Immigration has always been a key contributor to the health of the United States of America. The constant influx of the fresh minds and well-grounded ideals of hardworking, dedicated individuals who want to change their lives for the better have through the years provided vim and vitality to our society, giving us little pockets of hope and new direction across the country.

People come to us for a reason. We are the most unique and free nation in the world and the American Dream is as close as one can get to the realization of a heaven on Earth. Because of the endless opportunity we offer, recent legal immigration to the US has been even more robust than it was back in the heyday of European arrivals. 10 million foreigners became Americans during the 1990’s and we are seeing a similar pace in this decade. That’s one million people every year who want to move to America and be Americans, one million people making themselves better and we as a nation better.

But, for every million legal immigrants there are 700,000 illegal immigrants moving into the States, adding to the nebulous population of existing illegals that is somewhere between 12 million and 20 million lawbreakers. These people are so unlike those who arrive legally: they purposely break our immigration laws, want the rewards of American employment (and entitlements) yet don’t want to actually be Americans, choosing instead to live amongst the shadows and remain Mexicans at heart and by actions. Because of this, they are not making us better. Instead, they are hurting our nation, compounded by the fact their incognito ways stifle their ability to move up the ladder of opportunity. They cannot advance themselves, their families nor our society.

Our federal government knows this is a problem. Congress hears about it from their constituents on a daily basis and, deep down inside, they all to a man know we have eggs on our face, for here we are the World’s police force and we cannot even protect our own borders, a "silent invasion" being allowed to take us over. Despite this, our government continues to drag its feet, making one wonder if the powers-that-be welcome the illegal influx.

One of the benefits of our republic style of government is that the states can succeed where the federal entities fail. Arizona, a border state that sits at the very epicenter of this problem, has recently passed a law that will go great lengths to control the situation. Effective January 1, the state will focus on the parties who, after the Feds, have been most guilty in allowing the invasion to occur: business owners.

Illegal immigrants are here because the opportunity exists for them to be employed, despite federal and state laws to the contrary. Thousands of businesses have willingly broken the law and have given them jobs, reaping the benefits of abundant cheap manual labor, a bottomless pool of workers that these unsavory businesses can pay under the table while not doling out benefits or contributing to income taxes. Fraudulent businesses employing illegal aliens….two wrongs don’t make a right, never have, never will.

Arizona’s law will nip this in the bud. Along with random inspections of employers by state agencies, it encourages people who suspect a business of employing illegals to call the sheriff or county attorney who will then investigate the claim. If it is proved that it is the case, on the first occasion the business will have its license suspended and, on the second offense, it will be permanently revoked.

This method of enforcement is so basic, yet so ingenious. Arizona, without putting up a 376-mile fence, going on a great round-up, or, God forbid, firing a shot, has found a way to control the invasion by taking away the ultimate attractant, the dirty businesses that offered jobs to the illegals, opportunity that was something akin to – and no better than - setting aside carrion for vultures.

It is hoped that a year from now after the dust settles and we’ve seen the fruits of Arizona’s labors that other states, if not the federal government, take an inventory of themselves and pass similar legislation. By limiting American jobs to only those who are legitimately in our borders then, and only then, can we suppress what really is the northward expansion of Mexico.