We should let immigrants buy their way in (illegal immigrants, laws, unemployment)
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A large part of the argument for stricter enforcement of illegal immigration laws is the fact that illegal immigrants are said to be a drain on our system, primarily due to the fact that their low incomes make them net recipients of welfare.
Let's assume that this argument is correct. It seems to me like this is a pretty easy problem to solve. Right now illegal immigrants are primarily getting into the United States by crossing our southern border. In doing so, they incur certain costs. Most notably, they very frequently are paying "coyotes" several thousand dollars a pop to smuggle them in. The industry is estimated to be worth about $5B a year.
So as it stands, many illegal immigrants are paying a rather hefty fee to cross the border. Indeed, the costs are actually bigger than they might appear. Not only are they paying the coyotes, but they are incurring others costs - the risk of injury or death in the desert, the risk of deportation (which, in turn, implies the risk of having to once again pay a coyote for smuggling) etc. These risks accumulate the longer an illegal immigrant has been here - the more settle he or she becomes into his or her life, the more daunting the threat of deportation becomes.
So realistically we can ascertain that many illegal migrants are paying several thousand dollars each to transport themselves to the United States. From there, they have limited access to the resources and legal protections that citizens do, and have to spend at least some time and effort avoiding immigration enforcement.
It strikes me, then, that we could simply charge immigrants wishing to become citizens a certain number at the border. Call it $5,000, though obviously this is a somewhat arbitrary guess. In exchange, we grant them a relatively rapid path to citizenship, and the ability to stay here in the meantime. Now, considering how important this status is to many immigrants, we can add all sorts of strings to this. So we'd have a system that looks something like this:
If immigrants are:
1. Willing to pay $5,000
2. Lacking a history of serious criminal activity
3. Willing to forgo use of safety net programs until their citizenship is official (and perhaps even a couple years after)
Then we would allow them a path to citizenship. This, of course, addresses what appears to be the primary concern of most posters here who want stricter enforcement.
A large part of the argument for stricter enforcement of illegal immigration laws is the fact that illegal immigrants are said to be a drain on our system, primarily due to the fact that their low incomes make them net recipients of welfare.
Let's assume that this argument is correct. It seems to me like this is a pretty easy problem to solve. Right now illegal immigrants are primarily getting into the United States by crossing our southern border. In doing so, they incur certain costs. Most notably, they very frequently are paying "coyotes" several thousand dollars a pop to smuggle them in. The industry is estimated to be worth about $5B a year.
So as it stands, many illegal immigrants are paying a rather hefty fee to cross the border. Indeed, the costs are actually bigger than they might appear. Not only are they paying the coyotes, but they are incurring others costs - the risk of injury or death in the desert, the risk of deportation (which, in turn, implies the risk of having to once again pay a coyote for smuggling) etc. These risks accumulate the longer an illegal immigrant has been here - the more settle he or she becomes into his or her life, the more daunting the threat of deportation becomes.
So realistically we can ascertain that many illegal migrants are paying several thousand dollars each to transport themselves to the United States. From there, they have limited access to the resources and legal protections that citizens do, and have to spend at least some time and effort avoiding immigration enforcement.
It strikes me, then, that we could simply charge immigrants wishing to become citizens a certain number at the border. Call it $5,000, though obviously this is a somewhat arbitrary guess. In exchange, we grant them a relatively rapid path to citizenship, and the ability to stay here in the meantime. Now, considering how important this status is to many immigrants, we can add all sorts of strings to this. So we'd have a system that looks something like this:
If immigrants are:
1. Willing to pay $5,000
2. Lacking a history of serious criminal activity
3. Willing to forgo use of safety net programs until their citizenship is official (and perhaps even a couple years after)
Then we would allow them a path to citizenship. This, of course, addresses what appears to be the primary concern of most posters here who want stricter enforcement.
There is a high price from the coyotes, whom will rape women and girls in front of relatives, use migrants to unwillingly carry or divert attention from drug loads, and mislead them about the risk. Quite often there will still be payment due, where the migrant doesn't make it to the job to pay off the debt. Being returned to within their grasp owing even small amounts is certain death.
In the end, I paid a slightly lesser amount per person (package deal I guess) to legally immigrate (and will later to naturalize) my wife and three stepchildren. A more timely response would have even been worth more money from me. Legal immigrants are normally prevented from accessing government benefits for five years, it sounds like a very good proposal to me.
A large part of the argument for stricter enforcement of illegal immigration laws is the fact that illegal immigrants are said to be a drain on our system, primarily due to the fact that their low incomes make them net recipients of welfare.
Not all of them have low income. A lot of them work under the table and lie about their actual income since they don't pay taxes...and then apply for government handouts for their spawn.
Not all of them have low income. A lot of them work under the table and lie about their actual income since they don't pay taxes...and then apply for government handouts for their spawn.
Cool story. I'm pretty sure those people still have low income, but whatever.
So obviously this would address that, as they'd be citizens and more willing to comply with wage laws, and as there would be more immigrants here legally, employers would be less likely to take the risk. You could add "if you work under the table, your path to citizenship will be revoked" into the contract with ease.
Not all of them have low income. A lot of them work under the table and lie about their actual income since they don't pay taxes...and then apply for government handouts for their spawn.
Very true. They take our jobs, our services and government aid meant for needy Americans. Gotta love those illegals.
In this scenario, they are paying us to gain entry - meaning they would be assisting in covering the cost you claim they impose in addition to making themselves ineligible to receive immediate assistance.
I am not up for any sort of amnesty program. And buying their way here is not something I support at all.
Our unemployment rates are ridiculous and we don't need more people coming over or staying here illegally. I do not support it period.
They can buy their way into Canada if they want. They need "immigrants" there more than we need here.
But that BS would never fly up there...the people know better.
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Pretty outrageous.