Some Comments on the Immigration Kerfuffle
I've been beaten down by all the analysis of the proposed Senate bill that has now gone on for a week, from a sure thing by the end of this week to a 50-50 chance of ever becoming law. I have surmised that it must have some major problems, whichever side you are on.
It has forced introspection and the development of a "plan" that I believe is necessary. So, here we go:
1. We are a nation of laws, and if we want our nation to continue - and I certainly do - we must start enforcing our laws. This is not brain surgery! So the first step in fixing the illegal immigration problem is to enforce our laws against hiring illegals; after all, we should get to our citizen law breakers before we go after the illegals. Agreed? This has already started in a more aggressive manner, and I think should continue for 1 year becoming more aggressive as that year progresses. A report would be due at the end of that year on the effects - economic and societal - this has had on our nation and illegal immigration.
2. We are a nation of laws, and therefore illegal immigrants must not be allowed to cross the border into this country. Easier said than done, eh! But this is the United States, and we can do whatever we set our minds to. Only the political will is needed. So the second step - which will run parallel with the first - is to "close" our border with Mexico with a combination of physical fences - more than the 7 or 8 hundred miles now discussed - and virtual fences where physical fences make no sense, and immediate disposition and deportation of any foreign violators. This would be an ongoing program for probably 3-4 years. A report would be due at the end of 18 months on the effect this approach has had on illegal border crossings.
Note: the 12-20 million illegals in the United States at this time do not become targets in any way, for deportation or legal status. After the above two reports are anayzed and digested, and tweaks to the programs made during this 18 month time period and for 3 months after it ends, a report to the people on the effects of step 1 and step 2, with data on the changes this program caused, is issued for consideration by the people and their representatives.
3. Now, after two years of attempting to enforce our laws and making an intelligient analysis of how these two actions have effected the problem, we have the discussion we are trying to have today. But now we have these answers:
It has forced introspection and the development of a "plan" that I believe is necessary. So, here we go:
1. We are a nation of laws, and if we want our nation to continue - and I certainly do - we must start enforcing our laws. This is not brain surgery! So the first step in fixing the illegal immigration problem is to enforce our laws against hiring illegals; after all, we should get to our citizen law breakers before we go after the illegals. Agreed? This has already started in a more aggressive manner, and I think should continue for 1 year becoming more aggressive as that year progresses. A report would be due at the end of that year on the effects - economic and societal - this has had on our nation and illegal immigration.
2. We are a nation of laws, and therefore illegal immigrants must not be allowed to cross the border into this country. Easier said than done, eh! But this is the United States, and we can do whatever we set our minds to. Only the political will is needed. So the second step - which will run parallel with the first - is to "close" our border with Mexico with a combination of physical fences - more than the 7 or 8 hundred miles now discussed - and virtual fences where physical fences make no sense, and immediate disposition and deportation of any foreign violators. This would be an ongoing program for probably 3-4 years. A report would be due at the end of 18 months on the effect this approach has had on illegal border crossings.
Note: the 12-20 million illegals in the United States at this time do not become targets in any way, for deportation or legal status. After the above two reports are anayzed and digested, and tweaks to the programs made during this 18 month time period and for 3 months after it ends, a report to the people on the effects of step 1 and step 2, with data on the changes this program caused, is issued for consideration by the people and their representatives.
3. Now, after two years of attempting to enforce our laws and making an intelligient analysis of how these two actions have effected the problem, we have the discussion we are trying to have today. But now we have these answers:
- Does serious enforcement of our current laws against hiring illegal immigrants have positive or negative effect on our economy? This seems to be a point of contention now, so why not get the answer? Maybe we wouldn't miss the illegals!
- Does serious enforcement of our current laws cause self-deportation? Another point of contention that could be resolved. Maybe the problem would go away!
- Does serious enforcement of our current laws regarding our border work? Can we stop illegal border crossings? Maybe it is not as hard as we think! And if it is, maybe we can change our border operations to achieve a closed border! Closed borders must be our goal in the long run, or our nation will no longer exist. Agreed?
Now, think how easy the answer to our present illegal immigrants will be once we have the three answers above! Seriously, any question you currently have on amnesty, path to citizenship, green card availability, temporary worker plans, et al, can be answered with some intelligience! Instead of the posturing we now have to endure while our elites figure out how to gain more votes in 2008!
This plan would need only two things to happen:
- The political will.
- The acceptance that some people will be hurt: businessmen operating illegally, perhaps some of their employees if the business is hurt, illegal immigrants, their families and even their children who are citizens.
The right does not have the political will. The left cannot accept that some people will be hurt. And both are making political decisions on a subject that deserves much deeper consideration.
It is only a two year delay, the blink of an eye in the history of this problem.
Comments?
Labels: Immigration
posted by Jim | 1:07 PM
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