U.S. Immigration and Employment Policies are like the Game of Red Light, Green Light

Immigration into the United States is like playing the childhood game of Red Light, Green Light. 

The idea is run as quick and far as possible toward the finish line when the announcer turns around and calls out Green Light.  Then after a few seconds, the announcer says Red Light and quickly turns back around to see who is still moving.  Reaching the finish line by following the rules is declared the winner.

Though the United States has many immigration and employment laws, many are not being followed or enforced by aspiring immigrants, U.S. employers, or the U.S. government. 

The 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) made it against the law to knowingly hire or recruit illegal immigrants.   It also required employers to complete the I-9 Employment Verification Form for every new employee to ensure proper worker documentation and immigration status were presented at the time of hire.  Lastly, all illegal immigrants who entered the United States before January 1, 1982 and have resided continuously since were granted amnesty.

Two decades later, employers rarely admit to knowingly hire an illegal immigrant.  In fact, in almost every hire, workers presented the proper identification for gainful employment. 

Now, how in the world are over 7 million people--almost 5 percent of the U.S. labor force--now classified as unauthorized workers?

A fake or stolen identification card did the trick.  U.S. employers are not specialists in validating government identity documents - only the government can provide this essential verification service. 

In short, an eleventh hour Congressional change to the 1986 IRCA bill exempted businesses by intentionally including a simple word "knowingly" into the bill to differentiate the act of knowing and not knowing a much needed worker is illegal or not. 

The major problem is not everyone can play Red Light, Green Light.  Someone must be the enforcing mechanism.  In a fair and competitive game, players may even help the announcer enforce the rules of the game by pointing at other players who continued running during the Red Light signal.

Poor employment laws are a magnet for illegal workers.

With more than two decades of a poorly designed game of Red Light, Green Light, many Americans want to see work opportunities offered to law abiding workers while others are penalized or disqualified for not following the rules of the game.

It is time for the U.S. government to play its critical roles of issuing more work visas, verifying, and enforcing immigration and employment laws.