My Take On Illegal Immigration

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Fahrenheit

The most realistic solution is a flexible program of “earned adjustment,” often referred to as “earned legalization.” A flexible earned adjustment program requires undocumented immigrants to earn legal status by demonstrating past work history, paying significant fines, undergoing rigorous security and background checks, learning English and American civics, and making good on any back taxes, among other criteria. Undocumented immigrants who successfully jump through all of these hoops do not gain preferential treatment over others who have been waiting for their green cards. Rather, they simply earn the opportunity to apply for permanent residence and to get in line behind those who applied before them.

Contrary to the claims of some opponents, earned legalization is not an “amnesty.” By definition, amnesty is an automatic pardon, or free pass, granted to a group of people who do not have to do anything in return and are not penalized in any way for their past actions. Earned legalization, on the other hand, would impose stringent requirements and substantial penalties, while allowing the undocumented population to come clean with the U.S. government, maintain family and community ties, and continue fulfilling essential roles
in our national economy.

It should not though be any faster than someone that might try to emmigrate here legally and then apply for citizenship

Thanks for the post

[Brett Prince]

Thanks, PP, for actually responding to my previous post.

Brethren, we are not going to solve this in a way that makes everybody happy--nor in a way that everybody thinks is fair. We are going to have to put forth a comprehensive process that attempts to address as much of the "human side" of the issue as possible, while taking great care to cover the "security side" of the issue.

There are going to be holes in the process, ways to slip through, and we will have to fix those, too.

But, two things...

1) We didn't get into this overnight, and we aren't going to get out of it any quicker than we got in.

2) We surely can't leave things as they are and expect everything to be okay. We must attempt SOMETHING.

Now, two more things...

1) We can't change our character and stop being compassionate...criminalizing everybody who is here attempting to surivive.

2) We can't just let my our borders remain so open that a terrorist can get through and all of our low end jobs are taken.

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Brett Prince

2) We surely can't leave things as they are and expect everything to be okay. We must attempt SOMETHING.

Attempt something as far as what?

[Brett Prince]

Some of these "low-end" jobs that illegals are taking that Americans WILL DO...

Factory work
Drywalling (in Farmington, NM, and southern Colorado--the majority of drywallers are white, American citizens--with a few legal immigrants and a few hispanice citizens--in El Paso, TX--they are illegal workers that come across the border to the jobs)
Running a tractor
Changing tires
Working in a flea market
Mowing lawns
Landscaping (I know of two US CITIZENS that have their own landscaping business here, and do the majority of the work themselves--no illegals needed)

[Brett Prince]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

Attempt something as far as what?

To fix the open borders and stop terrorists.

Originally Posted by Fahrenheit

The most realistic solution is a flexible program of “earned adjustment,” often referred to as “earned legalization.” A flexible earned adjustment program requires undocumented immigrants to earn legal status by demonstrating past work history, paying significant fines, undergoing rigorous security and background checks, learning English and American civics, and making good on any back taxes, among other criteria. Undocumented immigrants who successfully jump through all of these hoops do not gain preferential treatment over others who have been waiting for their green cards. Rather, they simply earn the opportunity to apply for permanent residence and to get in line behind those who applied before them.

Contrary to the claims of some opponents, earned legalization is not an “amnesty.” By definition, amnesty is an automatic pardon, or free pass, granted to a group of people who do not have to do anything in return and are not penalized in any way for their past actions. Earned legalization, on the other hand, would impose stringent requirements and substantial penalties, while allowing the undocumented population to come clean with the U.S. government, maintain family and community ties, and continue fulfilling essential roles
in our national economy.

Originally Posted by Praxeas

It should not though be any faster than someone that might try to emmigrate here legally and then apply for citizenship

Thanks for the post

highlighted comment above already addresses that concern

The need for immigration reform is no longer in question: our immigration system is broken. Any long-term solution to our nation’s immigration problems must begin with a comprehensive approach to reform that addresses all aspects of our immigration system. Piecemeal reforms have been tried, and they have failed. Our government has pursued a tough enforcement-focused strategy for the past ten years, and the flow of undocumented immigrants has only increased. The evidence speaks for itself. Virtually everyone—from national security experts and chambers of commerce to religious leaders and labor unions—who has studied our immigration system agrees: an enforcement-only approach simply will not work, and the only viable path to a lasting and meaningful solution is holistic, comprehensive reform.

Specifically, any effective reform program must:

1) encourage the undocumented population to come out of the shadows and earn legal status

2) provide fair and lawful ways for American businesses to hire much-needed immigrant workers

3) reduce the unreasonable and counterproductive backlogs in family-based and employment-based immigration by reforming the permanent immigration system

4) protect our national security and the rule of law while preserving and restoring fundamental principles of due process and equal protection.

[Brett Prince]

Originally Posted by Fahrenheit

Specifically, any effective reform program must:

1) encourage the undocumented population to come out of the shadows and earn legal status

2) provide fair and lawful ways for American businesses to hire much-needed
immigrant workers

3) reduce the unreasonable and counterproductive backlogs in family-based and employment-based immigration by reforming the permanent immigration system

4) protect our national security and the rule of law while preserving and restoring fundamental principles of due process and equal protection.

Amen to every point.

Originally Posted by Fahrenheit

The most realistic solution is a flexible program of “earned adjustment,” often referred to as “earned legalization.” A flexible earned adjustment program requires undocumented immigrants to earn legal status by demonstrating past work history, paying significant fines, undergoing rigorous security and background checks, learning English and American civics, and making good on any back taxes, among other criteria. Undocumented immigrants who successfully jump through all of these hoops do not gain preferential treatment over others who have been waiting for their green cards. Rather, they simply earn the opportunity to apply for permanent residence and to get in line behind those who applied before them.

Contrary to the claims of some opponents, earned legalization is not an “amnesty.” By definition, amnesty is an automatic pardon, or free pass, granted to a group of people who do not have to do anything in return and are not penalized in any way for their past actions. Earned legalization, on the other hand, would impose stringent requirements and substantial penalties, while allowing the undocumented population to come clean with the U.S. government, maintain family and community ties, and continue fulfilling essential roles
in our national economy.

Originally Posted by Praxeas

It should not though be any faster than someone that might try to emmigrate here legally and then apply for citizenship

Thanks for the post

the comment in red already addresses this concern

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Brett Prince

Some of these "low-end" jobs that illegals are taking that Americans WILL DO...

Factory work
Drywalling (in Farmington, NM, and southern Colorado--the majority of drywallers are white, American citizens--with a few legal immigrants and a few hispanice citizens--in El Paso, TX--they are illegal workers that come across the border to the jobs)
Running a tractor
Changing tires
Working in a flea market
Mowing lawns
Landscaping (I know of two US CITIZENS that have their own landscaping business here, and do the majority of the work themselves--no illegals needed)

Exactly and I know some American citizens that also do landscaping.