AN OPEN LETTER TO CONSERVATIVES WHO WANT
TO PLAY POLITICS WITH IMMIGRATION
First and
foremost I am a conservative who is a husband, son, grandson, nephew and cousin
of immigrants. In addition my extended family all live abroad including
two stepdaughters, one stepson and all my grandchildren and there is literally
no way I and my wife, who is a US citizen, can bring them to the United States
so that our family can be reunited and I can enjoy the comfort of their love
and presence in my final years. The other part of my family all came here
legally and with regard to my wife, at great expense while overcoming barriers
this government has thoughtlessly put in the way of those who try to do things
by the rules…rules, I must add that seem to keep changing by the
year. My wife has an application to bring our youngest unmarried
daughter here that will take by our best estimate, 20 years before it is even
reviewed. I will be long dead by then. I raise all of this to make
three basic points:
One is that
legal immigration is broken in this country and is in itself a cause of illegal
immigration. We simply do not have a comprehensive and coherent policy as
to who we want to let into this country and why we want them here. If we
did we would not now have job shortages in certain parts of the country in
agriculture and skilled trades that inexplicably many unemployed Americans
don't seem to want to fill. Further everyone should remember that the
immigration problem is not just Mexicans crossing our southern borders. It is
estimated that as much as 50% of the entire illegal population comes from
elsewhere. It includes Irish (about 200.000) who came here during the
My second
point is that the statement that Speaker Gingrich made on how to deal with
undocumented individuals who have been here for a substantial period of time,
have sunk deep roots into this country and have families here, has been one
small part of his very public comprehensive plan on immigration for months as well
as a reflection of his views in this area for years. It is not amnesty but a
path to legality he seeks. The two are distinctly different. The
newly discovered outrage of Rep Bachmann and the mis-characterization
of his position by Gov. Romney is desperation politics disguised as principle
and usually something we see from the other guys not “conservatives” who
supposedly take an intelligent and high moral stand on all issues and those
involving families in particular. For any one who wants to actually read his
very well thought out positions simply go to
http://www.newt.org/solutions/immigration and educate yourself
before you jump to a conclusion that is more knee jerk ideology than
reason.
His
position on immigration is defined by three principles i.e.
1. No
“comprehensive” plan can work. President Bush could not pass one during six
years with a Republican Congress. President Obama could not pass one with a
Democratic Congress. Immigration reform can be outlined as a complete proposal
but has to be passed in a series of steps, with each one understood and passed
on its own merits.
2. Under no
circumstance can a path to citizenship be created which would allow those who
have broken the law to receive precedence over those who patiently waited to
become residents and citizens via the legal process. Those who adhered to our
immigration law cannot be usurped by those who violated it.
3. We must
reconcile the goal of legality with the reality that there are millions of
immigrants currently here outside the law, some with a long set of family and
community ties, and some with no ties. A system has to be established that
establishes legality but no citizenship for those with deep ties, repatriates
those with no family or community ties in a dignified way, and quickly sends
home those who have committed criminal and other destructive acts.
His
solutions are in ten steps: i.e.
1. Control
the border.
2. Create a
21st Century Visa Program
3.
“In-source” the best brains in the world
4. Allow
foreigners, who want to spend money, invest and create jobs in
5. There
has to be a legal guest worker program, but its management must be outsourced
to a sophisticated manager of anti-fraud systems, such as American Express,
Visa, or MasterCard.
6. Create a
path to earned legality for some of the millions of people who are here outside
the law.
7.
Deportation of criminals and gang members should be efficient and fast.
8. Ensure
that every new citizen and every young American learn American history and the
key principles of American Exceptionalism.
9. English
must be the official language of government.
10. Young
non-citizens who came to the
My third
and last point is directed to all the candidates, the voters in
Gingrich
was right when he challenged the Republican Party and the Conservative movement
to live up to their claim of being the champions of the family. You can’t
rip families apart because of a “magnet” theory that makes no sense when
applied to the population under discussion, and then try to hide the damage you
will do to American citizens. By claiming it is being done to benefit them as
American citizens.
Lastly, any
immigrant deported who paid into social security should be able to file for
those benefits when they meet the requirements for them. The Europeans do
not prohibit Americans whom have worked overseas, benefits that they earned
while working there. Again the lack of a coherent immigration policy
should never justify the theft of money honestly earned while illegally
here.
Sometimes
Republicans exhibit a death wish born out of a zeal for political perfection
particularly when they seek that perfection by walking over a cliff.
And
sometimes politics is truly “a tale told by idiots…full of sound and fury …and
signifying nothing”.
LARRY
ALLISON