Thursday, February 6, 2014

Immigration?

I realized that I have been lagging posting here on my blog. After reading two different blogs/web pages on the subject, I felt I must weigh in on it. I left a comment on Speaker Boehner's website but didn't really say all that I wanted to say. My first consideration in the immigration debate is that our borders are porous and we have no idea who really is coming here. Yes, I am sure there are those (families and adults) who want to work and make a better life and/or send money to poor relatives. That is not the point. If these same people's homes were invaded in Mexico (or wherever), it would be illegal, right? They'd take what measures they could to protect their loved ones and things of value.

Why is it so difficult for these same people to understand that coming here "under the cover of darkness" is no different? We are supposed to feel sorry for them because they "live in the shadows". They make that choice once they cross our borders to live like that. I know they are hard workers. I live in northern California where there is a large population of illegals that work in landscaping, gardening, labor, farming, etc. I see they work hard and the sad thing is that they work "under the table" and are taken advantage of. They are paid low wages that are way below minimum wage The reasoning (I say excuse) is "to keep the price of food down" - that is one of them anyway. Or they pay low wages because  THEY CAN. Who are the illegals going to go to? Again, though, they make this choice to live and work like this.

I keep hearing "comprehensive immigration reform" and I agree with Thomas Sowell that it is really a huge plan for amnesty. I also agree with Senator Rand Paul that Congress should take all these types of issues and break them down into manageable parts. In the case of immigration, the first thing we should do is truly secure our borders. Build a real fence (there are parts of the southwest that have already built them). The fence should have no "break" in them. In other words, 300 yards down from the edge of the beautiful, high-tech fence is nothing. So what good does fencing do if it is not consistent? Yes, of course, there will be "border towns" and border checkpoints. There would have to be - we can't just shut down Tijuana or Nogales and such.  Let's take some of those returning from Afghanistan and Iraq to guard the fences. Heck, I bet there some unemployed folks who could do the job as well!

The point is before we do anything else, we must secure our borders and no half-measures either. Then move on to step two: reform ICE and DHS. Why do we need several alphabet agencies doing the same things. Think of the money we'd save if we did that! Completely re-write the immigration laws so that it doesn't take a law degree to fill out the necessary paperwork. We need to keep track of those who are here on temporary visas. Let's take a look at the types of skills we need here. In case no one has noticed, we have an unemployment problem here  What point is there to let U. S. unemployed workers compete with those that are wanting to work here too? I realize common sense is in short supply these days but we better start finding some.

Lastly, the thing I want to touch on (there is far more to this problem than the above) is what do we do with those who are here already illegally? What do we do with their children who came with their parents not intentionally breaking the law? To be brutally honest, they need to take responsibility for their illegal acts. It is not our problem they made the choice to break our laws. I read in a comment tonight that there are a lot of children whose parents are in jail or prison right now, today. I am not talking about children of the illegal immigrants either. I am referring to those children of felons, some of which have committed heinous crimes. Is it our duty to take them into our homes and take care of them? NO! So why do we have this guilt thing about those children whose parents broke the law in coming here? Do you see the logic in what I am saying?

Let us come up with some rational solutions with no accusations of bigotry or racism. We can't solve a problem by calling each other names when we disagree, can we? Just some thoughts.