Many Republicans, and a few Democrats have fallen into immigrant bashing over the past few election cycles. Colorado voters are most familiar with Tom Tancredo, a retiring GOP Congressman who essentially calls for complete and strict enforcement of the US’s immigration laws. Such “just enforce the law” politicians essentially preach the deportation of every illegal worker in the US, about 12 million people. Even the isolated incident of an illegal who recently caused a fatal traffic accident has mobilized Colorado’s far left Governor, Bill Ritter, to take action on illegal immigration. The “deport them all” movement is, in fact, a xenophobic pandering to nativists who fear change and do not understand the immense benefits of immigrants to the US.

The crime of undocumented workers is to dream for a decent life in a great nation, to work hard for a reasonable wage, to contribute more than to take away. Such a crime is truly without victims. The penalty of deportation is more than the loss of a job and harsh trip back to a native land. Millions of illegals own homes and have US Citizen children. Deportation destroys families, depresses property values, and disrupts businesses.

Some myths of illegals must be debunked. Illegals, aside from the crime of working without a green card, are much less likely to commit serious crimes than native born citizens. Some fear that the open boarders of the US allow criminals or even terrorists to enter the country. Such threats exist because millions of otherwise honest illegals have entered along with thousands of criminals. If the US had an open immigration system available to the millions of illegals, they would surely use it, allowing police to focus on the remaining few criminals.

Illegals do not drain the US’s social services system. Most illegals pay the full range of taxes, but do not reap many of the associated rewards, such as unemployment insurance, social security, and medicare. In this regard, illegals contribute more than their share.

There is no evidence that illegals drive down wages. Nearly all illegals are paid above the minimum wage, and most work side by side with naturalized employees for the same wage. Supply and demand do influence wages, but the value of a worker’s skills is the primary long term determinant of pay. Illegals are valuable not only for competitive pay, but also for their hard work and dependability. Rather than drive down wages, competent new workers expand opportunity and increase the standard of living for everyone.

Most illegals do not experience poor work conditions. Indeed, immigrant workers have much better conditions than the labor exported to other nations. Unreasonable labor laws and unions have driven many jobs overseas where wages are extremely low and conditions sometimes are unsafe. Because labor is expensive and over regulated in the US, the entire manufacturing process is sent overseas, and the entire US suffers. Illegals in the US work on jobs such as construction and restaurants, where importing finished goods is impractical. At least in these fields, businesses can enjoy market labor costs while contributing to the domestic economy.

If immigration policy became fully open, there would not be a new flood of immigrants into the US. The doors are already open, and 12 million have already stepped in. Indeed, many immigrants have returned home in response to the recent tough economy, demonstrating that the US has already reached an equilibrium.

If undocumented workers cause no harm and contribute to society, why is punishing them such a hot political idea? The real cause for immigrant bashing is a latent desire to prevent change. People have feared the cultural influence of immigrants since the Irish flooded Boston and New York. Isolating immigrants such as the Irish, Polish, German, and Chinese has always failed. The cultural and ethnic face of the US is unrecognizable compared to 100 years ago, yet the US continues to be the best place on earth for the common man to work and live. The US has proven more than capable of assimilating cultures. Every time an American drinks Budweiser, eats pasta, dips a tortilla chip into salsa, or even eats an apple pie, he is unwittingly enjoying an ethnic treat assimilated since the founding of this country. Thank goodness, because the English culinary tradition is a worse crime than illegal immigration by far.

The correct response to the millions of illegal immigrants is to make them legal. The US should allow for a limitless influx of guest workers, provided they can demonstrate they are not criminals. This would only formalize the current reality. Open immigration is the real American way because it uplifts people, spreads prosperity, and demonstrates to the world the power of our way of life.

The greatest shame for the GOP is its failure to recognize that the cause of immigrant laborers is the cause of free enterprise, hard work, and opportunity. These are the values the GOP trots out for each election, yet they are turning their backs on principle to squeeze a few extra votes. The GOP should instead raise the flag for opportunity and principle by supporting immigration reform and rejecting the various myths behind immigrant bashing.