Fix Immigration Now
Here’s an understatement: illegal immigration is a superheated issue. The all-or-nothing alternatives offered from the extremes on both sides seem unworkable, offering no possibility of compromise. Little wonder that viable solutions have not been seriously discussed for many months. To break the impasse, we need a new plan — one that retains core principles but requires all sides to compromise.
The apparently intractable issues have to be acknowledged up front. Real immigration reform sets forth several principles that (hopefully) can be accepted by a majority of Americans:
1.) Any plan, regardless of its content, must start first with a fully secured border. A solution leaving open the floodgates fails to address the source of the problem and is unworkable.
2.) Every person currently in this country illegally must be known and accounted for, with each having a clear and official status and a timeline that governs the terms of their ability to remain in the U.S. Indeed, illegal immigrants need the security and protection of having an official status to protect them from abuse and exploitation.
3.) Families should not be divided; rather, the legal immigration of whole and intact families should be recognized as a positive benefit to America, as it has proven to be so often in the past.
4.) All immigrants on temporary status must show a means of support for themselves and their dependents, pay taxes, and share in the costs of public benefits they receive — or they should not be allowed to remain in this country. Similarly, benefits such as Social Security that are intended for the benefit of American citizens must be restricted to those citizens only.
5.) There must be legal mechanisms that allow for immediate deportation of those remaining here illegally or who remain by permit and violate our laws. Deportation should be without delay, long process, or the possibility of re-entry.
6.) Employers must be held to strict compliance with both a clear, reliable method to verify the legal status of employees and the obligation to report violations immediately to authorities. While penalties should be substantial for willful violations, there should be no special regulation of the terms of employment between the company and legal workers. A worker with legal status has the ability to make his or her own decisions regarding the acceptability of employment.
A plan that accommodates the elements above would encourage families to stay and prosper, provide needed workers under free-flowing market conditions, require a more inclusive sharing of costs to society, and alleviate the ill will between groups who perceive, rightfully so, an inequality of treatment. It should be noted that mass deportation is not included in the above. Individuals who believe this is a realistically achievable basis for a solution are not serious enough to engage in argument at this point.
The plan rests on the basic concept that every person in this country illegally needs to be given an official status, one that both sets the conditions of their staying in the U.S. and does so under terms agreed upon by the people of America. This is actually not so hard to do if we are willing to acknowledge that legal immigration has been proven to be beneficial to America and if we can accept the reality that millions of people are already here and part of our economic life. At this point, it no longer matters that the condition exists because of a feckless government with no policy regarding security and enforcement. The people in government who created the problem will never have the courage to resolve it, so Americans must force a solution the politicians cannot alter or easily undo. If there is anything for all sides to agree on, it is that we cannot remain where we are.
Registration and Declaration of Intent
It is as fundamental as securing the borders against continued illegal entry that all illegals in the U.S. be accounted for from the outset. That will require in-person registration with the government and the issuance of an official ID card that includes a new immigrant number under which all records would be kept. This card and number would be required of all individuals, including children and infants, even if born in this country to illegal parents. (The reason for this last provision will be made clear further on.)
The only way to accomplish this is for people to register themselves voluntarily or face deportment. Certain guarantees would be required in order for this to happen — primarily, a guarantee of no immediate deportation and a clear understanding of what will follow registration. (It goes without saying those who don’t register, but are found subsequently to have criminal records or are otherwise deemed unacceptable, should be immediately deported.) The registration process itself would include name, address, phone, family and dependent status, years in the country, and place of employment. Heads of household would be required to identify all the members of their family, and each would receive a card and ID number.
The key part of this plan is that every registrant must make a declaration at the time of registration of his or her intent to either become an American citizen or to remain in this country as a temporary worker. Every individual must declare one of these two alternatives. The path each person or family takes after making this declaration varies dramatically depending on this choice.
Temporary Worker Status Election
If an illegal immigrant elects to be a registered temporary worker, then the registrant would be given a dated ID card and number for work within the U.S. The permit would be good for two years from the date of issue after which the worker MUST return home for a period of no less than six months before becoming eligible for readmission. Arrest for any serious legal violation is subject to immediate deportation and would require a minimum one year period before eligibility to re-apply. Additionally, through an employer reporting system, any worker without employment for 180 days or more would be immediately deported. A head of household can elect this status for a family already here, subject to the two year limit, provided that they can demonstrate a means of support for the entire family. Family units would NOT be permitted for new applications to enter the country under temporary worker permits.
Temporary workers would be required to pay all payroll taxes, with employer matching contributions, plus 10% to cover the cost of social services. A worker demonstrating health insurance coverage would have this reduced to 5%. These taxes would put temporary workers on an even tax footing as citizens and remove the incentive of employers to exploit illegal immigrants as can happen now. Under the ID program, both the employee and employer are protected.
Citizenship
For those declaring the intent to become citizens, their individual position would depend on marital status and time in the U.S. Families that have been in the U.S. for five years or more have already laid down significant roots and would be allowed a faster track to citizenship. They would be required to meet the following requirements within one year of registration to become citizens:
1.) They must give up citizenship in any other country upon becoming a U.S. citizen.
2.) All family members must pass the citizenship requirements at the same time, including those children born in the U.S. The reason for including children born in the U.S. in this provision is simple: the status of these people is contentious in this country. Making their citizenship official will remove this argument, as they have passed the same requirements of those not born here.
3.) All members of the family must pass a test in basic English sufficient to assure they can function reasonably on a day-to-day basis.
4.) All family members must attend and pass a very basic course in U.S. history (particularly immigrant history so they appreciate how they, like others before them, fit into the U.S.), government, and the culture and values that are uniquely American. There is a value to all of us at least knowing, if not appreciating, values like freedom, hard work, equality, religious, tolerance and all that U.S. citizens accept as the basis of our relationship to society.
5.) The family must demonstrate an adequate means of support for the entire family unit.
6.) All taxes must be paid, including payroll taxes, during the one year period before citizenship is granted. Social security benefits, however, will not begin to accrue until citizenship is officially granted. All taxes paid prior will be forfeited as a cost of being in this country illegally. Once citizenship is granted, however, all the benefits of citizenship begin to accrue as befits all citizens.
7.) Any arrests or criminal convictions during the period before acquiring citizenship could result in extension of the waiting period, revocation of their pending status, or deportation at the discretion of the courts.
A family that has been in the U.S. for less than five years would enter a probationary period until they reach the fifth year, at which time they would have one year to complete the requirements for citizenship outlined above. All the other conditions for families would apply. The family would be required to show a means of support and remain within the law. Children that reach the age of 21 during the waiting period can either opt to stay within the family unit or make an election to pursue citizenship or temporary worker status on their own.
Single individuals that elect to pursue citizenship will require a five year waiting period before becoming eligible to begin the one year process to citizenship regardless of how long they have been in the U.S. During this period, any violations of U.S. law, even down to serious traffic violations, forfeit the citizenship election and would result in immediate deportation.
In the case of all of the above, a flat income tax of 10% for families and 5% for individuals, over and above payroll taxes, is to be added as a payroll deduction to defer the costs of social services available to them as non-citizens living in this country. If their income level would be such that a greater amount would be due under federal and state income tax law, the higher amount would be due. This provision would end upon achieving full citizenship.
Employer Provisions
The status of all people involved in this program is established and defined by their ID card and their ID number. No card, no status, no job. An employer would be prohibited from hiring a worker that did not present a valid card. The number could be verified instantly through a central registry generated at the time the card is issued. In addition, employers would be required to visually verify that all employees have a valid card monthly, with number checks no less than semi-annually. This would verify that a number or card hadn’t been revoked for criminal violations or time period expiration. Any cards found to be invalid must be reported immediately or the company would face serious fines.
The above system is simple, verifiable, and does not require employers to be experts at counterfeit identification. Either present a valid card or you can’t be hired or retained. Having a newly created number system will also go a long way to stopping forgery and the use of phony Social Security numbers that is so rampant today.
