Letter: Common ground on immigration needed

Monday, Aug. 13, 2007 | 7:12 a.m.

Given American entrepreneurs' profit motive, employers surely will find ways to comply with increased requirements regarding illegal aliens. That economic considerations would negate compliance with our laws cannot be a criterion.

Employers face two problems: the need to better screen workers for legality, and the payment of true living wages to attract some of the 4 percent to 5 percent of our nation's workforce that's unemployed to work their jobs. Customers' costs might increase somewhat, but it is many of them who are most worked up about the issue. Thus, they should not complain.

It's not realistic to try to deport 12 million to 20 million illegals reportedly here. But many can be identified by emphasis on enforcement of laws, and can serve as a caution for those who pour across the border with impunity. The feds must follow through on realistic protection of our borders, local governments must find ways to aid that effort, and Congress must modernize our immigration laws to realistically abet our desire to become more culturally diverse, and to welcome legitimate immigrants into our society.

It shouldn't be that difficult to reach a common ground. But plans that smack of blanket amnesty will not make it. The majority of citizens have pretty much spoken on that subject. Second only to Iraq, this issue is likely going to be the third rail of 2008's political process.

Richard Conner, Las Vegas