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Immigration Reform 2009: Take Action Now!
Coming up with a comprehensive immigration reform bill that serves our national security and economic interests and without giving away too much amnesty, remains a major issue of contention. We realize that there are strong emotions on both fronts, but ignoring a problem will, as it always does, make the problem worse.
When we stop to consider the millions of illegal immigrants in the U.S, we don’t think it un-American to ask how they got here in the first place. Certainly those who crossed our borders illegally must have known they were breaking the law, right? Well perhaps, but we’re not so sure it’s as simple as all that. For example, you know you are breaking the law when you drive and exceed the speed limit, but aren’t there are times when you just go with the flow of traffic—hey, we all know it’s wrong but we are willing to take that risk from time to time. And where’s the highway patrol anyway? Why weren’t they making a greater effort to stop us if they really wanted to curb speeding, right?
Admittedly this example is an oversimplification taken to the extreme, but it is one to which most of us can relate. But don’t you think that is sort of what the illegal aliens may have been thinking when they crossed the border into the U.S. All levity aside, where was the Border Patrol Agents and why weren’t they making a greater effort to stop them if they really wanted to curb the growing problem of illegal aliens. We have the greatest admiration for or nation’s law enforcement officers, but it appears there’s been a long-term tacit policy afoot to leave the door open just a bit.
There is a popular illustrative tort case used by law professors, I think it’s called Rocker v. State. In any event, at issue was the principle of the “well worn path” which essentially made a land owner liable to trespassers on his land where he or she knew or should have know of their presence because of the well worn path they left behind from their daily trespass.
May we suggest here for a moment that our Mexican border shows ample signs of a well worn path? And don’t you agree that our government’s policy on overstays may have also cut a sizable swatch as well. May we further suggest that we all own up to that fact that we as a nation share some responsibility for the problem? Sorry, we know it’s a difficult pill to swallow, but it is the sociopolitical inconvenient truth of the day.
So, what can we do about it? The first thing to do is to admit we have a problem—and that we may be at least partially responsible for causing the problem in the first place. We’re not suggesting the illegal immigrants have no responsibility for their actions, we’re just saying we as a country played a part in it, that’s all. AND, of the two, that is, us or them, we’re in a much better position to fix things, aren’t we?
The next thing to do is to take real steps toward stopping the relentless incoming tide of new illegal immigrants entering every single day? We’d be a lot better off in this post 911 world knowing that not just anybody can enter the U.S. with little fear of being stopped—that’s just plain unacceptable. We will leave it to those better capable to implement an effective solution. Whether it be stone walls, drones, barbed wire or a combination, let’s find something that works and do it. Others have made an argument that this would be tantamount to building a Berlin Wall, but that’s just nonsense, the fact is we need more effective border control.
We then need to do something with the millions illegal that are already here. All this talk of amnesty being unacceptable is understandable, but when you realize that there is no way to deport the mass of illegal immigrants already here, you have to face the fact that we need to do something to sort out, qualify and assimilate these people in a controlled setting. Certainly you cannot just hand everyone a green card. But let’s forget for a moment the semantics of whether or not it’s amnesty, legalization or whatever label they come up with. Perhaps it is some form of amnesty, perhaps it isn’t, but one thing’s for sure, taking steps to get these folks out of the shadows is the only solution.
Pure amnesty is forgiveness for entering, remaining in, and working in the country illegally without any penalties. President Obama has stated that he doesn’t support outright amnesty and neither do we. But let’s be sensible, what we are really talking about is compromise. The whole issue of immigration reform is, in the end, one of compromise—and compromise is always borne of necessity—and we need to fix the current immigration system. Surely illegal immigrants will walk away with benefits, some of which admittedly may be a form of amnesty, but we also have an opportunity to correct an ineffective immigration system that is not working. With compromise both parties walk get to away from the table with some tangible benefit.
