Illegal Immigration is a Simple Problem with a Simple Solution

The primary reason Republicans struggle with immigration, politically, is because they are willing to compromise on the most important principle involved in the debate. We can talk about the difficulties and expense of legal immigration, the impossibility of deporting 12 million human beings, the logistical problems of dealing with illegal immigrants once they’ve crossed our borders or overstayed their visa’s, and the virtue of what services these illegal immigrants provide once they’ve established unofficial residence in our country; but each of those issues are beside the point.

The point is, that illegally coming into the United States is against the law. If we catch you, we have two choices. First, we can deport you. Second, we can imprison you. However, the Republican Party seems to have come to the conclusion that if foreign nationals choose not to follow our laws, then so be it. They talk about pathways to citizenship, while allowing people who have broken our laws to continue breaking our laws. It’s absurd.

We do not need some complicated national strategy, nor do we need to pass laws which provide pathways to citizenship for foreign nationals living in America. Here is all we have to do:

1. If an illegal immigrant is apprehended in the course of normal law enforcement routines, imprison them or deport them. If they are the sole guardian of an illegal child, then deporting them both is much better than essentially creating an orphan.

2. Secure the border. Make crossing the border difficult and dangerous.

3. Ensure that there are no systemic advantages to residing illegally in the United States.

That’s it. It really is that simple. We already have more than enough laws on the federal books to ensure that each of these three courses of action can be constitutionally carried out.

The moment we begin compromising the enforcement of our laws, the more impossible and damaging the entire situation becomes.

Look at the mess we’re in with marijuana and gay marriage. The federal government is no longer enforcing its own laws, which has encouraged the States to create their own. The Supreme Court seems fine with this. The result, is unconstitutionality and chaos. If we allow unconstitutionality to stand or chaos to grow, we fray the foundations of our society and weaken the social contract.

We don’t have to round up 12 million illegal foreign nationals. All we have to do is deport or imprison the ones we catch, ensure that we aren’t doing anything which would make being in America illegally beneficial, and, most importantly, to secure the borders in the first place. That’s it. If we make being here illegally as uncomfortable is possible, eventually people will begin leaving on their own, saving the taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. If, regardless of their difficulties, they choose to stay, then so long as they don’t break any other federal laws or entangle themselves in anything illegal, then chances are, law enforcement won’t find them, and no one will be harmed in the process.

So long as we are allowing them to work here and allowing them the same rights and privileges as US citizens, we will continue having new waves of illegal migrants, year after year. We’ll sit back and watch this mess grow exponentially. For what? What possible benefit to America is there in allowing people to reside here illegally? Once you answer that question, you’ll understand why Democrats and Republicans want to use these illegals, precisely because they are illegal. Democrats are looking for future voters. Republicans are looking for indentured soldiers and cheap labor. That’s it. That’s why we’re in this ridiculous situation.

I will not vote for any candidate that intends to allow this madness to continue. Securing the border should be a top 5 political priority.