideal than a guest worker....For generations, immigrants have come to the United States in search of a better life. In the process, they often remake themselves--as Americans."
"But a guest worker and his family have no such opportunity for transcendence. They are slotted into a caste, with no real hope of ever rising above it. Indeed, Bush's guest-worker program would codify a large group of people in the United States as second-class citizens. Although they would enjoy many of the same legal protections as American-born workers, they would never be viewed by Americans as equals. Instead, they would be seen as transient figures here only to make a buck. They would not be immigrants or future Americans. They would merely be janitors, construction workers, and housekeepers."
Any immigration plan which considers amnesty for illegal aliens must have a clear path to citizenship. And those who are here illegally should not be rewarded for that, they cannot be allowed to jump to the head of the line. Don't make chumps out ot those immigrants who are doing it lawfully.
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