What is the point of calling a nation a nation when it has no borders--no protected borders? It might as well be called the "open range". America is not an open range. It is ours. It must be protected, respected, and not treated as an open range.
I am, in no way, saying that we should not let in anyone or to get rid of all of the illegals. That would not be for our benefit. Casting out all illegals would also cost our country a lot of money.
So what do I think is the solution?
Here are the reforms that I would put in place if I were president:
(all viewers please understand that these are not promises if I were to ever enter politics in the future. These are thoughts that I have now and what I would do now based on the information that I have attained and the beliefs that I currently hold)
1. Enforce Border Security
Pretty much every nation has some border protection measures. It is not only a country's right, but it is a country's duty to its citizens.
Border Patrol is not enough. It tackles some people but it cannot tackle all the problems. Our country should consider placing military units all along the south border. The military exists to protect our great country. It is doing so abroad, supposedly, but should it not also protect us from the inside? We are criticized for having our military abroad. We are criticized for protecting our borders. Is our country supposed to just sit back and let the inevitable happen? Let anyone do what they want to us and to other countries (allies or possible allies)? Let anyone walk into our country? If so, who and what should we protect? Nobody? No!
2. Amnesty?
This is where presidential candidate Ron Paul and I differ. Saying no to all amnesty would cost our country a lot in immigrant tracking, deportation, etc.
Amnesty: the pardoning of those convicted of political offense. This does not have to include giving citizenship to such people necessarily.
I say that a date should be set. No amnesty beyond that point, but we need to deal with the illegal immigrants currently in-country. All illegals caught coming in from now until then should be apprehended and sent back.
All current illegals in-country should be given the opportunity to become visa holders (with multiple options for work and school). The visa should hold for four years as long as the immigrant is kept clean of drugs (based on random drug tests) and any other criminal activity except for minor traffic violations. To gain/maintain this "special visa", all immigrants who turn themselves in should be drug-tested and given background checks. If there is an issue then the immigrant should be sent back to their country of origin or to a country of their choice that would freely accept them. A fee of an appropriate amount should be set for the cost of the visa. Also, all who gain this "special" visa should be made to do some form of community service for at least two hours a week until their visa expires. Exceptions can be made for documented illness and family emergencies. All illegal immigrant children (age 18 and under) ought to have the right to their family and may stay in-country until their parents' special visa is expired. All children should have the opportunity to attend public schools and those who are age 14 and up, if they choose to do so, may work as long as they are also going to school and maintain at least a 3.0 GPA (out of 4.0) and have a minimum of 80% attendance.
On renewal of this visa one must leave the country for a period of three months before expiration. Children are excluded from this and if the parents decide to do so they can alternate in order to keep the children in-country. They may also be allowed, if leaving their job on a good-standing, to come back to their jobs with the same pay, benefits, and position as previously held in order to ensure that every three to four years the family would not have to restart.
3. Welfare State
This is where I agree with Ron Paul. Abolish it. No welfare incentive for illegals. One must have a visa or citizenship. This is an unnecessary cost.
(see also my future post on welfare reform that includes welfare having a time-limit and certain "community-service" related aspects)
4. Birthright Citizenship
I believe this is where our country has gone wrong. At least one parent should be a citizen for the born child to be also a citizen. A child to two visa-holding parents should be issued a visa that expires when the parents' expire. This does not protect the visa-holding or illegal parent from expiration or deportation. This prevents children from being for the soul manipulative reason of avoiding deportation and the legal process.
5. Gaining Citizenship
A person on the special visa may attain citizenship through the normal legal way or through several other ways. They can join the military and serve for a full four years (excluding honorable discharge, dishonorable discharge would result in either prison time, revocation of citizenship and deportation to country of origin, or put on visa status--the decision would be made by the court martial that gave him/her the dishonorable discharge--note: the possibility of prison time is not much different than it is for citizens when it comes to dishonorable discharge.)
Exemplary Schollar Award--All visa-holding students who attend high school for four years in America may attain citizenship if they have maintained a 95% attendance rate, at least a 3.9 GPA, scored at least a 30 on the ACT and its equivalent on the SAT, and, of course, received their diploma. This is not all--the student would then receive an extension on their visa, have to be enrolled in a university of their choice, and graduate with a bachelors with at least a 3.0 (out of 4.0 GPA). The reason for this?--It would be a shame for us to let go of those who could intellectually benefit our society.
Note--this last one may be seen as a liberal view. Perhaps it is. This is just a very demanding but second chance opportunity for the young who it may not have been their choice in the first place to come illegally. This idea comes from the realization that parents can drag their children through certain circumstances.
6. State Rights
States are obligated to protect their citizens if the national government fails to do so and may make any precautions that get passed by their legislation concerning illegal immigration and other such issues. Well, actually that is a real deal but it is often disrespected by the national government. Ex. Arizona. This decision is to be made by the state legal system--with or without consultation of the national government.
