My thoughts!

Breaking the law should have consequences!

As our nation, and in particular, the House and Senate, debate immigration, we find that there is little clarity or unity on what is appropriate action for those who are already illegally in the country.

We do not want to offer amnesty. There must be consequences for breaking our laws. Those who have entered illegally must not be given the same privilege as those who have waited patiently and waded through the bureaucracy to obtain their visas and/or citizenship.

No one who has entered this country illegally should be allowed to apply for permanent residency or citizenship until and unless they return to their country of origin to make that application. Those who have been in the country and have been productive should be allowed to apply for in fact, they must apply for a visa, pay all pay taxes and social security for any wages they received plus a substantial fine for illegal entry.

This, then, would be just and equitable. Those illegally in the country would not be given an advantage over those swimming up stream against the endless flow of red tape. However, this would be for a limited time, say 2 years, after which all those remaining in the country illegally or entering the country illegally would receive prison time and eventual deportation with an escalating prison sentence upon each illegal entry and capture.

There must be justice. This however can only work if the border is sealed, i.e. the tidal flow of illegals is reduced to a trickle through the use of physical and virtual barriers and sufficient personnel to accomplish it. Those Latinos who have Border Crossing Cards, Visas or Green Cards should be permitted to continue to cross, legally.

This foolish must come to an end!

-mm