How to solve the illegal immigration problem in two pages or less...

HOW TO SOLVE THE IMMIGRATION PROBLEM

I’m going to provide some common sense to the question of illegal immigration mixed with a little bit of Sun Tzu. In analyzing any problem, we must first understand it. No answer can be found until the elements of the problem are identified and comprehended.

THE PROBLEM:  Citizens of foreign countries illegally cross into our country on a daily basis.

WHY IS THIS A PROBLEM:  These illegals take jobs [mostly low wage] which are otherwise intended for “legal” immigrants and migrant workers. This causes a large sector of the legal, green card bearing public to be left without work. These leads to unemployment support burdens on the government as well as increases in criminal activity. When a person can’t work for money, they resort to other means. Having more immigrants than we have jobs for also creates a burden on other public services such as healthcare and the prisons. Having too many immigrants without work also creates division and hositlity among the general population.

WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE:  We need to do several things actually.  I’ll list them.

• Control the actual number of immigrants to balance it with work-available.
• Force illegals to return to their home countries to either seek legal entry or to not return.
• Make sure that immigrants are protected here, both with wage assurances, safety, and benefits.
• Conduct background checks on incoming immigrants to prevent criminals entering.
• Ensure integration for those who plan to stay and become citizens.
• Ensure immigrants are paying taxes.

NOW HOW DO WE ACCOMPLISH THIS?
I love you Donald Trump, but your wall will not do much.  As former Mexican President Fox pointed out, “we can jump walls.” So how do we make illegals NOT want to jump our wall?

DETER THEM.
It’s simple. Ask yourself why an illegal immigrant would come here and risk imprisonment.

• Better place to live – better jobs – more money
• Better healthcare

This is their most basic motivation. They could get these things legally with a green card, but they don’t? Why? The question is answered with another question; why should they bother?

LACK OF ENFORCEMENT.
We don’t need a wall to fix our illegal influx problem. You can’t deter an enemy by building taller walls on your fort. If he wants what’s inside, he’ll just keep on till he figures out a way to get past it. The secret to his defeat is to convince him there’s nothing beyond your wall worth having. 

REMOVAL OF MOTIVATION.
So how to we remove the motivations that drive illegal immigration? You guessed it — with another bulleted list:

• Increase fines on employers who hire illegal immigrants. $50,000 PER immigrant as well as a suspension of business operations for 1 month PER immigrant should take care of that problem. “Oh I’ve got fifty employees…if I got busted that would put me out of business entirely!” Yes. Yes it would. Don’t hire illegals. If you need cheap labor, make sure they’ve got a gree card.
• Increase fines on landlords who allow illegals to reside on their properties. $50,000 PER tenant should take care of that. “Oh I can’t know who’s living in my apartments at all times…I can’t be expected to enforce this.” Open your eyes and look. See a suspect group, call Border Patrol and let them do their jobs. Not sure, then cover your own butt. Don’t turn a blind eye and then whine when you get caught supporting illegal immigration.
• Denial of all but emergency services to persons who do not present proof of citizenship or green card/visa/passport.
• Imprisonment for employers paying cash to illegal immigrants. This is tax evasion.
• Provide express approval for those seeking green cards if they speak English proficiently and intend on seeking citizenship.
• Cut off all support for foreign language students in public school systems.
• Cut off all public resources support for persons who do not have citizenship or green cards/visas/work permits.

Loss of motivating factors would quickly reduce the number of illegals and prompt the ones already here to leave of their own volition. By denying them resources, we take away their desire to be here illegally. We also restore rights and resources to those who have come here legally. If we treat illegals the same as legals, then why would anyone bother going through the red-tape to obtain a green card or work permit? This is plain common sense, folks! Why do we put people in jail? To deter them from committing criminal acts, right? But if there is no jail, then why would people NOT commit crime? We must create an environment where legals are rewarded and illegals get nothing.

In addition to these steps, I would also suggest creating a JOB DIRECTION CENTER for incoming and existing legal migrants. Essentially those with skills and language proficiency would receive express review during the process of obtaining green cards and permits. They would also be provided with a list of known, available jobs upon entering our country and they would be able to refer back to this agency at any time for additional job direction. This agency would also work with farmers and contractors seeking migrant workers. Be being registered with and complying with this agency, employers could help ensure their own protection from enforcement investigations.

So do we need a wall or fence? Yes. Do we need stiffer and more militant patrol and enforcement along the border? Yes. Will these things alone solve our problem. No. We need to take a comprehensive and more disciplinarian approach to enforcing existing laws. We need to make it unprofitable to aid or hire illegals. We need to remove incentives for illegals and increase incentives for legals. We need to enforce existing laws and prosecute those who aid and employee illegals. Then and only then will we put a dent in illegal immigration.