US Exclusive

Immigration reform: setting the house in order

With the son of a Kenyan migrant taking charge of the world's oldest democracy, the huge migrant population in the US, that includes 12 million illegal entrants, is looking forward to a much touted immigration reform that may help them join the mainstream of the American society. While Janet Napolitano, the new Homeland Security secretary, talks tough on absorption of illegal migrants in private sector jobs and the authorities step up work site raids, the Obama factor may come in favour of a middle path.

The US immigration reform, as widely expected by both the electorate and the elected, could essentially be an exercise purported to set the house in order – legalising the illegal migrants and restricting their further entry. Obama gave as much hint during his election campaign, particularly to the Latinos who voted in large number to send him to the White House. Post election, Obama came down heavily on work-site raids by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and called for an end to such vigil.

However, the core issue of offering legal residency to the illegal migrants, mostly hailing from Mexico and Latin America, may not go well with a section of conservative Americans, not to mention the political adversaries, given the tumultuous situation in the job market. The unemployment rate in the country has already reached 7.6%, a record high in 16 years.

Accordingly, Napolitano, also the governor of the border state of Arizona, had to pledge tougher treatment of employers recruiting illegal migrants. Days before assuming the charge of the Homeland Security department, Napolitano told a congressional panel that fixing the damaged US immigration system would be a priority for her. She also spoke in favour of a greater role of the National Guard to help secure the Mexican border.

However, it remains to be seen if the Obama administration, facing more emergent issues such as the economic meltdown and the 'war on terror', could take up the issue of immigration reform anytime soon. Predecessor George W. Bush had to leave the job half-done, being content with pursuing the policy of detention and deportation, rather than bringing in any fundamental change into the system.

Over the years, immigration reform, or the lack of it, has become a major domestic issue in the US, perhaps more than anywhere else. The country has a strong migrant population, sending remittances worth $45.6 billion in 2007, again the highest for any country. Of the migrant population, about 12 million, and this is a ballpark figure, are residing illegally without any proper documentation. While there could be less of a problem in accommodating them in times of prosperity, doling out jobs in times of crisis is likely to be a much more sensitive issue, both for the legal residents and the government chosen by them.

From a long term perspective, the continued inflow of migrants, legal and illegal, raises concern over the change in the demographic profile as well. According to an estimate, one in every eight residents in the US (12%) is a migrant as of 2007 (one in every 13 in 1990) and this figure may go up to one in every five or 19% by 2050.

Even if the new President wants to redress the long pending immigration issues, he is likely to face a conundrum regarding the timing. Obama is expected to enjoy the greatest influence in Congress during the initial phase of his presidency, but this may not be the best time to take up the issue, given the vanishing jobs and increasing load on unemployment offices. How the new President balances his act is to be seen.