Arizona Immigration Law

I live in Texas and, like Arizona, we also share a border with Mexico. There are strong issues in both states with illegal immigration and our government’s inability to stop it. Farmers and ranchers are suffering along our borders. Safety and damage to private property are their primary concerns as Mexican drug cartels and human traffickers called “coyotes” continue to cross into the United States. The issues of having so many undocumented aliens in this country and their affect on our nation’s economy and healthcare are well known. I don’t believe many would feel our current immigration policy is working nor would they feel our borders with Mexico are secure.

So what do we do about it? Some feel it makes sense to let each border state make up their own laws to deal with their particular problems like Arizona. But is that the best way to deal with a problem that affects not only Arizona but the Nation as a whole? In a sense, it would be like bringing back vigilante justice when a well trained and organized police force is called for. In the old days, citizen soldiers would organize and ride off to deal with frontier problems, then return to their farms and ranches. That frontier justice led to many abuses. Many innocent Indians and Mexicans were slaughtered because of disputes or simply because they were in the way.

I think we should support the existing federal laws yes, but clearly under our Constitution it is the Federal Government that must create and enforce those laws. Do we need an overhaul of Immigration Policy? Certainly, but again Congress is the body of our government charged with making those changes. However, given the partisanship in Washington these days (ON EVERYTHING!!!!!), I'm not holding my breath. So God help this nation, if we are EVER to get anything done! But as a nation we need to put our Washington politicians’ feet to the fire. We cannot let them keep sweeping this issue off to the side. Our nation’s security and its sovereignty are at stake.

Here are some thoughts to consider:

1) Enforce our laws and secure our borders. JOB ONE!!!

2) Then deal with the 12 million aliens already here. You can't deport them all so give them some sort of documentation so we know who they are and where they are.

3) Once they are OFFERED documentation (to determine their status...are they established and productive?) then send back the ones who refuse to be documented as they are caught.

4) It might take several years to document 12 million people, so turn our post offices into documentation centers. Post offices are becoming obsolete with the internet and they are hurting for money. Why not use them for this documentation process?

5) Those documented aliens can be offered a path to citizenship, if they can meet certain requirements such as having a job, learning English, have an establish home, business, and a family. They must be able to prove that they are productive members of society.

6) If they just want to work in this country, issue them a temporary work visa with a tamper proof photo ID with biometrics. Their status should be updated every year or 6 months. If not renewed…they go home.

7) No hospitalization (other than emergency treatment) unless they can pay. No documentation... no money…no work… they go back.

8) Businesses should be required to check against an official documented database before they can hire anyone. Businesses who can NOT verify that they checked their employee's documentation should be fined or sued by the Taxpayers.

9) Change the law that says the child of illegal parents born in this country is automatically a citizen.

We must start a national dialogue on immigration policy and force Washington to give it the attention it deserves.

Food for THOUGHT.