Immigration Reform Solutions

Immigration reform is about to make headlines again. Will the GOP screw it up as they always do?

Utah passed immigration reform already:

Passed by the state’s GOP legislature and signed by Republican Governor Gary Herbert in March, Utah’s plan is notable because it’s the first in the country that would allow undocumented immigrants to get a permit and work legally, after paying a fine of up to $2500 and meeting other conditions. The program is part of a larger package that includes increased scrutiny of immigrants who break the law. The compromise allows the state to address the economy’s demand for workers–thus reducing the incentive for illegal immigration–while satisfying voters who don’t want to reward those who arrived illegally.

I have long advocated a guest worker program. It is really the only common sense solution. I think the $2,500 fine is a bit steep, but if they allow them to pay it over time, I’m fine with it.

Will the GOP finally see this as the option we need? Of course, the left is fighting it too:

Like Arizona, Utah is already fending off lawsuits from the left. On Tuesday, the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Immigration Law Center sued to stop the portion of the law similar to the one in Arizona that enlists state and local police in the effort to identify illegal immigrants. In Utah’s version, anyone who is arrested for a felony or serious misdemeanor has to show proof of citizenship.

Arrested for a felony? How DARE you ask me to prove my citizenship. Could the ACLU be any more ridiculous?

We need to stop listening to both sides of the extreme, and pass common sense legislation. Utah has made an excellent start.

via CATO

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