The man was one plane flight away from living his dream. With the $59,000 in his duffel bag, he would finally be able to build a home for his family. After eleven years of working at minimum-wage, he could finally return to his homeland, the country he loved. But fate had different plans. The man, unfortunately, didn’t understand English, and thus failed to understand the customs procedures for declaring money. Airport customs officials detained him immediately, capturing him and his duffel bag. Pedro Zapeta would quickly gain his freedom. His duffel bag, however, would not.
Two years later, Zapeta is still fighting for every penny of the money he earned, as well as the $10,000 others have donated to his cause. He has offered to pay back taxes and other expenses to the US Government to no avail. Zapeta wants to leave the US, peacefully, with that which he earned. And the US won’t let him.
Certainly, illegal immigration poses dangerous threats to our country. Among the many, unrecorded workers coming in from Mexico and Canada could be one who could bring about another 9/11. Allowing illegal immigrants into our country gives undue disadvantage to the countless Indians, Chinese, Europeans, Africans, and Latin Americans who have tried to enter the country properly—and legally. The tax burden illegal immigrants place on our system depletes national and regional budgets alike, for illegal immigrants often fail to pay taxes. But in the day when over ten million men, women, and children live in the USA illegally, it’s time the country figures out ways to move on—ways to encourage illegal immigrants to leave the country or apply for legal standing. Whether through temporary work visas or incentive programs, the country needs ways to encourage illegal immigrants to come out of the woodwork, for the status quo only encourages such workers to hide.
Nevertheless, while politicians in Washington D.C. attempt to figure out ways to convince illegal immigrants to leave the country, the US presently encourages exactly the opposite, punishing Zapeta for leaving the country. After hearing Zapeta’s horrific story, why would any illegal immigrant stop reaping the benefits of the US healthcare system? Why would any illegal immigrant want to lose every penny he has earned when leaving the US? And most importantly, what motivation would there be for leaving the US? Regardless of whether Zapeta should have come to the US, whether Zapeta legally earned his money, whether Zapeta should pay back his FICA, taxes, and Medicare, or whether the US government should punish Zapeta’s employer, the central issue facing the US is a larger one: how does Zapeta, as well as America, move on?
A temporary work visa program for illegal immigrants is moving on. Encouraging illegal immigrants to leave the country without punishment is moving on. Robbing Zapeta of 11 years of minimum-wage dishwasher work isn’t.
Presently, Zapeta is still working as a dishwasher in Stuart, Florida. If things work out, he might be able to afford the plane ticket home by January. More likely than not, he won’t be traveling with his red duffel bag.
