Immigration: Reform or an Excuse to Codify Xenophobia?

I am mystified at the widespread opposition to the current immigration reform proposal. While not perfect, it addresses the problem of illegal immigration by better securing the borders and allowing more workers in legally.
It also attempts to soften the impact of reform for the immigrants, their families, their employers and our economy by allowing employed illegal immigrants to stay, albeit at some penalty.

The bottom line is that we need immigration. Our economy can not be sustained on the home grown workforce. Inadequate immigration policy and inadequate border control, lead to an ‘illegal’ supplemental work force. But we still need that work force, so it seems to me that correcting the problem rather than throwing them out is the right thing to do.

But all I hear from those against this is that we are giving amnesty to law breakers when we should be throwing them out. I also notice that few of these same critics have much to say about the law-breaking American businesses that employed these illegal workers. I have to wonder if this is about the immigrants’ legal status and responsibilities or is it just a wedge to cleanse the ethnicity of the United States.

Be that as it may, I can’t help but have a bit of sympathy for those on the right vehemently opposed to this reform. Those of us left of center know all too well what it’s like to have the President make up his mind and not listen to anything you have to say. We feel your pain, with just a tinge of enjoyment.