Closing The Loop
In summary, after a certain date — say, December 31,2011 — all the people in this country illegally would have to register and get an ID number and card. Their status and rights would be clearly defined by their circumstances and the election they make to become either a citizen or a guest temporary worker. There would be every reason to expect that registration levels would be high because no one would face immediate deportation unless they were a convicted criminal or fugitive. The U.S. would get an accounting of who is in the country, their identity and location and plans for the future. Employers would be encouraged to participate, even help in the registration, as it would both protect their current workers and allow for an end to the hopeless mess that is the current system. Families could remain together and the country would benefit from yet another wave of solid immigrants seeking a new and better life.
On the other hand, on an ongoing basis this plan also provides for immediate deportation of those here without a card or one that has expired or been revoked. We would no longer have to suffer the pontifications of local officials with their sanctuary cities and such. Every eligible immigrant/worker would have a clear status and the ability to prove it on the spot. Americans would also be able to be assured that their neighbors and coworkers are rightfully here and bound by U.S. laws.
Is it amnesty? In part you could call it that. But citizenship granted under sound terms, our terms, and reasonably applied for and earned, is far more important than redress at this late date. Get it under control, stop illegal entrants, and set a clear path for all.
Then, let’s get back to living together in America.
Problem!
You say that ‘mass deportation ‘ is not an option – but enforcing your suggestions would result in mass deportations ( or mass delusion, as people fudged the laws). Many of those here illegally have no *desire* to be registered under a single identity. (That would make working under the table while collecting benefits rather difficult, and without that ‘double income’ they would not earn enough to live on.) For the same reason they do not want to pay taxes, not current taxes and certainly not any extra taxes. Nor do they desire to learn English, or follow ‘gringo’ customs, or modify their lifestyles to accommodate alien (American) laws they neither value nor understand.
Many – very many – do not want to give up the citizenship of the country they love – be it Mexico or Peru or Guatamala.
The prime motive of most illegal residents is to take advantage of the economic, educational, and medical benefits of America for some period of time (usually ten to thirty years) in order to build a home and generally some sort of investment property in their home country. While many do stay ‘stuck’ in America for a lifetime (our social benefits are hard to give up) the intention is generally to send back enough money to have a ‘big ranch’ and retire in the comfort that American incomes can provide in the South American back country.
Annie,
I don’t doubt that some may think that way but your generalization is very far from the truth for most immigrants illegal or not. I know the situation of many hundreds of immigrants in the state where I live. All or nearly all of them save money, build houses here, and want their children to live as Americans. I am sure there are some cheaters and criminals like the ones you describe but the reality is that most immigrants work hard for a meager compensation. The ones that get the most out of that situation are their American employers that get away with not paying payroll taxes, etc. For them illegal workers are a cost cutting measure that puts money in their pockets.
Think of this: if there were no employers of illegal immigrants there would be no illegal immigrants. It is as simple as that. Greed and cheating begin there. That is the magnet that drive people across the border.
Bunk – Annie is correct. They just want to game the system so they can retire in style.
LOLLY, your so right. system is too good , they love it..now if they came over here to work & live, why do they also drop babies left & right, then apply for SOCIAL SERVICE, this ro for the paresents that bring the kids with them….i’m sorry, these people know the system better then i do, i say ship them all home, then get in line? i don’t owe no one, i worked, paid my due’s raised my kids, and no government put food on my table…no wonder we are broke, billions are spent on them, and i have had enough. love it when they march & demand everything plus carry their home’s flag. talk about anoher slap in the face.
In my contacts with illegals I never contacted one with fewer than two different set of identity documents. I am not talking about different documents for the same person. I am talking about whole different identities. Different names, birth dates, etc.
How can an illegal alien purchase a house without identity theft? Or are you lumping illegal aliens with legal residents? If so stop trolling and being disingenuous.
The article is about illegal aliens. Which should be jailed then deported or simply deported. I don’t care if they have children who are American citizens. The children can return when they are eighteen. In the meantime the parents go back to their country of origin.
I can only speak of what the many honest, hard working, devout women I have worked with over the last thirty years or so have told me about their lives and their ambitions.
I work – or did until recently – in the garment trade. Over the years an increasing number of my sewing women were the ‘voluntaty’ illegal. Back in the Regan days I signed a LOT of sponsorship etc. papers. These last few years when I have offered such aid it has generally been declined. The ladies do not want any more to do with America than they do now, and they have no hesitation in being quite open about what they do want.
They do, frequently, ask if I can arrange money transfers back to their home country. As it has become more difficult to carry large sums of cash back home, and they do not tend to have checking accounts, they prefer to have an American of good reputation wire the money. It is cheaper than the cash-transfer service at a check cashing shop.
I have had to refuse this lately, and they have generally been peeved that I worry about the IRS.
PS: And yes, most of them vote. (Well, at least ask for work time off to vote. I have no idea if they go to the polls.)
I couldn’t care less whether illegals are saving money and building houses. The truth is they do not belong here and millions are collecting benefits they have no moral or legal right to receive. That amounts to theft from the American taxpayer. America needs to close our southern border NOW, cut off all government benefits to illegals and begin imposing heavy fines on employers who hire illegals. America for American citizens and legal immigrants!
That is patently untrue. Most of them come here to drop an anchor baby or 10 and suck off the system until the kid’s are 18. A lot come here just to commit crimes and go back and forth, over and over again.
2 zone border. Get caught in the red zone and know your head is getting blown off.
Stop the abuse of the 14th amendment for this anchor baby crap.
Round them up and march them to the border in chains.
Fine and jail any employer who knowingly hires illegal alien invaders.
Bring our troops home and stop all foreign aid.
Kick the frakkin UN out and stop funding their BS.
Have you been to mexifornia lately?
Every illegal will be given citizenship after:
1. Renounce current citizenship
2. Pay a fine equivilent to cost of processing
3. Must serve 2 years in Military Reserves
4. If over 18 at time of immigration, you don’t ever get to vote or own a gun.
The vote thing will quiet down to demorats.
Slickbama – Under Annie B Comment #1
Your #3 on your list – Nice try on the “must serve in Military” proposal? The United States is having a hard enough time recruiting Americans into the Military as is evident from the excerpt from an (article below).
How do we propose to ‘enlist’ people who most likely don’t know the English language, and perhaps don’t have the education to excel in our military, or do they even have an allegiance to the US? It is my guess most do not. Which is why the “legal immigration” process is so vital to the true reason why someone would want to “become an American” by virtue of this process. Most illegals I believe contribute to “the raping” of America and the taxpayers.
Not everyone is ‘cut out’ for the military either. I do think yours is a great idea, ‘if’ it could be implemented properly.
Some 57 percent of potential recruits are lost because they do not score high enough on the aptitude test the military uses to see if people have enough education and mental skills to handle military life. Most of these are those who never even managed to graduate from high school. Thus many of those who score too low do so because they did not do well at school. A lot of these folks have high IQs, but low motivation. Most of the remainder are not eligible for physical reasons. But get this, the most common physical disqualifier is being overweight. Nearly a third of the people of military age are considered obese. The big folks who are eager to join, are told how much weight they have to lose before they can enlist, but few return light enough to sign up.
Cited from = strategypage.com
Actually, that is incorrect about the military. I know people that are waiting (DEP) to go to Basic Training, but can’t because the recruits are so numerous. The employment situation has caused many to enlist and they are only taking the best. I know since my son is currently serving in the Navy. There are many jobs in the military that are not on the battlefield. I agree, show you are willing to commit to this country by serving her and we’ll talk.
My immediate reaction to the title of this piece was “Who is this person and what makes him think he can solve a problem the rest of us have struggled with for more than fifty years?” My second reaction, upon reading through the piece, was the one I often have upon hearing some statement from my management: “Everything is easy for the man who doesn’t have to do it himself.”
Mr. Pope’s many “musts” utterly defy the three requirements of any proposed public policy:
1. It must be politically feasible;
2. It must be economically feasible;
3. It must not demand a violation of the laws of Nature.
But then, virtually every strident statement on immigration reform made in the past decade violates at least one of those requirements. By violating all three, Mr. Pope’s little manifesto exceeds its predecessors only in degree.
I am a staunch conservative who shares virtually all of your opinions above. I was going to spell it out in similar fashion on my blog – StraightThinker.com – now I don’t have to. Your plan is thorough and well conceived. Well done, and thank you.
