Illegal Immigration - Three Step Solution

Illegal immigration is just that, Illegal.  Let us be clear, legal immigration is a good thing and should be encouraged.  America was founded on the backs of hard working immigrants from every corner of the world.  America must find a way that eases and encourages legal immigration.

Politicians on both sides of the isle continue to pander to both sides of the argument.  Politicians on the left and right are attempting to appear tough on crime while simultaneously sympathetic to this particular crime.  Politicians on both side of the isle are desperate to grab the potential in votes once illegal immigrants are somehow able to vote. 

Let’s get right to the three-step solution that solves all of the major issues surrounding illegal immigration.

Step One – Completely revamp the immigration process.  The entire process should not take longer than six months.  Applicants should:

•      Demonstrate a minimal ability to speak English

•      Demonstrate the ability to answer some very basic questions about U.S. Law and the Constitution and swear allegiance to this Nation

•      Have no criminal background in home country

•      Meet a minimum health screening to ensure that they are not bringing diseases that have previously been eradicated from the U.S.

•      Pay a minimum fee to cover the administrative costs of the above

Enacting step one will ease and expedite the legal process for becoming and American citizen.  Easing and expediting the process will reduce the need to cross illegally because there is a viable path to citizenship.  Step one will also reduce the financial burden now paid by taxpayers.

Step Two - Enact harsh fines and punishments for those who willfully employ illegal immigrants.  The IRS is the best suited for this process.  Well-trained IRS agents can quickly spot irregularities in production levels and profits versus payroll taxes.

Enacting and enforcing step two will eradicate the jobs that attract and keep illegal immigrants in (and coming to) this country.  Step two will also serve to force employers to pay their share in payroll taxes, Social Security, and Medicare.

Step Three – Enact a one-year amnesty program whereby illegal immigrants may come forward, meet the standards outlined in Step One and become a citizen.  By coming forward under the amnesty program immigrants are formally confessing to the crime of entering the United States illegally and will immediately be classed as a felon.  Under this amnesty/felony act, there will be NO jail sentence or fines.

Enacting and enforcing step three will provide a means for those (estimated around 20 million) who are already here to become a citizen.  This mitigates the insurmountable task of “deporting” twenty million human beings.  Step three preserves and respects the rule of law by punishing those who broke U.S. Law.  For example, these people will not be able to own a firearm or to vote.

Failing to act only continues to oppress these immigrants by forcing good, hard-working people to live under the system rather than participating in it.  Failing to act forces these people to live in poverty and without basic human rights.  Failing to act allows employers to take advantage of what is now a sub-class of our society.

This plan addresses the problems causing illegal immigration without giving a “free” pass to the front of the line.  These steps protect immigrants from harsh labor conditions, from the potential for sexual harassment and/or abuse, as well as bring them under the safety protections of labor safety standards.  These steps protect immigrants by ensuring that they will now be paid a minimum wage.  By enacting these steps, the U.S. Border Patrol will spend little to no time and energy securing the border.  The Border Patrol can now focus all resources on drug trafficking and criminal crossings.  The human trafficking industry will literally disappear.