Here is my plan:
Advocate a pro-immigrant policy of low immigration. Republicans need to provide the American people with their own comprehensive immigration reform plan, i.e., give people a reason to vote FOR something rather than just attack the other side’s proposals. Such a plan should contain the following elements:
Formulate a merit based immigration system that brings in the skills and talents to keep us competitive in the global economy;
Reduce immigration levels based on need more closely approximating 300,000 a year;
Eliminate extended chain migration, i.e., family reunification, limiting it to the nuclear family,
Secure the border;
Enforce existing immigration laws to reduce the current illegal alien population and limit future illegal immigration, i.e., attrition thru enforcement. Enforcement would include: (1) ending the job magnet; (2) increasing coordination at the federal level by eliminating barriers to information sharing among agencies; (3) leveraging state and local enforcement resources; (4) fully implementing the US-VISIT Program to track and deport visa overstays; and (5) make mandatory and improve such programs as E-Verify and 287 [g] authority to assist employers and law enforcement in identifying illegal aliens;
Eliminate birthright citizenship and the visa lottery program;
Ensure that anyone who enters this nation illegally is not rewarded by being permitted to stay and work here; i.e., no amnesty;
Streamline the processing and adjudication of immigration cases;
Promote pro-immigrant measures that help newcomers assimilate and embrace the values and principles of our Founders and the Constitution.
There is no money to round up 12 million people even if the government wanted to.
The proponents of amnesty are wont to create the false choice between a blanket amnesty and mass deportation of 12 to 20 million illegal aliens. In reality, we have other choices and alternatives that don’t reward people who have broken our laws with the right to stay and work here and an eventual path to citizenship. The 12 to 20 million illegal aliens did not enter this country overnight and they will not leave overnight. Attrition through enforcement works. We have empirical data from Georgia, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Arizona proving that it does. During the 2006 amnesty debate, the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) commissioned a Zogby poll offering respondents not the false choice between mass deportation or amnesty (a word CIS did not use in the survey), but rather a three-way choice between mass deportation, earned legalization, and attrition — and attrition was preferred two-to-one over legalization.
Rand Paul’s proposal does NOT accelerate path to citizenship to illegals. His proposal requires closing borders as first priority. When that is done, illegals with no criminal record can apply for work permits and register. Now we will know who is here and where they live. At that point they become legal and eligible to apply for the Green card just like millions of people world wide. They go at the end of line of people who have already applied for Green card. When their turn comes, they get the Green card (permanent resident visa). After that they have a waiting period of 5 years same as every one else.
Conferring rights and privileges upon illegal aliens has a corrosive effect on the Rule of Law, the very foundation of our Republic. It is also a slap in the face to legal immigrants who have followed the rules and obeyed the laws. There are over 4 million intending immigrants waiting their turn overseas to enter the U.S. legally. They have completed the paperwork, had the various background checks, physicals, and paid the required fees. The illegal aliens are put at the head of the line under Paul's scheme. They get amnesty, the object of their crime, i.e., they get to stay and work here. Where is the fairness in that?
These lawbreakers have committed more crimes than just entering this country illegally flaunting our sovereignty and laws. They are working illegally, they are guilty of ID theft, tax evasion, driving without a license, lying on employment forms, etc. These are the people you want to reward with the right to stay here and eventual citizenship? Many of them are already receiving government benefits.
About half of the lawbreakers lack even a high school degree. They will receive more in government benefits than they contribute in taxes. The Heritage Foundation concluded that the cost of amnesty would be $2.6 trillion just for increased entitlement program costs. And the number of additional LEGAL immigrants who would join those who were the recipients of amnesty through chain migration, i.e., family reunification, would approach 70 million over a 20-year period, assuming there are only 12 million illegal aliens. We cannot assimilate such numbers.
Any legislation that allows the lawbreakers to stay and work here, the object of their crime, is amnesty. A path to citizenship is a bonus. Giving them green cards entitles them to all the benefits of citizenship except voting. They can receive welfare and entitlement benefits, SSNs, driver's licenses, work permits etc.
Do you know we award 1 Million+ immigrants US citizenship every year? So Rand sends the illegals at the end of that line. So the only thing Rand gives up is deporting them, for which we have no money to do anyway. What we gain is whereabouts of every illegal immigrant. They will be required to register their current addres exactly same as legal Green card holders are required.
The line begins in their home country. Why do we have to legalize their status? Let's just secure our borders including a system to track and deport visa overstays, which account for 40% of the illegals here, and enforce our existing laws. The illegals will either go home or die off.
And do you really expect the Obama administration to deal with this problem the way the laws are written. Obama has already given a backdoor amnesty to 1.8 million Dreamers. He should be impeached.
And let's get real about legal immigration. Every ten years we have what amounts to an amnesty. With 1.2 million LEGAL IMMIGRANTS ENTERING ANNUALLY, they will be able to vote eventually and two thirds of them will vote Dem. Illegal immigration is the shiny little bauble that distracts us from the real game changer--legal immigration. The status quo will make the Dems the permanent majority party. Amnesty just hastens the process.