Finally, we need to keep the pressure on Congress to enact immigration reform that will serve our nation’s national security interests and offer a fair solution to the mass of illegal immigrants already in our economy and culture. But we need not do this in one fell swoop. Since comprehensive immigration reform failed in the past, maybe we should start enacting it piece-by-piece. (DREAM Act anyone?) This way we can at least move in a positive direction while giving Congress and the nation an opportunity to better explore the more contentious issues—it’s certainly better than doing nothing. No matter which side of the aisle or argument you may sit, I urge you to work toward a improving our immigration system. Immigration reform is an issue that cannot be ignored.
I'm eager to hear your comments...
Written by Peter J. Loughlin, Esq. & Thomas W. Goldman, Esq.
Thomas W. Goldman, Esq., J.D., LL.M., and Peter J. Loughlin, Esq., J.D., LL.M., are US immigration lawyers and the founders of Goldman and Loughlin, PLLC Law Firm, a national immigration law firm with offices in Orlando, Florida and Naples, Florida and Bradenton Florida.
Filed under: US Immigration Legislation · Tags: amnesty, Comprehensive immigration reform, DREAM Act, illegal aliens, immigration reform, legalization
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A path to citizenship is not the only way to bring illegal immigrants out of the shadows, that is just full of it,this will not help American citizens, because their are so many illegal immigrants here, they will be added to over population of their Hispanic race, also because of the wide open doors to our birthright laws, they are having millions of their children born here getting granted American citizenship,again this is helping them to become the over populated race in America,
Being so the Hispanic race will be the over populated race, it will be the Hispanic race that will be first in line to our employment just as they are now, there are no diversity in America’s employment, start looking around, look and see who is behind the desks, and counters in vast majority our employment now, and tell me where are our other American citizens in these employment who are other then Hispanic? it is to the point you have to be Hispanic, or have an Hispanic name to get employment in our own country America! What Abama want for all the illegal immigrants sounds good to a certain extent, but it will not work it is going to make things so much worse with illegal immigrants in America, even if they get path to citizenship, they will still be illegal immigrants, American citizens were forced watched how they had scheme and scam the America system, and just watch how all their wrongdoings is winning them a path to citizenship in America, this doesn’t make any since, and it will not be fair for America!!!!!
there are 12 million illigal that already apply for any kind of petition but there are 6 million they dont know about ,every year this people send out the country more than 356 billion of dollar that doesnt have return they have been doing this for so many years, this stupids still looking for the economic problems,its easy give a geen card to all thoses who work hard for their money ,and they are not gonna be afraid of spend their money in the US,the US can not support 3 more years in IRAK Neither ARE THEY GONNA BE ABLE TO RAISE THE ECONOMY WITHOUT AN AMNESTY . THEY MUST ADMIT THIS HUGE ENOURMOUS PROBLEM THAT IS SO SIMPLE TO FIX ,USE YOUR BRAIN &5##*&%#@
There is no real understanding, about a path to citizenship when millions of American are unemployed in their own country, it seems that all we have in our American politicians, not all of them, but enough of them are sell outs, these people are going to just sell us out! They simply just close their eyes and ears to what a path to citizenship to illegal aliens is going to do to America and the poor and middle class citizens.
Our politician tend to just find all kind of ways to just sugarcoat all illegal aliens wrongdoings, so that can just grant them a fast path to citizenship, especially when it comes to their children, and they want to do just go over Americans heads,they and illegal aliens, and all of their advocates are just spitting and walking all over Americans as if they no longer exist in their own country being so they are being push so far in the background, They tend to leave American so voiceless, just ignore just anything they say about illegal immigrants, especially if they are against it!!!
I watch how Senator Schumer just talk to people who where mostly for amnesty, or a path to citizenship for illegal aliens, never talked to any one but one person that was against it, and he always smiled when someone was in agreement with him on this topic, because he is so for amnesty, a path to citizenship for illegal aliens.