Additionally, I would like to point out that we are mostly talking about Hispanics. As an aging population, we need young, hard-working families in this country, and my personal opinion is that Hispanics, once they are educated and speak English, are the perfect solution. They are generally compatible with our culture and way of life and they fit well with our Judao-Christian foundation.
Selfishly, as a conservative, my belief is they will largely be conservatives once fully immersed here in the manner you suggest.
The only BIG problem with your idea is that Latino’s are GANGBANGERS. Their country runs on gangs,and everybody is a member. It has been that way for decades.NOW,with the disbandment of the gang units in many counties(because of the regulation that make police state ALL their wages and assets) ,the gangs will once again rise.Why work for a living when you can be in a gang and steal it?????
Moms and Dads are OK,but not the Gangbangers.
“Every person currently in this country illegally must be known and accounted for, with each having a clear and official status and a timeline that governs the terms of their ability to remain in the U.S. Indeed, illegal immigrants need the security and protection of having an official status to protect them from abuse and exploitation.”
If most Americans agree with this caca toro; me cago en la madre que te pario!. I’m for deporting them all – every single illegal alien regardless where they came from. Apparently Estados Unidos de America really wants to self-destruct, and we’re continuously bad mouthing the Euros for their asinine immigration policies.
I did not bother to read the rest of the article.
There are many problems with this idea:
Mr. Pope Wrote:
3.) Families should not be divided
4.) All immigrants on temporary status must show a means of support for themselves and their dependents… or they should not be allowed to remain in this country.
Response:
And if a child is born as an American citizen and the parents won’t or can’t support it and then claim the child is an American and they won’t take him back to whatever nation they come from? Will you separate the family or let them stay even though they can’t support themselves?
Mr. Pope Wrote:
5.) There must be legal mechanisms that allow for immediate deportation of those remaining here illegally
Response:
You just KNOW the ACLU or someone will jump ALL OVER This and scream that we are denying these people their due process, their day in court.
Mr. Pope Wrote:
The only way to accomplish this is for people to register themselves voluntarily or face deportment.
Response:
We can’t find these people to deport them NOW. How will we find them IF they don’t register?
Mr. Pope Wrote:
If an illegal immigrant elects to be a registered temporary worker… Arrest for any serious legal violation…. any worker without employment for 180 days or more would be immediately deported.
Response:
So we’re going to let them stay as long as they’re good and work hard. Otherwise, out they go. See Annie’s comments above.
Mr. Pope Wrote:
Temporary workers would be required to pay all payroll taxes… plus 10% to cover the cost of social services. A worker demonstrating health insurance coverage would have this reduced to 5%.
Response:
And if they don’t Pay their taxes? Jail or deportation?
Mr. Pope Wrote:
2.) All family members must pass the citizenship requirements at the same time, including those children born in the U.S.
Response:
And if they fail?? Try again? How many chances do they get? What if they don’t show up? How long do they have to take and pass this test? Or do we just Deport them?
Then there is the BIG, Overall problem that this problem does not punish these people for a crime they are all committing, namely, being in this country illegally. Then there is the problem that once these approximately 11 million people become citizens, they will immediately begin working to bring more and more of their families to the US. So it won’t just be the 11 million, or 20 million who are already here, it will be all of them PLUS five, ten or twenty members of their family who are still struggling to survive back in their home country. This idea also seems to require ending the Anchor Baby laws, which would require the repeal of the Constitution’s 14th amendment something that does not have wide popular support right now, in the government or among the people.
2.) Every person currently in this country illegally must be known and accounted for, with each having a clear and official status and a timeline that governs the terms of their ability to remain in the U.S. Indeed, illegal immigrants need the security and protection of having an official status to protect them from abuse and exploitation.
Really? This absolute will never happen as there are millions of illegal aliens who have either committed crimes and been found guilty or are wanted for crimes. The criminal element certainly won’t come forward to account for themselves.
3.) Families should not be divided; rather, the legal immigration of whole and intact families should be recognized as a positive benefit to America, as it has proven to be so often in the past.
Really? More than 40 percent of all workers in this country don’t pay net federal income taxes, or much in the way of state taxes either. Do we wish to add to this number on a permanent basis by accepting semi-literate illegal aliens as citizens, and add to the burden on those who do? We tell ourselves on a regular basis that uneducated citizens are not our best, so why would be establish a policy to add to our illiterate? Over half of all Hispanic children in the Los Angeles school system drop out of school before graduation. Most of these are Hispanic, and a great percentage are the children of illegal aliens. The past has gone with the horse and buggy. If all it took were strong backs to succeed in this country today, then these people would have upward mobility, but as they lack what we now need in a citizen, they don’t. Comparing today with the days of the construction of the Statue of Liberty with today is absolutely ridiculous.
The poor profit from Social Security to a much greater extent than the middle class or wealthy, as they receive far more than they put in. How does this help Social Security? On the contrary, the more poor you add to Social Security, the more financially unsound it becomes. There really are no good reasons to import poverty and ignorance in this country. No other nation believes this to be good policy. Only the progressive self-flagellating liberals who feel guilty about their own success wish to sell out country out for what are the failures of Latin America. No, deportation by attrition is the only way. Enforce our employment laws, deny children of illegal aliens the benefits of our society and make all of them as uncomfortable as possible about the idea of remaining here, and they’ll self deport and others who would consider coming will change their minds about coming here. The bottom line is that is the citizens of this country that will set the terms of immigration to this country, not foreigners who would show contempt for our sovereignty.
$10,000 fine for each illegal alien on the payroll, with a reward of $5,000 per illegal alien going to the whistleblower. No “social services” without proof of citizenship. Problem solved.
That would work, and probably cheaply compared to other schemes.
I thought the current fine was $25,000. I stand corrected.
“1.) Any plan, regardless of its content, must start first with a fully secured border. A solution leaving open the floodgates fails to address the source of the problem and is unworkable.”
Ya think? Not that this will EVER happen under Obama. EVER! That’s why immigration reform will never work until a new president is elected in 2012. Even then, if it’s a RINO that’s elected, nothing will change, either.
No, it won’t happen under Obama, but the kinks can be worked out in the meantime and be ready when he’s gone. And no, it won’t work under a RINO President either. No part of our recovery from the Obama effects will work under RINO, and that’s why we have to make sure that one doesn’t get the nomination. Put the New York Times out of business so they can’t do that again. But I think Mr. Pope has the most workable compromise I have seen, and it begins with a secure border! The rest of the proposal is a very thoughtful and workable procedure, if the law is followed. It goes without saying that Big Sis (Napolitano) must be removed, along with all of Obama’s other appointments, so the law could be followed. Additionally, the History test described in Citizenship #4. could also be given to all teachers, with the local school boards deciding on the appropriate follow through.
Jeff Pope is a real winner on this tender topic. I hope our conservative Members of Congress are listening.
You say that our immigration systems is broken. The fact is that it is the illegal immigrant that has broken the system. Just as a mass disrespect for our laws on the part of the public would result in an overwhelmed law enforcement system, the mass disrespect of people from Latin America for our immigration laws has broken the back of our immigration enforcement system. Do we really want to reward those people who cost the taxpayers billions of dollars to counter their contempt for our immigration enforcement laws?
And who should pay the billions it will cost to do background checks on 12 billion illegal aliens? The taxpayers certainly shouldn’t. Let’s be conservative and say that it will cost $300 per worker. That would mean shelling out something like two billion dollars just to ascertain whether these people are not part of the criminal element.
Lastly, we have ten percent unemployment rate. How can any loyal American argue to permit 12 million illegal foreigners to become legitimate residents, when an equivalent number of citizens are out of work. Would that the liberals have the same mercy for their fellow citizens as they do for illegal aliens. Is it any wonder that the advocates of illegal aliens are given so much criticism?
I especially like the part about rigourously enforcing the need for employers to prove legal eligibility to work in this country. I’ve long thought that if a few corporate executives (and a few homeowners who go down to the local home centre to hire an illegal handyman for projects) were made to do the ‘perp walk’ and plunked into prison for turning a blind eye to the hiring of illegals, we’d see a fairly rapid “reverse immigration” trend.
