Immigration Excuses

There are many excuses given for allowing uncontrolled borders and unfettered legal immigration. At the top of the list is America’s need for highly trained scientists and engineers if our leading technology firms are to continue to be able to grow their businesses through innovation enabling them to help maintain America’s economic competitiveness in the world. The easiest solution to this problem, the immigration advocates say, is to import the needed talent. They say we need talented immigrants with advanced degrees because not enough Americans are pursuing technical careers. Of course, there is another way to achieve this objective. Let’s offer full ride scholarships to all citizens who agree to work toward a Ph.D. in physical science or engineering and who have the talent to succeed. If they are successful, the ledger is wiped clean. If not, it is treated like other financial aid, part grant, part scholarship and part loan. Relieved of the requirement to earn a living and save for college expenses, this would be an attractive program for the best and the brightest among American students.

As far as uncontrolled borders are concerned, illegal alien advocates point to the immigration laws that have been called “second only to the Internal Revenue Code in complexity” and have been compared to the labyrinth of King Minos of Crete. Again a simple solution is possible if we have the will. Let’s throw out all the immigration laws, as some have suggested about the IRS code, and start anew with the idea of creating the simplest system that will serve America’s needs while stabilizing its population. We could begin with a few simple provisions: (1) There will be only a limited number of different kinds of visas—tourist, student, temporary migrant worker, foreign candidates for the PhD degree from U.S. universities, and exchange workers or athletes. (2) Illegal aliens cannot be granted permanent residency and are not eligible for a pathway to citizenship no matter how long they have worked in the U.S. and no matter who sponsors them. (3) Chain immigrations must be outlawed. (4) Pregnant women are ineligible for any kind of visa and any visa that has been issued becomes null and void when a female visa holder becomes pregnant. (5) Athletes are ineligible for a work visa unless American athletes in an equal number are able to find positions on foreign teams. (6) Birthright citizenship is awarded only after a child reaches his majority and only if one of his or her parents is an American citizen. (7) Children of illegal aliens not born in this country may achieve citizenship upon completion of high school and a four year enlistment in the armed forces. (8) All visa holders will be tracked and expelled if they overstay the expiration date and thereafter they will be ineligible for a visa of any kind.