What are Duers ideas..

about immigration and how do you think it should be implemented?

It is a multi-pronged, complex problem. It requires economic changes, US policy changes towards Mexico, Central and South America, it is a humanitarian/human rights issue and it is an enforcement issue.

My preferred starting point it to deal with the immediacy of the 11+ million unauthorized immigrants with no access to civil rights. Facilitating a sub-class, an indentured class, living in the shadows without protections is the most pressing issue. A serious look needs to be given to amnesty. We need a viable path to legal permanent status for those who have been here for years, who are productive members of society.

Then, I think we need to look at our policy on regional immigration. Let's make the policy fit the reality. Economic migration is going to occur. We would be better off to look at the honest numbers of those who risk their lives (and die) trying to get here. Rather than fight a losing battle of stopping it, we would be better served to know who they are and bring them in through authorized channels. Raise the regional quota, make a special class for immigration from this hemisphere.

That is what I would like to see happen.

I would only add that industries that benefitted from such economic migration should shoulder some of the burden of local infrastructure -- regardless of where corporate headquarters might be, local services should be taken care of and funded proportionally.

They crossed the border illegally, so citizenship is out. However, keeping them in the shadows means keeping them too easy to exploit, to underpay, and to use as union busters.

What my modest proposal would include is that anyone here for 5 years with a good work history should have a fast track to a green card. Anyone here under 5 years or with a poor work history (firings for cause, not just layoffs) or any evidence of criminal activity needs to be sent back.

Any of their children born here are citizens. If they are deported, their minor children are to be deported with them but will be allowed to return as US citizens when they reach 18 should they choose to do so.

Many illegal aliens have been here long enough to have produced children and grandchildren. It's insane to try to round them up and send them back to a country they barely remember. Civilized people wouldn't do that and we can't afford it, anyway.

Employers who are found to have hired illegal aliens at less than the prevailing wage while turning Americans away need to be fined and jailed. The same goes for those committing H1B fraud, most of the IT bosses at this point.

Most people who are here illegally but who have put down roots would jump at the chance to stop looking around for La Migra every time they go out the front door. Nailing scumbag employers would cut job opportunities for new arrivals, making the country look far less attractive.

Those are my proposals. They're humane and they could work.

on the root cause of many of the problems, exploitation of illegals by scumbag employers...

"The BNP’s policy is to:

- Deport all the two million plus who are here illegally;
- Deport all those who commit crimes and whose original nationality was not British;
- Review all recent grants of residence or citizenship to ensure they are still appropriate;
- Offer generous grants to those of foreign descent resident here who wish to leave permanently;
- Stop all new immigration except for exceptional cases;
- Reject all asylum seekers who passed safe countries on their way to Britain."

http://bnp.org.uk/policies/immigration /

The BNP is smart enough (though perhaps just barely :) ) to know that you start with opposition to illegal immigration and criminals (the groups with the least popular support). Then you stop all immigration (if illegal immigrants were taking our jobs, legal ones probably are too). Then you review previous grants of citizenship or permanent residency (once you make them "illegal" again, off they go). Finally, for all those immigrants that you haven't been able to get rid of, you offer to pay for them to voluntarily repatriate themselves. (Something tells me that if the BNP comes to power the "voluntary" part of the repatriation might just be subject to change.)

Their stance on immigration is consistent with their goal: "The BNP seeks to restore the overwhelmingly white ethnicity of Britain that existed prior to 1948 through legal means, including "firm but voluntary incentives for immigrants and their descendants to return home", and the repeal of anti-discrimination legislation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_National_Party

Europe as a whole, including the UK with which the far-right BNP is kind of out of step, is quite progressive and has a much better immigration policy. We should consider an immigration system more like Europe's (but I could say that about national health care, social safety nets, support for unions, regulation of business and markets and progressive taxation, as well). :)

that prohibit the hiring of illegal immigrants. No available work for illegal immigrants, no reason for illegals to come here or to stay here. It's really that simple. Of course, this simple solution is NEVER talked about by the media OR the politicians.

Enforce the laws we already have instead of writing new ones.

Are there any additional penalties in this new law for people who hire illegals? I wonder.

such as France has, which although backed up by a national fingerprint database is getting antiquated (it dates from Vichy no less!), or more like what Britain is proposing to do with the expansion of their National Identity Register Britain has long had national ID papers - it's not a federation government like ours so there's less of an issue of stepping on local jurisdictions that are jealous of their powers. Two world wars against a foreign enemy that could infiltrate them for intelligence and sabotage led to national ID registry becoming a permanent fixture of British life.


You would have to make it compulsory, and require it for a range of basic common economic activities - getting a job/hiring somebody, opening a bank acct. or cashing a check, applying for govt services, renting property or buying/leasing transportation.

It absolutely can be done. I'm not saying yea or nay, but only suggesting what it takes to realize the goal you propose. The question is do you want to live in such a country where producing your ID for basic activities of life is required on a nearly daily basis. So far, liberals and conservatives alike in this country have always said No.

From a philosophical standpoint:

1. Human migration happens. You aren't going to stop it.
2. As a matter of fact, this nation was fought for and created by immigrants.
3. If you're afraid of brown people, get over it.
4. Either accept the waves of human migration, or most can get their asses back to Europe and give the country back to those who were here first...which includes those south of the current border.

From a practical standpoint:

1. Institute global labor standards, a living wage, environmental standards, civil liberties, and fair trade.
2. Allow anyone crossing any border to work to do so, legally.
3. Enforce # 1 vigilantly.

A guest worker program that would offer specific jobs, with decent wages, and safeguards for the workers, with a fixed return date.