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A View On The Immigration Problem

By Theresa Fritz Camoriano

As the granddaughter of immigrants from Italy and the wife of an immigrant from Honduras, I have a perspective on the current immigration problems that might differ from yours.  I am sympathetic to people who are just trying to make a better life for themselves and their families, and I understand that a country needs to control its borders in order to control its security. 

The current U.S. policy of winking at illegal immigration is terrible for several reasons: 

1.   It leaves the illegal immigrants vulnerable to criminals and to employers who don’t live up to their contract obligations, because they are afraid of reporting crimes and breaches of contract lest they be found out and deported. 

2.                  It leaves the borders open to drug smugglers, terrorists, and other criminals.

3.                  The acceptance of this lawlessness by everyone from the President on down promotes a lack of respect for the law at all levels of society. 

4.                  The social services that are provided to these illegal immigrants deplete the resources of innocent taxpayers. 

5.                  Illegal immigrants are willing to work at lower pay than legal workers, which deprives U.S. citizens of jobs and fosters resentment. 

6.                  Many illegal immigrants have developed an entitlement mentality, which we don’t need. 

7.                  Many illegal immigrants have no desire to become Americans, preferring instead to convert the U.S. into a territory of Mexico.

We have to admit that this problem is our own fault.  We have winked at the illegal activity rather than taking steps to stop it.  We have promoted the idea that all cultures are equal, which is not true.  We have promoted the welfare state and failed to appreciate the benefits and superiority of the American capitalist system that respects every individual and his property.

So what can we do now?  We should patrol our borders and stop illegal entry.  We should keep track of people who are allowed into the country illegally to make sure they go home when they are supposed to.  We should enforce our immigration laws, tracking down and deporting illegals, and we should stop providing free services to illegals. 

For those people who want to become legal, we should provide a way for them to enter the country legally to work without making them part of the social service system.  Let them come here the way our ancestors did – working to become Americans and achieve the American dream.

People who come to the U.S. to work should pass a background check to be sure they are not criminals, should be required to show proof of health insurance, pass a driving test, and have proof of auto insurance.  They should be required to show that they can speak at least basic English. 

They also should come here on the condition that they will not be eligible for welfare or other social service assistance.  They should not have to pay into the Social Security system, and they should not become eligible to receive social security payments.  They should be eligible for a rebate of any school taxes they pay, and they should be responsible for educating their own children.  If they fall on hard times, they will have to rely on charity.  In other words, we should require them to meet the standards that were required of all Americans before the socialists took over.  In this way, immigrants will be an asset to this country rather than a liability.  They will have respect for the American way of life rather than becoming parasites, and they will help rejuvenate the true American dream.

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