When resources are limited, it makes sense to set priorities and go after the worst problems first.
That’s the idea, it seems, behind a series of immigration enforcement decisions the Obama administration has made recently, and we think they make sense.
Illegal immigrants with dangerous rap sheets ought to be deported before college students, raised in this country, whose only crime is being here illegally.
Some anti-immigration crusaders argue that everyone without legal status ought to be deported, but given that the number of illegal immigrants in this country has been estimated at more than 12 million, that is clearly an impractical policy.
It strikes us that without a comprehensive immigration policy overhaul, which Congress has shied away from because of its controversial nature, the Obama administration is filling the void with its own decisions.
Along with its de-emphasis on deporting students, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is targeting companies that hire illegal workers instead of the workers themselves.
Both approaches were detailed in New York Times stories published during the last two months.
In the employer crackdown, ICE inspectors are conducting audits of company records and forcing the firings of illegal workers but not deporting them.
The strategy differs from the prior approach in which workers were led out of factories in handcuffs and deported, breaking up families and incarcerating hundreds of workers.
ICE can conduct many more audits than traditional raids, and the resulting fines levied against employers are a strong incentive for companies to be more vigilant about ensuring workers are legal.
If such a strategy is widespread and consistent, there will be less motivation for those who would cross the border illegally in search of work.
These decisions are part of what ought to be a broader approach to dealing with illegal immigration.
A successful immigration policy should include aggressive action to deport those who’ve committed serious crimes, cutting off easy employment, creating a meaningful guest worker program, securing the border, and creating a pathway to legal status for those, such as college students, who can make a positive contribution to this country.
The reality is that ICE does not have an unlimited budget to hermetically seal every entry point while incarcerating and deporting every person in the country illegally.
A far more practical and financially feasible policy would include a variety of targeted decisions that take into account the nation’s need for workers while reducing illegal entries and refusing to accept other countries’ bad actors.
Federal lawmakers must summon the courage to address this politically volatile topic in a way that makes sense for the country’s future.
