What would YOU do about illegal immigration?

Build a wall? Don't build a wall? Arrest the illegal immigrants and deport them? Give the "illegals" amnesty and let them earn citizenship? Develop "worker status" temporary immigrants?

Everyone, it would seem, is calling for a solution to the problem of illegal immigration. The Republicans and Democrats both agree that something needs to be done about this issue. Furthermore, everyone seems to be demanding entirely different approaches to this problem.

Right here on ATS/BTS/PTS, we have had a variety of threads and posts that also differ in opinion about what to do. It would seem that the only consensus is that we have a problem which, ultimately, results in finger-pointing, party bashing and even using the racial card. But pointing out problems is easy. What about solutions?

What would be YOUR solution to this very controversial issue? If you were the president what would you do to resolve the problem of illegal immigration?

Securing our borders, both north and south, and our vast coastlines is the first step. If that means having the National Guard, or the regular Army, patrolling the borders in conjunction with the Border Patrol and Coast Guard? So be it. If that means bringing some of the boys and girls home from overseas to do it? So be it. I can think of a few countries that can start doing the heavy lifting of protecting their own countries, and not rely so heavily on Uncle Sugar to do it for them. I am not advocating abandoning anyone, just that they need to do for themselves, so that American borders can be secure. Lots of helicopters working together with quick responce squads would go far in securing our borders. No border is completely impenetrable, but our borders are currently a joke...a very vulnerable joke.

As to the illegal immigrants...
Let them stay as long as they obey the laws of the land that is sheltering them. However, if their immigration status is discovered...bang them back over the now secure border. This would, IMHO, encourage them to assimilate themselves into the culture and language of our nation. This seems to me an equitable solution.

The problem the USA faces is that the cat has been let out of the bag.
I would crack down on people and companys who hire illegal aliens.
Have a land version of the coast guard to protect the US northern and southern borders.
Anybody in the country illegaly can apply for a green card , serve in the US military or be expeled from the USA.

First of all, id cut the demand for illegal labor by imposing massive fines and prison time on people who employ them, whether its a building contractor or some yuppie too lazy to mow his own lawn. Say, 100,000 buckers per offensive, with a minimum jail sentance of one year, and a felony on your record. That should at least curb the demand.

Nest, Id close down all these foriegn overseas bases and bring all our troops home. Id send them to patrol both the southern and northern borders. Set up bases and check points.

I would then seriously revamp the immigration laws. Id get rid of the burocratic bs that makes it hyard for people to get visas, and Id remove the stupid restriction on people from Europe and other regions from immigrating. Basically, Id create a no nonsense open door policy for immigration. Id set up sort of modern day elis islands along the border and at varying points of entry. Anyone who wanted to immigrate to America would be welcome to do so. But they have to stay a month or two in the centers. During this time, they are checked for contagous diseases and treated for them if they have them. Next background checks would be run for them to determine if they have any violent criminal history. if they do, they are sent back without further recourse. No violent criminals are to be let in the country. America produces enough homegrown ones on its own. After the health and background checks, the people are issued a social security number and a green card, then given a couple week long course on the laws and expectations in America, what is socially acceptable, and things that are criminal or taboo.

Afterwords, release them into the country at large to seek their own fortunes legally. No bar to immigration provided you contain no incurable contagious diseases and are not a menace to society. Anyone can come.

The funding for this project will pay for itself. I would force all able bodied people on welfare to work for their welfare at these immigration centers if they wanted to continue to collect that government check. No more free rides. maybe when these lazy welfare recipients got a chance to meet people who come from hellhole countries ruled by psychos, those lazy welfare recipients will appreicate just how good they have it.

The borders will be patrolled by the military to keep the drug runners and cartels from trying to run their schemes and fire on border agents.

There's nothing wrong with people coming into this country providing they are people we need. We need smart people, who have demonstrated their commitment to working hard by relocating from another area of the world. But we also need educated people.
These people will not cause racial problems. They are the same sort of ethnic minorities you may see around the big cities. Some people wonder why that is the only sort of place Multiculturalism truly works. I find it obvious: Because those foreigners in business suits tend to be ether equal or better than the existing population. They are like us and as such become at one with us.

