The partisan lines on immigration have been drawn. No side is prepared to give in to the other. in fact one side decided it was a good idea to shut the government down in order to protect foreign nationals. We have all heard the arguments from both sides. We have all heard the emotional pleas for compassion. We have all hear about the logical reasons for securing our borders. Yet neither side will move towards a common sense immigration plan. Please continue reading for a middle of the road immigration plan that is compassionate and realistic. We need to live up to the American ideals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We need a plan that moves beyond the talking points that the Democrats are creating new voters for themselves and beyond the talking point that Republicans are racist. So please see a common sense approach that should satisfy most Americans.
First, we need to address the reason we have so many foreign nationals in our country illegally. That means enforcing our laws. Visa overstays need to be identified and removed. We also need border security. Build the wall on our southern border where it makes sense. Use technology and fencing where it makes sense. Add Customs and Border Control agent where necessary. Securing our border is essential in ensuring we don't have to go through this discussion again. Border security is also necessary to know who exactly is in the country. We live in a world that has bad actors. Bad actors that want to destroy our country because of our ideals. Bad actors that want to see America fall. See America is not only a sovereign country but America is also an idea, an experiment in individual freedoms and rights. Bottom line, appropriate funding for the wall.
Second address the DACA individuals. These are the people that were brought here by their parents. Let's face reality these people did not break the laws of this country. These are people that grew up in this country. Give them a resident alien card. Make them legal and allow them the opportunity to become Americans. These individuals need to be properly vetted. These people that have no gang affiliation and committed no major crimes should be allowed a pathway to citizenship just like any other resident alien.
Third we need to address the parents of DACA recipients. Out of compassion, we need to allow those that have committed no other major crimes except breaking our immigration laws a legal residency status. They should be offered no pathway to citizenship. They broke our immigration laws and need to pay their debt to society. By flaunting our laws shows they have no respect for our laws. With that being said, they should not be deported. Bottom line let them stay as legal resident aliens with no opportunity for citizenship. They need to be vetted and not have committed any major crimes or felonies.
Fourth, limit family based immigration. One person should be able to come with the family unit. That is spouse and children. We may be able to permit parents but that should be based on the parents being able to take care of themselves. We should not be funding for these prospective immigrants if they can not take care of themselves. Either the original immigrant has to be able to care for them or they have to have the means to be productive immigrants. Bottom line we want people to come here to live the American dream not live off American citizens.
Fifth, Move towards a merit based immigration policy. People need to have the means to take care of themselves. People that come here need to have skills necessary to help build a better America. We want people that have skills and not be dependent on unskilled labor jobs. I find it appalling that people think it is somehow not a bigoted position that "these are the people that clean our hotel rooms" as one Florida politician stated. How is it not bigoted to say "these people do jobs Americans won't do"? How about saying "these people work the fields and pick our fruit"? If that is all the pro immigration/open borders people believe these immigrants are capable of that should scare every American. Immigrants should come here to live the American Dream. They should come here to make a better life for themselves. When politicians relegate these immigrants to having jobs that are beneath themselves that is not very American and does not live up to our ideals as a nation. These prospective immigrants have dreams to improve themselves and not to merely do our bidding. The Democrat Party always spout these lines. That tells me their underlying agenda is to have poor people come here without the means to care for themselves. The Democrat Party idea it to keep thee people poor and dependent on government. It tells me these politicians just want their votes and don't really care about the people themselves.
Sixth, in exchange for all of this, we need to go through the voter rolls and scrub them. We need a honest approach to this. We as Americans need to understand if any of these foreign nationals voted in our elections. I suspect some have (a few have been caught) but we do not know or understand the extent. If we are to have integrity in our elections we need to really know who is voting and that they are American citizens that have the right to vote. A foreign national that votes in an election cancels one Americans vote. How do we remain that shining beacon on the hill if foreign nationals are voting that may not have America's best interest in mind?
There it is folks. I believe this is a balanced approach to the problem that most of Americans could agree with, at least those in the middle of the political spectrum. Six points, 1) Border security and build the wall, 2)DACA citizenship, 3)Extend DACA to family but with no pathway to citizenship, 4)limit chain immigration, 5) move towards merit based immigration, and 6) vet the voter registration rolls in all precincts in America.
