Texas Republican state Rep. Debbie Riddle has proposed a strict immigration law that would exempt "the help" from deportation (via Kevin Drum):
Yes, under the House Bill 2012 introduced by a tea party favorite state Rep. Debbie Riddle -- who's been saying for some time that she'd like to see Texas institute an Arizona-style immigration law -- hiring an undocumented maid, caretaker, lawnworker or any type of houseworker would be allowed. Why? As Texas state Rep. Aaron Pena, also a Republican, told CNN, without the exemption, "a large segment of the Texas population" would wind up in prison if the bill became law.
"When it comes to household employees or yard workers it is extremely common for Texans to hire people who are likely undocumented workers," Pena told the news giant. "It is so common it is overlooked."
Jon English, Rep. Riddle's chief of staff explained that the exemption was an attempt to avoid "stifling the economic engine" in Texas, which today is, somewhat ironically, celebrating its declaring independence from Mexico in 1836.
The law is funny in the most twisted way imaginable, but it really does highlight the inherent contradictions of American immigration policy. We welcome immigrants here to do jobs for low wages even as we militarize the border in an attempt to keep them out. Riddle's bill crystallizes those contradictions into a proposal that addresses the economic needs and cultural anxieties of wealthy Republicans at the same time, by ensuring that they can still hire maids and yard workers at scant wages while ensuring they remain mired at the bottom of society. After all, you don't want their kids competing for jobs Republicans might want. In that sense, it's strikingly honest about the kind of country the bill's supporters would like to live in.
What would really be awful is granting a path to citizenship to undocumented immigrants brought here as children who want to go to college or serve their country, since they might end up "taking" your child's spot at Princeton or something.
