Posted on 11/10/2005 7:09:08 PM PST by Icelander
President Bush seems impaled on the false choice of appealing to the Hispanic vote or enforcing laws against illegal immigration. Politically, legally and morally there is no conflict — and there is a great deal of synergy — among these objectives.
Bush, searching for a way to recapture the national agenda, needs to seize this issue and make it his own. A full and reasoned program will galvanize national support and unite the nation behind tough measures to enforce our laws and maximize opportunities for those who already live here legally.
Bush needs to:
• Back the fence. Walls work. Just as the Israelis whose West Bank fence keeps terrorists out and has reduced terrorist attacks inside Israel to a fraction of their former number and intensity. Good fences make good neighbors and the United States should act to regularize the traffic of immigrants into the country by the kind of border control that only a well positioned fence can offer. This is no Great Wall of China seeking futilely to keep out the rest of the world. It would be a modern, high tech affair, spotting breaches and relaying the information to highly mobile border guard units to plug them up.
• Establish a legal guest-worker program. Nobody can deny the manifest need of Americans — both individuals and businesses — for the work that currently illegal immigrants provide. They would not be coming if they did not have access to jobs, and there would be no work if there were no demand.
Bush’s current program for legal guest workers is a good one and should be adopted in the context of broader immigration reform. But the plan should include a track to citizenship for these workers, providing certain criteria — such as English fluency, English literacy and no arrest record — to let them earn the right to become American citizens.
A guest-worker program will end the leper colony within our borders of disenfranchised, invisible illegals who have no rights and no responsibilities.
• Prosecute visa overstays. Half of the people who live here illegally entered the United States with legal visas and overstayed them. All 19 of the Sept. 11 hijackers came here under the law and then stayed on after their visas had expired (or should have been revoked because they did not attend school, having entered on student visas).
That we cannot rid our country of these illegal immigrants is hard to understand. We have their names, photos, fingerprints, addresses and phone numbers, but we do not deport them.
The main reason for their immunity is the lack of deportation judges and courts and the inadequate number of holding cells for detainees. Of the 160,000 people the United States arrested as illegal immigrants last year, 120,000 were released, without bail, back onto our streets. We need a massive expansion of judicial infrastructure to cope with the problems of illegal visa overstays.
President Clinton helped to lower the crime rate by doubling the prison space under his 1994 anti-crime bill. We need a commitment of similar magnitude.
• Regularize cash shipments home. A vital form of foreign aid for Mexico and the impoverished countries of Central America is the remittances sent each week by illegal immigrants to their families back home.
Last year, Mexican men working here sent $11 billion to their wives and children — the second leading source of foreign-currency earnings after oil for the nation. We need to regularize this flow of cash and provide immigrants with security, bank accounts and low-cost ways to send money home.
Combating illegal immigration need not smack of racism. It is important to all American citizens — Latinos and Anglos — and is in the national interest. But it is also in our interest to allow immigrants to come and settle here legally.
Immigration is keeping America young and vital. If not for the annual flow of 3 million people — about half legal and half illegal — we would be much like the nations of Europe, losing population and watching their populations age. But we cannot afford the current chaotic flow of immigrants over a theoretical border. We need to enforce the law and make it fair.
Morris is a looney, there are plenty of venues to come here legally. No need to add any new laws, just enforce them.
I agree with many parts of your post .. but 1) I cannot support the building of a wall. Historically walls/fences have all failed in the long term. Partial list off the top of my head .. Hadrian's Wall, Great Wall of China, Maginot Line, medieval castles, Berlin wall ..walls of the past are tourist attractions of today .. How many countries of today are walled off? .. yet history is full of leaders building walls. Can we be sure that "modern high tech walls" will be any different?
Proverbs 17:19
He who loves a quarrel loves sin; he who builds a high gate invites destruction.
Surely there are ways to keep out those who wish to leech the system without imprisoning oneself?
