Vanity - I'VE GOT THE ANSWER TO THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION ISSUE!

self

[mobyss]

With Bush and the GOP literally dying from their inability to do anything right about illegal immigration and border security, I think I've come up with a possible "way out" - more than that really - a WORKABLE SOLUTION that I think will make most people happy:

Every illegal alien currently living in the United States is given the following offer:

"You can apply for permanent residency and eventual US citizenship, under the following terms:

#1. The longer you have been here, the higher priority you will have. However, there will be a penalty of $1000 for every year you have lived here illegally. Thus, if you admit to being here illegally for 25 years, which would probably put you near the head of the line, you will pay a $25,000 fine. Admit to ten years, pay $10,000. One year - end of the line - and fine of $1000. After being granted legal residency, you will be put at the END of the line for US citizenship, which may then take 5, 10, 20 or more years to gain - if ever.

#2. Every single dollar taken in from this program will be used to build a secure fence/wall on the southern US border, and once the wall is complete will be used to fund ICE and border patrol operations.

#3. This offer extends towards the first ten million illegal aliens to apply - anyone caught here illegally after the date of implementation will be deported with no chance of legally entering the US again for twenty years."

Simple, direct, workable - am I missing something?

Sure, there is some "amnesty" here - but with fines of $1000 per year, the longer they have broken the law, the bigger the penalty. I can imagine that there are thousands of people who would gladly pay ten, twenty, thirty grand to "come out of the shadows" - whether they really were here that long or not.

Comments?

[Mount Athos]

Any option that puts immigration law breakers ahead of line for citizenship over people who apply properly from abroad is a non-starter for me.

[Tzimisce]

...or we could just enforce the old laws and deport all the illegals...

[mobyss]

Of course - hence the part about being put at the END of the line for US citizenship - read it again...

[Elpasser]

Round 'em up, and head 'em out!

[Concho]

They dont tell the truth about anything else, why would they admit to having been here ten or twenty years when it is going to cost them?

Nope, that dont fly for me either.

[theDentist]

1) Proof of residency. We gonna take their work for it they've only been here a year? or 3?

2) Arrests? City/State/Fed? Any violence, drugs, B&E, Felonies and OUT YOU GO!

3) Families too?

[mobyss]

I agree - but waiting for that to happen is like waiting for Santa Claus to declare that the Tooth Fairy is his new ambassador to the land of Unicorns...

Unless something is done NOW - the GOP is pretty much done as a political party in this country.

[Spiff]

So, if someone steals your car they can keep it if they pay the goverment $100 per month they've kept it and driven it and that money gets put towards law enforcement programs that fight car theft. Would that be OK with you?

What price do you put on American citizenship? If we're going to sell citizenship to the highest criminal bidder, why not sell it to the highest bidder on the open global market and make a ton of dough, bringing in wealthy consumers instead of low skilled, poorly educated types who couldn't begin to pay back the cost and damage they've cost us already while they've been here illegally.

[piceapungens]

The problem is that this kind of "stick and carrot" approach was taken during the 1986 amnesty as well.

What happened? Ever increasing amounts of illegal immigration.

DEPORT DEPORT DEPORT then build a wall

[mobyss]

To your #1 - putting a cap on the total number (ten million) and making it advantageous to admit to longer times here - with a corresponding larger fine of $1000 per year would entice people to lie THE OTHER WAY - that is admitting to more time and a higher fine to make sure they are in the ten million.

#2 - of course - Felons are automatically deported (or sent to jail here, then deported)

#3 - NO - each individual must apply separately. Of course many children of illegals are already US citizens - 14th Amd. you know.

[elfman2]

"Simple, direct, workable - am I missing something? "

You're missing the will to remove those who either don’t pay or enter later. It also isn't fair to those waiting in line for years to enter. (Including many that would pay 10 times that to enter tomorrow.) What you suggest is just another style of amnesty that may get a little money in return.

[William Terrell]

No. Build the fence anyway. Military guards on the border. Extreme criminal action against business who hire them. "Anchor baby" has never been the law, codify it, strip de facto citizenship from those previously unlawfully named such, and deport with families.

Deport immediately any Mexican who can not prove he is in the country illegally. If Mexico refuses to allow entry of deportees, use military force with a middle finger in the direction of th UN and any country that doesn't like it.

Am I resistant to compromise? Hell, yes. Compromise has gotten us to the state we're in now.

No compromise, at any time, for any reason, with anyone, ever.

[elfman2]

"#2 - of course - Felons are automatically deported (or sent to jail here, then deported)"

If they’re not “automatically deported” now, they won’t be “automatically deported” then. You’re not thinking clearly.

[el_texicano]

You are assuming of course that they would come forward. Why should they come forward? They get what they want now. Tell me what's the incentive for them to come forward and pay said fines?

[mobyss]

Read it again carefully - the money from the $1000 per year fines would be used to build a wall.

If all ten million admitted to one year - that's $10 billion - more than enough to build the wall.

But some would admit to more than one year to ensure they are "in" - hence it may be more like $20 Billion - wall + better enforcement.

For all you guys saying "no - just deport, deport, deport" - doesn't your forehead hurt yet from beating it against the brick wall?

Can you see what is going on here - Bush just said yesterday "Deportation won't work"! It's not going to happen that way - unfortunately.

If the GOP doesn't find a way out of this mess soon, we're looking at a reverse 1994 sweep this fall - and President Hillary Clinton in 2008.

Just imagine that - and then decide what the GOP can do now to save themselves and all of us from such a future.

[technomage]

Unless something is done NOW - the GOP is pretty much done as a political party in this country.

The GOP will not be done as a political party. They are just another arm of the liberal movement.

The current GOP IS done NOW as a conservative party. That is why the Republican party needs new faces, fresh blood, real conservatives. Get rid of the incumbents.

Oh, as for your proposal: Any proposal that does not START with securing our border is a non-starter. Secure the border FIRST!

Plus, you do not mention how any of your proposal will be enforced? Of course, that is the same as the Senate proposal. That one is ludicrous. Pay all back taxes? How will they enforce that?

[Forrestfire]

Build th wall first !!!

[elfman2]

"Read it again carefully - the money from the $1000 per year fines would be used to build a wall."

Please… It wouldn’t even pay the processing fees for citizenship. We’re not short of “wall building” money. We’re short of the will to prosecute.