Any immigration reform that has a “path to citizenship” must be a path that requires self sufficiency meaning absolutely no reliance on government assistence for oneself or ones dependents before one can legally become a citizen and most importantly earn the right to vote. Let them apply for residency and work permits but we sure as hell don’t have to let them vote while they are dependent on the federal government. Also I believe that employers that employ these workers with work permits should face an additional tax if these workers take advantage of public assistance. I also think there should be a 10 year penalty for illegal immigrants before they can apply for full citizenship and earn voting rights. I’d also like to see an ammendment getting rid of anchor babies where children born to illegals become citizens automagically because one gives birth in the US versus Mexico. Citizenship should only be granted when at least one parent is a citizen. Currently that is not the case but it should be the case and we can’t have a full proof system till it is the case.
I’d also like to see a federal voter id requirement not just an employment id requirement. If we are going to be generous and open to granting residency permits and work permits we should know that these illegal immigrants aren’t stealing the votes of long standing citizens nor being used as near slave labor in place of citizens working for an honest wage. Right now I’d be happy with the 10 year penalty for coming here illegally and the self-sufficiency requirement for citizenship which I believe are more than reasonable requirements.
We also need strong enforcement. Anyone that tells you we can’t possibly processs 11 million illegal aliens are being intellectually dishonest. We process over 41 million speeding tickets and no one talks about the scale of that feat. Also no one talks about the several hundred million tax payers that Obamacare requires the healthcare insurance status be monitored so all the talk about the feasibility is smoke and mirrors. As enforcement increases we’d see a reduction of those cases that require enforcement. One of the reasons that so many come to the US is because of a long standing policy of partial and inconsistent enforcement. The last thing we want is to make illegal immigration not only easy but something that rewards those who commit what is without question a crime.
It would also be nice if we could deny all but emergency temporay access to public welfare programs. Also we should require that citizenship be verified not only at employers but by public service employees. If you can’t verify citizenship then it should be assumed someone is an illegal unless something indicates that is clearly not likely.
We need a hard fair system that doesn’t allow millions of wards of state to become citizens and voters in a forenight.
The thing that pisses me off the most is the fact that the RINOs are joining in with the democrat tactic of overwhelming the public with issues so we won’t be able to fight them all.