You keep telling me my point of view and then arguing with it rather than debating my actual point of view.
Why does any person that does not live here have a right to be here? I want to start with the premise that they dont and until you prove it is in the interest of America for any person to live here they have to go through a process. Just wanting something does not give you the right to jump in line.
If I was king this is what I would do. First I would put the military on the border to stop illegal immigration. I would already have legalized drugs so that wouldnt be a reason for people crossing anymore.
Second, I would tell the illegal immigrants that if they had been caught and charged with crossing the border illegally or staying in this country illegally then they would never become a citizen of the USA. If they were here illegally and had not been charged with anything they could cross back over into whatever country they came from and apply like everyone else.
Next, I would let businesses set up an immigrant worker visa program where they could recruit needed workers and have them come on temporary visas and work. I would also untangle the immigration system and figure out who the best candidates would be for new immigrants with favor ability to those successfully completing one or more temporary work visa's. Those in the system now would be grandfathered and expedited until the system was finished processing them.
The system is broken and I recognize that and I recognize that due to its non-functionality that 20-30 million people are in this country illegally. And I would not deport them. I would allow them to stay and apply for a grandfathered residency status. Criminals would be dealt with on a case by case basis but most crimes should result in deportation possibly after jail time.
When all was said and done people could come here to work, to go to school, to visit, etc. If they respected the laws they would advance their chances of becoming citizens. If they broke the laws then they could lose the chance. And I would want people chosen on merit, not race, and certainly not by ratio or some meaningless burecratic number.
American citizenship should be something special. Right now it seems to be being demanded as a right because people just want it.
Got off the boat, submitted to the regulations, were duly processed and eventually became American citizens. What is wrong with that? Other countries have far more punative immigration laws. Hell you may be killed for crossing the border into Iran. But you are not bitching about any other country... LOL!!!