re: "Immigration- A Law not A Wall"

Uncle Jimbo at Blackfive comments on immigration.

Money quote(s):

"(I)f the goal is to actually make our borders more secure and take control of who is in our country, then you need to look at whether your positions and tactics are helping that.

There are two issues in play here, the physical security of the borders themselves and the enforcement mechanisms to deal with those who are trying to or have bypassed our physical security. If we did either one of these well that would solve the problem, as it is we do both excrementally. We are not going to physically secure our borders in a way that makes them impregnable, so we need to decide what a border barrier is intended to do."

"(W)e can stop the economic immigrants with a good wall, but is that the best way? There have been quite a few places around the country where laws have been enacted making it illegal to hire or rent to illegal immigrants. Shockingly when these laws have been enforced the illegals have packed up and left.

If these policies were followed around the country the problem of economic illegals would be solved. But for every place that enacts these laws there is a Berkeley or San Francisco declaring itself a Sanctuary city. To be effective employer enforcement needs to be nationwide and therefore federal law. Since Congress is solidly Democratic that is not going to happen absent some sort of compromise that gives them something they want."

&

"The answer is to combine an employer enforcement program with a registration, background check and path to citizenship AMNESTY program. Anyone with felony convictions, uh buh bye, productive citizens, welcome to life as a taxpayer. You eliminate the underground economy, you identify the bad guys and kick them out, and you remove the incentive for economic illegals. Where is the downside?"