Recession puts undocumented worker issue on back burner

It's off the radar screen for now, given the U.S. recession and the dearth of job openings in the states, but the debate over the nation's undocumented workers and illegal immigrants is likely to heat up once the recovery starts. More important, it's one issue that Americans will have to arrive at a consensus on for the nation to have any chance to pass a coherent, constructive public policy.

As investors might sense, right now the nation's stance and policy in practice toward undocumented workers is incoherent. Many conservative, moderate Americans -- as well as most labor unions -- oppose the entry of undocumented workers to the United States because they have illegally bypassed the federal immigration system and because their presence decreases wages in numerous job segments.