My Take On Illegal Immigration

[Brett Prince]

Guys, I want to weigh in, but I'm just about certain I will be shot from both sides. Oh well... I should live a little.

I vehemently protest calling illegal immigrants "criminals." I see them as doing what many of us do when we break the speed limit. Yes, we have BROKEN the LAW--but are we criminals? The vast majority of these people are folks who cannot make a decent life for themselves in their home country (Mexico), and are simply attempting to survive. I would have to agree that they are breaking the law, but I would also have to say that there are cases where I would break the law if I felt the law was opposing the welfare of my family, or if were in opposition to what I felt was in the moral and spiritual interest of my family. I would not feel that I was being a criminal. I would consider a criminal someone who is doing deliberate harm to another, with evil intention. Coming over here to work DOES NOT apply. The very words "criminal" is perjorative in this case.

I vehemently protest putting illegal immigrants on a shortened path to citizenship. They should be placed at the back end of the line behind those who have waited and done this legally. I do NOT oppose their eventually becoming citizens. If this proposal truly handles this appropriately, then I could support that provision. I am not sure that it does. It may say it does, but paper and ink is so much waste if it is not airtight.

I vehemently protest any form of amnesty without some minimum changes prior to it. The proposal to up our border security is a welcome idea, but "half" the fence is a rather sour idea to me. How about "all" of it first? A national id card for illegal immigrants? I am dubious. I have no problem with it, in that most American citizens carry a driver's license and a social security card...why should immigrants not be required to do the same? On the other hand, if you can duplicate a driver's license, a social security card, a passport, etc., you can duplicate a national id card. This just makes room for more corruption.

I am for a border fence, technological barriers, and boots on the ground. I am also for a guest worker program, and I believe we can sustain a decent sized one.

I think the fine idea is a nice idea, but it amounts to so much blather. It will be reduced, forgiven, etc.