Immigrant control

There has been so much talk -- and so little meaningful action -- regarding the continuing inflow of illegal workers to the United States from Mexico that a recent crackdown by Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt came as something of a surprise.

Blunt ordered the Missouri State Highway Patrol to check the immigration status of everyone incarcerated by the patrol. And he directed the state's Department of Economic Development to increase its oversight of contractors that receive state tax breaks or funding.

You mean that wasn't already standard operating procedure?

It is no surprise, however, that Blunt's directives generated criticism in some quarters. Some Hispanic leaders in St. Louis said the crackdown sounded like racial profiling, a claim that's hard to substantiate when the governor clearly told the highway patrol to check on everyone incarcerated and told the economic development agency to scrutinize every contractor receiving state aid.

For all the talk about building fences and installing a police/military defense system along the Mexican border, it would seem that simpler solutions, such as the two directives from Governor Blunt, would be far more effective -- and far less costly -- in the long run.