Lottery Without a Winning Number

The last time there was immigration reform in the United States was in 1986, during the presidency of the Republican Ronald Reagan — possibly as a mea culpa for his erroneous policies in Central America; thousands of rural people benefited from it, fleeing conflict in their countries.

Now, the House of Representatives will open up the lock so that 11 million souls can come out of the shadows and obtain U.S. citizenship. Although it is true that some groups consider this to be “justice,” others consider it a prize for breaking the law — like a numberless, winning lottery ticket for everyone.

However, beyond paying a fine and taxes and earning the right to vote for president, these 11 million people represent the failure of the governments of their countries: economic backwardness, ineffective policies to reduce poverty, poor education and inefficient health services, among others.

The Mexican and Guatemalan governments congratulated Washington on the move. However, they did so without recognizing that the policies that have been designed to improve quality of life for their citizens have failed. A person abandons his/her country because of political or religious persecution or to find a better way of life; of this last example, there are thousands of Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking Americans in the United States. Those who are doing well where they are do not leave without reason.

The system of the United States attracts undocumented immigrants because they are necessary to work in areas that Caucasian and black Americans do not, such as agriculture.

In the future, all of the efforts of the federal government — building walls, increased patrols on the Mexican boarder and hiring more agents — will fail because immigrants without papers will continue to cross to achieve the American dream, even if they walk with their hearts in their hands so that they are not found out by members of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

A green card is like a $100-bill — similar to those that immigrants without papers will obtain — while regional governments applaud and hide that the guidelines for their citizens have failed.

At least in Panama, it is recognized that the Crisol de Razas (Melting Pot of Races) program is designed so that undocumented immigrants stop evading taxes and their employers enroll them in the social security system, and also so they can be included in income taxes, something that did not happen because they are “without papers.”