Immigration Issues

This whole immigration deal is too big not to weigh in on. The first thing I think reading this article and seeing some of the pictures both in this article and on TV recently is man, I love seeing those people waving that American flag. Too often the TV shows images of people in other countries burning that beautiful flag that so many of our forefathers fought and died for. To see people who want to be a part of this country waving it proudly gives me a thrill. That's the way it really is - almost anyone anywhere in the world, including the very same people that are burning our flag, would leap at the chance to live in America - and it's only just that it's portrayed that way for a change.

Now to the difficult issues. The first issue is the borders. Our borders must be secured. That's not even up for discussion. I'm all for people coming into our country but we have to know who's coming in, why they're coming in, how long they're going to be here, etc. Our economy needs hardworking people from all over the world. We need like-minded people who respect the rule of law and who want to build a better future for their families. I'm for that 100%. The problem with open borders is that it allows people who don't contribute and who wish us harm to potentially enter our country as well. We can't have that.

Once our borders are secured, who should we let in? As I outlined, we want people who are going to contribute. We need hardworking people who are willing to roll up their sleeves and help our economy continue to grow. I don't know if that means we have to limit the number of people that come in every year or what but securing the borders does mean that deporting people becomes a real threat. As the lady in the article said, "They kick us out, weÂ?re coming back tomorrow." Given the currently porous borders there's no way to enforce basic principles on those coming into the country. People coming in should be documented (possibly including providing them with an ID card) and have a hearing scheduled for a year or so out. At that hearing they should be able to demonstrate a basic knowledge of the English language and the American society. This isn't a citizenship exam but should cover the essentials. They should also be able to demonstrate a work history and things like that. Removing the minimum wage and moving from an income tax based system to something like FairTax would make integration people into our economy that much easier and more productive but that's a different discussion.

The toughest issue is what do we do with the people who are already in the country illegally once we close the borders. Honestly, there's not an easy answer to that question. I can see both sides of the debate. I can see how people oppose blanket amnesty. You never want to encourage people to ignore the rule of law, one of the most basic principles of our country. I can also understand the argument that many of these people, even though they're here illegally, have contributed to our economy and we don't want to just kick them out. I think the best resolution is some sort of a compromise. I think there should be a window, perhaps one year, where people currently here illegally can apply for entry into the US just like anyone else. There would be no fear of expulsion if they register but they would be subject to the same requirements as anyone else entering the country. They would also have to pay some sort of a penalty. It could be something from a fine to having them volunteer to help educate and assimilate others coming into the country. If they don't register during that window and if they don't abide by the terms of the agreement then they'll be subject to deportation. I understand this solution may not be ideal but sometimes there's not an ideal solution to a situation.

I want to go ahead andacknowledgee the fact that I said assimilate. I want to clarify what I mean by that. There must be things that the entire nation is willing to presuppose in order for the nation to exist and function as a nation. People in our country have to be able to speak a common language and abide by a common set of laws. That doesn't mean we should all be the same. We have to use common sense. The way people dress, the foods they eat, there are plenty of cultural things that people should be allowed to continue. I'd go so far as to say that these are cultural things that we as Americans should encourage. Diversity is a beautiful thing, it really is. Life would be no fun if we all dressed the same, laughed at the same jokes, walked the same, liked the same foods, and on and on and on. At the same time, even appreciating diversity is a common trait. Someone once said if not for the dark then we couldn't recognize the light. By the same token, if not for things in common then we wouldn't be able to recognize the differences. Assimilation has been made out by some to be a dirty word. It shouldn't be. It doesn't mean that we all become identical. It just means that we have things that we accept in common. We have a common basis, a common foundation.

If this wasn't already obvious, I don't have all of the answers. I recognize that people have to be able to enter the country. If people weren't allowed into the country then none of us would be here. That outlook has to be weighed against the fact that we have to maintain a level of security for us all. We as a nation should welcome with open arms those who want to share a common foundation with us: things like language, an appreciation for family values, a robust economy, opportunity, and most importantly freedom.