Obama,and other law makers, do not know what they are doing, why are they ignoring what a path to citizenship for illegal aliens is going to do to America, illegal aliens have already found ways to glue them selves to America, by all kinds of wrongdoings, also with the help of our birthright laws, which helps them to get instant American citizenship for their children by millions,along as they are pregnant and give birth right here in America their children are instantly granted America citizenship, they are allow to use this in there offense,this protects them from all laws when they have babies born in America.
This birthright laws should be close to illegal aliens in America, this would help stop the over populations of the Hispanic race in America, this would stop them from building their own personal colony in America! This is not being said because of race, it is being said because it is the truth.
Our politicians refuse to stop American birthright laws to illegal aliens in America, their excuses are we cant hurt illegal aliens children for their parents wrongdoings in America, this is so ridiculous!! in the mean time they are making sure the born American citizens, so they can stay. And now because Obama and other lawmakers do not want to hurt illegal aliens feelings, but they never care about hurting Americans feelings at all, that comes very easy for them.It doen’t take a path to citizenship to force illegal aliens out of the shadows, that is a bunch of crap!! They can be force to come out of the shadows by strong immigration law enforcement that we have, that is if politicians, illegal aliens, and all their advocates stop interfering in their duties in American. America no longer have strong immigration laws any more, this is why illegal immigrants wrongdoings is winning them a path to citizenship in America, this is wrong!!
Americans will suffer if illegal aliens get a path to citizenship, because they will be added to the over populations of the Hispanic race. Our politician ignores that the over population of the Hispanic race is because of all the amnestys illegal aliens have been getting in the pass,and the wide open doors to illegal alens of our American birthright laws that allow to get their children granted American citizenship by the millions on the illegal status.
A over population of any race of people, will just allow this race of people to automatally just take over the majority of employment, leaving other races of people in America second in line to employment, especially black Americans!!!! This is happening now! just look around you, start checking out different employment, especially ca, the san diego area!! it is to the point you do not see any other race of people in our employment all you see in these employment is Hispanic, legal and illegal. The real Americas do not have a chance when it comes to employment, this is sad!! also this is not fair!! This means that America will be in trouble if Obama grant illegal aliens a path to citizenship, this will allow them also to send for millions of their family members.Also it will allow illegal aliens to just continue to be first in line to employment, What in the hell is happening to America, and our politicians???? illegal aliens in America will never stop because our own politicians do not have a real solution for it, they would rather throw illegal aliens in front of their American citizens, force Americans to just endure in all illegal aliens wrongdoings in America.And just slap Americans citizens in the face by telling them that illegal aliens do not have to abide our American laws, only American citizens are to abide all American laws!!!
A Path to citizenship for illegal aliens if pass, will be won by all illegal aliens wrongdoings in America!!!
America should have a population growth by any race naturally, not by giving millions of illegal aliens amnesty by the millions, or a path to citizenship by the millions all the time, all of this should come with in limitations, and alot of security, which has been lost with the invasion of illegal immigration in America, because no one knows who these illegal aliens really are, because of this there are no security,there is always amnesty by the millions when ever our law makers feel like giving one, this is condemning America, this is not a fair thing for the American citizens,this is like stepping on the American citizens feet, and tell them not to holler! or putting a spoon full of poison down their throat, and force them to swallow!!!
Again a path to citizenship will be poison to America, a terrible drowning of America, so Americans need to watch out for this terrible dangerous wave that is about to drown us!!!! i am talking about this stupid path to citizenship!! Americans get out and march and protest in your own streets of America to stop this nonsense, this will also save Obama Presidency! rather he know it or not!!
Americans we must not allow illegal aliens continue to build their own colonies in America and push all of us in the back of the line to our employment and other things, there must be other ways to stop this bull crap!!
ME MYSELF I BELIEVE THAT THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, WHO HAVE BEEN HERE AT LEAST 8 YRS, HAVE WORKED A LONG STEADY JOB, AND HAVE NOTHING ON THEIR CRIMANAL RECORD SHOULD BE GIVEN THE CHANCE TO BECOME LEGAL WITH OF SOME PENALTY COST FINES THEY SHOULD PAY!!!