Rand Paul’s “Undocumented Citizens” Path to Legality (and Citizenship) (March 20, 2013)

LonelyConservative.com ^ | March 20, 2013 | Andy H

[SoConPubbie]

I posted an article yesterday on the confusion around Senator Paul’s position as reported by the AP after he gave a speech to the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. With the inside information from Eric Erickson at Red State, it seemed as though the AP had overstepped its assumptions. Later in the day Rand Paul posted to his Facebook a comment and a link to the Red State post which seemed to me to be a vindication of Eric’s position about Senator Paul’s position.

This morning, thanks to Red State once again, I learned of a February 8th column in the Washington Times written by Senator Paul about immigration reform. In it he unfortunately uses the language of the left (undocumented citizens, undocumented persons) and clearly lays out his vision for a pathway to legality.

After ensuring border security, then I would normalize the status of the 11 million undocumented citizens so they can join the workforce and pay taxes. I would normalize them at a rate of about 2 million per year. I would start with Dream Act kids, children brought here illegally as minors. Normalization would get them a temporary Visa but would not put them ahead of anyone already waiting to enter the country. These undocumented persons would now be documented but they would still have to wait in line like everyone else. But their path to permanent legal status would be no faster than those currently waiting in line.

There is no reason why a great country like ours wouldn’t want to keep those like Jonathan Chavez, who came here as a small child from Peru and has a 4.0 at the University of Arkansas.

After the year ended, Congress would vote again to continue or not continue the process based on the report concerning progress in securing the border. At any point the process can be stopped if Congress does not certify the border is secure. Gradually, the undocumented persons would immigrate to the United States, internal immigration as they would not be asked to return home. These immigrants would not be given special privileges except that they would not have to leave the country. Undocumented immigrants would have a deadline to apply for this waiver. The waiver would not be an ongoing beacon to more illegal immigrants to come. Read more:

I urge everyone to read the entire article. I am concerned about his use of the progressive’s language and It is certain that there is a pathway to citizenship. The pathway is via an application for visa legal status but not a guarantee of citizenship. I find his approach to this a bit better than the gang of 8′s since Senator Paul’s plan relies very heavily on verifiable border integrity and Congressional oversight approval of border security before any step is made to this mass pardon.

I wish he could be a bit more honest with his position – it is amnesty – we are absolutely pardoning past offenses and Senator Paul wants that pardon with no penalty.

I understand the issue is an issue of people. I understand that many of those people were not the ones who broke the law but were children of the lawbreakers. I understand as well that the likelihood of being able to deport the lawbreakers is extremely problematic – but that is the point – the progressive policy pushed on us when President Reagan signed his amnesty bill put us in this position. We do have to deal with it.

Let us be completely honest about it though - whatever path is taken, whether it be Senator Paul’s or the gang of 8′s, once these people are pardoned and given legal status and once they are then citizens with voting power they will not vote Republican.

[SoConPubbie]

	"If we must have an enemy at the head of Government, let it be one whom we can oppose, and for whom we are not responsible, who will not involve our party in the disgrace of his foolish and bad measures." - Alexander Hamilton "We don't intend to turn the Republican Party over to the traitors in the battle just ended. We will have no more of those candidates who are pledged to the same goals as our opposition and who seek our support. Turning the Party over to the so-called moderates wouldn’t make any sense at all." -- President Ronald Reagan "A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice." - Thomas Paine 1792 "It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men." - Samuel Adams "If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen." - Samuel Adams

[SoConPubbie]

Rand Paul Amnesty Ping!

Author gives a pretty clear view of the problems with Rand Paul’s “Normalization” plan.

[SoConPubbie]

Ping!

[FlingWingFlyer]

I’m still waiting for an American to come up to me and say, “You know. We really need comprehensive immigration reform in this country.”

[SMARTY]

The US needs to pattern ITS immigration regulations and penalties for infractions on the other countries of the world.

Elsewhere, people smuggling themselves across borders, breaking the rules, etc. are treated harshly indeed.