We wouldn’t need to engage in mass deportations if we simply took away the bait that lures a lot of the illegals here.
I’m sure that the coyotes, that monthly pocket anywhere from $15,000.00 to $20,000.00 cash tax-free into their pockets by collecting “rent” from illegal Hispanics living in their single family homes, are going to rush right down to some government office and submit their-selves to the system.
And all of those illegal Hispanics are going to willingly give up the jobs that they have scarfed up doing the lower paying domestic work that American school kids used to get; as well as the mid and upper level jobs that form the entire employment infrastructure of our nation’s economy.
And so it goes, on and on and on forever.
This mess was created by mixing a brew of greed, lust for power and profit into a bowl of the natural apathy and human emotions of the good citizens of two nations.
It cannot be solved without removing the key ingredients from the bowl. That means that someone; a lot of people are going to get hurt, they are going to suffer – bad!
Therefore, if we want to preserve the United States of America, the core of the solution must be the Constitution administrated by courts, judges and elected representatives that follow it strictly. This will not be an easy path to follow.
Bottom Line: American citizens have the right to demand that their government officials make the choices that benefit and favor them; and our country instead of trying to pacify them with more unworkable schemes like those set forth in this article.
It is not in our best interests to allow millions of foreigners to stay in our country. The preferred method is self deportation which is achievable, desirable and practical. Put those who employ illegals in jail. Combine that with border enforcement and active measures to detain and deport every illegal that comes in contact with law enforcement, and we’ll have our country back in 2 years. How do I know this? It was tried already in the 1950s – Operation Wetback worked fine for Eisenhower. We can do it again. And should.
The first problem, obviously, is the fact that Congress has to enforce the laws they have signed into effect.
Once they do this, they are forced to address the criminals within their own membership.
Do you really think we’ll see this in our lifetime?
One flaw in your proposal is saying that these former illegal aliens would share in the costs of social benefits. You are forgetting that at this time roughly 47% of people that file Federal income tax, get 100% of their with holding back, and many get something falsely named an income tax credit too.
You contend that families should not be divided. Divided families are a consequence of crime. Mug an old lady, get caught and go to jail. If the robber has a family is he exempt from jail? Illegal immigration is a crime and should not be rewarded. If you are willing to reward illegal immigration what financial crime can I commit and get a free ride?
Annie B’s assumptions above about the motives of “most” of the illegals remains to be seen. I like the plan above and would include a route to citizenship for serving in the Armed Forces. Say a four year committment with a fifth year to meet all requirements. Once all requirements are met, then they could be eligible for GI Bill perks as well. This immigration problem is fixable, and the people in Congress should fix it. If these folks are willing to pay thousands of dollars to “coyotes” to bring them here, they’d line up for miles to pay less (self funding the system) and get workers visas to be here in a legal classification.
Let’s hear a very specific counterpoint from the illegal immigration champion, Ruben Navarette. Not general, but a specific point by point rebuttal.
Illegal aliens are not here to become US citizens…They are here to feed off of our decaying society. Once you understand that the rest is simple. When an organism is old and frail, the parasites move in to feed upon the defenseless victim. Eventually the victim dies. Is that what we want? The ONLY solution is that of President Eisenhower. Mass deportations. If he could do it, why can’t anyone else? Our inability to defend ourself, our obsession with self degredation, or collective guilt about past actions and our success will seal our fate. The vigorous overtakes the frail. Emperor Valens found out when he allowed the Galls to enter the Roman Empire. Whin a few short years Rome was sacked, Valens was killed, and the Barbarian Galls rules the Italian peninnsula. Some things never change, and some people never learn. We are such people.
Wow. If you read our immigration laws, pretty much everything is already there. Except actually securing our borders. But then, since we don’t enforce our laws, even tolerating them being flouted by ‘sanctuary cities’ and counties we’ve never been serious about border security regardless of which part is in power.
So now we have sections of the US literally uncontrolled by either state or local governments.
Again, the laws exist to do what you state, we simply have to get serious about enforcing them.
How about: Cutting off federal aid to sanctuary cities, those cities which willfully flaunt federal law to aid in concealing undocumented aliens?
The greatest gift that we could give Mexico would be the return of their middle class.
Also, the return of their criminal class would be helpful.
http://www.newsrealblog.com/2011/01/28/raping-the-children-americans-wont-the-dangers-of-importing-misogyny/
Actually the USA is returning criminals to Mexico but not their competant middle class. This further exacerbates Mexico’s problems–=and our own at the border.
It would a matter of the greatest generosity of one country to another to make this transfer of fully trained people with their money to Mexico.
It would strengthen the republic of Mexico–because the returnees would not only bring their money and skills but also a vision of how a competently run country works. These people would deal a tremendous shock to the body politic of Mexico used to total corruption from the government, supine passivity from the populace and murder an an epic scale.
It would also strengthen the the USA. Our citizenship would have more meaning and value. Our borders would mean something too. Our culture would have a better chance of remaining intact.
In the end,good fences make good neighbors.
So are we holding them against their will? I never heard of it.
It doesn’t matter whether it’s a big issue or not, it isn’t the biggest issue, by far, and it’s a distraction from the urgent need to save the country.
Conservatives need to concentrate on one thing, defeating Obama in 2012. The way to do that is by hammering their failed economic policies, the country-killing health care takeover, and the obamunist’s “government is the answer to all of life’s troubles” strategy.
Illegal immigration can wait. It won’t destroy the country before 2012, the demarcation lines are crystal clear, and making it one of the top issues is likely to be counter-productive. I’m not saying to ignore it when the marxists demagogue it; just to not make the unforced error of proactively making it a distraction from the central strategy of exposing the marxists past failures and future failures.
There is much to consider in this article, but much is left out. The omissions are most fundamental, and unless addressed, will lead to no progress. The article is another attempt to face a factual impossibility: there are millions of people who have been living in our nation illegally, and they are reproducing millions more. The first action is to give a profound thanks to the Minutemen, an organization of citizens who brought this to national attention, against the power of our government. Most Americans, I am one, were ignorant of this national problem.
The second fact is that our government, and foreign governments, my church, and others, have supported the conditions of slavery or bondage for a long time, in the Americas. Slavery is the ownership of the fruits of another’s efforts, bondage is a partial ownership. The sanctuaries within our nation are an underground railroad, running backwards. In partnership with the crime lords throughout the Americas, they funnel the raped, starved and abused to servile duty in the rich US. There is little or no condemnation of the wealthy Mexican elite who have paid no taxes, for generations, to provide roads, schools, sewers, clean water and hospitals to raise up their poor. Their solution is to charge very high prices to desperate people for the knowledge where holes in the US border exist.
One possible solution is give a choice to those we capture, the next bus to the border, again, or something new: a ham sandwich, an M 16, a cell phone, and rudimentary military training of these industrious people. Add our intelligence systems, and a DEA/State Department list, given to the President of Mexico, and perhaps others, which defines the size, location and strength of their illegal militias and crooked politicians. The US could openly state that we will return militias, ten fold in number, to strike these forces, at the time and place of our choosing. After the slaughter, our allies could choose US citizenship, or return home with our financial support. These funds would be subtracted from the budgets of non functioning US government agencies. Viva Honest Free Mexicans!…and others!
This approach varies from the author’s notion of new and improved laws: the US will threaten deportation if people, inside and outside government, who have ignored existing laws on deportation, do not play nice. He ignores reality. The only solution to this problem lies outside of our nation. Until our neighbors have a vibrant ethical middle class, this running sore will never be healed.
The only part of this plan that I understand is “ham sandwich,” which I am definitely in favor of. Preferably with swiss cheese.
Until the border is closed and and the flow of illegal aliens is stopped there is nothing further that needs to be discussed (other than deporting as many illegal aliens as possible by any means possible). Any politician that tries otherwise needs to become a private citizen again.
Indeed, everything proposed in this thread is utterly moot until such time as we have an actual border. Odds of that not happening? About 14.1 trillion to one.
This detailed, well-intentioned article attempts to create a reasonable compromise that the majority of Americans can support and solve the ongoing immigration crisis.
