It's time we talk about our borders
TThis is a big one. This affects every culture, almost every country, and I am sure my comments will touch a few nerves.
First, I am not against legalized immigration. Let me put that in bold letters, capitalized: legalized immigration. I am one hundred percent against illegal immigration. There, I have said it.
This has nothing to do with whether it is the Canadian border or Mexico’s border with us. Whether it is a Hispanic crossing the border, a Cuban arriving in Florida, or someone from the Middle East. It has to do with right is right and wrong is wrong. We must know who is coming into our country, we must give them permission, and we must identify their past in the country from which they came.
There should be no—let me put this in bold capitalized letters—no exception to that rule.
In the late 1800s and early 1900s it was legalized immigration that built this country and built the eastern boardwalk. At the same time, on the west coast, towns like San Francisco and Los Angeles were built with legalized immigration from the Pacific Rim countries.
Oh sure, there are valid arguments to the fact that the illegal immigrants that are in this country—maybe as many as 20 million—are doing jobs that America claims no one else wants to do. It seems to be a harsh statement, but if it is factual, we must at least recognize that.
If there are 20 million illegal immigrants inside the U.S. border, we are going to need to address that. Yes, it would be physically impossible to round up 20 million individuals, put them on a big bus, and send them back to their country. But I also believe that it is impossible to reward them with citizenship in the U.S. just because they crossed illegally and have lived here for a few years.
Of the adults, give them work visas or permanent residence. But let’s make them register, charge a fee—not tens of thousands of dollars which we know they don’t have—but maybe $2,500 or $3,000, or maybe a little more, which they could pay over time, a year or two, in order to have legal status in this country.
Legal status—let me put that in bold and capitalize: legal status—is not the right to vote, but the right to work and live in this country legally. Even if they have married an American citizen, their right would be upheld for legal status, but never the right for citizenship. Again, we must remember: if they enter this country illegally, they can never become a U.S. citizen.
I don’t believe that you should be able to invade this country, commit a felony by entering, and then be rewarded. My partner and my good friend in business obtained his U.S. citizenship last year after crossing the border legally for over 25 years every single day. He has my support, my love, and my respect.
The right to live in this country should not be taken lightly. It should be a privilege and treated that way. We who are born here should never forget that.
Let’s just put a little math to this: 20 million illegal immigrants in the country. Times $3,000 or $4,000, or a fine of $5,000—add it up. It could help pay for tightening the borders. It could go toward schools, for education to learn English fluently. Oh yeah, I said learn English fluently. English should remain the United States of America’s language.
During that period of them paying the money to be legalized in the U.S., maybe the final form that they fill out could be done in English. I haven’t thought this one through very well, but maybe they should have to give up their citizenship from the country they came from if they entered illegally.
I would not allow the illegal immigrants who have become legal immigrants to go back to the country they came from. It should be a life-changing decision to cross our border.
I am sure I will get a bunch of feedback from this one, but I am throwing it out there.
Yes, yes, yes—I am well aware that Ronald Reagan gave amnesty in the 80s and said that would be the end of it. Tighten the borders and give a one-time pass. Well, that did not work. But let’s try it again—and this time let’s put some bite into trying to cross our borders in the future.
The next couple of paragraphs will probably get a response and hit some nerves. I believe that building a wall will not stop illegal immigration. Our walls have been gone over, gone through, and gone under for the past 25 years. Millions of pounds of marijuana come over our borders every year, smuggled through trucks, cars, and trailers. And in an upcoming blog we will talk about this a little bit. For now we’ll stay on track, recognizing the fact that smuggling humans is as easily done as getting narcotics through.
I would treat crossing our borders illegally as invading our country. What does that mean? I am not sure that you have to build extensive borders and put up tall fences.
Here’s where I am going to get into trouble, but I might as well say it. If a country had a task force of 20 million people and they invaded our border—not a tank with them, not visible guns with them, but they simply said they are going to invade the border with backpacks, suitcases, knapsacks, anything they can carry. And they announced that they will be doing this two weeks from today.
It doesn’t matter what country they come from—pick one—but they are going to come through from San Diego to Texas. Now, we don’t know if in their suitcases they have dirty bombs, drugs, a handgun. What would be the government’s answer to this? What would be your answer?
Well, I believe the government’s answer would be… gosh, I guess I don’t really know. Would we tell them no? Would we give them money not to come across? The government’s good at that.
Let’s take it a step further: only 15 million are going to come from the Mexican border, 2 million from the ocean on the east coast, another 3 million from the Canadian border, and even another million from the west coast Pacific Ocean. I think we’re up to over 21 million. What would you want our government to do?
Offering them money has worked before when we’ve told people not to do something—Korea, China, many examples of how the U.S. does not follow up or follow through on ultimatums.
At this point you probably think I’m a little crazy—that this is not real and could not happen. But, if the estimates are right and it is 20 million plus, it really has been close to a million illegal entries a year through our borders since the last amnesty.
So I’m just trying to put this into perspective. Let’s change the scenario to 1 million people and a country, any country, said that they were going to invade our country in two weeks. What should the answer be?
A couple of scenarios:
We could put tanks and the Army, National Guard, line them up on the borders and shoot anyone that crosses.
Okay, what would happen then? There are a couple of possibilities. Would all 1 million cross if the first 100 people were shot for invading? It could deter the rest, but what would the fallout be?
Would we let them pass our soldiers without taking any action whatsoever, but just let them cross harm free?
It’s a wicked scenario, but it’s one that we let happen every single day.
I guess the following questions would have to be answered by the American people:
Do we want our borders protected from illegal immigration?
Do we want to open our borders and let anyone and everyone come into this country—no I.D., no record of country of origin—just open it up?
Do we want to pay for the health care of all of these people that come in illegally?
Do we have enough jobs if we open the borders?
Once they get here, do we give them the right to vote?
Do we give them the right of citizenship?
I have received some interesting comments—some on the blog and others personally. I have enjoyed and respected all of the responses. Some of you who have written me privately have made great points, and I would like to put them on the blog for discussion.
I think these issues are worth discussing respectfully, but we need to decide as a people what we want. I am beginning to feel like I have no representation at all from elected officials who fall victim to lobbyists, special interest groups, and corporations. At that point, my representation has been forgotten.
I know that the examples I put forth are a tad extreme, but if you really think about it—what do you do? What will we do?
Let me know on this one… did I say what you were thinking?
Republished material from June 14, 2009
