::Thursday, January 08, 2004::
TO BE OR NOT TO BE REGISTERED
..Illegal and undocumented aliens who have work and proper social security and benefits will unlikely register for the prospective law because it will not have any added value to what they have right now. They will only register if the bill guarantees a way for these undocumented aliens to apply for a green card and ensure their permanent residency no matter how long it will take. Illegal aliens who don't have social security and work the underground economy will likely register because it will be an opportunity for them to gain access to a social security card and its benefits. Even at the risk of being deported if their temporary permits are not approved, everybody knows that it is a worthy risk to take because of the ineffficient bureaucracy and how long it takes to process the papers. By the time their papers are disapproved for example, they would have enjoyed the benefits of social security and moved on to other ways of legalizing their stay. The lengthy process of implementation and the lack of political will to deport people after will be another issue altogether that will keep the underground economy afloat.
