Try a Fair Solution to Immigration Reform

The debate about immigration, often bitter and divisive, appears to represent irreconcilable views. The political left is viewed as supporting open borders to all and the political right is viewed as supporting sending the “illegals” off to rot in foreign prisons. First of all, I believe any country has the right and duty to control its borders with effective and humane legislation. Neither the Democrats nor the Republicans have lived up to that responsibility. Second, I want the Constitutional guarantee of due process rigorously applied for anyone charged in the United States, whether a citizen or not.. The first belief is based on the common-sense assumption that a government must protect its citizens. The second belief is because I want to have due process if I am ever charged with some violation of the law.

So, here’s a modest proposal. Write and pass legislation that includes the thorough screening of any non-citizen applying to enter the United States. Second, give each immigrant a social security number and each able-bodied adult a green card. While it is true that most immigrants, documented or not, pay taxes when they buy stuff, bringing undocumented workers out of the shadows into the system would dramatically increase government revenue. Our country has a severe shortage of workers in the agricultural and service industries. And remember, a green card remains in effect only if the owner is a law-abiding resident. My proposal is driven in part by my belief that Americans at heart are a fair and generous people regardless of their political choices. We love to see folks make a good life through hard work. We love to root for the underdog.

Another consideration is the troubling reality that the increasing ratio of elderly folks (like myself) to a diminishing population of young workers paying into the system through sales, income, and social security taxes bodes ill for the economy. An influx of immigrants, duly vetted and legitimized, could offer a positive offset to the increasing ratio of elderly, retired folks to young workers. So, that’s my idea. I think this proposal offers a compassionate, but commonsensical solution to our immigration mess and the danger facing our future economic stability growth. Most economists maintain that immigration is an important driver of economic stability.

A bipartisan effort to write and pass effective immigration policy that protects our country, treats potential immigrants fairly, and has a positive impact on our economy, would be good for all of us, liberal, conservative and everybody else. We need our elected representatives to do their job, and stop insulting one another. We Americans basically want the same thing fairness, opportunity, security, and honesty. We are more alike than we are different.

Bill Balch La Grange