Giuliani claims he could end illegal immigration in three years

There are countless examples of how modern-day conservatives prefer preaching their ideology rather than looking for common sense solutions. Nowhere is this more evident that on the divisive subject of immigration.

The latest salvo from the Right came from Rudy Giuliani, who claims he could end illegal immigration in three years if he were elected president by increasing enforcement at the Mexican border. (Click here to read the CNN report.)

The mayor claims, "It can be done. It is not impossible. You can do this, you can stop them at the border." He said expanding the border force is the same strategy he employed as mayor to lower New York's crime rate, and that adding border agents could have similar results on immigration.

Really. I imagine Rudy's plan will have a tremendous effect on stopping the illegal immigrants from Peru, Guatemala and Bolivia, not to mention from the nations of Eastern Europe and Asia. I imagine it will be especially effective in stopping illegal immigrants from Ireland; it is estimated there are over 200,000 of those. Half of all illegal immigrants come from nations other than Mexico. And how accommodating of the Mexican illegals to not think of getting on a boat in Matamoros and sailing 20 miles north to come ashore on a beach in Texas, or to come up with other ways to get around the militarization of a small portion of the US border. And what a huge effect this will have on the 40% of Mexican illegals that come here on legal visas and simply stay when the visa expires.

I think Rudy is smarter than this. Unfortunately, it appears he is following in the footsteps of Mitt Romney and saying anything to pander to the Far Right wing of the Republican Party.

Improved border security has to be part of a comprehensive solution to immigration, but it won't be the most important part. Since the beginning of human society, if you have shortages of a commodity that is in high demand, you will get a black market in that commodity. That is exactly what has happened with labor in certain sectors of our economy. And like other black markets, from Prohibition to the current War on Drugs, enforcement-only solutions will never work. Put a system into place that helps employers to find legal workers, so they don't have to smuggle in illegal ones, and your illegal immigration problem will evaporate.

It's as simple as that.