So many different things could be meant by “amnesty” that two people with quite opposed plans can both claim they are either for it or against it.
I wouldn’t want any program which gives any more of a leg up to those who sneaked into this country than those who have not sneaked into this country. If in a good mood, I’d offer an alternative option of permanent residency without any possibility of getting on a citizenship track. You sneaked in, you want to be a citizen, then you should get out of here for five years before starting the process. Oh, and you must never have committed any serious criminal acts.
re: So many different things could be meant by “amnesty”
You are right. When amnesty is given for parking tickets or state or local taxes it sometimes means everything is forgiven and forgotten. And sometimes it means the fines and penalties are waived but the base amount must be paid. And sometimes it means the base amount is discouonted so the delinquent person need only pay pennies on the dollar.
Likewise with immigration. Most amnesty plans have built in penalties that the immigrant must pay in order to receive amnesty. But some amnesty supporters would waive all penalties. And a few amnesty supporters would waive not only penalties, but a share of routine taxes owed that are not penalties.
A big distinction is between capitalist amnesty supporters like me who oppose any welfare (by whatever name) to immigrants, legal or illegal. No immigrant should come here to be a parasite.
Another big distinction is between those who would base policy on
- the number of immigrants or
- the skill level/education/income of immigrants or
- the character of immigrants.
There are many illegals from the old soviet bloc who have low moral character. They run internet scams, ID theft, prostitution and abortion mills. Then there are the drug traffickers of course. Then there are the common criminals, murderers, rapists, DUI drivers, etc.
The capitalist who favors amnesty (like me) opposes amnesty for those of low moral character, which includes parasites.
The same is true on the anti-illegal side. Some people who are anti-illegal only focus on those who enter illegally. But most illegals (eg Rupert Murdoch) enter legally and then become illegal. A few who are anti-illegal are racist, which gives a bad image to the majority of anti-illegal voices who are not racist.
One reason nothing much happens on the issue is that most voices on the issue want to lie and say there are only two positions when in fact there are dozens of positions on the issue.