Rewarding illegal acts not the way to end them
Published 8:03 pm Monday, May 21, 2007
By Staff
An unlikely alliance of liberal and conservative senators crafted a closed-door political fix for immigration that will be debated beginning today.
President Bush says the proposal would "help enforce our borders, but equally importantly, it'll treat people with respect."
The deal mandates bolstered border security and a high-tech employment verification system to prevent illegal workers from getting jobs. A new class of guest workers would be allowed in temporarily – but only after new security measures are in place in about 18 months.
Republicans have a valid point when they deride the deal as "amnesty" for illegal immigrants, but as liberal Sen. Ted Kennedy points out, it is "the best possible chance we will have in years to secure our borders and bring millions of people out of the shadows and into the sunshine of America."
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., called the deal a "first step."
"We all know that this issue can be caught up in extra-curricular politics unless we move forward as quickly as possible," the 2008 presidential candidate said.
Compromises must be made to solve this dangerous stalemate. The Senate-White House agreement would allow illegal immigrants to obtain a special visa. After paying fees and a $5,000 fine, they could get on a path to permanent residency that could take eight to 13 years. Heads of household would have to return to their home countries first.
The Senate agreement also includes a "point system" which for the first time would prioritize immigrants' education and skill level over family connections in determining how to award green cards that allow permanent residency.
Many illegal immigrants – and the media had no problem putting together reaction stories with their names, ages and places of employment – said they have little incentive to apply for residency because the long process does not offer much hope of bringing their families.
"I prefer to just stay here illegally," said a Guatemalan who has been in Los Angeles for four years. That's the point of immigration laws. We let you come here on our terms – not yours.
Our broken borders are a national security issue for us.
How quickly we seem to forget that of the Fort Dix Six suspected of plotting to attack soldiers at the New Jersey fort, three were here illegally.
The El Salvadoran landscaper, 44, hiding in plain sight who is quick to criticize the path to citizenship offered by the Senate May 17 as too expensive and therefore likely to drive him deeper into the shadows doesn't seem to grasp that freedom of speech is part of the package he wants for free.