It seems with
every Congress of late there has been this "attempt" to pass
comprehensive immigration reform. Once that headline makes its way into the
public discourse there are demonstrations by the left and right. One side is
called racist while the other side is called out as open border advocates. The
name calling does nothing to resolve the issue, and only increases the
animosity between the respective factions.
Americans are generally right-of-center politically and pragmatic when it comes to policies poised to address major issues. The same goes for the immigration issue. Most Americans are PRO "legal" immigration and strongly against giving amnesty to (or rewarding) illegal "immigrants". Most Americans, especially in a post 9/11 world, want secure borders. This is most obviously the case with our porous southern border. Americans also want these big issues to go away, once and for all. To do this our elected representatives need to put down the guns of partisanship (Hatfields and the McCoys), and work together to bring about what Americans desire and not what the respective ideologies seek.
Here is what I see, at a high level, as sensible and comprehensive immigration reform.
1) Secure our southern border with a physical barrier where the terrain allows for it, and virtual barriers where terrain is an issue. The fact is that good, strong and tall fences work. They aren't pretty, but this is the small price we need to pay to put this behind us.
2) Create a temporary worker program. This program would acknowledge this nation's dependence on foreign workers to do certain work vital to our economy, especially in agriculture. Key to this program working is that anyone in the program would only be in the country for up to a certain number of years before being required to go back to their home country. There should be NO path to citizenship through this program (hence the name "temporary").
3) Hardest of the work is what to do with the current group of some 10-20 million people already in this country illegally. I would propose that there be a tiered system of dealing with this group. For those that wish to be a part of the Temporary Worker Program, they would need to pay a fine that is commensurate with how long they have been in the United States (the longer the violation the higher the fine). Also, if there have been any criminal offenses committed (any felony, violent misdemeanors) by any in this country illegally, they would NOT be eligible for the program and should be expeditiously sent back to their country of origin. Those eligible for the Temporary Worker Program will be allowed to stay in this country from the time they have applied for the program until they have exhausted their stay as a Temporary Worker.
For those that do not want to be temporary workers, but want to be U.S. citizens they will need to go back to their home countries and apply for legal entry into the U.S. In fairness to all of the legal immigrants in this nation it would not be appropriate to give those that have broken our laws any reward for their behavior. As a kindness from this nation, those destined for their home country will be allowed to stay in the U.S. for up to 1 year from the passing of the legislation in order to make proper arrangements to go to their home country. Any that stay longer than the 1 year period will not be eligible for application as immigrants for 5 years.
4) Those who are facing punishment, persecution or violence in their home countries can petition an exception with the payment of the same kind of fine as the Temporary Worker Program, and will not gain naturalized citizenship any sooner than 10 years from the date of their application for exception.
5) For the children of illegal “immigrants” who under no willful decision of their own find themselves in the United States illegally, they should be offered a pathway to citizenship. However, this pathway should not be amnesty. They should be required to work for it through one of two pathways; 1) through enlisted military service in the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corp, Army or Coast Guard, or 2) through enlisting in the National Guard, completing a bachelor’s degree or trade school certification from an accredited institution and the completion of a 10-month commitment to the AmeriCorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps). This pathway to citizenship should only be for people up to the age of 22, and whose family has been located in the United States for at least 4 years as of the time of the passing of this law. This pathway will only be open 18 years after this law has passed.
6) Finally, it should be made very clear in law that if children are born in the United States to parents that have entered this country illegally, they are of the same citizenship as their parents, not the United States. The 14th Amendment needs this clarity to help prevent this immigration crisis from occurring again in the future.
I think this sets forth a strong, compassionate and sensible plan to handle our illegal immigration issues. I know not everyone would like this plan, especially the extremists on both sides of the issue. But I do believe that most people would find this a reasonable path for this nation to move forward. If only our elected officials could see their way past political bickering to actually do something for this nation, we would all be a lot better off for it.
Americans are generally right-of-center politically and pragmatic when it comes to policies poised to address major issues. The same goes for the immigration issue. Most Americans are PRO "legal" immigration and strongly against giving amnesty to (or rewarding) illegal "immigrants". Most Americans, especially in a post 9/11 world, want secure borders. This is most obviously the case with our porous southern border. Americans also want these big issues to go away, once and for all. To do this our elected representatives need to put down the guns of partisanship (Hatfields and the McCoys), and work together to bring about what Americans desire and not what the respective ideologies seek.
Here is what I see, at a high level, as sensible and comprehensive immigration reform.
1) Secure our southern border with a physical barrier where the terrain allows for it, and virtual barriers where terrain is an issue. The fact is that good, strong and tall fences work. They aren't pretty, but this is the small price we need to pay to put this behind us.
2) Create a temporary worker program. This program would acknowledge this nation's dependence on foreign workers to do certain work vital to our economy, especially in agriculture. Key to this program working is that anyone in the program would only be in the country for up to a certain number of years before being required to go back to their home country. There should be NO path to citizenship through this program (hence the name "temporary").
3) Hardest of the work is what to do with the current group of some 10-20 million people already in this country illegally. I would propose that there be a tiered system of dealing with this group. For those that wish to be a part of the Temporary Worker Program, they would need to pay a fine that is commensurate with how long they have been in the United States (the longer the violation the higher the fine). Also, if there have been any criminal offenses committed (any felony, violent misdemeanors) by any in this country illegally, they would NOT be eligible for the program and should be expeditiously sent back to their country of origin. Those eligible for the Temporary Worker Program will be allowed to stay in this country from the time they have applied for the program until they have exhausted their stay as a Temporary Worker.
For those that do not want to be temporary workers, but want to be U.S. citizens they will need to go back to their home countries and apply for legal entry into the U.S. In fairness to all of the legal immigrants in this nation it would not be appropriate to give those that have broken our laws any reward for their behavior. As a kindness from this nation, those destined for their home country will be allowed to stay in the U.S. for up to 1 year from the passing of the legislation in order to make proper arrangements to go to their home country. Any that stay longer than the 1 year period will not be eligible for application as immigrants for 5 years.
4) Those who are facing punishment, persecution or violence in their home countries can petition an exception with the payment of the same kind of fine as the Temporary Worker Program, and will not gain naturalized citizenship any sooner than 10 years from the date of their application for exception.
5) For the children of illegal “immigrants” who under no willful decision of their own find themselves in the United States illegally, they should be offered a pathway to citizenship. However, this pathway should not be amnesty. They should be required to work for it through one of two pathways; 1) through enlisted military service in the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corp, Army or Coast Guard, or 2) through enlisting in the National Guard, completing a bachelor’s degree or trade school certification from an accredited institution and the completion of a 10-month commitment to the AmeriCorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps). This pathway to citizenship should only be for people up to the age of 22, and whose family has been located in the United States for at least 4 years as of the time of the passing of this law. This pathway will only be open 18 years after this law has passed.
6) Finally, it should be made very clear in law that if children are born in the United States to parents that have entered this country illegally, they are of the same citizenship as their parents, not the United States. The 14th Amendment needs this clarity to help prevent this immigration crisis from occurring again in the future.
I think this sets forth a strong, compassionate and sensible plan to handle our illegal immigration issues. I know not everyone would like this plan, especially the extremists on both sides of the issue. But I do believe that most people would find this a reasonable path for this nation to move forward. If only our elected officials could see their way past political bickering to actually do something for this nation, we would all be a lot better off for it.
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