I believe that citizenship should be able to be bought (for large sums of money). What is wrong in letting rich people into our country so they buy the stuff it produces?
Especially when a authorised passport selling enterprise could raise big money for the government (providing the price was right).

BUT...

Why do we let Labour seeking people stay in our country for life? Excuse me but doesn't our economy (America, Britain’s and many others) have an ageing crisis? And don't people coming into our country send far more money than we the west give in charity, don't they tend to come from places where a little money will go very far?
And why do we need their kids? What are we? Some global babysitting service? If we are going to spend thousand of dollars on an immigrants children, wouldn’t it just be better to spend half that much on say African kids directly (at our tax money would get value in terms of life and education saving).

My attitude to immigration is something like this...
1. Authoritarian border control system (providing it doesn't infringe on our own civil liberties).
2. Open door policy
3. Providing: You don't have kids, remain in work (or perhaps even have work to go to in advance say through an employment agency).
4. Or can clearly compensate the economy for your costs

Note: I don't believe in immigrants filling in job vacancies at great expense to our citizens. It doesn't happen often but it must be avoided at all costs (not least because it’s a sure way to get true Nazi government elected overnight).

Oh and things like knowing a little English does do wonders for social integration.

So yeah basically I think us, us and us. I know it sounds mean but most of the world is willing to come to us, so why not choose the best? The money they send back home will go really far, especially if it’s a little piece of the "mega" economy they are helping to build.

While I agree that illegal immigration is a serious problem for the US, I am not sure exactly what I would do to stop it.

I must say that I do feel that it is a little hypocritical, in principle, to have the Statue of Liberty welcoming all the tired huddled masses yearning to be free on one border, and the military blocking the way on another border.

As I said, I understand the problems, the bigger picture. Still something seems wrong about building a wall and posting the military. It seems that if illegal immigrants couldn't get jobs here, medical coverage, welfare, etc. maybe they wouldn't come here in such large numbers. I wonder, too, if we (the US) spent as much investing in Mexico as we will spend on guarding the border, if Mexico wouldn't be a much better place where people would want to stay.

Everyday people from Mexico risk their lives to get here, so conditions for them must be pretty bad. We fight a war to "liberate Iraq" then we tell Mexicans to stay put and suffer. It just seems wrong somehow.

[edit on 7/12/06 by wellwhatnow]

I suggest we openly embrace these hard-working people and allow them to become citizens. The vast majority of illegal immigrants are only trying to feed and support their families. If you were in their shoes, you would be doing the exact same thing.

Ok here what I have to say first we need to secure our border there no denying that it a joke but we should allow a controlled number of immigrants cause many of these people help out in many thing in this country like the economy, the job Americans won't do, and other things. Now what we must do is tell they can go certain places where the pop. is low any where around there. Next we must ask if temporary work they want or want to be part of this great nation. They be ask how long they plan to work in the country. But to do that we must make documentation easy to do so the process is easier and faster to work and finalize now in order to come in we must ask to bring documents from there own homeland so we can see what crimes they involved in and see what there history and see if it is safe to bring them over. As for family's who want to come in they allow stuff like welfare for a limited time and if they don't get a job with in that time they will be sent back into there home country. All immigrants will be visited by immigration to see if there stay in there remaining place they must inform immigration if there move to a new location or be faced to move back again or pay a fine up to $1000 US dollars. Now they will be allow to stay here with out being citizen up to 2 years documented of couse. Major crimes with in the US will be a forced out as soon as possible

This goes for ever broader for the US.

By the way my mom was a immigrant. I would say more but like to see what other think about my idea so far cause I work on it for awhile.

There needs to be a two-pronged attack to this issue. First of all we need to close our borders. You'll note I said borders plural, I mean both north and south as well as our coast. If we need to bring troops home to do it fine. I see no point in maintaining the troop levels in Europe the way they are now. A fast react force deployed in strategic points on our borders able to deploy via helicopter should work. Building a fence or wall would be difficult therefore I would suggest a sensor array which we do have the technolgy to develope and deploy.

The second prong is to make economically unattrative to hire or house illegals. I suggest a large fine say 1000.00 a day per illegal. For those currently in country as long as they stay out of trouble I wouldn't go to the expense of searching for them. However, should they bring themselves to the attention of the authorities they should be sent back to their country of origin.

