I am intrigued by the whole notion of securing the borders. We have been trying, at great expense, to secure our borders against drugs for at least 40 years. It hasn't worked. The only way to stop the drugs is to reduce the demand and the only way to reduce the flow of illegals is to reduce the incentives. The incentive is jobs. If you really want to secure the borders go after the employers. Cut off the supply of jobs and you will reduce the flow of illegals. That will leave unresolved the issue of what to do with the illegals already here. Many are the parents of US citizens. Many have worked productively for many years. Others are a burden. If we put them all on busses and send them home, the line of busses will stretch about 2300 miles. Maybe it would be more efficient to use cattle cars to ship them. I think that the best solution is to cut off the flow by putting in a real and verifiable ID system for employers and severe penalties for employers that fail to demand the ID. For the majority of those already here I would give them work visas, IF their record is clear and they are self-supporting. Citizenship and the voting rights that go with it would be down the road. Time as a resident alien would start with the day their status became legal. It may not be as satisfying as "ship em all out" or blow em all up with land mines, but it is in much better keeping with our historic role welcoming immigrants and has the added benefit of being something that might actually get done.

 

Wouldn't that involve some sort of national ID system? I though the left was pretty adamant in their opposition. As to securing the border I am pretty sold on the whole fence, land mine and sniper nests idea. Don't want to step on a land mine of be shot? Don't cross the fence.

 

To the second bolded point add the wording LEGAL immigrants and I agree with you 100%.

Wouldn't that involve some sort of national ID system? I though the left was pretty adamant in their opposition. As to securing the border I am pretty sold on the whole fence, land mine and sniper nests idea. Don't want to step on a land mine of be shot? Don't cross the fence.

 

To the second bolded point add the wording LEGAL immigrants and I agree with you 100%.

 

I'm not sure that "the left" is a monolith. I am in favor of a national ID system. I thought it was "the right" that worried about a national ID. After once the secession starts a national ID would allow the government to track down all the true patriots and confiscate their guns or whatever the latest paranoid delusion is.

For the 360,000 that you mention, is that for those that would already meet the military or educational criteria?

 

Where do the 715,000 children come from? I assume that they are dependents of one of the two groups?

 

Through what process will the 1-2 million that you quoted get amnesty?

TB&G, I hope these links can answer your questions.

 

http://www.cis.org/articles/2007/dreamactrelease.html

 

http://www.migrationpolicy.org/pubs/Backgrounder1_Dream_Act.pdf

But again, supporters claim 65,000 students would be eligible per year but the Migration Policy Institute estimated that around 360,000 18-24 year olds would get amnesty right away, in addition to around 715,000 children. Others estimate between 1 and 2 million people would get amnesty in the next few years. How are we going to support that?

 

After having researched the articles you posted, I wanted to see clarification to make sure that we are on the same page. (BOLDED taken from RTS's post)

 

Migration Policy Institute estimated that around 360,000 18-24 year olds would get amnesty right away. You meant "could get," not "would get," correct? This would be the number of individuals eligible under the DREAM Act provisions. They would still have to choose the route of joining the military or begin their college education.

in addition to around 715,000 children. It looks like these children qualify for the DREAM Act in every way, except by age. They would not be eligible now, but could be if the DREAM Act were passed as stand alone legislation or if their parents were to achieve some type of legal status.

Others estimate between 1 and 2 million people would get amnesty in the next few years. I find this statement too ambiguous. Can you lead me to where you found this or just tell me how it specifically relates to the DREAM Act?

 

How are we going to support that? My concern here are, as mcpapa calls them, the DREAMERS. These would be individuals that serve in our military or work to put themselves through college, while paying taxes. What, specifically, do you see us needing to do to support them further?

I'm not sure that "the left" is a monolith. I am in favor of a national ID system. I thought it was "the right" that worried about a national ID. After once the secession starts a national ID would allow the government to track down all the true patriots and confiscate their guns or whatever the latest paranoid delusion is.

 

I sure seems like every time I hear any mention of even something so mundane as being required to show ID at a polling place to vote the left jumps all over it as a method of voter disinfranchizement.