The Immigration Sensation

Nice try guys, but we see you.

So the big deal this week has been immigration reform. The Senate has been deliberating on what to do about the whole immigration thing for a while, and until lately, to no avail. Today, they came to a basic agreement. We'll see how long it lasts, but here's where it stands right now.

There has been a big push for immigration reform by President Bush over the last year, and in the Senate for the last few weeks, but the question is what to do. The plan, as it stands, is basically to tighten border security, regulate the flow of future immigrants, and deal with the 11 million immigrants we have in the country now. We're talking illegal aliens of course, as the legal immigrants are, well, legal. The story goes that immigrants will be broken into 3 categories based on how long they have been in the states. The breakdown and explantations are as follows:

• Immigrants who can document that they have been in the United States for longer than 5 years, an estimated 7 million of them, 63% of the nation's total, could earn legal work status and earn citizenship by meeting work and legal requirements. Legal requirements include passing background checks and paying fines and back taxes.
• Immigrants who have been United States residents for 2 to 5 years, about 3 million of them, would have to leave the country, at least briefly, and apply for work permits at a port of entry before beginning the path to citizenship.
• Immigrants with less than two years in the United States would have to return to their countries of origin and apply for standard work permits and green cards if they want to come back.
  

That's an awesome sign. Look at the little girl in the back. You're too slow Diana!

I think that this is a great plan, and here's why. First, the immigrants who have been here for 5 or more years, in order to earn citizenship, would have to pay back taxes. That has been one of the biggest problems with immigration, and them paying taxes would help our economy and finally make them accountable for being here. Them finally contributing to this country, other than cheap labor, would help out a lot, and I'm for it. Plus, only the ones who will be able to document that they have been here will be able to stay, so we'll keep the ones that have been willing to do the work and be legitimate, and basically kick out the ones who weren't. Next, the ones that have been here 2-5 years have to leave and come back through a port of entry. As we are tightening border security and regulating the inflow, it will be harder for them to get back in, and it will weed out the ones who aren't willing to put in the time to legitimately come into the country. Finally, the ones who have been here less than 2 years will be kicked out and have to come back in legally, with green cards and work permits and all. I think that if we can run this thing right, it will be effective.

The truth is though, I don't think we can run it right. I mean, what have we been running right lately? I like the proposals, but I just don't think we can do it. I don't think there will ever be tight enough border security to keep illegal immigrants out. That's the first problem. These actions would create a quick fix, but they will get back in. This will just be a hurdle for them to jump through, but the illegal process will start over again. And are we going to be prepared for the number of people trying to get in after that? It has been a steady flow in the past, but this would probably cause a good portion of 11 million people to come beating on our doors trying to get back in. I also don't think that we can do a great job rounding them all up and forcing them to go back to their home countries. It won't be too hard for illegal immigrants to hide, as that's basically what they do now. They will just lay low, and it would take a lot of work to force all of them to abide by these new rules. Plus, who's going to bear the financial burden of this? Are we going to pay for their plane tickets and say sorry, better luck next time? How are we going to make sure they're going home? I mean, there is no way that we can know where they are even from if they don't have documentation. It just seems way to fragile to actually succeed. The pressure is on the Senate though, not only to find a way to get this thing passed, but to make it an effective reform that will actually work. We'll see how that goes in the next couple of weeks.

The one point in the plan right now that really makes me want it to pass, that I have waited until now to tell you, is that all immigrants that would be allowed to stay would be REQUIRED to learn english. Finally! Someone is putting in writing that people that come to America to stay need to learn the damn language. God that would be nice. Anyways, that's enough out of me. We'll see how this immigration thing plays out.