A key issue in the November election was immigration. Regardless of anyone’s personal position on the subject, it is something that is going to have to be properly addressed in order for the country to go forward in the new administration’s efforts to revive the economy.
The initial step in the overall solution is to coordinate with local police departments to identify those who are in the country illegally and who participate in gang activities, drug dealing and other violent crimes.
These individuals need to be deported immediately. It will be necessary to counsel with the countries involved in order for them to either be prosecuted in their home country or devise some way to have them monitored within their own system.
This is a key factor in beginning to clean up habitual criminals and limit the drug cartel’s accessories to personnel here in the United States.
While this process is ongoing, the border has to be strengthened and secured in order to prevent the same people from reentering the United States. This can be done by wall, or fence and by shoring up employees on the ground in the Border Patrol to combat the influx of individuals.
This action is not cruel, it is not unreasonable or heartless. These individuals chose to live a violent life. The United States did not decide this for them, it was their own choice.
The border has to be totally secure and no other can enter after the beginning of 2017.
So, what about the people who have been here all along, raising their families, working and living productive lives while also being of illegal status?
Despite the claims that the left and the media make, no one will be kicking down people’s doors looking for those here illegally.
It is not fair to allow the people who bypassed the system to achieve a quick path to amnesty when so many took the legal route and are still waiting.
What is the solution?
Increase the speed on the application process of those who have followed the path to citizenship by hiring more or relocating government employees to get the job done. Give these employees specific and timely goals to achieve daily.
This will allow those who did the right thing to get to their dream of citizenship in a timely manner.
Those who are here illegally, but have jobs, families and can prove that they are law abiding in all other ways, and have a residency history should be issued a work permit.
This should involve a paperwork requirement of residency receipts, school records, etc. and a complete background check.
If said applicant and family members are receiving food stamps, WIC or any kind of public assistance, this should immediately stop. They would not be eligible for any government programs other than genuine unemployment as outlined by the state’s Department of Labor.
If the applicant comes back within all of these perimeters positively, they should pay a fee for the privilege of obtaining a work permit valid for three to five years.
This permit would be conditional. They must obtain driver’s license, buy insurance and abide by all laws and customary societal guidelines for the period of the permit. If no infractions are incurred in this period, the permit is able to be renewed.
If there are any infractions of the law, the permit cannot be renewed for a period of ten years, and the person must return to their home country.
With the work permit, there would be no immediate path to citizenship for the permit holder, but they could renew a certain number of times in their lifetime.
If they would like to apply for citizenship, they could do so after two renewals, with the understanding that they would go to the back of the line and would have to follow the long path to legitimate citizenship.
These ideas would take time to put in place and coordinate, but they are a reasonable way to deal with a problem that has been ongoing for many years.
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