Workers of Our World, Legal or Not

The protests and demands by immigrants in the US, both legal and not, have been subdued in 2008, even though this is a presidential election year. “Immigration is one of those campaign issues in which rhetoric and reality continue to move further apart,” writes Tim Rutten for the Los Angeles Times. The US is home for at least 12 million undocumented immigrants and such labor is essential for some industries, including agriculture, construction and food processing. Yet the government system limits visas and strives to impose strict enforcement. Despite harsh rhetoric from those who oppose illegal immigration, all three remaining presidential candidates support comprehensive immigration reform and a pathway for citizenship, Rutten explains. An economy in decline, however, spurs the scape-goating of immigrants, and Rutten concudes: “If this election produces a more far-reaching crackdown on immigrants and undermines public support for free trade, the result would be a hemispheric disaster.” – YaleGlobal