Let’s say an immigration reform bill is passed and there’s a pathway to citizenship, amnesty, whatever you want to call it for all the people who are already here illegally. They now have status.
Unless there’s a provision in the bill that makes it a felony (criminal) to be in the country illegally and carries immediate deportation with it, the problem will never end. People will continue to stay illegally without fear of being deported / jailed. We’ll be back in the same place a couple decades (if that) down the line.
But if they are found to be here illegally ICE steps in and they will have a hearing and can be deported.
And if they are found to be here illegally while committing a crime, they will be jailed.
If I were in charge, I would give all undocumented people a chance to be documented. I would call it a pink card. Or a yellow card. (Akin to a green card, but just some different color.) As of day-X (whatever date is picked for the cut-off date), all employees must be able to show documentation to be employed. Or to be enrolled in school. Or to get any form of government assistance (which would be quite limited in breadth). You must show documentation to buy a house or rent. Essentially, you’ll need it to engage in just about any level of function in this country.
This approach would require the government to provide a reliable and easy-to-use system for providers to check the status of a person. The provider will simply have to show the e-receipt of that inquiry. (For that matter, the inquiry would be recorded, so a paper copy wouldn’t necessarily be required.)
But it doesn’t end there. Getting that pink card means you must work toward citizenship within x-many years. The pink card expires on that date. You become illegal if you don’t achieve citizenship within that time (or if you get a legal deferment, which will also be a provision of the initiative.) And getting the pink card subjects you
to a background check. Some defined list of issues will get your pink card revoked and get you deported. And pink card holders would be limited in the amount and types of government assistance available to them. Essentially they would have to be employed to get food stamps or section-8 housing allowances or medicaid. To get full government assistance, obtain citizenship. Or go the route to get an actual green card, etc.
I think that the larger problem is employers not using the system to check a person. status. If they did and followed the law and not employ them, they would go elsewhere to find work. On the flip side, I do agree with the contention that some of those jobs are not attractive to citizens. Also, the vast majority of those folks who work do not break laws. And they pay into the employment tax system. Money that they can not claim.
The problem lies in the countries they are coming from and, concurrently, our own. This problem will continue to devolve. There are too many people on earth, resources are scarce and/or cannot be distributed. Conflict, displacement, and migration will accelerate. Meanwhile, the resources that support industrialized countries will continue to deplete. A perfect storm.
This is a repetitive post but at the turn of the 20th century my grandfather after losing his first wife to the “Spanish Flu” pandemic while waiting six years to emigrate to America finally arrived at Ellis Island from Italy.
Immigration law has changed somewhat since the European migration of the late 19th and early 20th century but you’ll never convince me or any other descendants of those immigrants that no mother ■■■■■■ has any right coming into this country illegally and given the dream for free that so many waited years to achieve. Sorry but anything worth wanting is worth waiting for. If their country is so ■■■■■■■ do something about it. Every one of these dung heaps gets American taxpayers money, and their “leaders” are corrupt criminals.
Why was the Biden administration outraged at the Border patrol for using horses which had obviously been purchased to be used just as they were using them? Because they might have actually been successful in stopping illegal aliens at our Border. Democrats do want the border open.
Even if Republicans take back the Presidency in 2024 and enforce our immigration laws for four or eight years, then whenever Democrats take over again they can just open the border up again and in a few months throw away anything that was achieved in the prior four years.
When the Biden administration says they want to fundamentally change this country…well they are now showing us what they mean.
The solution? Basically wave goodbye to the United States.
A general amnesty for illegals currently here who have committed no felonies.
In exchange, they forfeit the right to citizenship. They become permanent legal residents. Their children born on US soil are considered US citizens by the 14th amendment, jus soli. That will not change. Their parents can never become citizens. But they can live in the US permanently and provide for their families.
In addition, border control is strengthened tenfold over what it is now. All future illegals without appropriate paperwork are deported immediately and without question when located.