2) Illegal aliens who don't want to leech the system and have proven it shouldnt be deported. Although they broke the law to get here, but if they love the United States and genuinely make amends the crime should be forgiven. Why be cruel to those who are genuinely sorry and making contributions to the country? Even though deporting them would "send a message", so would secure borders and a system that doesnt offer social welfare to those who don't contribute. The Bible says that God loves the alien (Deuteronomy 10:17, Zechariah 7:10, Leviticus 19:10, Ezekiel 22:29 Deuteronomy 24:14 ..etc).
I believe we should offer amnesty to these poor CRIMINAL INVADERS.
Give them 2 weeks to get the HE!! out of our country.
Bury the ones who don't honor this amnesty in jail or __.
Give huge fines and jail time to all of their aiders or abettors, private or government.
see # 4
I bet France wishes that they built a wall
The laws on the books that guided our integration policy of the past is good enough for today. Unfortunately, our elected officials have been paid off to deliver cheap wages and they continue to offer the smoke screen of "guest worker" programs.
If they take a look at Europe they'll see what is about to happen in the US. A combination Mexican/Muslim invasion is upon us.
Yup...keep your powder dry
Why yes he does and do our congresspeople! And, if they don't they will all be looking for new jobs next election cycle. Aloha and good-bye if they don't take these issues seriously.
It also says in the bible quoting Jesus, , the most important commandments is to love God with all your heart mind and strength and the second commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself. If there is no respect for authority, but we offer charity instead, then we are putting the 2nd commandment in front of the 1st.
ping
Huh? Just forgive them for breaking our laws for years? Sure, if you want to set that precedent then be prepared to let all the con men, swindler, embezzelers, rapists, etc. go free. If you forgive one crime why not all?
Although they broke the law to get here, but if they love the United States and genuinely make amends the crime should be forgiven.
How do you prove you 'love the United States'? Make them swear on the Bible? If they've been lying for years why would they tell the truth now?
Why be cruel to those who are genuinely sorry and making contributions to the country?
Again, how does one prove they are genuinely sorry? How does someone who is here illegally, leeching off of our system contribute?
By the way, I don't recall us adopting the Bible for our laws. Why do you keep quoting the Bible in regards to illegals?
Do you feel the same way about American lawbreakers? If an American commits a misdemeanor, but that American loves the United States and genuinely makes amends, should their crime be forgiven? I mean, why be cruel to those who are genuinely sorry and are making contributions to this country?
I disagree with everything that you have posted.
Other's posts above mine give some of the reasons.
Isn't one of the Commandments, "Thou Shall not Steal"?
These criminals stole their way into my country, steal their way north to an illegal job provided by a criminal and then further steal from me by not paying their way, IE, hospital bills, prison space and welfare, Etc.
You are wrong and quoting the Bible doesn't change a single thing.
Perhaps he feels the need to be led like a lamb to slaughter but I don't and I don't think you do either.
Bush has no intention of getting serious about border control. He's a globalist and THAT is his agenda. It's all about free trade and the agreements he's signed making us a part of the "Americas." He doesn't care about the Mexican votes, he's not running for anything. He want open borders, and anyone who can't see that is blind!
If you run for President next time, you have my vote.
"Bush has no intention of getting serious about border control. He's a globalist and THAT is his agenda. It's all about free trade and the agreements he's signed making us a part of the "Americas." He doesn't care about the Mexican votes, he's not running for anything. He want open borders, and anyone who can't see that is blind!"
Suitable for framing!
Protect our borders and coastlines from all foreign invaders!
Support our Minutemen Patriots!
Be Ever Vigilant ~ Bump!
He's selectively quoting the Bible, and deliberately ignoring the many verses that say the opposite of what he's trying to say. Like don't steal, don't covet, be in submission to the authorities over you, a city without walls is a bad thing, take care of those of your own household first, God sets the boundaries of the peoples, etc., etc.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.