IMMIGRATION REFORM

From Cam Mosher

Much as the “right wingers” hate the thought of amnesty, let’s be pragmatic.  We aren’t going to “round them all up and send them home.”  We have several million undocumented people here mostly because they want better jobs and income than they can get in their home countries, and there are employers here who are willing to hire them.  And some of their children were born here and are therefore citizens.

It appears to me that members of Congress are avoiding the issue.  The Democrats seem to not want to limit the influx of the undocumenteds because they believe they represent a large future voting bloc.  The Republicans seem to not want to limit them because they are a cheap source of labor.  The right wingers are committed to unreality in opposing amnesty.  The bleeding hearts are committed to unreality in wanting to provide tax supported benefits to everyone.  And everybody seems committed to narrow and inflexible points of view.  We are stuck in gridlock.

Solving the immigration problem is simple, not necessarily easy.  It just takes fortitude and commitment on the part of the lawmakers, the immigrants, and the rest of us, to deal with a situation that is not going to go away just because everyone wishes it would on their specific terms.  With this fortitude and commitment, the immigration issue can be resolved NOW!

Here are the Necessary Steps to resolve the immigration issue.  They must be done COMPREHENSIVELY!  This issue cannot be resolved piece meal!

1. Recognize that it is the responsibility of the Federal Government to solve this issue COMPREHENSIVELY, and both the Federal Government and all other entities step up to this responsibility NOW.
2. Do whatever it takes to gain control of the borders and close them to all persons and goods that do not have the required documents to cross.
3. Grant some sort of “amnesty” to those undocumenteds already here, with suitable recompense for being here illegally, and provide a reasonable path to a suitable legal status.  This is the only practical way.
4. Round up and prosecute all undocumenteds who are committing serious crimes, in accordance with our criminal laws, with especially onerous penalties for those who have been previously deported as criminals and have returned.
5. Set up tough requirements with substantial and enforced penalties on all businesses and employers who employ anyone but legally documented workers, and set up adequate means to identify such.
6. Change the Constitution to allow birth citizenship only to children born of parents who are here legally, to eliminate bearing citizen babies as an incentive for crossing the border illegally.
7. Do what it takes to enact comprehensive reform of the immigration law to make it fair both to all who want to come here for opportunity and to those who want to hire them.
8. Immigrants must recognize that this is the United States of America, with its established language and laws, and do three things: make the effort to learn English and become a participating part of our society, abide by the laws regarding their status, and follow the proscribed path to citizenship if that is what they choose
9. Americans must recognize that legal immigrants are an important part of our economy and society and do three things: provide adequate means to support their learning English and our laws and culture, support their integration among us, and welcome them as new Americans entitled to a place here and participation in our society.

Avoiding the issue or getting stuck in some particular ideology regarding it won’t change it or make it go away.  Resolving the issue will require compromise, fortitude, and statesmanlike performance on the part of Congress.  Let’s GET IT DONE!  NOW!

Cam Mosher