A rational way to address immigration reform is to think of it as a multi-step process. Contrary to other opinions we do not need to paralyze ourselves until we can formulate a single integrated process. I believe that the Republican party should commit to the following policies:

1. We must first learn to control entry and exit of foreign national from our country. Without this control nothing else is possible.
2. Second we must make some tough decisions about how many people we can accept each year and what the qualifications for long-term residency in this country should be. It makes no sense to consider the problems of current illegal immigrants without knowing what is in the best interest of this nation in the long run.
3.  Only after we have gained control on immigration of new persons, both at the borders and via other methods, such a visitor and student visas, and can control these factors. And after we have determined what factors are in our long term best interests with respect to adding to our immigrant population, can we then look at what to do with those persons that are already here in contravention to our existing laws. I believe that we should be tough and fair. We must be tough to make sure that all persons understand that we intend to enforce our laws. In being fair we must teach that there are rewards for patience and obedience to our laws and the there are penalties sufficient to discourage disobedience to those same laws. We must remember that there are many people waiting outside our country that want to come here and that have chosen to abide by our laws while those who have come here uninvited are like the school lunch line bullies that butted in line ahead of others.

The idea of a single integrated solution to our immigration problems is, I believe, a fools mission and Republicans should reject this out of hand in favor of a phased approach.

Controlling Entry and Exit

The problems of controlling our southern border are perhaps the most highly publicized problems concerning entry and exit of non citizens, but they are by no means the only problems. We also have issues with people coming here with our permission to visit or to study and then not leaving when they should.

It is important to be able to control entry and exit of non-citizens for reasons of national security, for public health reasons, and for economic reasons as well.

Until the Mexican government cleans up their own house they should they their trap shut. Let them lead by example before they lecture us on how to treat illegal immigrants. Let them clean up their government and economy so that more people will choose to stay home in the first place.

Our northern border gets less attention, because we don’t see as many people crossing illegally from Canada. That does not mean that it doesn’t happen. Canada’s immigration policies are more lax than ours which is a problem that must be addressed. Our Canadian friends seem more likely to work with us than against us, I would hope we can work out cooperative efforts to keep out those who want to hurt this country. I believe that we need better control over our northern border as well, but I think that with the better cooperation of the Canadian government we can dispense with anything like a fence. Technology like UAVs and other remote sensors should be our force multipliers on the northern border along with a larger contingent of border patrol agents.

I don’t know the status of our Coast Guards efforts. Entry by sea is more difficult, but we need to be able work with foreign governments to ensure that ships are double checked for cargo and people before they head here. We need more checks at sea, and more effective technology to aid those checks. And we need more port security as well.

We need, and I believe we are already deploying more effective tracking systems at other points of entry, at airports, and border crossings but we need to expand those systems and add support internally to ensure that people are here for the reasons they say they are here. We need the cooperation of colleges and universities in telling us when a foreign student ceases his or her studies at those schools. We need some means of tracking people while they are here. I know that in Europe when you stay at a hotel you often must give them your passport. I don’t know if we do that here. There are those who will say that I am being paranoid or that such a level of tracking is inconsistent with a free society. I am not sure how to reply. If we want it to stay a free society we must find ways to not be taken advantage of.

Deciding on a Rational and Fair Immigration Policy

It is pretty obvious that our current immigration policies are not serving the needs of the nation well. Our economy appears to need workers at both levels of the skills continuum. How many people we actually need is in constant debate. One point that seems to be ignored, however, is the matter of assimilation. 

Our founders were rightly concerned that those who came here to live did everything possible to blend into the giant melting pot; they wanted immigrants to identify with this nation and our values. Teddy Roosevelt did not believe that it was possible to hold allegiance to two nations. He did not believe that one should be able to hold dual citizenship.

Other issues deal with the practicalities of life in this country. 

If one is to live here then one should learn the English language. It is alright to keep your heritage and to speak your native tongue in your home and in your own ethnic community, but it should not be the job of this government to accommodate the many foreign immigrants by printing government documents in a multitude of foreign languages. When it comes to schooling total immersion is the way to go. It is alright to provide extra help in learning our language, but all other courses should be taught in English. Data shows that efforts in multi-lingual education only delays and interferes with the assimilation process. And it costs additional taxpayer dollars that could be better spent elsewhere or not spent at all.

