We have an illegal immigration problem. We can’t ignore it and we don’t seem to be able to anything about it. Ten million illegal immigrants are here and America doesn’t have the political will to remove them. Some of the illegal immigrants are criminals, some are workers who just want to make some money and go back home, some are sucking on the welfare tit, and some want to stay here forever. That’s the facts. The question is what we do about it.
The first step is to identify those illegal immigrants who just want to make some money and go back home. Identify them and offer some monetary incentive for them to return to their country of origin at the end of some period, say three years. In addition, insure that they are paid minimum wages and receive benefits equal to the benefits received by American workers. What this would do is reduce the difference in cost between illegal and American workers and therefore reduce the incentive for business to hire illegal workers. Sounds like Bush’s plan to me. However, this is only the first step.
The second step is targeting those illegal immigrants who are criminals. The deportation process must be streamlined with more judges, lawyers, holding cells, and INS workers. Instead of taking ten years to deport a criminal, it should take only a few months. Lock them up until the deportation process is complete, then put them on an airplane back to their country of origin. We haven’t been able to do this yet because of the pressure from businesses that need cheap labor and the social activities who think all immigrants will be targeted. Most of that pressure will have been eliminated by step one.
Step three is to eliminate welfare benefits for illegal immigrants. We haven’t been able to do this yet because of all the pressure from social activists who think that all immigrants will be targeted. These social activists are usually folks that are employing an illegal immigrant as a domestic servant and since step one makes that servant “legal” much of this pressure will be eliminated.
The first three steps would eliminate the majority of our illegal immigration problem. Those folks who want to stay here permanently might be induced into the temporary worker status if there was a mechanism to eventually obtain citizenship. I am not opposed to eventual citizenship for temporary workers provided that the requirements for citizenship are strengthened, including an English language requirement.
Step four involves the sensitive question of “anchor babies.” If a person is born in the U.S., they are an American citizen regardless of whom or what their parents are. Although I don’t think we can or should change the constitution on this issue, how much of an “anchor” the baby is can be changed by immigration policy.
Far from offering amnesty to illegal immigrants, I think Bush’s plan would be a good first step in solving our very real illegal immigration problem.
"The first step is to identify those illegal immigrants who just want to make some money and go back home."
You want to identify the illegal aliens who are already here. The ones who ignored our immigration laws.
Okay, what about the people who have remained in their own country and are attempting to follow our laws for legal entry. Should these people be pushed aside in favor of the criminals? That is what the Presidents plan does!
We have illegals already working here. These criminals have taken the position away from the ones who wish to immigrate to America legally. Why do you want to reward them?
Identify them and offer some monetary incentive for them to return to their country of origin at the end of some period, say three years.
How long do you think it is going to take before someone in Washington understands that "I " have been working in America for three years. I have a much nicer apartment than "I" would ever get in my home country. "I" want to bring my family to America because of the medical care, the schooling, the individual safety here, the food and water quality, the availability of just about anything I want to buy, etc., etc. Oh, yes, originally "I" was wanting to make some cash and go home but I have realized that America iss the better place to raise a family. Now "I" have decided "I" to stay here.
Instead of taking ten years to deport a criminal, it should take only a few months.
Try something like 72 hours MAXIMUM!
QUIT BEING SO DAMNED COMPASSIONATE TO THESE CRIMINALS.
Step three is to eliminate welfare benefits for illegal immigrants.
All it would take is to declare it to be a national security issue by Tom Ridge or the President and bang, it's done!
Step four involves the sensitive question of “anchor babies.” If a person is born in the U.S., they are an American citizen regardless of whom or what their parents are. Although I don’t think we can or should change the constitution on this issue, how much of an “anchor” the baby is can be changed by immigration policy.
Do you have any idea what the term "anchor baby" implies? I was born here, now I want my brothers and sister with my parents to be with me IN AMERICA!
"anchor baby" is something that needs to be abolished immediately.
Mexican women in Brownsville, Texas come by ambulance to have their babies delivered in the US on the word of a Mexican doctor who says the delivery is "life threatening". Every birth can be life threatening".