Thread: Pence plan for illegal immigrants makes sense

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a ... -1/ZONES04

July 9, 2006


my view: Greg Garrison
Pence plan for illegal immigrants makes sense

For years I have been frustrated and ever more angered by the awful impact that the flood of illegal immigrants has had in our community.

Social services institutions choked beyond their capacity to the exclusion of our own needy citizens, an underground society that buys no car insurance, pays no taxes and fills the courts with their problems and incessant run-ins with the law all have long since convinced me that our government's default was inexcusable. And the fact that illegal immigrants have taken over the drug trade and upped the ante in both quantity and variety of controlled substances is just bitter icing on the cake.

But one powerful reality cannot be ignored. With 12 (or so) million of them here, packing them up and shipping off to their various points of origin is simply not going to happen. Not reasonable, feasible, and, I finally had to acknowledge, in some cases not moral.

It remains ultimately true, all the protests of The Wall Street Journal and its pals in the Reconquista movement to the contrary notwithstanding, that our southern border can and must be secured -- read "closed" to illegals of every description. However, it is also clear that, once that is accomplished, we have no choice but to deal fairly, humanely and effectively with the otherwise non-law-breaking folk who make up the majority of that number who are still here. We are told that, before border crackdowns began (I know, you're wondering "what crackdown"?), most illegal immigrants stayed about 21/2 years or so. Now that number is rising. And we also know that there are many who, however illegally they entered the country, have gotten taxpayer identification numbers and paid taxes on their earnings while here. Others have integrated themselves into society without breaking the law and have been here so long their kids have grown up as Americans.

So what do we do with all of them? U.S. Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana says send 'em all back for long enough to register accurately and honestly according to biometric protocols that will permit effective tracking once they return. They get two years to work and can leave and come back for an additional two if they behave themselves.

Beyond that, other U.S. regulations and quotas will have to be established for dealing with naturalization of all who apply, whether "guest worker" or otherwise. We should expect that the current unrealistic figures for this part will be adjusted, but that's OK, because implicit in all that is the adoption of English as the primary language, learning of the required basics of American civics and proof that all who apply have not violated the criminal law.

Pence's idea for a time-limited guest-worker program paid for by the workers, that requires them to be accountable and to report timely (with immediate revocation being the sanction), is simply not some kind of closet or stealth amnesty as some have charged. If the worker can stay only two years and must leave to apply for more time, that leaves the Immigration and Naturalization Service with the authority to say no if circumstances so dictate. And if they misbehave, it's the end -- period.

Of course, the genius in what the congressman proposes is the infusion into this whole mess of the notion that these people are not entitled to permanent status just because they have managed to stay below the radar for years at a time. But the fatal flaw in the legislative ointment has nothing whatever to do with any of this but has everything to do with the real enforcement that is undertaken and accomplished going forward. If we mean it, follow through on it and on the concomitant imperative of border security (again, read "closed"), it works. If not, it's the 1980s all over again and we just get 20 million more non-English-speaking illegals.

Spanish signage in the airports and all manner of government buildings, free education, medical care, food stamps and welfare for those who break our laws to get here must end; but what Mike Pence has suggested goes far -- and does so with common sense and his signature devotion to the sovereignty of the United States. And it is the only plan on the table that might work.

U.S. Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana says send 'em all back for long enough to register accurately and honestly according to biometric protocols that will permit effective tracking once they return.

Send them back? Send them back where? To their embassy?

And who do we send back? The government has made sure it's all but impossible to know how many are here illegally in the first place.

And since we know it's impossible to deport them, how exactly do we "send them back"?

I can't wait to hear the answer.

I wish GW BOOSH would explain why it is so impractical to send the illegal immigrants back.

Eisenhower did it with 3 million, what's another 15?

If we did it in the 50's, we certainly can do it in the 00's.

Pence's plan is no more of a good idea than the original Senate bill.

Build the wall! The southern border is the biggest security breach to this country without question!

Sheriff Flores of Texas is right, terrorist could and are probably already crossing the border.

Enforce the laws on the books, no guest worker program! That would be a disaster in the making! What a beauracracy that would create!!

For years I have been frustrated and ever more angered by the awful impact that the flood of illegal immigrants has had in our community.

Mr Garrison is so frustrated that he wants to make it worse by endorsing the Pence plan. Give all amnesty now and in about 15 or 20 years we will be faced with twice as many and there will be no chance to do anything about it. Our country will be gone.

Pence's fraudulent plan and the House Republicans (including the supposed hardliners) who support it just proves what I knew all along that the fix is on and America is going to get screwed. All I keep hearing is House is taking a tough stance on immigration. What tough stance? They are just waiting for the right moment to sell us out and look for a CYA way of doing it. Just wait until after the election. Our sovereignty ends next year and nothing will be done to stop it because America has lost it's backbone and it's brains period.

If the House was taking a tough stance they would all shout in unison enough is enough, no way Jose and not only would they make sure that nothing Bush and the Senate wants gets passed, but they would bring up impeachment charges for this do gooder in the Oval Office as well. The House is just as corrupt as the Senate. If the House past CAFTA, they will pass amnesty.

I agree dman they are stalling on this, but I see no real effort on the part of Congress to do anything yet. The National Guard on the border was a farce as they are not there in full strength which is probably a good thing as all they are doing is having BBQ's. We read stories in the news but I see no decrease or change in the behavior of illegals in my state, how about yours? When I see something that is concrete and real I will believe.

Originally Posted by lsmith1338

We read stories in the news but I see no decrease or change in the behavior of illegals in my state, how about yours? When I see something that is concrete and real I will believe.

I live in VA and I see more illegals (more foreigners in general) coming here each day. It's sickening. I go to some places and I'm the only American male in the joint (and sometimes it's when I go grocery shopping). 80 percent of these foreigners don't even speak english. I just want to scream where the hell did my country go when I see this. VA did manage to pass a Prop 200 style legislation through our Congress, but they still don't enforce any laws and don't go after the employers who hire these invaders. Oh and even though they deny services for illegals, of course they have a loophole that exempts children which is bs because you know the illegals will just exploit their children to get more government cheese.

Pence decides to sellout and be Bush's water carrier. It makes me sick. It's like who's next to sellout. Or should I say who's left.

Originally Posted by CountFloyd

U.S. Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana says send 'em all back for long enough to register accurately and honestly according to biometric protocols that will permit effective tracking once they return.

Send them back? Send them back where? To their embassy?

And who do we send back? The government has made sure it's all but impossible to know how many are here illegally in the first place.

And since we know it's impossible to deport them, how exactly do we "send them back"?

I can't wait to hear the answer.

My thought is that if two simply do two things, we can solve this problem.

1. Fine employers who hire these guys A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY, even if it means they get driven out of business. That should dramatically slow down a lot of this.

2. Whenever a police office stops anyone, he should verify that they are in this country legally. If not - send them to a deportation center to be shipped out like Eisenhower's plan.

3. Build the darn wall to KEEP them out.

Originally Posted by CheyenneWoman

My thought is that if two simply do two things, we can solve this problem.

1. Fine employers who hire these guys A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY, even if it means they get driven out of business. That should dramatically slow down a lot of this.

Your number one point could be done right now but it isn't.

No one can seriously believe that a new law addressing this will be enforced any more than the current law.