Guest Column| Shackled immigrant dreams: Create opportunities at home
The US should deal with its illegal immigrants in a humane manner. It is not the fault of the immigrants that they seek a bit of the sky. They are merely looking for a living, a better life for themselves and their children.
Like Indians across countries, I was aghast to see Indian immigrants, who were in the US illegally, returning home in shackles and handcuffs. It’s embarrassing that after 75 years of independence, my countrymen were returning in a demeaning manner. Sure, it was their fault for having over-stayed their legal welcome in America. Nevertheless, the episode left a bitter taste.
Indians are highly respected across the world. Indian managers manage many multinational corporations, like Google, in America and Europe. Indian-origin businessmen keep the wheels of industry and trade moving in East and West Africa. Indians are well-accepted in South-East Asian countries, such as Singapore and Malaysia.
All eyes were on President Donald Trump, as to how he would actually deal with immigrants in the US. He had threatened to send them back to their countries, by the planeload. He has started the process.
The important question is, why do people from Asia and Africa want to migrate to America and Europe? Quite simply, because they do not have adequate job opportunities and livelihoods in their own countries. They find life easier in the West because of higher social security and medical benefits. They are also able to get jobs, even if it is as delivery staff for pizzas. They are assured of incomes and can feed their families. These people are unhappy in their own home countries. Hence, they seek jobs and livelihoods in the West. Happy people don’t migrate to other countries.
The long-term solution to illegal immigration is to develop employment opportunities in the countries from where they come. Mexico, India, Pakistan and the African countries are the principal regions from where the immigrants hail. These countries should create massive job opportunities and develop their social support services.
Promote meritocracy
Many years ago, when I worked in Brazil, I observed that the local managers did not want to be expatriated to other countries, even to Europe. They were delighted with the local salaries, work conditions and the culture of the country. Even a promotion or an expatriate salary, did not lure many Brazilians. I do hope that someday, Indians also opt to work at home, rather than seek careers abroad.
Countries like India should also promote meritocracy and opportunities for growth within corporations. India is proud that top corporations in the US, such as Microsoft and IBM, are managed by CEOs of Indian origin. We hero-worship these highfliers. However, why could India not retain these bright CEOs? They had to go abroad and prove themselves in a foreign country, perhaps because there were inadequate opportunities locally. We need to foster an atmosphere of learning, research and scholarship, in our universities and corporations to retain our talent. We also need to revamp our urban infrastructure on a war-footing, to inspire youngsters to stay in the country.
India as the fifth largest economy in the world, with ambitions plans for growth, should focus on creating labour-intensive jobs. When youngsters cannot get well-paying jobs in their own countries, they take grave risks and pay large amounts to dubious agents, to migrate to America.
Manage population
India should also make efforts to promote family-planning and harness its population growth. In Punjabi, we have an idiom, “Jitney chaddar ho, utne paer felane chaayie (Stretch your legs according to the length of the sheet covering you)”. It means assess your resources and then plan your life. About 7% of India’s population lives below the poverty line. Then, there is a need to limit the number of children a family should plan for.
During the Emergency imposed by former Prime Minister India Gandhi from 1975-77, family planning was imposed with coercion across the country. Officials in states, towns and even villages, had targets for vasectomies. The policy was executed haphazardly. People were upset and Indira Gandhi lost the election.
Since then, most governments have fought shy of promoting family planning. It is time to encourage family planning and birth control, through education and awareness.
The US should deal with its illegal immigrants in a humane manner. It is not the fault of the immigrants that they seek a bit of the sky. They are merely looking for a living, a better life for themselves and their children. We should be generous to our fellow-men, who have not had the same opportunities of nutrition, education and exposure, that others have had. rkaneja@anejamanagement.com
The author, an alumnus of Harvard Business School, is a former managing director of Unilever Tanzania. Views expressed are personal.