Most readers will notice that while I've dealt with the issues of enhancing border security in cooperation with the private sector, using punitive measures and positive incentives to address the employment issues, and reaching out to illegal immigrant families with a compromise that gives the incentives for children to get parents to come forward and engage in a legal immigration approach beginning with exiting the country (this part of the program would be open for only a limited time, a point that may not have been clear in the previous blog post on this subject), I only spoke marginally about how to engage adult illegal immigrants who are already here and who don't have children.  Here, then, I'd like to flesh that issue out a bit more.


The proposed enforcement system would rely much more on state and local law enforcement, and would thus require federal legislation making clear that any state and local laws that seek to deny cooperation with federal immigration enforcement will result in loss of federal funding for a number of areas, including police and roads for example.  Further, such federal legislation should also make it a crime for any law enforcement officials to knowingly allow an illegal immigrant to go/remain free.

Quite simply, immigration policy for the United States is clearly a power that rests squarely with Congress; and towns, cities, and states should not be passing laws that interfere with national immigration policies, and in fact they have no authority to do so. Adoption of a single, rational policy in these matters is crucial to our efforts, and any location that disrupts that process or undermines the integrity of our immigration policy is directly threatening our national security and should be dealt with accordingly.  Further, federal funds for other programs that are prone to abuse by illegal immigrants could also be denied or severely curtailed to those locations -- Medicaid, for example.

The key provisions in the proposal I've laid out -- especially the new at-the-border entry and exit points, along with detention facilities for immediate deportation, coupled with the crackdown on employers and incentives to promote legal hiring practices, should do much to put the squeeze on adult illegal immigrants already residing here who don't have children (and thus aren't influenced by the special parental incentive program and points systems).  These immigrants will face less work, less of a support system of families willing to assist them, no more local protections in cities offering "sanctuary", and a much harder crackdown by state and local police with new powers to strictly enforce national immigration laws.  Police in states and cities with the biggest illegal immigration populations will be able to aggressively pursue and arrest immigration offenders.

The kicker is that once someone is caught in this sort of situation, they are banned for 7 years from entering the U.S. for any reason (after which time they can legally apply for a work visa etc, but are not eligible to become citizens, and they cannot participate in the "bonus points" system), and being caught a second time will result in imprisonment... in Mexico. Part of the new immigration policy would be an agreement with Mexico that any illegal immigrants in the United States who crossed our southern border would be sent to prisons in Mexico, as opposed to housing them here. Trade and aid agreements to Mexico must be contingent on them adhering to their role in this new proposal, and failure on their part to do so should result in sanctioning that kicks in immediately. The benefits in terms of trade, jobs, education, and economic health for Mexico are enough that, combined with potential sanctions, Mexico's participation should not be difficult to secure. An added incentive is the compromise treatment for some immigrants and their children, and the role of the new border facilities offering a chance at job placement, job training, and the bonus points system -- popularizing the overall program and the opportunities it provides in exchange for a safer border and adherence to our nation's immigration policies. We can reach a point where participation in the legal immigration system has more incentives than illegal immigration, and the negative consequences of illegal immigration outweigh any potential benefits of crossing the border in secret.

Finally, there would be a "get out before sundown" aspect of the proposal for these illegal immigrants (again, adults already here and not participating in the program offered to parents with children). A single border crossing facility would be set up for anyone willing to simply vacate our country to avoid the looming crackdown.  They file through and get finger-printed and photographed, to ensure they don't try to reenter, but they are allowed to exit and not come back, but without being shipped to a Mexican prison (as would happen if they get caught inside the U.S.).  This offer, and the offer to parents with children, would be good for four months, to allow people time to get their things together and make the necessary arrangements to leave. After that time, anyone who has not turned themselves in and/or left will be subject to the harsher new enforcement rules that send them immediately to a prison in Mexico.

As you can see, while much of my proposal does indeed include incentives and compromises by way of some big carrots, the stick at the other end of the spectrum is huge and will be swung hard and without mercy. Anyone finding themselves on the receiving end of that stick had every opportunity to avoid it, and will have only themselves to blame if it finds them. Meanwhile, those who choose to take advantage of the carrot will be rewarded for patience and honesty, our border will become very secure, our private sector will benefit greatly, and our illegal immigration problem will slow to a trickle and largely evaporate. Of course, there will always be some who choose to ignore all reason and law, but we'll have in place the policies and means to quickly and aggressively deal with them, and the potential damage to our nation will be minimal at that point.

These proposals could of course be altered, updated, and improved upon with added imput, but I feel it represents a good, workable place to begin talking about comprehensive immigration reform that conservatives can rally behind, and that will appeal to members not just of our own party, but to Americans all across this country. If we want to really solve the problem of illegal immigration, we must be willing to make bold suggestions and acknowledge the concerns and ideas of all of our citizens, and I feel this proposal does that.  I would love to hear suggestions for how it can be improved upon and tweaked, so by all means please feel free to post comments here or email me any thoughts and suggestions you have.