Immigration compromise
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A leaked plan from the White House is the best or worst thing for real reform.
Only in the looking glass world of Washington could a leaked White House immigration plan warrant tremendous GOP scorn and also be the key to bipartisan compromise.
In reality, the plan, which the Obama administration calls a backup in case Congress fails to agree on something, is not so far from what a bipartisan group of eight senators is discussing. It contains many similar provisions about increasing border security and creating some path to some sort of legal status for people in the country illegally now.
February 25, 2013 - 6:30 AM
What exactly needs to be “reformed” with our current Immigration System? I keep hearing the pundits talk about the immigration system being broken but they never provide any specifics. We’re addressing this issue because we haven’t been enforcing the laws on the books, not because there are no laws in place. The Immigration reform and Control Act of 1986 proved amnesty programs only served to encourage more illegal entry.
A nation cannot have sovereignty without defined, secure borders and until we secure our borders new laws will make no difference. The flood of illegals has subsided recently due more to the economic downturn than any improved security. Why don’t we try securing the border and actually enforcing the laws on the books?
Follow that up by “rolling up” the welcome mat of entitlement programs and start dealing out harsh punishment and stiff penalties to employers who hire illegals. I know I’ll be called harsh for this stance as there is an emotional element for the people, especially the children, but we just can’t afford them any longer.
Secure the borders FIRST. Then enforce the laws already on the books. Limit the types & numbers of immigrants based on education, skill sets needed for the country. Eliminate endless freebies/entitlements for just anyone showing up at the border. Do not accept “extended” families who just come, stay, drain off resources that taxpayers pay for, & rarely contribute to the economy (much less learn English).
I agree completely with 3rdFred. I’d like to see every truck, plane, and shipping container completely emptied and all its contents inspected to make sure there is no marijuana or cocaine or “extended families” hiding inside. I’m in favor of building an enormous, armed fenceline across both the Mexican and Canadian borders with armed guards stationed in towers every 100 feet. This will of course require trillions of dollars in federal funds to hire enough manpower and buy materials for construction, and it will require the seizure of unbelievable amounts of private land, but that’s okay because I’m not one of those “limited government” folks. Keep the great ideas coming, 3rdFred.
NO NO, you (Bill, 3rd Fred and NW) don’t understand. Immigration “reform” has nothing to do with “immigration reform” and evenything to do with the status of 20 + or – million people, 99.9% of which are “hispanic”, and broke the law by sneaking over the border. They are, in no uncertain terms, criminals. But the dems need their support and the support of the many million relatives who may (or may not) be in the US legally. SO, we need a plan to provide them with “a pathway to legal citizenship”. BARF!!!!!!!!!! Did you see the special which has been shown many times on TV which follows a trio from some central American country to the border at Brownsville? Remember the part about if a Mexican citizen “harbors” any such person in their home or even on their property it can be jail time. Mexico must be a hell hole but they seem to not want illegals even passing through and their citizens seem fearful of what will happen to them if one is simply caught sleeping under a tree in the back yard!
Bubba seems to forget that many Repubs are looking for “reform.”
#3 Don’t forget land mines, Name Withheld. Lots of mines.
Our borders are as secured now as they’ve ever been. There are currently something like 5 times as many Border Patrol agents on the southwestern border as in 1993 and more than there have ever been since the 1920s. Plus, there are also National Guard members to help aid the Border Patrol, too. The fence that Congress authorized in 2006 is basically complete. In 2011, there was a net loss of border crossings on the US/Mexican border. Meaning, more were leaving than coming. This was mostly due to the economy but, still, it’s hardly indicative of a porous border. Granted, there is always more than can be done but there needs to be a cost/benefit balance. Border Patrol agents, fencing, etc. costs a great deal of money and it has to come from somewhere.
Similarly, a lot has been done to enforce the laws, too. The Obama administration has set records for the number of deportations each year. However, there is no way to deport 20 million people. It just isn’t possible unless policies are enacted to basically create a military/police state that will impact millions of citizens in the process. I don’t think anyone wants that. And, a large scale deportation would costs a fortune. Even if laws were changed to allow local authorities to handle those who in the country illegally, that would mean less time doing other police work. Again, a balanced cost/benefit approach is needed.
It seems to me that no one in Washington (and I mean both parties) wants to seriously talk about the enforcement from the employer side. After all, the border slowed down due to the lack of jobs here and a stronger Mexican economy. There is a great deal more that can be done to hold businesses accountable but no one from any party wants to explore that too much. Why? Because a lot of very wealthy campaign contributors stand to lose a lot of money if they found themselves without a large population of cheap, easy-to-manage workers who are willing to work for slave wages. Having to pay an actual living wage would have a big impact on profit margins and they know that people won’t take kindly to paying all the difference in the form of higher prices.