As I mentioned above, a 'wall' needs to be part of a system. System needs to include:
-- A wall -- that funnels people to legal crossing points.
-- Security along that wall -- to make sure people go to the legal crossing points.
-- Temporary Work Policies... that allow a migrant worker to come to the legal crossing point... fill out papers and receive a temporary <12 months work visa. With a tax withholding, a bracelet ID, an RFID card that must be carried at all times. And a requirement to leave the country for 1 month a year... and return for the next work/picking season. Fill out paperwork... and start again.
-- Severe penalties for employers who employ illegal workers.
-- An end to Chain immigration.
-- Severe criminal penalties for being caught as an illegal.
-- Severe criminal penalties for those (including elected officials) who harbor illegals (sanctuary cities through employers)
-- An immigration policy based on merit, not a lottery or refugee status (Exceptions... refugees who helped the U.S. in times of conflict... translators, agents, embassy workers, etc.) Merit means you are an engineer, doctor, business-person... you are going to come to the U.S. and bring intellectual, real or job-creating property.
-- No voting rights at all until full-citizenship is granted. Not even for dog-catcher.
-- Path to citizenship for someone who signs up for the U.S. military (used to have this... go to any U.S. embassy in the world... meet recruiting officer... sign up... and it's off to basic and, if you want, a path to citizenship.)
-- No welfare, education, benefits... nothing... for migrant workers on <12 month worker visas. For migrant workers, set up a for-fee Medical insurance program... paid for out of their earnings. Their earnings, sent home, will fund schools for their families in their home countries. Families do NOT enter with migrant workers.
-- A system that allows 'professional' immigrants with skills, etc. to use social systems commensurate with their status as taxpayers. But no voting at all, until citizenship is granted after 7 years and application process as it now stands.
-- A language skill test. No temp. work visa/long-term visa unless you have a basic knowledge of English so you can understand and function in society. Fluency a requirement for citizenship for those who qualify.
-- Any violation of a law greater than a traffic ticket means revocation of work privileges, deportation and possible permanent ban. This includes... any kind of immigration violation. Allow an amnesty period for those here to 'go home' long enough to re-apply at border. After amnesty, an illegal caught here will face severe penalty... followed by deportation. Prison Work camps should be an option.
-- The right of the U.S. to refuse anyone who may pose a threat or for any reason (hey, we have enough migrants for this picking season... enough doctors... enough engineers.)
-- A working student visa program to provide opportunity for the best and the brightest from around the world. Coordinated with immigration policy to try and 'retain' top students in useful fields (ie STEM and medicine and, IMHO, even some of the skilled trades -- welder, machinist, horticulture, etc) and offer them a path to citizenship if they are going to be productive, useful members of society.
I am sure there are some I am forgetting.
But this is not rocket science.
The problem is that the left needs the voters and swoons over open borders... their mantra is one world Marxist Utopia... which is bullpuckey. The right-leaning Chambers of Commerce want cheap labor and low wages... kept down by a worker surplus. BOTH sides... want a wedge issue to fire up their voters so that they can have/retain/regain/seize power... to... be in power. And push their agendas.
Without immigration as an issue... millions of zealots (on both sides) don't show up at the poles to put the power-hungry... into power. Why try and get elected on doing good for your country... when there is Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt that you can play on and use to increase your power.
This problem should be solvable with a bit of common sense in about a week. The ideas are out there. The technology is out there. We can have a thriving immigration system that helps build the country in amazing ways. But noone in power wants that. They want an issue, not a solution. Because the problem keeps them in power.
Once the problem is solved... well, then they can't get elected to solve it, can they?
Cheers,
Sirhr
