RE: So exactly what does the “SPEEDY PROCESSING OF THEIR APPLICATIONS” mean in terms of the above framework of admissions. Are they saying we should remove the caps? What about background, medical, and security checks? Admission into the US is a privilege, not a right.
By speedy processing, I believe they mean a serious effort to reform the INS and Homeland Security in such a way so that LEGAL immigrants do not have to wait 10 years or more ( I know of many who tell me that ).
As for the rest of your fears (e.g. removing caps, background checks, etc.), well they NEVER said they wanted that. In fact, the tone of their document tell that they would want to RETAIN them.
In fact the document states for instance :
“Any person found to have committed crimes against property or person while here, or with a felony criminal record in his or her home country, should be denied legal status of any kind and deported.”
How is background checks incompatible with the above ?
You still seem to miss the point. Ten years for a legal immigrant may be appropriate given the category they are immigrating under and the cap number. Legal immigrants in the US can sponsor their extended family into the US. One immigrant from Nigeria sponsored 83 members of his family.
My wife is an immigrant and I have issued visas as a Consular Officer, i.e., I have personal and professional experience in this area. It depends on the circumstances as to how long an immigrant visa may take. We cannot bring in everyone who wants to come. We allow 1.2 million a year legally into this country, which I believe is too high.
As for the rest of your fears (e.g. removing caps, background checks, etc.), well they NEVER said they wanted that. In fact, the tone of their document tell that they would want to RETAIN them.
If you retain caps, you will have waiting lines. It is as simple as that.
“Any person found to have committed crimes against property or person while here, or with a felony criminal record in his or her home country, should be denied legal status of any kind and deported.”
This is the language of amnesty. There are an estimated 2 million criminal aliens in this country out of the 12 to 20 million illegal aliens. The pro-amnesty supporters try to make this distinction without a difference. All illegals have committed a crime by just entering illegally. The vast majority of others have committed crimes such as identity theft, working illegally, failure to pay taxes, etc. The existing laws say they all must be deported.
How is background checks incompatible with the above ?
When background checks are done on intending immigrants, except for those changing status while in the US, the applicant is overseas in his/her home country. If we allow people who entered this country illegally to stay and work here, it is patently unfair to those who have followed the rules and are awaiting their turn overseas. We don't need people as citizens who flaunt and violate our laws to get here.
The U.S. adds one international migrant (net) every 36 seconds. Immigrants account for one in 8 U.S. residents, the highest level in more than 80 years. In 1970 it was one in 21; in 1980 it was one in 16; and in 1990 it was one in 13. In a decade, it will be one in 7, the highest it has been in our history. And by 2050, one in 5 residents of the U.S. will be foreign-born.