As somebody who ran an adult education center in the 1990s, I’d like to share a few observations about the need for real tests of both English ability and knowledge of American history. In 1994 when President Clinton lost the Congressional races, a political decision was made. Why not counter the GOP’s “anti” illegal immigrant sentiments and help Clinton’s re-election by naturalizing millions of new citizens? Why not redefine – ever downward – the standards for what counts as speaking and reading English (legal mandate since 1911) and knowing American history?
The INS experts decided that getting 60% of multiple choice questions – drawn from a 100 standard question would suffice on history and government. Easy enough, no?
Yet the standard for English was even lower. Just reply – yes or no – to an INS officer as they review the N-400 form and speak a few sentences like “I came here in 1989″ to establish your speaking ability in English. For the written part, you had to write down two sentences that were dictated by the INS officer. Two common questions in Los Angeles County were “I love the U.S.” and “I live in L.A.” Spelling didn’t count. Tough standards?
After the election and some limited media scrutiny – and naturalizing over 5 million new citizens disproportionately and conveniently located in critical states like Florida, Illinois, Michigan, California, Texas, and New York, INS admitted the tests were low and needed to be improved. Price Waterhouse was hired and a new citizenship test was created.
This time the tests demand students know English at the High Beginner level of government English as a Second Language classes. They must, essentially, be able to speak in very short, very simple sentences. As for the test of American history and government, they have abolished the 100 questions – and replaced it with open ended questions. Of course, these questions don’t have right or wrong answers! Standards!
May I suggest that we follow the example of Australia, the Netherlands, and Germany and actually require citizenship applicants to pass a real, substantial test? The test should require applicants can actually speak English and hold a meaningful 20 minute conversation (videotaped for verification!) and write personal essays to establish the ability to speak and read English. The civics section should contain both closed and open questions at the same level as a high school level American history and government test. The reading level should be at least 6th grade because we want our new citizens to contribute to the United States. Bottomline: immigrants will have to study for the test and many adult with limited education background will have to study harder and longer before becoming United States citizens because we want our citizens to join the national family in reality and not only on paper. We want citizens to actually become Americans.
Adding real tests of English and history and government would provide far greater legitimacy to any proposed immigration plan.
Your educational requirements to become a citizen would not be met by 60% of California’s graduating Seniors! I doubt if half the bilingual, functional illiterates that are California teachers would also pass. As an employer in this state I need 30 applications to find one that would not embarrass my company. I don’t blame the kids or young adults applying for work, the blame is on top heavy, bloated educational system that has abbrogated its resposibilies to teach and instruct its students to function and prosper in the real world. Sorry Eric, but when the illiteracy rate in San Jose is 37%! I find little hope in using even the most rudimentary criteria of intelligence as a way to citizenship. Intead, seal the border, make citizensip unavailable for anymmigrant here illegally, and punish the hell out of any employer who knowlingly hires people who can’t read, write or recite the Pledge of Allegience.
Mr. Pope deserves credit for trying to bring some rational thought to the whole issue of immigration. I especially like his emphasis on cracking down on employers. If there were no jobs available here, or not as many, for illegals to get, then maybe the problem would begin to diminish.
#20 Charles: “in the end, good fences make good neighbors.” Yeah, that really worked in the case of the Berlin Wall and the Iron Curtain, didn’t it?
Ask Mr. Pope if he will concede to valid negative arguments about the harm of giving amnesty to illegal aliens; to just a few of the saner arguments expressed in this blog. He won’t, because the advocates of illegal aliens don’t want an honest debate on this issue. You will never hear one concession from the progressive liberals or the businessmen who profit from hiring illegal immigrants. There has to be at least one, as the importation of poverty, and millions of persons requiring some level of socioeconomic from the State can’t be all good. When you can’t get at least one concession from such people, even a token one, then you can be sure that their motivation is solely to promote their own selfish agenda or that of the illegal immigrant, and not one that has the best interests of citizens of this country in mind. Remember, to the progressive liberal, private industry is nothing but a source of taxes, and the American middle class just a tool to instill guilt and promote their wealth transfer agenda by conning them for their vote, all for the sake of social justice.
“#20 Charles: “in the end, good fences make good neighbors.” Yeah, that really worked in the case of the Berlin Wall and the Iron Curtain, didn’t it?”
You are aware, aren’t you, that the ‘Iron Curtain’ was not a real fence?
More important, the Berlin Wall was erected to keep the people in East Germany, not to restrict West Germans’ invasion of Soviet-run Berlin.
A wall with armed guards with license to kill would solve our southern border problem in a day.
Even though I think I will vomit if I hear anyone else tell me some damned compromise is necessary, I do laud and agree with most (but not all) of the suggestions made by Mr. Pope and the commenters above. There is only one problem. Any of this requires the action of US lawmakers at various levels but particularly by those in the US Congress. And that bunch of spineless, self-serving bastards will only act to feather their own nests, pander to specific special interests, and feign “civility”, “compassion”, and “understanding of a deep complexity”. Nothing will happen but half-measures and ineffective compromises–our elected “servants” haven’t got the guts.
You’re absolutely correct, Mike, it’s a workable plan. That’s why conservatives everywhere need to see the big picture, nominate and elect other conservatives for every open seat, Congressional and local, in 2012, and finish the job started in 2010. Don’t listen to the “major” media for guidance, but research the candidates through valid and conservative sources, and write letters to the editors so the less energetic voters will get the message too. Tea Party recommendations will be very important. Remember, their goal was not to endorse winners, it was to endorse conservatives. It’s up to the voters to make them winners.
Those evil and sinister illegals! Forcing innocent Americans to hire them!
I cannot believe that an article such as this is in a conservative publication. If I ever see any article with your name I will certainly never read it.
What part of ‘illegal’ don’t you understand.
First: They broke our laws by entering. Why would we want people here who willingly break our laws.
Second: If they are working here and giving a social security number to their employer, they commited a crime – identity theft.
We do not need to deport them.
We need to create a national biometrid ID and implement electronic money tied directly to the national biometric ID. Without money, they would leave by themselves. Even Liberals will not support them with their own money. Liberals like to use other peoples money.
25. SteveB/Colorado
#20 Charles: “in the end, good fences make good neighbors.” Yeah, that really worked in the case of the Berlin Wall and the Iron Curtain, didn’t it?
…….
This is confused. The communists were trying to keep people in. We are trying to keep people out.
And uh there is one other small difference. Germany is one country. Thank God the US & Mexico are two countries–and two very different countries at that. (We are actually living with the failed policy of international elites–including the Bushes until 9/11)
Come to think of it Mexico often votes against American interests. Good for them.
Let them have their people back too. Mexico will need the competence of American trained middle class and their money. There is even talk in the water desalination community that in the next 10 years the cost of desalinized water will drop to 1/10th current costs. This will make it possible to turn the deserts green and triple the habitable size of Mexico.
To many policy makers have little vision and courage and no appreciation for the interests of the citizens of their country. This is true for Mexico as well as the USA.
The guy who wrote this piece sounds more liberal than the most liberal Democrats on “comprehensive immigration reform.”
The fact is no CIR will work unless the federal government enforces the law.
I will bet right here and right now a million dollars that the federal government, if it ever passed the Bush plan, the Kennedy-McCain plan, or this dude’s plan, will still not enforce the internal immigration laws in this country or secure the border effectively.
And we will be back here in another 20 years, but this time the liberals and Mexican fascist groups will have a 40 million person constituency and we will have de jure open borders instead of de facto open borders, and we will no longer have a country that is recognizable.
I was just a teenager when the first amnesty was passed in 86, but I have seen what it did to my home town in California. Anybody who thinks the 86 amnesty was good for the United States is a fool. Every promise made then was a lie.
Currently, anchor babies and illegals are robbing, raping, and killing Americans with impunity and the liberals are cheering them on in the name of racial justice.
I have seen how the illegals have decimated the blue color trades where I live.
The Mexicans have waged a war of attrition against us and we are losing.
And we have the Democratic Party and most of the GOP elite who wish to surrender and reward foreign invasion and criminality.
If the illegals were mostly Muslim, we would have a militarized border with Mexico.
