Bilbo's Republicratic Party Platform, Plank #1: Immigration Reform

As promised yesterday, here is the first installment of the platform for the party I'd really like to see running for the presidency this year - Immigration Reform.

Those of you who have been with me for more than a year or so have already seen earlier versions of this proposal. I've tweaked it a little as I've thought about it and considered readers' comments, but its basic elements remain the same. As always, I welcome your comments...as long, of course, as they're constructive and not directed toward my ancestry, odor, or sexual proclivities.

Here we go...

Bilbo's Republicratic Party Platform, Plank #1
Comprehensive Compromise Immigration Reform

Congress begins by enacting legislation to create a new category of immigration status – the “Provisional Resident Alien (PRA)” – and designate the status with a new form of ID card – the “Blue Card.” Anyone who is in the United States illegally as of the date of enactment will have a grace period of six months to register for PRA status and obtain a Blue Card without fear of arrest, imprisonment, or deportation on any immigration violation charge. They would, of course, be subject to arrest for outstanding criminal violations unrelated to their immigration status.

A person registering as a PRA must pay a fee of $500 per person or $1000 per family for the privilege of obtaining that status. This fee does two things: it imposes a penalty for having broken the law in the first place, and it partially funds the cost of the new program. This provides something for those who oppose blanket amnesty, because it imposes a penalty for the willful violation of the law. Many churches and immigrant rights organizations will object to the fine because they think it’s either unfair or too much for poor immigrants to pay. Individuals or organizations who object to making the illegals pay the fine will be offered the opportunity to pay it on behalf of those who can’t or won’t pay it themselves.

Once a person has been granted PRA status, he or she will be required to obtain a valid social security number, and will be entitled to the same rights, privileges, and social services as other legal immigrants; in exchange, they will be required to obey all laws, pay all taxes, enroll in basic English classes (if they do not speak English already), and otherwise act as responsible members of American society. They will enjoy the protection of labor laws which require payment of the minimum wage, and with a legal status, will no longer be subject to exploitation by unscrupulous employers.

Initial PRA status will be valid for five years. At the end of this period, the individual must report to the immigration authorities with proof of employment and proof that taxes have been paid. If these conditions are met, the individual may either extend the PRA status for another five years, or apply for citizenship. Citizenship is not automatic – it will still have to be earned through the same naturalization process completed by many millions of legal immigrants throughout our history, with the clock starting at the end of the PRA period, regardless of how long the individual has already been in the country. This protects the interests of those who have weathered the legal immigration process by preventing previously-illegal immigrants in PRA status from “jumping the line” for quick citizenship.

On the date the grace period for seeking PRA status ends, anyone still present illegally in the country will be tracked down, arrested, and deported. Because the great majority of previously-illegal immigrants will almost certainly have taken advantage of the opportunity to legalize their status by becoming PRAs, the much smaller number remaining in an illegal status will probably be those with criminal records. Immigration authorities can then proceed to concentrate their efforts on this much smaller number of more dangerous individuals.

Second, change the citizenship laws to state that children born within the United States obtain automatic citizenship only if both parents are US citizens. This will help reduce the problem of sham marriages and “anchor children” used to establish legal residency for people otherwise here illegally.

Third, on the date the law is enacted, immediately transfer most immigration enforcement agents to border security duty to crack down on new illegal immigration. Severely stiffen border security and summarily deport those caught attempting illegal entry after photographing and fingerprinting them. Make facilitation of illegal immigration (whether by “coyotes” who help smuggle illegals across the border or by those who knowingly employ illegals) a felony. Make a second illegal immigration attempt a felony as well.

Fourth, on the date the grace period for PRA registration ends, impose a set of very steep fines and jail sentences for businesses and individuals hiring persons who are in the country illegally (without a Green or Blue Card). This will help to remove the economic incentive for businesses to support illegal immigration.

Fifth, make employers responsible for reporting to the immigration authorities any change in the employment status of a PRA. If a person in PRA status is fired from a job or becomes unemployed, his status is revoked and he must leave the country until otherwise eligible to enter in that status in the future.

This takes care of those who are in the country illegally today. But comprehensive immigration reform must also address the need for a responsive program to allow unskilled, low-wage workers to enter the country to take jobs that might otherwise go unfilled. PRA status can be used for these persons, too. Businesses would project their labor requirements, and the State Department would make an appropriate number of PRA visas available to meet the need. Immigrants would then apply at the US embassy or consulate in their home country for PRA status covering any period of time from six months to five years, and need only maintain a job, pay taxes, and learn English in order to maintain their status. At the end of five years, they would also have the opportunity to apply for citizenship.

This plan won’t please everyone, but that’s the nature of a compromise, and the ability to compromise is what has been missing from political discourse in this country for too long. The advantages of this plan are:

1. It offers a way to legitimize the persons already here illegally (who, after all, are too numerous and well-protected to be rounded up and deported), but imposes a fine on them as a condition of legalizing their status (i.e., no reward for having broken the law in the first place).

2. It funds itself, in part, through the fines collected from those applying for PRA status.

3. It provides resources for increased border security by freeing up immigration agents who otherwise spend their days fruitlessly hunting down illegals.

4. It provides a pathway for low-wage workers to legally enter the country and take advantage of economic opportunities not available to them at home, while contributing to the US economy in taxes.

5. It removes the incentive for businesses to hire and exploit illegal immigrants who cannot seek their rights for fear of exposure and deportation.

This is the first plank of my platform. What do you think?

Tomorrow is Cartoon Saturday, and then on Sunday, we'll take on the second plank of the platform: Tax Reform and Economic Policy.

Have a good day. More thoughts tomorrow.

Bilbo