Our immigration policies already dictate that immigrants be double checked for infectious diseases. This is design to protect our population. I sympathize with those that may be excluded by these policies, but the answer is to find a way to help them rid themselves of the disease before entering the country, not ignoring the problem.

Immigration policies should also look at the education level of immigrants. Data clearly shows that adults with less than a high school education end up costing this country more in terms of government services that they return in taxes. It is simply not a formula for success. On the other side of the coin we have quota systems that limit people entering from specific countries. I think that any quota system should be more skills based than on country of origin.

Finally, we should ask that anyone coming here to live be asked to study and learn our history and values. That is part of what assimilation is about. 

P.S. Because there are those that will view my requirements as harsh or not compassionate, including members of my own church and perhaps even my own family, I intend to address that side of the issue as well… just not here.

Dealing with the Illegal Population Already Here

At the beginning of this article I said that regarding those who came here illegally that we need to be tough and fair. This will be the most contentious issue and that is why I left it until last.

 The administration and others have argued that it would be impossible to hunt down and forcefully remove those that are already here. I agree, but it would not be all that hard to make living here without permission very unpleasant and thus encourage many illegal immigrants to repatriate themselves voluntarily.

I believe that we should handle the situation in a way similar the way you would handle a child that butts into the school lunch line. You send them to the back of the line. In coming here illegally these people have bypassed many others that have been patiently waiting for their turn to enter the United States. They have taken jobs, and housing that rightfully should belong to those who abide by our laws. It is not mean or racist to say to an individual that if you choose to live here you will abide by our laws without exception. We will need tools to enforce these rules and they should have been decided in step two. 

We will need tamper proof identity papers. We may even need to upgrade those papers used by lawful citizens including birth certificates, social security cards, drivers licenses, and passports. Some of this is already being upgraded, but the work must be comprehensive.

We need effective laws to prevent the employment of illegal workers. Penalties for employers should be high enough to effectively discourage such employment, but tools to help them avoid the penalties should also be readily available. 

We also need tools to help employers find legal workers to soften any dislocations to the economy. We need tools to match those new immigrants to employers willing to commit to keep them employed. We may even need local and state business councils that can learn to share the responsibilities for keeping these new workers gainfully employed. You will notice that I always prefer private solutions to government solutions when possible and local solutions over state or national solutions where possible. That is part of Republican philosophy as I know it.

We need bilateral agreements with foreign nations to ensure that they will take back their citizens. We might make free trade between these nations and ours contingent on cooperation in this area. We should arrange for criminal aliens to serve their time in prisons in their home countries, even if this means subsidizing the process. It would probably cost less than incarcerating the criminals here, so long as we can guarantee that they would not be let go before serving their terms.

We may also need assistance programs for those who turn themselves in to help them return to their home country or another nation. This should not be just a hand-out however. If they have assets here in the US, those assets should be used first to finance the deportation. They should forfeit any social security payments they have made while here illegally. If there are no assets upon which to draw they should incur a recorded debt that they will be required to repay in some manner should they be readmitted.

The policy of granting automatic citizenship to a person born here should be changed. I do not believe that this requires a Constitutional Amendment because the 14th Amendment requires that persons born here be subject to the laws of the United States. If the parents are here illegally they are obviously not acting under our laws. Having read some of the debate leading up to passage of the 14th Amendment, I believe that this is in keeping with the intent of the law.

• First of all what is there to guarantee that the fine will actually be paid? 
• If the fine is not paid, then what is the penalty? 
• What happens to those that take the chance that they won’t get caught? 
• Will there be an increased penalty for them then? If so, what will it be? 
• How does any of this help the persons that obey our laws find a job and a place to live? 
• Why do these legislators think that a $5,000 fine is a real penalty? 

• Is $5,000 and appropriate penalty for stealing that amount of money from the taxpayers of New Jersey?