I am, in no way, saying that we should not let in anyone or to get rid of all of the illegals. That would not be for our benefit. Casting out all illegals would also cost our country a lot of money.
So what do I think is the solution?
Here are the reforms that I would put in place if I were president:
(all viewers please understand that these are not promises if I were to ever enter politics in the future. These are thoughts that I have now and what I would do now based on the information that I have attained and the beliefs that I currently hold)
1. Enforce Border Security
Pretty much every nation has some border protection measures. It is not only a country's right, but it is a country's duty to its citizens.
Border Patrol is not enough. It tackles some people but it cannot tackle all the problems. Our country should consider placing military units all along the south border. The military exists to protect our great country. It is doing so abroad, supposedly, but should it not also protect us from the inside? We are criticized for having our military abroad. We are criticized for protecting our borders. Is our country supposed to just sit back and let the inevitable happen? Let anyone do what they want to us and to other countries (allies or possible allies)? Let anyone walk into our country? If so, who and what should we protect? Nobody? No!
2. Amnesty?
This is where presidential candidate Ron Paul and I differ. Saying no to all amnesty would cost our country a lot in immigrant tracking, deportation, etc.
Amnesty: the pardoning of those convicted of political offense. This does not have to include giving citizenship to such people necessarily.
I say that a date should be set. No amnesty beyond that point, but we need to deal with the illegal immigrants currently in-country. All illegals caught coming in from now until then should be apprehended and sent back.
All current illegals in-country should be given the opportunity to become visa holders (with multiple options for work and school). The visa should hold for four years as long as the immigrant is kept clean of drugs (based on random drug tests) and any other criminal activity except for minor traffic violations. To gain/maintain this "special visa", all immigrants who turn themselves in should be drug-tested and given background checks. If there is an issue then the immigrant should be sent back to their country of origin or to a country of their choice that would freely accept them. A fee of an appropriate amount should be set for the cost of the visa. Also, all who gain this "special" visa should be made to do some form of community service for at least two hours a week until their visa expires. Exceptions can be made for documented illness and family emergencies. All illegal immigrant children (age 18 and under) ought to have the right to their family and may stay in-country until their parents' special visa is expired. All children should have the opportunity to attend public schools and those who are age 14 and up, if they choose to do so, may work as long as they are also going to school and maintain at least a 3.0 GPA (out of 4.0) and have a minimum of 80% attendance.
On renewal of this visa one must leave the country for a period of three months before expiration. Children are excluded from this and if the parents decide to do so they can alternate in order to keep the children in-country. They may also be allowed, if leaving their job on a good-standing, to come back to their jobs with the same pay, benefits, and position as previously held in order to ensure that every three to four years the family would not have to restart.
3. Welfare State
This is where I agree with Ron Paul. Abolish it. No welfare incentive for illegals. One must have a visa or citizenship. This is an unnecessary cost.
(see also my future post on welfare reform that includes welfare having a time-limit and certain "community-service" related aspects)
4. Birthright Citizenship
I believe this is where our country has gone wrong. At least one parent should be a citizen for the born child to be also a citizen. A child to two visa-holding parents should be issued a visa that expires when the parents' expire. This does not protect the visa-holding or illegal parent from expiration or deportation. This prevents children from being for the soul manipulative reason of avoiding deportation and the legal process.
5. Gaining Citizenship
A person on the special visa may attain citizenship through the normal legal way or through several other ways. They can join the military and serve for a full four years (excluding honorable discharge, dishonorable discharge would result in either prison time, revocation of citizenship and deportation to country of origin, or put on visa status--the decision would be made by the court martial that gave him/her the dishonorable discharge--note: the possibility of prison time is not much different than it is for citizens when it comes to dishonorable discharge.)
Exemplary Schollar Award--All visa-holding students who attend high school for four years in America may attain citizenship if they have maintained a 95% attendance rate, at least a 3.9 GPA, scored at least a 30 on the ACT and its equivalent on the SAT, and, of course, received their diploma. This is not all--the student would then receive an extension on their visa, have to be enrolled in a university of their choice, and graduate with a bachelors with at least a 3.0 (out of 4.0 GPA). The reason for this?--It would be a shame for us to let go of those who could intellectually benefit our society.
Note--this last one may be seen as a liberal view. Perhaps it is. This is just a very demanding but second chance opportunity for the young who it may not have been their choice in the first place to come illegally. This idea comes from the realization that parents can drag their children through certain circumstances.
6. State Rights
States are obligated to protect their citizens if the national government fails to do so and may make any precautions that get passed by their legislation concerning illegal immigration and other such issues. Well, actually that is a real deal but it is often disrespected by the national government. Ex. Arizona. This decision is to be made by the state legal system--with or without consultation of the national government.
