SOJOURNERS

In all the political talk about immigration and what is to be done with the 12 million or 15 million or 25 million illegals, it is assumed by both sides in the debate that the vast majority are caught in some twilight zone and yearn for a “path to citizenship,” or some legal way “out of the shadows.”

Undoubtedly there are such people, but I suspect that category of immigrant is much smaller than we are led to believe. I don't personally know any immigrants like that, but I do know some members of a group that is almost never discussed---the sojourners. These are Mexicans who work here, send money back to wives and mothers and other family, and have no intention or desire to become Americans. Because the border is so difficult and dangerous to cross, they remain here, working for years or decades, but they fully intend to go home someday to the family they have supported and the houses their money has built. The ones I know carry photographs of their families and of their homes. And some of these homes can only be described as mansions. “A hundred dollars here,” one of them said, “is a thousand there.”

The lucky ones work entirely for cash, but many are forced to use a fake social security number so that at least some of their earnings get taxed. It's the cost of doing business.

Much of the immigration debate is fueled by political forces that do not necessarily wish to address the reality of the situation. The reality includes a lot of sojourners, but their existence doesn't fit anyone's vision or anyone's political agenda, so they are never discussed.

Copyright2014MichaelKubacki