Discussion with friends prompted me to write down the progression of my thoughts on the issue of illegal immigrants in the US, insofar as the ones here for work.
My earliest thoughts on the matter for apprehended illegals were simple & Draconian: summary execution. But time & age mellowed me into instead being agreeable to the idea of life imprisonment without parole. Now, the realization that the incarceration of all those people might be more than a little expensive and self-defeating, given the way they're ingrained into our economic infrastructure with our tacit approval. But emotional reaction gives way to some additional mellowing...
Guest worker program----------
For guest workers, implement a bracero program similar to the one used in California in the 40's/50's.
- Guest workers spend 2 years in the US then 1 year back home before return to the US.
- Guest workers are protected by minimum wage laws and are subject to all applicable federal, state and local taxes.
- 40% of a guest worker's wages are held in escrow by the US gov't, to be disbursed upon return to their home country.
- If unemployed for 4 continuous months a guest work must return to their home country.
- Families of guest workers are not allowed. (To minimize the burden on social services)
- Felony conviction of any sort disqualifies worker from the program and they are deported.
Immigration/Citizenship (yeah, the "legal" route) --------------
- Dramatic expansion/improvement in the US govt's immigration program.
- Stipulate a 4-year "clock" that starts with application for naturalization. Unless the US gov't can provide hard, credible evidence why an applicant should not be a US citizen then the applicant automatically qualifies for the testing.
- Time spent in the guest worker program - after application for citizenship - counts toward the 4-year waiting period.
For those resident illegals not availing themselves of the guest worker program, upon first apprehension their biometric data is collected and they're deported. If they're caught in the US again, and are not registered with a federal program, then they are packed off to prison with life w/o parole.
I fully realize that I do not have all the answers, but right now the above is my current take on the matter. The value brought to our economy by undocumented workers is certainly just as much a factor as my law-and-order feelings. It's true that the combination of 40%-wage-escrow, taxation and living expenses will take a toll on guest workers' income, but those have the same effect on ours; they came here to work, they'll just have to make do.