Mike has been working on developing solutions for our Federal immigration challenges in preparation for a possible run for Congress in 2010! Let's support Mike in his political endeavors!Plank #1. The United States was built by immigrants and should continue to welcome immigrants that want to come here and become Americans legally. We have to simplify this process and make it easier and FASTER. Solution: Allow prospective immigrants to pay for faster service. Instead of paying a smuggler, why don't we charge them an application fee to speed up the legal process and let them in legally?? As long as they have a job, are law abiding and are willing to assimilate, they are welcome to come and make a life here.
Plank #2. Responsibility. If you came here illegally then you must either:
Go home and apply for legal status to enter the country. See Plank #1 if you want to speed up the process.
Stay in the US and register by a Set date. Pay a significant registration fee (to pay for the new overhead of registration. Fee should be in addition to the "quick processing fee" of plank #1) and a penalty for being in the US Illegally. If you can't pay, we will garnish your wages. If you don't have a job, we will fingerprint you and send you home and you can reapply for citizenship through regular channels. If you commit a felony, including trying to work under another identity to avoid wage garnishment, then you will be deported and become ineligible for citizenship in the future.
Plank #3. Enforce our Laws:
Unless they have chosen to go through the process outlined in Plank #2 above, make it a law that if someone is caught here illegally they will be finger printed, retinal scanned and they will become ineligible for US Citizenship in the future.
Plank #4. Take away the reason so many come.
Change the 14th amendment (or obtain a more accurate ruling from the Supreme Court on this matter) such that if you were born after 1/1/20__ (pick a date) and your parents were not here legally or do not apply for and receive US citizenship, then you are not a US Citizen. This will immediately eliminate the "Anchor Baby" problem associated with deportation of illegal immigrants AND eliminate the draw of pregnant illegal immigrants coming into the US to have children. If someone is here legally on anything more than tourist or visitor status then their children would have citizenship.
Plank #5. Benefits - No Social Security if you haven't paid into the system for at least 10 (or more) years. No Medicare. No free ride on emergency room visits. The same card you use to get a job should be presented at the hospital. If you go to the ER and cant' pay then you will have your wages garnished to pay for at least some of hospital charges.
Plank #2. Responsibility. If you came here illegally then you must either:
Go home and apply for legal status to enter the country. See Plank #1 if you want to speed up the process.
Stay in the US and register by a Set date. Pay a significant registration fee (to pay for the new overhead of registration. Fee should be in addition to the "quick processing fee" of plank #1) and a penalty for being in the US Illegally. If you can't pay, we will garnish your wages. If you don't have a job, we will fingerprint you and send you home and you can reapply for citizenship through regular channels. If you commit a felony, including trying to work under another identity to avoid wage garnishment, then you will be deported and become ineligible for citizenship in the future.
Plank #3. Enforce our Laws:
Unless they have chosen to go through the process outlined in Plank #2 above, make it a law that if someone is caught here illegally they will be finger printed, retinal scanned and they will become ineligible for US Citizenship in the future.
Plank #4. Take away the reason so many come.
Change the 14th amendment (or obtain a more accurate ruling from the Supreme Court on this matter) such that if you were born after 1/1/20__ (pick a date) and your parents were not here legally or do not apply for and receive US citizenship, then you are not a US Citizen. This will immediately eliminate the "Anchor Baby" problem associated with deportation of illegal immigrants AND eliminate the draw of pregnant illegal immigrants coming into the US to have children. If someone is here legally on anything more than tourist or visitor status then their children would have citizenship.
Plank #5. Benefits - No Social Security if you haven't paid into the system for at least 10 (or more) years. No Medicare. No free ride on emergency room visits. The same card you use to get a job should be presented at the hospital. If you go to the ER and cant' pay then you will have your wages garnished to pay for at least some of hospital charges.