Why can't WE have the same sensible and rigorous system?

[Travis McGee]

[Vigilanteman]

Other countries also care very little for how many relatives you have in the country and cut zero slack for anyone other than your immediate family IF you sign a pledge and show means to support them. They will also cut you some slack if you are married to a national of their country.

But the biggest factor in their decision to grant a visa is whether or not you will be an asset to the host country.

Chronic criminals and wards of the state are excluded from the get-go. They don't care how much you love your bum chum or whatever.

[Resolute Conservative]

I saw this one coming long ago and was chastised by Randbots. Just another Libertarian who stands for nothing. I like what Rush told Rubio the other day. Why do we (conservatives) have to offer an alternative to a Democrat plan, just say no.

Any alternative offered is one step away from the original loser plan and does more harm than good because it weakens their integrity.

[angcat]

This is from our local paper today.

http://standardspeaker.com/news/police-april-24-1.1478376

Police, April 24
West Hazleton man charged for using false ID

State police at Frackville said Magdalano Bazan, 40, West Hazleton, provided a fraudulent state identification card after the vehicle he was driving was stopped for a traffic violation at about 12:47 p.m. Saturday on South Kennedy Drive in McAdoo.

Unable to identify him, Bazan was taken to the state police barracks to be fingerprinted and once his identity was learned, it was found he was from Mexico and in the country illegally.

U.S. Immigration and Customers Enforcement was contacted about detaining him for deportation but declined and the man was released, troopers said. A charge of unsworn falsification to authorities will be filed against him, police said.

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT:
U.S. Immigration and Customers Enforcement was contacted about detaining him for deportation but declined and the man was released, troopers said.

[Resolute Conservative]

Treason, plain and simple.

[MachIV]

We need comprehensive deportation.

[cdcdawg]

Rand Paul is playing 2016 politics on immigration, hoping he can have it both ways. He’s proposing a bunch of stuff that will never become law, in order to keep his name in forefront. That gives him cover with the media, because he can claim he’s trying to “solve the problem”. When the bill ultimately comes to a vote, he will probably vote against it, claiming it doesn’t do enough for border security, and citing differences with his own approach as it relates to granting “citizenship”. I predict that once it comes to a vote, he will loudly oppose it. Clever plan, but I’d rather he just led the principled fight against it in the first place.

[SMARTY]

“But the biggest factor in their decision to grant a visa is whether or not you will be an asset to the host country.”

My grandparents came here in the early 20’s.

Growing up, ‘God d^%m foreigner’ was cast in my face more often than I like to admit.

Oh well, I always thought... when WE came here there were standards and America wasn't letting JUST ANYONE in. It made me feel better to think of it that way.

Also, every single uncle I had and a cousin fought in the second war and in Korea... and did so gladly and honorably. After all, we WERE American!

The people who get in here now are poor, illiterate, possibly diseased, openly Anti-American and in some cases, criminals.

There is NO vetting whatsoever and the Gov. has the preposterous expectation that their ‘multiculturalist’ schtick will fly in spite of the social and economic disaster which this will bring, (HAS brought)!

[JCBreckenridge]

"Let us be completely honest about it though - whatever path is taken, whether it be Senator Paul’s or the gang of 8′s, once these people are pardoned and given legal status and once they are then citizens with voting power they will not vote Republican." Let's be completely honest here. Does the party of Romney adequately represent freedom loving Americans? If not - then it *deserves* to die. It was said about the Irish and the Italians, and was shown not to be true. If opposition to immigration is pegged solely in that we want reliable republicans and we are unwilling to do the legwork to communicate the virtues of our positions - then count me out. The problem isn't immigration - or even voting. The problem are the social programs that hand out free money to everyone. Do we want productive people? Then we should stop paying people money to do nothing. Cut off the programs and you will see things change. Until then - does it really matter if 50 percent of Americans are on the take? The problem isn't the people coming from other countries - the problem is with Americans themselves.

[JCBreckenridge]

I believe it - the answer isn’t some new law, the answer is to enforce existing laws.