Shame on you, America, for fearing immigration reform

Most everyone who cares has opined about the failed immigration policy and, of course, the school-race decision of two weeks ago. But some of us are not done yet, mostly because the Supreme Court's ruling and Congress' inability to calm the furor over immigration — specifically Mexican immigration — leave me confused.

On the one hand, four of the Supreme Court justices said the race of an individual student can't matter when deciding school admissions. On the other hand, failure of the immigration policy was fed, in part, by people who see Mexicans as needy hordes stealing services and defiling American communities.

So, my confusion: Does race or the color of your skin no longer matter in this country? Four of nine Supreme Court justices say it doesn't. But might the immigration furor indicate that it does?

Not every person who was against that immigration fix is anti-Mexican, of course. The bill would have resulted in hugely cumbersome processes. With the passport backlog, anyone want to guess how the federal government was going to manage 12 million citizenship applications or stand at the semaphore admitting or rejecting point-worthy workers? From the get-go, small and large industries were howling about the Basic Pilot ID system through which they would have to run every one of their workers, subcontractors and beyond.

Yes, immigration policy needs work so communities can heal, immigrants can get on with their lives, businesses can be businesses, and the venom against outsiders can be corked for a while. Instead, the gnarly issues remain unresolved and Congress' failure has given the anti-Mexican and anti-immigrant rhetoric momentum and validation.

Take this quote from John T. Stirrup, a member of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors. Last week, the board in Virginia voted to restrict illegal immigrants' access to county services. Writing in Sunday's Washington Post, he said:

"The problem of illegal immigrants in Prince William is exacerbated by their general disregard for the rule of law, abuse of taxpayer-funded services and obvious lack of interest in seeking citizenship or ever embracing American ideals. Rather, it seems their sole motivation is economic. Last year, illegal immigrants sent an estimated $45 billion out of the U.S. economy to their home countries."

So now, who is the "they" in "they"? If I have a green card, I don't do all this? As a citizen, I don't do some of this? What can be more American than economic motivation? The blanket of suspicion and dismissal of a broad swath of society is breathtaking.

Is this 2007 or 1887?

Those of us who are historically and genetically connected to the illegal hordes brace ourselves for such comments. Normally level-headed, open-minded individuals drop verbal bombs that betray a narrow view of American society and you wonder: Was no one paying attention during American history class? Do American history classes not include this country's pattern of xenophobia and prejudice toward immigrants?

We may wish that race or the color of one's skin didn't matter, but it does. Rather than putting the issue of race to rest, the Supreme Court ruling — issued while the anti-immigration fires burned down the street at the Capitol — ignites it.

According to USA Today, the immigration-policy failure "leaves unresolved the fate of 12 million illegal immigrants" in this country. No, it doesn't. They will continue doing what others before them and after have: work, provide and in myriad ways become part of this country's fabric.

President Bush, a man whose loyalties have often been a liability in his presidency, gets it.

Yes, of course, in this immigration debate he is loyal to the industries that would favor a guest-worker program and other benefits for employers. But Bush is also loyal to Mexican people who, as they provide for their families, provide an invaluable work force for this country. But, that's not the image of Mexicans that ended this debate for now. Instead, it was the needy, illegal-hordes image.

Fear may be able to prevent or postpone needed reform, but it is not a way to make effective long-term policy. Globalism isn't out there, or a load of goods arriving on a container ship from Asia. It's here, at the grocery store, standing in line next to you at the movie, at the county swimming pool or asking your kid out on a date.

Embrace it, because it isn't going away.