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Unless the United States addresses the economic disparity that exists with Mexico we will fail to stop the flow of illegal workers into the country no matter which immigration reform law is passed, according to Clare Huntington, University of Colorado at Boulder associate professor of law.
"As long as you have this economic disparity between the United States and Mexico and have a demand for low cost labor in the United States, illegal immigration is going to continue," said Huntington. "Immigration reform will only succeed if you actually deal with that problem."
From 1999 to 2004, Huntington served as an attorney in the Office of Legal Counsel at the U.S. Department of Justice, where she gave statutory and constitutional advice on immigration cases. She also can address earlier immigration programs such as the 1942 Bracero Treaty and whether the criminalization of undocumented workers is feasible. Huntington can be reached by calling (303) 735-5994 or (303) 444-3325.
Jeffrey Zax, professor of economics at CU-Boulder, can comment on labor issues associated with immigration reform. He specializes in labor, public and urban economics.
Zax refutes the idea that if American businesses paid higher wages for low-skill jobs, more Americans would want them, taking away the incentive for undocumented workers to come into the United States illegally.
"Even if American businesses were compelled to offer higher wages, the crush of people wanting these jobs would inevitably drive wages back down," said Zax.
The problem is that there is no incentive to pay higher wages if the jobs require skills that can be bought more cheaply, he said.
"The only way to maintain higher wages for these jobs would be to ensure that there wasn't anyone around who was willing to do the job for less," he said. "Which is precisely what we haven't been able to accomplish."
Zax can be reached by calling (303) 492-8268. Or call Dirk Martin in the CU-Boulder Office of News Services at (303) 492-3112.