Some of these so-called conservatives who want to roll over for the illegals better start reading a little history, or they can pick up a newspaper in a major US city where foreigners are killing our people every day, or read about the Muslim occupation of Europe that is presently going on.
Currently, more than 10% of Mexico’s population, mostly illegals, are occupying large points of the United States.
Who in their right mind would reward such an invasion with citizenship and the political ability to destroy the United States forever?
It is insanity.
29. Charles
Wrong Charles, the Berlin Wall was a prison wall to keep people in. The Border wall would be to keep bad people out. Your example would be like the difference between an Muslim scimitar and a butter knife. Please take you poor argument elsewhere.
24. Eric Roth
Compromise with criminals and their allies? OK There is a murderer that wants to kill 3 people. What is your compromise? He/she only gets to kill two? Maybe you can do better you kill one for him/her then two live. Compromise with the devil only means you still lose.
Very good, comprehensive outline of the way to reform. The aspects of the problem are well-known –border enforcement, identification and evaluation of status of the illegal migrants. And, comprehensive meaning addressing all aspects, I would add one more: reform of the Mexican economic system.
People who say we must punish those who hire illegals are not thinking clearly. Yes, such a policy might expose one or another corporation outsourcing for cheap labor and make a headline, but by far the biggest group of employers are individual households employing housekeeping workers, gardeners, and remodeling workers. The next large group of employers are the smallest businesses –local restaurants, for example. Are these the people we want investigated, pursued, fined, jailed?
The determination of status, the categorization of the illegals will require an enormous expansion of the INS with the proliferation of agencies, boards, panels, etc., and appeals costing the taxpayers plenty. It will also initiate a new custom with a national identity card, which Americans are not accustomed to.
The enforcement of the border will also require an expansion of the federal govt.
One section of the illegals is eager for reform because they feel secure in their status; they have been here for a long time, have stable employment and residence, clean records and would qualify for a smooth path to legal residency or citizenship. Another section is least qualified and would be unlikely to come forward. Still another department of the INS would have to be established just to find them.
The people adversely affected by the illegal population include craft unions whose leaders prevent agitation on that grievance. Others include the poor, especially blacks, who have to compete for welfare, child care, health care, school counseling, training programs, etc. So far, they don’t appear to be agitated over the issue. The people who vote, who exert influence on national policy, the middle and wealthy classes, are barely disturbed by the illegal population, actually benefit from the lower cost of various kinds of work which would not otherwise be done, and are only agitated politically by whichever party they generally follow.
Thus, despite knowing what the reform entails, it doesn’t get done and is likely to continue unresolved for some time.
31. Anonymous
………
You didn’t say anything different than I did.
Please read my post.
Remember you don’t have to be a Mexican nationalist to consider the best interests of Mexico.
Right now all we send Mexico are their criminals who daily make the blood letting in Mexico worse. Its not that I’m against sending Mexican criminals back to Mexico–they commit plenty of rape and murder in this country as it is. But I think that we could give Mexico a better deal by sending Mexico back their middle class as well. These folks would give Mexico a real revolution that would turn that country into a great country.
The real solution to thehawkreport.com
Annex Mexic; make it the 51st statc . It’s all on my Website
CHawk
Annex Mexico? That’s taking responsibility for millions of people who would qualify for welfare and putting the burden of their care on the taxpayers of this country, requiring a large increase in federal income taxes and a reduction in the quality of life for the average citizen. Why in the world would be do that willingly? And shoot yourself in the foot while you’re at it.
The real solution to Immigration
thehawkreport.com
Annex Mexic; make it the 51st state . It’s all on my Website
CHawk
The real solution to Immigration
Annex Mexico; make it the 51st state . It’s all on my Website
The solution is allow the states to exercise their reserved power over their own immigration matters like they had long done before the court took it away. See:
http://federalistblog.us/2006/07/delegated_powers_immigration.html
http://federalistblog.us/2010/07/feds_argue_pre-eminent_authority_over_immigration.html
With every amnesty so goes our national will to enforce our immigration laws, as those who’ve violated our borders and laws eventually become those who influence their enforcement. Look deeper into this and you’ll find that it is only because we were generous to former transgressors of our borders that today we find ourselves with so many vocal advocates for illegal aliens. Those that we gave amnesty in the 1980′s fight for those they left behind. Those that we give amnesty to today will fight our will to enforce the law tomorrow, and so on and so forth, until our borders mean nothing at all. That’s what our ethnocentric advocates like La Raza, MALDEF and their allies in the Mexican government understand, as Mexican influence in U.S. immigration policy grows. Illegal immigration will never end if we reward it with further amnesties that will be taken for granted by future border transgressors. There will be no end to illegal immigration from Latin America, as there is no foreseen end to poverty in that region. And no guest worker program will reduce illegal immigration appreciably, as there will always be people who wish to come against our ability to accommodate them with work. And there will always be employers who undercut the prevailing wage to their advantage in a competitive market place. Our generosity will only be rewarded with more and more demands that we let more and more in, as the will and the welfare of those who are citizens are ignored for that of foreigners.
Our medical services and health insurance premiums will become overwhelmed as these people take advantage of the humane policy of hospitals being required to treat the every increasing numbers of indigents and poor. It will be up to us, the taxpayers to pick up the tab, as our standard of living declines with ever increasing transfer of wealth to our ever growing impoverished new imports from south of our border.
Mr. Pope’s arguments are those of progressives and their ignorant allies who are dangerously shallow in their thinking.
Your article, combined with some of the sane, constructive comments added is a great starting point. Get it into the hands of a congressman and senator and let them know that this is an intelligent beginning. But most importantly…BEGIN! This is a highly emotional issue with many that I come in contact with here in So.Cal. Your approach removes some of the animosity and guilt for those who indeed came here illegally, out of desparation from their home county, but would like to be a part of this American dream.
Your ideas are workable, employers are accountable and punishment after 12/31/2011 for not having registered and getting caught is immediate deportation. No excuses!
They’re here, we have to deal with it responsibly, even though they were not responsible in breaking our laws, and rationally.
We, America, have to deal with this monumental issue. It is never going to improve unless hard lines of enforceable laws are enacted and enforced.
Also, a 25% reduction of any federal aid to “Sanction Cities” for as long as they are in conflict with the law.
We have people writing about immigration and its reform, without stating what the goals of U.S. Immigration policy are or should be. Should not immigration policy apply to the people of the entire world? Should it not determine how we open up a certain amount of opportunity to foreign people who wish to become citizens of the United States? Should it’s purpose not be to benefit the United States? Clearly the benefit to those wishing to become citizens is already established in their own minds or they would not volunteer to come here legally.
Whether or not the opportunity to be invited here is evenly spread over the world, or is somewhat unevenly spread, it should be made to be an the advantage of the U.S. It does not seem reasonable to have such a huge disparity in the numbers between those currently waiting their turn from all over the World, and the huge number of current illegally-here crowd from next door.
Since the writer is a business person he appears to be concerned more about his immediate business needs and not the long term policy of U. S. legal immigration benefiting the country.
And the Chinese check in; Can’t ignore these players.
“POLITICAL CORRECTNESS” will get re-assessed.
Actually, I’m offended by the totally ignorant sychophants of ALL ETHNICITIES.
I got an idea, how about our Government doing their job? Regan gave amnesty in the 80′s on the condition they would seal the borders. So, here it is 20 years later and we have an open border and a big illegal mess on our hands.
Now there are those arguing over the ‘intent’ of the constitution. And have those who want to ‘twist’ the meaning of it. Common Sense people know exactly where the constitution stands on immigration. I am getting more and more irritated with those who hate the constitution, but then try to spin its words when they think this will make the chips fall in their favor.
God Bless Governor Jan Brewer of Arizona.
