The immigration issue is certainly complex. As my mother always tells me, it's easy to make things difficult, but very difficult to make things easy. The issue of immigration (legal and illegal) needs to be made simple. In order for this to happen, statistics need to be thrown out the window completely. America needs a common sense border/immigration policy.
To me, that means there have to be a few guiding principles.
1) Those who follow the legal channels in order to gain entry into this country are more than welcome to partake in the American experience.
2) If while visiting, those people want to become a citizen, and follow the legal channels in order to do so are welcome to stay while the process works itself out.
3) Those who enter the country illegally, and are discovered to have entered and remained in the country illegally, will be deported.
Simple enough, yes? I think so.
So what's next? Border enforcement.
It should be painfully obvious to all those paying attention that we have a major problem with enforcing EXISTING border policies. We have problems tracking people who enter the country legally and overstay their legal welcome, and we have an overabundance of people entering the country illegally to begin with.
Any efforts with regard to curbing illegal immigration should start there. A guest worker program will not likely stop those who wish to TAKE UP RESIDENCE in this country illegally from doing so. Let's face it. Life is still better here in the US than it is in Mexico. I don't know many who would dispute that. The reasons people illegally immigrate to the US are more numerous than simply wanting a job. Therefore, a guest-worker program is probably not a viable long-term solution.
How are we going to keep terrorists from entering this country through our pourous borders? That's all that matters. A Mexican crossing in order to work for less than minimum wage isn't a huge security threat, except for the fact that if he can do it, anyone wishing to do us harm can do it, too.
We need more border agents. We need better technology to secure our borders. We need the money appropriated to do it. We need a government not afriad to do it. And we need it done a decade ago. Every single American should be on the phone to their Senators and their representative in the House telling them if they don't act on making America's borders more secure, they will make it their personnal mission to make sure they don't return to any position of responsibility regarding our safety. Obviously they are not up to the task.
America prides itself on its open border policy. But having open borders does not mean they cannot be secure at the same time.
If we can all agree on some of those fundamental principles and actions, then we can have a meaningful conversation about securing America. Who gives a damn who Mr. Robinson kicks off the site or for what reasons? I don't. It's his damn house and if he doesn't want me here, then hell if I want to be here.
It's sort of like immigration. Those who enter the Free Republic legally and abide by the rules are welcome to stay as long as they want. Those who violate the rules will be Zotted. There is no guest-poster policy. There is ample FReep Patrol, courtesy of the mods and other members with sharp eyes who keep out the "illegals."
Why should the real Republic be any different?
I have been staying out of this argument, because of some experiences that I had earlier on with some of the very same folks who recently lost their posting privileges, so I think this might be a good day to put my big toe back in the water.
We are all, not supportive of illegal immigration, and have a great interest in security, but most supporters of the Bush initiative, as I call it, have a broader understanding of the nature of the problem.
Our current immigration laws do not reflect the needs for young migrant labor.
Current legal limits are far below the requests by a variety of crucial industries and services.
This is the driving force that brings them in.
Putting a finger in the leak will never work. The methods of entry will continue to adjust. Like when the best method of entry was to overstay a legal visa. And subsequently disappear into the underground economy that has been created for one purpose only. To get around the legal impediments.
To address this we need to address the needs by allowing legal workers to fill those positions currently held by illegals, so that we do not further damage a delicate economy that we rely on.
We need to address the underground that supports them.
We also need to address the amnesty issue, and we need to address security.
With a little help and understanding of the problem, we can do all of this and we can get started any time.
No sense letting Bush carry all the water.
At least you proved your mother to be correct.