It benefits Argentina, too. Officials contend that in addition to reducing black-market labor and discrimination, the registration program will help make Argentina’s porous borders more secure, and bring in much-needed tax funds. “I think this is a good idea that deserves to be studied,” says José Miguel Insulza, secretary-general of the Organization of American States in Washington.
Argentina’s openness derives in part from the South American nation’s historical background: millions of immigrants from Spain and Italy arrived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and the same country that gave refuge to Nazi war criminals after World War II is also host to the largest Jewish population in the Western Hemisphere outside of the United States. The Patria Grande program is a product of principle as well. When he took office three years ago, Kirchner identified immigration as one of the human-rights issues he would emphasize, and under his leadership about 400,000 foreigners have been granted residence visas, more than double the number between 1993 and 2003.
Some skeptics argue that legalizing undocumented foreigners, estimated to number between 700,000 and 1 million, takes jobs away from native Argentines. That’s a touchy issue in a country where unemployment soared to 22 percent during the 2002 recession. But government officials counter that a booming economy has slashed that figure in half, and most Argentines don’t want the menial jobs in construction and agriculture that foreigners are willing to take. “To have registered and legal migrant workers doesn’t diminish work opportunities for Argentines,” argues government immigration chief Ricardo Rodríguez. “On the contrary, it helps to improve working conditions and salaries.” And that’s not all: immigrants who sign up with Patria Grande also gain access to a spectrum of social services, like public schools and hospitals. When it comes to humane immigration policies, Argentina would seem to have few peers.
