Congress creating a crisis

We have been allowing work visas for some time now. The two most familiar are H1B and H2B, with all their typical government gobbledygook added so that only an immigration lawyer can sort it out.

H1B is typically for skilled workers with some special education and/or training that we want or need.

H2B is for unskilled workers. These are season jobs like crop picking, landscaping, maid service, construction, busboys, etc. The number is set at 66,000 per year.

Now, one would think that if Washington were concerned about our tomatoes they would just adjust that 66,000 to meet the demand.

But Congress doesn’t work that way. In the immigration equivalent of an earmark, they attached an H2B provision to the Iraq Funding Bill. But it was more than just adjusting the number of visas.

Instead, they wanted to create a path to citizenship for the H2B crowd. And they wanted to do the same for families of H2B visa holders. And they wanted to fiddle with the repeat customers of H2B (returning workers).

As a byproduct, they are creating buzz at the resorts and orchards of our country due to a lack of workers. Just what the politicians want. “See, we need immigrant labor and the way to get it is comprehensive immigration reform.”

But they withdrew their bill because immigration watchdogs like NumbersUSA were on to them.

Why can’t this government keep it simple? Why must they try to slip one by the American people? Harry Reid tried his procedural trick again. And the fact that the bill had to be tacked on to war funding really shows their contempt for the American people.

I think most Americans would respond favorably if they just told us, “Look, we need more seasonal workers this year. They will be temporary. We want to encourage people to come and work one season, then give the job to someone else the next year. We don’t want to imply that the job is permanent. We don’t want to bring in families. It is just what you think it is – a SEASONAL, TEMP program. We’re making the number 100,000 this year. Anyone caught here after the visa expires will be immediately deported and banned from the United States for ten years.”

Mr. Bush, Senators, Reps - - - We’ve been stung by your fine print before. We want it simple and straight or not at all.