Self-Deportation: America's Immigration Solution?

When it comes to immigration, people usually belong to one of two polarized groups.  The first group essentially believes that all undocumented immigrants should be rounded up and forcefully deported from the country, while the second group wants undocumented immigrants to have a path to legally obtaining citizenship.  However, in a recent episode of "This American Life," a third idea was introduced.  It’s called “self-deportation.”  This new method is guided by the belief that if you make life hard enough for undocumented immigrants, they will choose to leave the country on their own.  This concept was put into action by the state of Alabama with the law HB 56, which was passed in the summer of 2011.  Joe Hubbard, a democrat representing Montgomery County, says, “I think Alabama, perhaps, has become a state where the National Party could try out some legislative experiments to see how they'd work in other states. I'm not sure. But that appears to be the case on immigration.”  This is an example of how states can act as laboratories within a federal government system.  

Many of HB 56’s supporters have described the new law as being a more reasonable way of dealing with immigration.  They see undocumented immigrants as having more control over their fate by allowing them to self-deport rather than being forced to do so.  Their arguments overlook the reasons immigrants have chosen to come to this country in the first place; for many, returning to their country of origin seems even more impossible than remaining here.  Alabama residents, including many legal U.S. citizens, have fought back against HB 56 and are making some strides.  Last week, the 11^th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals “issued a temporary injunction against HB 56’s sections which made it a felony for an undocumented immigrant to do business with the state and prevented courts from enforcing many contracts involving undocumented immigrants.”  Before this injunction was made, it was possible for undocumented immigrants to have their electricity, water and gas services cut if they weren’t able to prove their citizenship.  The 11^th court claimed that depriving undocumented immigrants of these services was unconstitutional.  It is possible that this will be a permanent injunction to the law; however, the final decision will not be made until the U.S. Supreme Court has reconsidered Arizona’s controversial law SB 1070.  

Although it is a good thing that states are rethinking how to deal with undocumented immigration, it is unlikely that laws like HB 56 will be the solution.  For one thing, they do not prevent people from immigrating to the United States illegally.  In fact, it is possible that other states will face even more of a burden as a result of individual states increasing their own regulations.  Furthermore, laws like HB 56 are rooted in racism and stereotypes.  As a result, many legal U.S. citizens have become suspects due to their appearance.  Finally, many supporters of HB 56 have overlooked the positive impact that undocumented immigrants have on Alabama’s economy. It is difficult, however, to ignore the fields full of unpicked rotting crops that were immediately noticeable a week after the enactment of HB 56…

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