Comprehensive Immigration Reform in an Election Year

Those that take bets on politics are betting comprehensive immigration reform may squeak by this year. But is it too risky for an election year?

Miami, FL (Law Firm Newswire) May 14, 2010  – “Comprehensive immigration reform may be passed this year, and many people think it will be, but if you look at the political landscape, that’s one bet that may fail,” indicated Sally Odell, an immigration lawyer at Rifkin Fox-Isicoff, P.A., in Miami and Orlando, Florida. There are far too many things happening in other places, not in the control of the House, Senate or Congress for things to have the potential to stay on the rails to completion.

For instance, in April 2010, the Senate in Arizona passed a very strict immigration law that lets local authorities demand proof of legal residency from anyone in Arizona. That bears repeating – “anyone.” A few short days later, there was a story run in a major U.S. newspaper outlining the reality of trying to live in Mexico these days just got a whole lot grimmer. Specifically, the story focused on residents in northern Mexico border towns running for their lives to places like Fort Hancock, Texas, because thousands have been killed in drug wars.

Earlier in April, another sheriff in Arizona told local ranchers to go ahead and get armed right after an area cattle rancher had been killed near the Mexico border in Cochise County. It was thought the dead man was a victim of drug violence that was slowly creeping into the U.S. “While this may be the prevailing theory of the locals in that area, there is no particular hard evidence that backs that conclusion up. Nonetheless, the ‘fear’ it ‘may’ happen is enough to drive decisions of this kind for ordinary folk, law enforcement and politicians,” added Odell.

Its incidents like these that make the passage of the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill rather difficult, but yet, crucial at the same time. There are many people who feel that authorities “need” to know who is living in the country, what they’re doing there and whether or not they have drug links or gang links. The fear is that many less than desirable individuals will come into the country, people who are presently waging war to get control of the drug routes into the U.S.

While arresting people of interest may work for now, it won’t for long, because law enforcement can’t just pick and choose who they detain because they are undocumented. This merely fuels the existing tensions on the border. Given the nature of the drug war waging across the border, the U.S. wants to clamp down on border breaches because they don’t want the drug problem.

“However, having said that, Congress is about to adjourn to start hitting the campaign trail for November’s elections and comprehensive immigration reform is still up in the air. A key portion of that bill would identify illegal immigrants, have them pay a fine and then give them the chance to earn their way to legal residency,” Odell said.

With the drug wars going on, violence spreading and even more stringent legislation being passed to control illegals entering the border states, CIR becomes even more vital. While it may not be the ultimate solution to illegal immigration, it may be a start in the right direction.

To learn more, contact a Miami Immigration lawyer or Orlando Immigration Attorney at http://www.rifkinandfoxisicoff.com

Rifkin & Fox-Isicoff, P.A.
1110 Brickell Avenue
Suite 210
Miami, Florida 33131
Toll Free: (866) 681-0202

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