COMMON SENSE ANSWER TO IMMIGRATION ISSUES

The President and Congressional leaders have been meeting to solve the “immigration problem.” The DACA issue as well as border security have been on the agenda. Then, of course, there’s the matter of cost. In a nutshell apparently the Democrats want these offspring of illegal aliens who arrived here with their parents, given a free ride to citizenship. The Republicans want to build a border fence sufficient to keep out any new trespassers.

To me and to many of us out here in fly over country, it all seems strange. Did you know we already have laws on the books against illegally entering this country? Did you know we already have laws on the books against overstaying one’s visa? Did you know that it is also illegal to hire an illegal alien or anyone for that matter who cannot provide proof that they’re in this country legally? As far back as the 1960’s I was hiring individuals for my company and I had to personally view that person’s Social Security card and photocopy it to send to Main Office with their employment package. It was simple enough, no proof of legal residence, no job, period. What changed?

Today it would appear that persons from anywhere in the world can sneak into our country, get a driver’s license, open a bank account, apply for and receive welfare benefits, and enroll in public school. They can rent a home or apartment, go to any hospital and receive free medical treatment, and they can get food stamps. If they want a job, it seems simple enough to get one because nobody seems to care to check on their legal status.

Oops, it seems we have happened onto the real problem. Nobody seems to care. I think we have these immigration issues because we want these immigration issues. Their activity is already illegal and punishable by prison time. The Democrats think that by granting amnesty for these millions of illegals that they will soon become Democrat voters. Many probably already are.

Deporting them is a waste of time because they just turn around and reenter. Many of them have been deported and reentered dozens of times. Giving them a court date and releasing them is also a waste. They just don’t show up for court, and why should they? Remember, nobody cares.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record I am going to once again offer my solution for this problem. First we must remove the incentive for entering this country illegally. The how is simple. E-verify anyone looking for a job, welfare benefits, food stamps, school entry, hospital visits, or for any benefit or service offered to our citizens. That means checking their Social Security number to see that it is authentic.

The second part of this solution should be just as simple but it probably would get complicated. Arrest anyone who violates the e-verify requirement. That would include any employer, welfare organization, hospital, school, bank, or landlord. The penalty for violating this law would not be a slap on the wrist. No, this would call for jail time. Jail time for employers, hospital administrators, mayors and city councils as well as governors, and anyone else who refuses to obey the law. Remember, we already have these laws on the books. We just have to enforce them. If we in fact did what I suggest, we wouldn’t have to deport anybody. They would deport themselves. We wouldn’t have to build a wall. Without the incentive to trespass, these so-called migrants would find another country to invade.

If we needed workers, we would establish a visiting worker program and it would be strictly enforced.

But Ron, if we did that, avocados would cost ten dollars apiece. Okay. I don’t care. If I wanted an avocado, I would pay the cost or do without. I prefer that to subsidizing illegal activity.

What I have just offered is common sense. That’s why it will never be tried. It has to go through Congress.

Ron Scarbro