Quietly Changing America

[talon]

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE66918Q20100710?type=domesticNews

I agree with this practice. It's not the illegal worker who should be punished, but the companies that make it possible for illegal workers to work here. If there are few to no jobs, fewer people will cross the border seeking them and will be more likely to follow the immigration procedures we have in place.

I know it takes a long time to become a citizen, but it's a heavy decision for many people, to give up allegiance to their birth country and to adopt the culture and ways of their new country.

And, please, don't tell me we need to "accommodate" immigrants by altering our country to be just like theirs. They are immigrating because they don't want to live in a country like the one they left. If they wanted to keep living in that country, they'd stay there. Those who seek political asylum are a different case, and it should be their goal not to immigrate to another country but to work to get their country back to a place where they can live there comfortably. If they choose to accept citizenship in the country to which they fled, then they have abjured their citizenship in their home country and should embrace their new country by integrating into it, not trying to force the welcoming country to change to suit them.

There is no single country large enough to contain enclaves of every other country within its borders. It just isn't physically or politically possible.

This is why, when people immigrate to another country, it is their obligation and responsibility to embrace their new country, and why the naturalization process takes so long. It's not easy to shed those expectations and to learn the new culture, mores, and laws.

Now, back on topic!

Illegal immigrants come into America to work because we've made America an inviting place to go and made it easy for them to work here without going through due process. The best way to control illegal immigration isn't to punish the immigrants, it's to be draconian to those citizens/businesses who lure illegal immigrants across the border to exploit them.

When those Americans cease to recruit and exploit illegals (either by strict enforcement of US laws or by the lack of profitability), there will be fewer illegal immigrants. How many fewer remains to be seen.

I think auditing the border businesses to ensure compliance with US laws makes extremely good sense in controlling illegal immigration.

I'm also pleased that deportations aren't the immediate result of these audits because, in many cases, the illegal immigrant isn't the one at fault, the business that hired them is.

Now, what is our government doing with those illegals? Is it tracking them to see if the return to their homeland? Does it help the illegals get legal green cards and travel visas? Does it track how many choose to leave, then re-enter the country legally? These would all make sense and require less manpower than bulking up border patrols.

It's possible to make America unwelcoming to illegals without exploiting or punishing them while welcoming legal immigrants, and making the transition from illegal to legal - oh, not easy, because it should never be easy - but possible.

However, I fully support deporting non-citizens to their home countries if they commit crimes of violence (theft, assault, rape, manslaughter, murder...). If they are US citizens, we just have to suck it up and deal with them, but if they're not, we deport them and let their home countries deal with. There should be no political asylum for non-citizens who commit crimes in our country, and a lengthy - lengthier - and far more in-depth process if they choose to return and become citizens. This is because a great many young people commit acts of violence and grow up to regret it and reform their ways, and I don't want to hold youthful stupidity against them forever. I think having to jump through more hoops is a price they have to pay, but they shouldn't be forever barred if they truly have reformed.