Rather than flushing money for a wall down the drain, why not make immigration and the wall money an engine for future American prosperity. I have a three pronged solution to the "immigration issue." My solution is a real business program that honors human dignity and benefits America.
I have a three pronged solution to the "immigration issue." My solution is a real business program that honors human dignity and benefits America.
First Prong: Immigrants pay on average $3000 each to smugglers. Why not have the immigrants pay America the $3000 and create a system under which we can monitor who is coming into the country and what they are doing? I propose that the government establish immigration centers ("Centers") at the borders. Those wishing to enter the country will pay the $3000 to the Centers. At the Center, we will take the immigrant's photograph, fingerprints, and administer tuberculosis and other health tests. The immigrants must tell us where they are going to live and where they plan on working. With that information, and the payment, the immigrant can enter the country. Every six months the immigrant must renew the application with updated information and the payment of an additional $500.00. Some sources estimate twenty million undocumented aliens are in the US. At $3000 each, we have a potential revenue source of $60 billion. I estimate the immigration service can reduce the border patrol by 2/3 and redirect its efforts to drug interdiction and security to prevent terrorist entry to the US. All of this has a direct financial benefit to the US government in a time of rising budget deficits.
Second Prong: Employers who cheat their competitors by hiring undocumented workers fuel the immigration problem. I propose a "green card bounty" program to halt employer cheating. Any undocumented worker who provides written evidence to the Immigration Service that shows the worker worked within the last month, will receive a "green card bounty." The Immigration service will not have to spend precious resources investigating cheating employers. The immigrants will bring the evidence to the Immigration to get an expedited green card. Armed with this proof, and front page publicity for prosecutions of cheating business owners, jobs for undocumented workers outside my registration system will dry up immediately. The immigrants that are here, who want to work, will join the immigration system, by paying their money, giving their finger prints, and submitting to the health testing.
Third Prong: Build Factories not Walls. Congress has passed a bill that will pay upwards of $6 Billion to build a wall on portions of the US/Mexican border. Why not take that money, and use it to build manufacturing facilities for American businesses in America? America needs to level the playing field so our manufacturing business can compete in the global market. Most countries are underwriting their manufacturers with subsidies for land and manufacturing facilities. We should do the same. If we build the wall, that money is gone. Using that same money to build America's next generation of manufacturing facilities will turn that money over and over and over. American construction workers will build the many new facilities. Our manufacturers, with only raw material and employee costs will enjoy price point advantages that before now belonged only to our competitors. We will see a manufacturing renaissance in America, and ironically may need more immigrants here to fill all the jobs our manufacturers will create in a fully employed America.
It is time for America to adopt my direct solution. It benefits America, levels the playing field for law-abiding employers by eliminating the cheaters, generates $60 billion for the treasury, creates economic prosperity, and allows the Immigration Service to focus on security rather than playing hide and seek in the southern deserts. It is time to do what is right, let the consequences follow.