STRAYCAT’S DOGGONE BLOG

IMMIGRATION IDIOCY

June 14, 2006 on 1:08 am | In Rants |

All sovereign nations in the world have Immigration laws. The difference between the United States and the rest of the world is that the other nations enforce their laws and deal harshly with those who enter their country illegally, and America does not.
Many Americans have turned a ‘blind eye’ to illegal immigration for decades. Average citizens have become ‘numbed’ to the problem. They make the mistake of trusting their elected Representatives to solve the problem (big mistake). Meanwhile, they can’t go to a convenience store for gas and some sundries without encountering a language barrier and a surly attitude, in their own country.
Politicians in America are “the best that money can buy”. Unfortunately, I mean that literally, not facetiously. Republicans see cheap labor so that their “big business contributor” cronies can increase their profit margins. Democrats see “potential voters” and pander to the myriad illegal immigrant lobbyists so that they can increase their power base. Neither see the damage being done to the fabric of this country by illegal immigration, or if they do, they don’t care. These narcissistic ninnys only care about getting re-elected. They propose “eye wash”, feel-good legislation to dupe their constituents into thinking they care, get the “7-second sound bite on CNN”, then make sure that it is ‘tabled’ in Committee until after the next ‘election cycle’. Currently, Congress has two versions of an Immigration Bill, one in the Senate, and the other in the House of Representatives. Both are in the above mentioned “eye wash”, feel-good legislation catagory, written to pander to their individual constituancies. The proposed Senate Bill is basically “delayed amnesty”. This is the one favored by President Bush and Senator Kennedy. (Note: If you see President Bush and Senator Kennedy standing before the TV cameras in agreement on anything, you just have to assume that President Bush is wrong on that particular issue). The proposed House Bill is the exact opposite. It basically states that all 12 to 20 million illegals should be ’rounded up’ and deported. Neither Bill does anything to actually solve the problem. The awful truth is that they don’t want to deal with illegal immigration. If they do accidently pass a Bill regarding illegal immigration, they don’t fund it. The costs of these “unfunded mandates” are thereby passed on to the already over-burdened State and Local governments.
Hospital Emergency Rooms are closing because they are being inundated by illegal immigrants, and they can no longer afford to offer pro bono care. Public Schools are mandated to provide bi-lingual education. Despite what the pinheaded pundits would have you believe, a dis-proportionate number of illegals are recieving Welfare benefits. Yet, when some Americans do urge enforcement immigration laws, or enactment of new updated laws designed to secure our borders, they are branded as racists or xenophobes, with full complicity from the media, by pro-illegal activist groups.
With the number of illegal immigrants in the US now estimated at between 12 and 20 million, the question becomes what can be done.
The first thing we need to do is secure the borders. In the shadow of 9-11, security should be Job 1. In May, 2006, President Bush proposed that 6000 National Guard troops be stationed along the borders to supplement the Bordert Patrol. This is blatent bogus B___ S___ indicating that he really has no intention of securing the border. The actual number needed is at least 10 times that amount. They should also be given full Border Patrol powers to interdict illegals, turn them around, and send them back. Taking them to a Processing Center, giving them a date to appear for an Immigration Hearing, then releasing them is just idiocy. 99.999% will never show up for the Hearing. Catch & release is fine if you’re fishing. It is not however, sound Imigration policy. In addition, ’state of the art’ electronic surveillance should be installed along the border, and, where practical, a 3-stage wall should be built. (The wall installed near San Diego significantly reduced illegal border crossings in that area).
The second thing we need to do is identify those already here illegally. Illegals should be given 90 days to register with the INS, be fingerprinted, provide an actual address, and obtain a “tamper proof” Identification Card, which would be required for employment. Anyone with a criminal record (1 or more felony convictions, or 3 or more misdemeanor convictions) would not be allowed to remain. After the 90 day “grace” period, anyone caught without the ID card would automatically be deported. Those who comply with the above conditions and qualify should be given a “pathway to citizenship” by “jumping through a few more “hoops”. The first “hoop” would be to pay a fine of $2000.00 or perform 1000 hours of Community Service. This would indicate that they are serious about becoming a citizen. The second “hoop” would be to have a job, and remain employed for 5 years (not necessarily in the same job). A gap of 30 days between jobs would be acceptable with a maximum of 4 different jobs in the 5 year period. This would indicate that they are reasonably stable. The third and final “hoop” would be to learn English to at least a 5th grade level. This would indicate that they are trying to assimilate. After they have met the above criteria, they would be put at the back of the line for citizenship behind those from their particular country of origin who respected our laws and legally applied for citizenship.
The third thing we need to do is penalize those who employ illegals. Nothing would make me happier than seeing a few CEO’s of major corporations doing a “perp walk” on Fox News for knowingly hiring illegals. It would also significantly stem the flow of illegals into this country. A fine of $25,000.00 per illegal, per day they were employed would be appropriate. Multiple repeat offenders would face prosecution and Federal prison time, and not in one of the “Club Fed” facilities.
The forth and final thing we need to do is slap the Social Security Administration around until they get control of their own system. Because of identity theft, there are millions of duplicate Social Security numbers issued. The government doesn’t want to do this because it’s like ‘free money’ to them. If it doesn’t already exist, any “apprentice computer geek” could develop a program to find duplicate Social Security numbers, identify the person to whom it was originally issued (living or deceased), and create a list of people illegally using that same number to be turned in to the appropriate law enforcement agency for immediate action. Aside from the obvious [to people with functioning brain stems, not necessarily politicians] security threat, posed by the lack of control by the Social Security Administration, illegal immigrants obtain fraudulent Social Security cards and then use them to defraud the government (re: American taxpayers).
I’m sure that there are many more things we can do to secure our borders, and stop the illegal immigrant hemmorage, but this would certainly be a good start.