Superman was an Undocumented Alien

the AZEL PERSPECTIVE Commentary on Cuba's Future, U.S. Foreign Policy & Individual Freedoms - Issue 173

Superman was an Undocumented Alien Share Tweet Forward

As I remember the story, sometime in 1938, the infant Kal-El, born on the planet Krypton, was sent unaccompanied to the United States by his scientist father Jor-El to escape the imminent destruction of Krypton. He was discovered by a farm couple from Kansas and raised as their son Clark Kent. Kal-El went on to use his abilities to do great things for humankind. I cite the Superman story, not to defend undocumented migration, but to introduce a little levity to a topic often discussed only using hyperbole, acrimonious statements, and name-calling. Today, over 3 percent of the world’s population -244 million- are international migrants, and the immigrant population of the United States is approaching 50 million.  The topic requires thoughtful deliberation and statesmanship. In our hemisphere, Mexico leads the way with 12 million immigrants; from Central America, thousands continue to flee violence and poverty, and from Cuba, nearly 18 percent of the population has escaped that tragic island in search of freedom. The motivations to leave one’s homeland are diverse, but essentially fall into an economic or political category or both. Fundamentally, migration expresses a desire for the liberty to improve one’s quality of life. Fortuitously, as of this writing, in the summer of 2018, the labor needs of the United States are perfectly aligned with the needs of immigrants searching for employment in the United States to improve their lives. Full employment means that unemployment is at the lowest possible level that will not cause inflation. The Federal Reserve considers an unemployment rate of 5.0 to 5.2 percent as “full employment.” This rate is technically known as the Non-Accelerating Inflation Rate of Unemployment or NAIRU.  In plain language, “full employment” means that everyone who wants a job can have all the work hours they want. As reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. unemployment rate is down to 3.8 percent, and expected to decline further. We are currently facing a severe shortage of labor in the United States, and most U.S. companies are experiencing hiring challenges. In Big Sky, Montana, where I live several months out of the year, some restaurants have had to curtail their working hours to serve only dinner as they are unable to staff for breakfast or lunch. In other words, there is a compelling macroeconomic case for a comprehensive review of U.S. immigration policies with an eye on our economic needs. But the politics of immigration are highly contested, and the immigration discussion takes place over subjects like: Immigrants erode a nation’s culture; immigrants lower wages and take jobs away from nationals; immigrants want to live on welfare programs; immigrants commit a disproportionate number of crimes, and the like. These arguments are mostly inaccurate. By way of example, in 1961, when I was 13 years old, my lawyer father, not unlike Jor-El, placed me unaccompanied, and somewhat clandestinely, in a cargo ship headed for the United States to save me from the communist Cuban authorities. I was part of the exodus of over 14,000 unaccompanied children from Cuba between 1960 and 1962 that became known as Operación Pedro Pan. We were far from undocumented, as we traveled with passports, visas or specially granted “visa waivers,” health and police certificates, a power of attorney from our parents and more - but we were unaccompanied children. As far as I know, none of my Pedro Pan brothers and sisters, and certainly not I, developed super powers. And yet, studies show that we have made significant contributions to American life in all fields of human endeavor with an extensive list of Pedro Pan notables. The rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are the right to act on our life requirements, the right to be free from coercive restrictions, and the right to pursue our dreams provided we do not violate the rights of others. When immigrants choose to leave their homeland in search for a better life, they are acting on these rights. Our political class must formulate immigration policies that meet both our security, and our economic needs. There are many Clark Kents among us. Please let us know if you  this article. We welcome your feedback. Abrazos,  Lily & José  (click on the name to email Lily or Jose) José Azel, Ph.D. José Azel left Cuba in 1961 as a 13 year-old political exile in what has been dubbed Operation Pedro Pan - the largest unaccompanied child refugee movement in the history of the Western Hemisphere. He is currently dedicated to the in-depth analyses of Cuba's economic, social and political state, with a keen interest in post-Castro-Cuba strategies. Formerly, a Senior Scholar at the Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies (ICCAS) at the University of Miami, Jose Azel has published extensively on Cuba related topics. In 2012 and 2015, Dr. Azel testified in the U.S. Congress on U.S.-Cuba Policy, and U.S. National Security.  He is a frequent speaker and commentator on these and related topics on local, national and international media.  He holds undergraduate and masters degrees in business administration and a Ph.D. in International Affairs from the University of Miami. José along with his wife Lily are avid skiers and adventure travelers.  In recent years they have climbed Grand Teton in Wyoming, trekked Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and Machu Pichu in Peru.  They have also hiked in Tibet and in the Himalayas to Mt. Everest Base Camp. They cycled St. James Way (El Camino de Santiago de Compostela) and cycled alongside the Danube from Germany to Hungary. They have scuba dived in the Bay Islands off the Honduran coast and in the Galapagos Islands. Their adventurers are normally dedicated to raise funds for causes that are dear to them.  Watch Joe & Lily summit Kilimanjaro. Books by Dr. José Azel "Liberty for beginners is much more than what the title promises. It is eighty themes touched with the wisdom of a master, and the charm of an excellent communicator. Anyone that wishes to understand why countries do, or do not progress, will find in this book the best explanations. If it was in my power, this work would be required reading for all college and university students, and I would recommend its reading to politicians, journalists, and policymakers. With this book Azel accomplishes what was achieved in France by Frédéric Bastiat, and in the United States by Henry Hazlitt: brings together common sense with intelligent observation, and academic substance. Stupendous" Carlos Alberto Montaner Buy Now "Libertad para novatos es mucho más de lo que promete el título. Son ochenta temas tocados con la sabiduría de un maestro y la amenidad de un excelente comunicador. Cualquier adulto que desee saber por qué progresan o se estancan los pueblos aquí encontrará las mejores explicaciones. Si estuviera en mis manos, esta obra sería lectura obligatoria de todos los estudiantes, tanto de bachillerato como universitarios, pero, además, se la recomendaría a todos los políticos y periodistas, a todos los policy makers. Azel logra con este libro lo que Frédéric Bastiat consiguiera en Francia y Henry Hazlitt en Estados Unidos: aunar el sentido común, la observación inteligente y la enjundia académica. Estupendo." Carlos Alberto Montaner Compre Aqui In Reflections on Freedom, José Azel brings together a collection of his columns published in prestigious newspapers.  Each article reveals his heartfelt and personal awareness of the importance of freedom in our lives.  They are his reflections after nearly sixty years of living and learning as a Cuban outside Cuba. In what has become his stylistic trademark, Professor Azel brilliantly introduces complex topics in brief journalistic articles. Buy Now En Reflexiones sobre la libertad José Azel reúne una colección de sus columnas publicadas en prestigiosos periódicos. Cada artículo revela su percepción sincera y personal de la importancia de la libertad en nuestras vidas. Son sus reflexiones después de casi sesenta años viviendo y aprendiendo como cubano fuera de Cuba.  En lo que ha resultado ser característica distintiva de sus artículos, el Profesor Azel introduce con brillantez complejos temas en  breves artículos de carácter periodístico. Compre Aqui Mañana in Cuba is a comprehensive analysis of contemporary Cuba with an incisive perspective of the Cuban frame of mind and its relevancy for Cuba's future. Buy now Pedazos y Vacíos is a collection of poems written in by Dr. Azel in his youth. Poems are in Spanish. Buy now

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