There is no way we will ever be able to completly seal the border but we definatly need to beef security and improve our ability to controy our own borders.

Well for starters, secure the border, as I outlined in this ATSNN story about the Senate not funding the Mexican border fence- but no one seems to want to talk about it.

Originally posted by gallopinghordes First of all we need to close our borders. You'll note I said borders plural, I mean both north and south as well as our coast.

I did mean all our borders

The only way to solve this problem in my opinion is to severely crack down on the employers and others who are hiring them, if they can’t get work then they will not come here and those who are here already will leave. I also think we should prevent them from using welfare and other government programs without showing proper documentation. If they do come here legally then they should be also required to learn our language and our laws. Give them a year to learn these things and after the year is up have them take a test and if they fail then they should be deported. After they are deported, they will need to wait at least a year before there allowed back into this country to apply for citizenship.

I would round up all the Americans and send them to Mexico, then I would retire and drive a taxi in Iraq.

Seriously though, I would give them a chance to straighten things out. Then the ultimatum, get a green card or stay out. No strike two or three, just use it or lose it.

Being that rule of law changes during war time, circumstances may require more attention and detail, a resolution agreeable to both sides won't be left out as an option.

agree with you 100 % advisor, very simple solution to the imigration probel, either get a green card or get out. No sencond or third chances.

If these people so desperatly want to stay they will get one simple as that.

Nothing is being done and nothing will be done. This is no longer getting anyplace.

There are bigger and better fish to fry at the moment.

Does anyone honestly think something will be done? I dont think so, at least not until Bush is out of office (should he ever be)

~~

~personally, i would leave them fend for themselves, with their own cultural networks providing the safety-nets & helping hand services~

..................

But i suspect the very large number of immigrants from south of the border,
will cause negative repercussions towards them, as the taxpayers get disgusted,
with a no-end-in-sight drain on diminishing work positions available in a economically drained economy.

the congress & executive branches willrespond to the strain on the social environment by a policy of 'one blind eye' or neglect towards the immigrant communities...
the social services, even the police, will look the other way
As the barrios will be allowed to be run by MS13, as they shake-down the illegals,
as they force people into prostitution, as they monopolize the drug and RX and liquor +moneytranfer+dailylabor trades in the IllegalImmigrantUnderground...
creating a veritible Mafia type of heirarchy nationwide in scope...
with the Fed as the behind-the-curtain manipulator.

in 2-3 years max...the illegals' sub-culture will see the glitz & sparkle of their
vision of America as an El Dorado come to a crashing halt.
the glory road to the USA will become a gauntlet of death and the promise
of good fortune in America will turn into their version of a Gulag.

that is a scenario that awaits those without professional credentials from CA, SA

What would I do about it? Absolutely nothing.

Why?


I plan on moving out of the US one day, they can gladly take my spot for all I care.


or well, America seems pretty set on doin' some good old fashion imperialism so.......

I'd be like immigrants of the world, wanna come to America? then sign up for x amount of time in our armed forces, don't worry, we won't think of you as operation human shield, if you survive your tour, You shall be granted full fledged United States of Romeeeerrrr, I mean America Citizenship.


viva la uh well remember the Alamo at least, err wait that was when Texas wasn't part of the us uhhh well uhhh whats a good American slogan?



ahh here we go:









k, now i rly gotta go to class






edit: for wakenbake

[edit on 18-7-2006 by Lysergic]

ADVISOR has the right idea!

Let me know, i'll pack and go with you.

Advisor I agree with you, with what my husband makes on retirement we can go to mexico have a big home, gardener and maid . . . and still have some extra for pleasures.

The reality of the matter is like Dg pointed out , is nothing done . . . to much fuss and nothing done.

Now if every city take upon itself to stop illegal immigration ,proliferation with laws to stop the hiring and housing of illegals then results will be seen.

The same way that US can not compete with legal labor wages against the cheap labor in China it needs the illegal immigrants to have its own group of cheap workers to compete.

Again . . . corporate money involve in keeping inmigration the way it is.

Originally posted by benevolent tyrant
What would YOU do about illegal immigration?

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Illegal Immigration isn't much of a problem. If anything shoudl be done, the Mexico-US border should be made more open, and anyone that can show that they're not a criminal should be permited to be a US citizen.