Immigration work raids are crucial in the effort to deport illegal immigrants, not only for catching and sending them back home but also for eliminating the incentives that encourage them to stay in the country. Two main incentives for illegal immigrants to stay are government welfare handouts and under-the-table wages that are sent back to their home countries where they hold more value. While the federal government is addressing the issue of welfare handouts, the problem of under-the-table wages requires more direct intervention, such as imposing higher fines on businesses that hire non-citizens.
Changes to immigration enforcement on the labor front cannot be unilaterally made by the White House, making ICE raids on businesses the only viable option. Recent reports from Los Angeles indicate that these raids have had a significant impact on local businesses, leading many to shut down due to their foreign employees’ fear of showing up for work.
The presence of ICE has created ghost neighborhoods in LA, indicating an overpopulation of illegal immigrants. The estimated 2 million illegal immigrants in Los Angeles, according to 2022 surveys, may not reflect the actual numbers, given the Biden Administration’s allowance of at least 7.3 million illegal immigrants into the country in the last four years.
In response to the raids, activist groups funded by NGOs have attempted to cause disruptions to interfere with deportations. These groups are now providing necessities to illegal immigrants to help them avoid encounters with ICE, but this undermines the primary purpose for them to stay in the US.
While laws against aiding illegal immigrants are clear, enforcement requires state cooperation. Activist support may delay immigration officials’ efforts to clean up LA, but with federal funding dwindling, most illegal immigrants may choose to leave the US on their own over the next few years rather than risk deportation.
Ultimately, it may be easier for illegal immigrants to leave and return through legal means if their skills and labor are genuinely needed in the country.
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