We Need Real Immigration Reform

Glen Warchol has a description of our heroic immigration system in action. 

We need real immigration reform and I’m not talking about a bigger fence at the borders.  We need a system that allows non-criminals into our country to work or recreate as they wish.  If they want to be citizens make the process strict but streamlined.  If they just want to work here we should make sure they meet a limited number of qualifications and then tax their earnings appropriately.  Legalize immigration and the vast majority of its ills will disappear. 

Or we could adopt the typical conservative immigration plan which is to demand that our government keep doing things the moronic way we do now…only more. 

5 Comments »

1. If they just want to work here we should make sure they meet a limited number of qualifications and then tax their earnings appropriately.

   I’m worried about the effects of importing a whole class of workers that don’t have a commitment to the community or the right to vote. That’s the route to a permanent right-wing country with a foreign working underclass. Let’s make our new guests become citizens. If you’ve been here five years, take the citizenship test or go home.

   Legalize immigration and the vast majority of its ills will disappear.

   There has to be some kind of limit. American is already full up. We don’t have enough water for the people already in Utah. And there are 5.5 billion people in the world today living in countries that are not only poorer than the USA, but also poorer than Mexico. And Mexico has an illegal immigration problem crowding shanties and costing citizens jobs on its southern border.

   Comment by Brian Watkins — April 9, 2008 @ 10:54 pm

2. Mr. Watkins,

   I agree with you that a foreign underclass would be a bad idea which is why I think it should be possible for those who want the vote to apply for citizenship. If they don’t want to be citizens but still want to live and work here why would you drive them out? I’m not sure I get that. What does any of this have to do with creating a permanantly right wing country? Are you saying people should come here but only if they are likely to register to vote as you want them too?

   America isn’t “full up”. With a bit of minor residential restructuring it wouldn’t be unreasonable at all to double our population in the very near future. Water is only short in Utah because nearly every resident here with a detached home wastes thousands and thousands of gallons of water each year on their lawns. The benefits of open immigration are worth more than a green lawn.

   You’re right that there are a lot of poor people around the world. What does that have to do with the U.S. immigration laws? If our current laws aren’t keeping people who want to be here from getting in illegally why do you think eliminating our current selectively enforced and unreasonable system would be so bad?

   Comment by Jeremy Manning — April 10, 2008 @ 8:44 am

3. It is amazing how much I agree with some of the things you say.

   I think that we NEED the labor that these immigrants provide, and so we need a system that will legalize what is happening now.

   Comment by Anonymous — April 10, 2008 @ 12:39 pm

4. If they don’t want to be citizens but still want to live and work here why would you drive them out?

   Today there are about 30 million non-citizens in the United States. That’s 10% of the population. Most of those are working class people. A country with 10% of its people, possibly a majority of its working class, unable to vote is a country that will be governed by its business interests. That’s not good for America.

   The solution is simple. People who love this country enough to really want to stay in the USA for good should become citizens. They can learn our history and language and cultures and get involved in their communities and enjoy all the rights of citizens. Others who are just here for the jobs should come for a few years as our guests and then go back where they prefer. I don’t want to drive them out. I want them to visit and then return where they choose.

   there are a lot of poor people around the world. What does that have to do with the U.S. immigration laws?

   You implied we should invite them all. There simply isn’t room. Some choices will have to be made about whom we take and whom we don’t. Right now we’re mostly taking anyone who will break our immigration laws and that’s crazy.

   Comment by Brian Watkins — April 10, 2008 @ 6:44 pm

5. I guess this is something we won’t be able to agree on. I think provisions should be made for people who aren’t citizens to allow them to try to become citizens. If we tell those who just want to work here but don’t care about the political benefits of becoming a citizen that they have to leave we are in a very similar situation to the one we face now. Millions of people here who are illegally. Sure they want to be here and we benefit from their presence here but they are still illegal.

   I can’t see how that helps us.

   Comment by Jeremy Manning — April 11, 2008 @ 9:10 am

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