The president and congress are currently conspiring to grant 11 million criminals who invaded our country legal status. Many Americans, myself included, originally came from other countries. They applied for permission to come to this country. They patiently waited, some for up to a decade, for their opportunity to come to America. The tables are now turned upside down. The 11 million illegals currently residing in this country have been given a priority over the 4.6 million who are awaiting legal green cards. The moral of this story is that it is best to sneak into the country illegally and wait for amnesty than it is to follow the rules.

The first immigration amnesty program was granted in 1893. Since then there have been six major amnesty programs and a plethora of smaller programs. The current amnesty program will enable 11 million illegal aliens to be welcomed officially to the United States. These criminals have been given a priority over the 4.6 million people, who applied for legal residency and were accepted for immigration. These prospective legal immigrants have waited patiently in their country of origin for their turn to enter our country with a green card. The illegals have now been given preference over those who followed our immigration laws.The moral of this story is that it is best to sneak into the United States, live here in the sub-economy (without paying income and other taxes), and wait for amnesty. Since our politicians only talk about sealing the border and never actually do it, you can bet that the next batch of illegal aliens are gearing up for their run across the border. These people will take whatever jobs they can, work in sub-standard conditions, and wait patiently for the next round of amnesty. Some will turn to crime, selling drugs or turn to burglary and prostitution to support themselves. Others will be the victims of abusive employers who threaten to turn them in to the Immigration authorities if they complain about low wages or sub-standard working conditions. Some of them will purchase stolen identities so that they can legitimize themselves. Others will go on welfare and use our emergency rooms as their primary care physicians, with no intention of paying for their treatments.This process infuriates me. I came to this country legally. I followed all the rules. I worked hard as most immigrants do and paid my taxes. I became a citizen and made a life for my family and myself. Looking back on it, I now believe that illegal aliens got a better deal. They work "under the table" and do not pay taxes. When they need health care, they just go to the emergency room and let the taxpayer pay for their treatment. To add insult to injury, their children, who immigrated illegally with their parents, can get free university tuition, while legal immigrants take out massive loans to pay for their children's college education.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/aug/26/free-tuition-for-illegals/Amnesty is madness. It rewards criminal behavior and punishes those who follow the laws. Our politicians need to face this issue now, rather than just forgive these criminals and reward them with a pathway to citizenship. I believe in a stronger stance. We should beef up enforcement of our immigration laws. Those who are here illegally should register with the Department of Homeland Security. They should be given up to six months to leave the country. Once they are back in their country of origin, they can apply for legal residency and wait their turn in line. If they have American born children, they can leave them here with relatives or take the children back to their country of origin. As U.S. citizens, the children will be able to return to the United States at any time. Another option is to let the parents of U.S. born children apply for expedited residency from their country of origin. Their applications could be fast tracked through the system and they could be granted legal immigration status in one to three years.Granting legal status to illegals that are already here is just one small part of the immigration issue. Our borders are porous, permitting illegal aliens, drug traffickers, human smugglers and even terrorists to enter our country. We must immediately seal the border to prevent unauthorized entry. This means erecting physical and electronic fences along the border. Those who sneak past our defenses should be captured and returned to their country of origin. If they return again illegally, they should be incarcerated in Sherriff Joe's tent city in Arizona or similar facility until they can be deported. (http://www.targetofopportunity.com/joe_arpaio.htm).The only way to stop the next wave of illegal immigration is to seal the borders so no one can enter without proper documentation. If people flee the border patrol, the use of force should be authorized. The current amnesty program should be our last. From this point forward, illegal immigrants should be arrested and deported. Existing laws should be enforced. This means that those who employ illegal aliens should be subjected to the existing penalties (http://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/penalties-for-employers-hiring-illegal-immigrants.html). The revenue from the fines collected from employers can be used to fund the enforcement program.Some of you may think that I am too harsh on undocumented immigrants who just want to make a better life for themselves and their families. You are entitled to your opinion and I respect that. I do want to see more immigrants come to our country. We need their skills to help our nation grow better and stronger. But they need to come here legally so that they can work without fear of deportation or coercion by unscrupulous employers. They need to be able to find good jobs or start new businesses, purchase homes, save for retirement and put their children through college. Legal immigration is the key to our nations growth. Let's encourage those who want to come to this Land of Milk and Honey to do so through the proper channels. They should be welcomed with open arms and given the opportunity to make lives for themselves and their family in the "Home of the Free and the Land of the Brave".© 2013 Gordon Smith - All Rights Reserved