One of the most frustrating things about the debate on this issue is the rank hypocrisy of opponents to fair immigration reform.
We have heard charges of racism, mendacity, and callousness from the very same people, like the Vatican or Hollywood celebs, who live behind tall walls. We have further had to endure criticism from other countries where immigration regulations are much stricter than ours have ever been.
Well, the president aims to show them up for the airhead show ponies they are by proposing sweeping changes in our system that will not only bring us in line with most other countries but will give advantage to immigrants who will enhance our nation, not prove a burden to it.
Sorry, Emma Lazurus, that ship has sailed.
The new plan would end the arbitrary lottery system and institute merit-based criterion for admission to the United States. It would increase by a factor of four people who get the nod because they have skills that would make them productive citizens and gut the number of those who get here only on family ties. Right now, 66 percent get here on family and only 12 percent get admission on skills and employment potential. The Trump plan makes it 57 percent on skills, 33 percent on family, and you still get 10 percent on humanitarian scams…I mean grounds.
Prospective new citizens would be judged on age, ability to speak English, offers of employment, education, and vocational experience. There would be no caps on immigration from any country, but a slight advantage, as long as the other qualifiers are in place, would be given to immigrants from countries not making the grade on other factors.
Not only that, but the plan looks at recent mistakes on immigration, like Germany’s debacle, and learns from those mishaps.
The president will make a speech to the nation on the matter this afternoon.
Some of you may say it sounds harsh. Well, as a first-generation American who was born in an orphanage (as amusing as it would be I’m not making that up) and only born in the U.S. by the grace of God, I know how precious our citizenship is to have. By serving in the U.S. Army, and in the American Red Cross during the Katrina relief effort, I’ve managed to repay a bit of the debt I owe this nation. But perhaps by understanding our time-honored values and passing those on to my children, I’ve repaid even a bit more.
By asking that immigrants embrace our history and culture and meet the legitimate standards above, we can ensure that those traditional values are not drowned in seas that are ruinous to our very nature as a free and prosperous country.
That’s not harsh. It’s fair to American citizens and to those who would in good faith join us.
