While it is true there is a segment of the population worried about immigrants taking our jobs, they tend to 1) Be Union members (and hence not Republicrats) and 2) have little understanding of economics (a side effect of that union membership thing)
There are also those who are worried about the drugs and violence brought across the border with immigrants and again here the problem is largely one of lack of understanding as 90% of that problem is a factor of the drug war and not one of immigration. End the drug war and you would in fairly short order see opposition to immigration drop as the gangs would no longer have an easy source of money.
The majority however are not so worried about loss of jobs or crime as they are about the welfare state. Eliminate the welfare state (or at least make it impossible for immigrants to receive any benefits under it for an extended period of time) and you would see opposition to immigration drop like a rock.
Finally yes there are a significant number of people who see the ignoring of laws as the problem with illegal immigration. The correctly recognize that for a society built around the rule of law to function that the law must actually be followed and regardless of how they stand on legal immigration they cannot fathom allowing illegal immigrants to stay unpunished.
So, what is the solution? Well unfortunately the real solution is politically unrealistic as it involves the dismantling of the welfare state and the Mexican People staging a revolution to overthrow the criminals (both gang and corporate) that currently run their country and putting a stable honest government which actually pursues the rule of law in it's place. I mean really, from a resources standpoint the people of Mexico should be the second wealthiest people in the Americas, it is a RICH country and it is only their corrupt political system that locks 90% of their population into bone crushing poverty that makes them want to come here illegally and work for less than minimum wage.
That said, some common sense things which could actually happen and would make the problem better.
1) Fix the immigration laws to make it immeasurably easier to legally immigrate. Basically in order to gain a green card a person should have to prove only the following. They do not possess certain communicable diseases (unless they have already been accepted for treatment at an American research hospital). They have not been convicted of and are not wanted in connection with certain violent crimes (murder, rape, etc.). That they have enough money to cover them for 12 months of living expenses or a current legal resident willing to sponsor them and accept the responsibility of paying their living expenses should they not be able to find work.
2) Pass laws altering all federal entitlement programs to state that no immigrant can receive services until 5 years after they have entered the country and no illegal immigrant can receive services at all save those necessary for the bare minimum maintenance of life and then only long enough to repatriate them to the country of origin. Any Immigrant who applies for government aid will have 12 months to repay all aid received before they will be deported.
That only leaves left the question of what to do with the Illegals currently here.
Well I agree, the concept of kicking them all out is problematic at best but on the same respect they are all guilty of a crime and need to be punished for that so here is what I propose.
Any current illegal immigrant can travel to offices we will set up outside the country and apply for a green card. The application will be automatically granted upon payment of a $2000 fine and with proof that the person has been gainfully employed for at least 12 of the preceding 36 months or 1/2 of the time they have been in the country (which ever is lesser) and verification that they are not wanted in any criminal investigation. Employers who employed these immigrants are indemnified against all penalties if they cooperate with the immigrants in providing them proof of employment. This program would exist for 2 years and at the end of that time anyone found in this country illegally will be deported and barred from ever being allowed in the country again.
Credits & Style Info
Talk Politics. A place to discuss politics without egomaniacal mods
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 1/5/10 06:41 (UTC)There are also those who are worried about the drugs and violence brought across the border with immigrants and again here the problem is largely one of lack of understanding as 90% of that problem is a factor of the drug war and not one of immigration. End the drug war and you would in fairly short order see opposition to immigration drop as the gangs would no longer have an easy source of money.
The majority however are not so worried about loss of jobs or crime as they are about the welfare state. Eliminate the welfare state (or at least make it impossible for immigrants to receive any benefits under it for an extended period of time) and you would see opposition to immigration drop like a rock.
Finally yes there are a significant number of people who see the ignoring of laws as the problem with illegal immigration. The correctly recognize that for a society built around the rule of law to function that the law must actually be followed and regardless of how they stand on legal immigration they cannot fathom allowing illegal immigrants to stay unpunished.
So, what is the solution? Well unfortunately the real solution is politically unrealistic as it involves the dismantling of the welfare state and the Mexican People staging a revolution to overthrow the criminals (both gang and corporate) that currently run their country and putting a stable honest government which actually pursues the rule of law in it's place. I mean really, from a resources standpoint the people of Mexico should be the second wealthiest people in the Americas, it is a RICH country and it is only their corrupt political system that locks 90% of their population into bone crushing poverty that makes them want to come here illegally and work for less than minimum wage.
That said, some common sense things which could actually happen and would make the problem better.
1) Fix the immigration laws to make it immeasurably easier to legally immigrate. Basically in order to gain a green card a person should have to prove only the following. They do not possess certain communicable diseases (unless they have already been accepted for treatment at an American research hospital). They have not been convicted of and are not wanted in connection with certain violent crimes (murder, rape, etc.). That they have enough money to cover them for 12 months of living expenses or a current legal resident willing to sponsor them and accept the responsibility of paying their living expenses should they not be able to find work.
2) Pass laws altering all federal entitlement programs to state that no immigrant can receive services until 5 years after they have entered the country and no illegal immigrant can receive services at all save those necessary for the bare minimum maintenance of life and then only long enough to repatriate them to the country of origin. Any Immigrant who applies for government aid will have 12 months to repay all aid received before they will be deported.
That only leaves left the question of what to do with the Illegals currently here.
Well I agree, the concept of kicking them all out is problematic at best but on the same respect they are all guilty of a crime and need to be punished for that so here is what I propose.
Any current illegal immigrant can travel to offices we will set up outside the country and apply for a green card. The application will be automatically granted upon payment of a $2000 fine and with proof that the person has been gainfully employed for at least 12 of the preceding 36 months or 1/2 of the time they have been in the country (which ever is lesser) and verification that they are not wanted in any criminal investigation. Employers who employed these immigrants are indemnified against all penalties if they cooperate with the immigrants in providing them proof of employment. This program would exist for 2 years and at the end of that time anyone found in this country illegally will be deported and barred from ever being allowed in the country again.