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Immigration
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The United States is a land of opportunity, founded on the radical notion of E Pluribus Unum: “From many, comes One.” As such, this nation has always welcomed immigrants regardless of national origin.
After Congress passed immigration reform in 1986, the federal government did not live up to its promises of enforcement. As a result, the United States is facing its current illegal immigration crisis.
It is the responsibility of the federal government to control our borders and ports of entry and in doing so to regain the trust of the American people. Then, and only then, should Congress proceed with more comprehensive immigration reform. Amnesty, the granting of citizenship to anyone here illegally, is unacceptable.
Getting a handle on today’s crisis must begin with enforcing the rule of law and ensuring border security. It means creating a force multiplier by dedicating more resources to state and local law enforcement so that they can assist federal efforts.
Illegal aliens are drawn to the United States in the hope of economic prosperity, but our workforce must not be stocked through unlawful workers. Ultimately this serves to undermine legal American workers. Businesses must have a reliable and immediate means to verify a worker’s eligibility. Immigration control is the government’s job, not the employer’s.
Businesses which refuse to stop hiring cheap, illegal labor, must face stiff financial penalties. However, the federal government must also reform its current worker visa programs in order to be more consumer and employer-friendly and meet today’s dynamic economy.
It is time to end the comfort zone that has been created for illegal aliens to remain in the United States through a multitude of benefits and incentives. Just being in this country should not entitle one to free health care, a line of credit or tax benefits – all things that Americans work and pay for everyday.
The success of the United States as a melting pot is based on immigrants assimilating into a common identity and obeying the law. To ensure that newcomers are not separated from the mainstream, English must be adopted as the official language and bilingual education and ballots phased out.
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