How preposterous; illegal aliens being given the privilege of serving in our military and being rewarded with citizenship? Will that privilege be given to the people who’ve applied for a resident visa, those who patiently await a word from our immigration authorities in their home countries? No, it won’t. Only those who’ve shown contempt for our right to determine who should be permitted to enter will be given such a reward. And what of the motivation of those who would be given such a privilege? They will essentially feel coerced under penalty of deportation, to serve our country. Do we really want what would essentially be mercenaries to be on our front line of defense? Only if you feel that serving our military is some kind of punishment would one impose such a requirement on illegal aliens. Lastly, many of our fellow citizens are serving because of the the high unemployment in our country. In the future, our military will only shrink in size as we draw down our armed forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. Young citizens who would find the armed services as a haven of employment until good times come back would be forced by their own countryman’s’ policies to compete with illegal aliens for employment in their own Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. Would any loyal American find that desirable? No, illegal aliens should not be permitted to use service in our military as a special privilege path to citizenship.
The quality of our troops and security of our country would be severely compromised with this type of recruit.
Two things:
1.- Nobody in the government now is gonna solve this issue, because this issue is one of the most favorable for the Democrat vote pandering during elections. So, they are not solving it now, but they will bring the issue for debate during election time, for that way Democrats will say how racist Republicans are; whatever your solution is, they will say it anyway. Count on it. The left survives because they never solve issues!
2.- How to solve it? End the welfare state. You see: no easy money and no goverment help -> only hard working immigrants will come/remain.
An observation: immigrant and citizen are not the same, even if you legalize them, it does mean they have to become citizens. Actually, one solution could be to forbid citizenship for illegal immigrants even if they are regularized and allowed to become legal and stay.
This article is nonsense. Not ‘Navarette nonsense’, but nonsense just the same.
If the Hispanics are of such need for our ‘aging population’ – why don’t we look at their ‘contributions’ so to speak.
California, Nevada, Arizona, New Jersey and soon to be Colorado join the ranks of having the most illegal aliens.
Take a gander at the condition of their education system, gang activity/recruitment, ‘entitlement’ fraud and abuse, teen pregnancies/STD’s, untreatable TB, rot gut from drinking and other diseases brought from their 3rd World countries, police officers HAVING to be assigned to Junior High/High Schools, unlicensed/uninsured drivers, MULTIPLE illegal aliens with felony convictions yet STILL among the citizenry, oh but they’re on probation (?), etc etc.,
THIS from the states that possess the most illegal aliens.
Mr. Pope, the resolution is simple: E-Verify (which I HOPE you employ and encourage for your own business) mandated for ALL private businesses.
2 strikes for illegal aliens then ADIOS, enjoy your ‘repatriotization’.
Change the interpretation of the 14th Amendment, the aforementioned states are the result of such abuse and disregard for the TRUE INTENT of the Amendment.
The last of the freeloaders will leave by attrition. Look to Oklahoma as an example of the above antecdotes. In the process, Oklahoma’s education system/quality of life/safety has vastly improved, so much so MANY areas have had to cut their police force!
FYI: Less than 20% of illegals ELIGIBLE to become U.S. Citizens DON’T DO IT! The ‘free’, untaxed stuff is too yummy..
#41 Rightgunner, bingo! You nailed it examining the writer’s motive. It states that he runs a manufacturing company in the midwest. Translation: He runs a meat packing plant in Omaha or Iowa fully staffed with illegals.
I have long contended that both sides of the political class want a flood of third worlders; the Dems want new voters, the Pubs and the Chamber of Commerce want cheap labor they can exploit and kick the American working class to the curb.
Incidentally an American missionary was murdered in Mexico this week.
“The plan rests on the basic concept that every person in this country illegally needs to be given an official status, one that both sets the conditions of their staying in the U.S. and does so under terms agreed upon by the people of America.”
Who’s influencing your new plan? It certainly isn’t the citizens who already have their immigration policies and plans in place. It would seem that the illegal aliens by their refusal to leave and the efforts of their advocates are the only winners in your plan.
The con man succeeds because he makes the conned feel that BIG idea is his own, and not that of the people who are taking advantage of him. Go ahead, Mr. Pope, pee on me and tell me that it’s raining.
I’m an Aussie. We have similar rules already. It does not stop people coming or employers in some sectors employing them but it helps. In the Australian case some years ago Amanda Vanstone the then relevant minister for the Liberal (conservative) party asked why they were not coming in on backpacker visa’s? This allows some work as they travel. The answer seems to have been that embassy staff in third world countries simply were not issued the paper work to issue these, existing temporary work visas. The paper work was only going to first world counties. That was then fixed by John Howard and then unfixed by the subsequent labour government.
One criticism of the system you propose will come from US Hispanics with citizenship that have not gone through the process. Many born in the USA or US citizens at indistinguishable from immigrants and will get in situations where an employer or government agent demands the card. “I don’t have one I’m a citizen!” wont always be believed. This is the major concern of the indigenous Hispanic and south west Indian populations. Many of these ARE the employers your talking about. They will get caught up in a situation where they need an expensive passport [and risk losing it] just to prove they’re yanks. Some were there in the south west well before there was ever a USA.
There’s no easy way to work it I suspect.
Wesely,
The cost of doing nothing and importing poverty and ignorance through the acceptance of millions of illiterate people registers in the billions of U.S. dollars. The principle of national sovereignty is at stake. Ethnic Mexicans have become US citizens as the result of past amnesties and are now undermining our national will to enforce immigration laws. The Mexican government has openly interfered in our immigration policy using recent emigres and their nationals marching in our streets. We have people like Pope here unwittingly acting as agents for Latin America, preaching defeatism against our ability to defend our borders and immigration policies. His solution, as was the Chamberlains of Europe, was to throw up his hands in accommodation. Chamberlains argument was “Peace In Our Time”. Pope’s can be paraphrased as, surrender to your adversary, because he’s outsmarted you, overwhelmed you in numbers and it’s too much trouble to fight him, anyway. I can only imaging what he’d have us do if crime became unmanageable in this country. Oh, wait it has, in the form of rampant employment fraud and identity theft. I’ll take a guess and say that you don’t know why these things are so easy for illegal aliens to do. It’s because illegal aliens are importing their own country’s ethics with them, because such things are what Mexicans do as a course of survival in their country. They think nothing of scamming their own corrupt system, and feel that it is rigueur in ours. Imagine if this attitude was imported millions of times over? Oh, wait, it already has, hasn’t it? No matter, those are trivial things that only citizens need be prosecuted for.
The solution for discouraging illegal immigration is simple, but a long term strategy that puts heavy pressure on the illegal alien.
1. Make driver’s licenses fraud proof by demanding applicants prove nationality and legal residency. Foreigners will have to provide a valid visa, and the visas expiration date must be annotated on the license, to be renewed upon expiration of the visa.
2. Implement mandatory E-verify, with heavy penalties for every offense.
3. Make the parents of children prove citizenship and legal residency for their children. This would require a reversal of Plyler v Doe, but that was an irrational decision, making the citizens of this country pay for the education of foreigners against the national will.
4. Mandate the use the local police as reporters of suspected illegal aliens.
5. Prohibit brass ring birthright citizenship for the children of illegal aliens. This doesn’t make sense to the citizen, so why should it be our policy. Prohibiting it is supported morally, as our country is only one of a few that practices jus solis.
6. Expedite deportation proceedings.
I could go on and on; the options are legion, but why bother. Not to act is to import millions more who will serve to further undermine the national will. It will only get worse if we cave to Mr. Popes defeatism.
While I agree with your plan in general, many (or most) of the illegals are “employed” off the books. No one is paying any taxes; no one is reporting their “employment.” The illegals standing by the side of the road to be picked up by contractors for day labor are not exercising their free speech rights; they are enabling tax evasion. Confiscate the trucks of anyone transporting illegals!
Sorry, but I will never consent to giving people who broke into our country the legal right to stay. I don’t care whether our corrupt government officials look the other way. There are just too many illegal immigrants. Once given official status they can legally get on the gravy train of welfare and medicare. Many already get food stamps as Obama put money in the stimulus package to fund it. When Bush proposed anmesty, the Heritage Foundation put the bill at somewhere in the $2 Trillion Dollar category. Add in chain migration, the immigrants will literally swamp the U.S. citizens.
Many illegals are gangbangers and drug runners. Illegals are constantly in the news for DWI, the most spectacular was the killing of several Nuns. Add in the fact that others are Islamists insurgents, are are so “cutely” called OTM’s Other than Mexicans. Recently a Terrorist manual
was found the southwestern desert.
