Immigration from a (Sort of) Mexican Perspective

Antonio Rosas-Landa on Obama's challenge and the still-imperative, still-dormant immigration reform: 

An example [of the different visions for immigration reform] is the recent support that the major unions gave to the "reform". Although the unions favor the legalization of the 12 million undocumented workers, of whom 7 million are part of the work force, on the other hand they are opposed to a temporary worker program. 

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But what to do with future immigrants? Jorge Castañeda, ex secretary of foreign relations in Mexico, explained it clearly in a conversation: "Let's suppose that right the Virgin of Guadalupe appears and with her divine power legalizes all of the undocumented workers. She solves the problem. But what do we do with the [immigrants] that are buying their bottles on the border to cross tomorrow [to the US]". Castañeda is right, because it's what I refer to as regulating present and future migration. Without taking that step any reform will be condemned to failure.

Obama's challenge will be to convince Congress to approve the immigration reform despite the economic crisis. It won't be easy. Despite the unemployment rate being at 8.5 percent, in states like California (the largest internal economy) surpasses 11 percent. That's why it will be very complicated selling the idea of creating mechanisms so that more foreigners can come and obtain jobs that are now very scare. Nevertheless, reforming immigration laws can't be seen as a measure dealing only with the current climate, but rather a long-term institutional reparation.  

Removing millions of undocumented workers from the shadows is an overdue ethical, moral, and economic task that the US must attend to as soon as possible; meanwhile regulating migratory flows under flexible schemes that respond to labor needs is a measure that would benefit the receiver country just as it would the immigrants that proceed with order to opportunities without having to risk their lives.