Sorry, but we are at the tipping point in the U.S. The babyboomers are overwhelming social security and medicare. We can not afford to import poverty, much less legalize it.
There are a lot of good ideas here. #1 Secure the border, has to happen before anything else. Then we must identify and classify all illegals. They don’t want to be identified, too bad. If someone is stopped without proper identification, they are immediately deported. They must have proper identification to get a job, otherwise the employer is severely fined, encluding employers of day laborers.
What I wanted to say here is that years ago I taught in a school where an immigrant (I think he was from Cuba when we allowed political asylem in this country) was hired as a talented electrician. When he was ready to take his citizenship test, many teachers helped him learn American history, the Constitution, English language…everything on the test. When he passed he had the biggest smile you can imagine, and so did the rest of us. He was so proud to be an American citizen. I imagine there are many like him here today who would welcome the chance to pass a test toward citizenship. They would have to do more than pass a test, of course, but I am just saying not ALL want to stay under the radar.
I know a wonderful young man today who is here illegally. When he was a teenager his mother, through deceiving him (he thought he was going to Mexico), had him smuggled into this country to live with his father because of a revolution in his home country. The rebals were recruiting him into their ranks. She feared for his life. His father did not want him and he eventually ran away from home when he was about 16. Today he is married to an American citizen and has three children. Had he known, up until the time he turned 19 years of age, he could have applied for citizenship. Now it is too late. I have talked to an immigration lawyer about him and the only way he can obtain citizenship is to return to his native country for as many years as he has lived here, then apply for a visa and start the process. There needs to be some path to citizenship for someone like him. He would make a good, responsible, appeciative citizen of this country. As it is, he cannot get a driver’s license, he cannot get a job, he cannot support his family (wife works). There seems to be no solution to his problem.
Although I am against people here illegally who mooch off the taxpayers, we need to be compassionate to people like the young man above who would love to work. He is very proud and does not want a handout. In fact before the crack down on employing illegals, he had no problem working and paying income tax on his wages.
Any suggestions, anyone?
America is emotionally exhausted and mentally divided on the growing illegal immigration issue. Most lawmakers are afraid of it and will not touch it. For the prior thirty years or so these supposed legislators working for the American people have crippled any new laws against constructing the border wall, E-Verify or anything else that’s come their way. Today is entirely different as many strong minded legislators as Sen. Sessions, and a few others have explored the massive impact of this terrible plague of cheap foreign labor. Arizona Governor Brewer and State Representative Peirce have realized the terrible impact they have had to bare, from those illegal workers and their families. As a Border State it has had to suffer silently, but with the gigantic downturn of the caustic housing market, brought upon us by such silent partners in crime as Andrew Cuomo who made it extremely easy through threats to force banks to offer low income, and a majority of illegal alien’s families to buy homes.
On the main agenda now is the burgeoning battle over the 14th Amendment that gives rights immediately to the new born of an illegal parent? The commentary on this is well known, but to my opinion that anybody with a parent who owns allegiance to a foreign country, cannot have any binding right to any citizenship. Eventually the Supreme Court will hear the State of Arizona pleading to overrule the law meant for just slaves after the Civil War. However, with three (I think) out of five justices the law, will stay the same. We can certainly without any exceptions deport the parent or parents? Most Liberal doctrines are a sad ideology, that is a disgrace to this sovereign country and indirectly the progressives are to blame for the 2.500 people who died in the carnage at the World trade Center. Law enforcement was prohibited to ask, certain question of the Muslim murderers who crashed the jets into the buildings thanks to the “Politically Correct” philosophy of a zealot extremists in the Democratic Party.
This report lays out some truths about the birthright law, that outlines some facts that American patriots must explore: http://tinyurl.com/48gpodm This become unfair game to the despondent US Taxpayer as the 14th Amendment is costing taxpayers billions of dollars annually, that should be going to our poor, our senior citizens, our homeless veterans, our mentally handicapped the old and sick. http://tinyurl.com/46ffz6g and http://tinyurl.com/48bkx23 and http://tinyurl.com/45kopdl Until the Liberal progressives cut off our right to “Free Speech” or introduce the “Fairness Doctrine” I will bring to America attention the dangers of illegal immigration, chain migration and amnesty. Here are the projections of costs of the huge inflow of women 9 month pregnant females and ready to conceive, arriving from every country from one hemisphere to the other, getting free prenatal care, welfare and even as they have more children low income housing. : http://tinyurl.com/2upevd And http://tinyurl.com/4pl97mo
Another rip off of America’s tax base is the massive fraud of the child tax credit, that the Fed’s have done absolutely nothing about? http://tinyurl.com/mhh22q. This is mostly attributed to illegal immigrants who are largely responsible for this silent fraud that our taxes pay for. Another interesting statistic is “How many illegal immigrants have settled in the US, ” is an article located in the Christian Science Monitor: http://tinyurl.com/6etlnm I have added these new links because there are so many negative points that must be explored
We must introduce every form of enforcement, including the border fence and scrutiny of every female who steps of a jet or arrive by ship. REMEMBER MOST LIBERTARIAN MEDIA WILL HAVE NO COMMENT BOX FOR YOU TO USE YOUR HEALTHY INTELLECT, AGAINST THEIR RAMBLING AGENDA’S BY SPEAKING OUT WITH FREE SPEECH. THEY ALWAYS TURN TO FOUL LANGUAGE, OR RACIST EPITHETS TO GRIND YOU DOWN, SO YOU WILL NOT STAND AGAINST THIS FINANCIALLY TROUBLING ISSUE. Join a local TEA Party http://tinyurl.com/1pzd for less government intrusion, fair taxation and to erase the illegal alien invasion that will escalate your tax burden. Learn more about this simmering financial problem and its consequences at http://tinyurl.com/c8y7re and http://tinyurl.com/zjsgl
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The illegal situation is a product of an employer looking for real cheap labor and willing to break the law to get it.
Find the employed illegals, jail their boss and jail them, to be deported when they finish their prison time.
Next, secure the border, not the dim version, but real border security, troops on the border, troops cleared to return fire and provided with a good supply of ammo and orders to shoot to kill.
Bush had Ice doing this before he left office and it was starting to work, then along came the scum we presently have in office and it was all dropped, back to same oh same oh. He never secured the border, but then when has an American president in the last hundred years did anything about this?
All laws, and the lack of federal enforcement, along with blaming the illegals are pointless. We are the problem, not the illegals. Blaming them for coming here for work is like blaming alcohol for DUI’s. We collectively must refuse to hire illegals and refuse to do business with any organization that employs them. Until we are willing to employ Americans, with real sustainable living wages, all of the demands of deporting people is pointless. If they can’t get jobs, then they will move away.
We need an online source detailing companies accused of employing illegals. Along the same lines, people that employ illegals for their own purposes, such as home improvements, lawn care, house cleaning, etc must also be just as righteous publically shamed.
This is similar to people complaining about the loss of manufacturing jobs while doing all their shopping at Walmart and Target, whom primarily use only cheap Chinese imports.
While it is debatable as to whether or not illegal aliens do the work that Americans will never do (and I’m skeptical of this), what is not debatable is that illegal aliens will ultimately aspire to do the work that Americans favor. Lest you believe that they are stupid and thus not interested in higher wages and better work, think again. Illegal aliens are ambitiously upwardly mobile like all of us, so if they obtain legal status, they will be going after your job.
I spent 22 years attempting to enforce the immigration laws, 1972-94. Spare me the speculation on how this is going to be fixed at this late date. The same lack of common sense and discipline that makes Americans the fattest, laziest, and most complacent people on earth is hardly about to make them start doing hard things.
We have found the enemy, and he is us.
When things fall apart and the smoke clears, we’ll see who’s still standing.
We are fretting over a problem that can be solved. thereis a real solution on thehawkreport.com that reveals ‘HOW TO SOLVE THE IMMIGRATION PROBLEM’. iT’S a simple solution and concerns Good Will to our neighbor. Nobody reads it so I guess we will continue to rail at illegals like idiots.
A Real Pretty Bird.
Hawk