Immigration what to do????

[Oerets]

As many may have noticed this country is very popular as a destination. By those who wish and hope for a better life.

Being descended from a first generation parent. Having Grandparents who were immigrants to this country. Spoke a different language before arriving to this country.

Understand the wants and needs for immigration. Only the shear size of the influx is not sustainable or tolerable. Both for the citizens of this country or the those wishing to come here.

That being said the Democrats are coming off ineffective in addressing this issue. Rudderless overwhelmed playing catch up all the time. No real plan it seems. The problem is only going to worsen.

There are a few steps I believe are needed to stem the tide.

First it should be noted that allowing people to go through multiple countries to reach our border needs addressing. Stopping the flow coming here from other countries not on our border. We have lost a decisive edge by allowing this.

Then a national ID requirement for everyone. So that if it is found to be undocumented, illegal is one's status. Any businesses, property owner or owners stand to lose their assets. No job or place to stay sorta thing. Also before allowed into the country must have a rudimentary command of English and if of age a skill worthy of employment. Having a for lack of a better term "Centers" for indoctrination and screening of applicants. Where they would be held until decision is made on immigration.

There are many other steps I'm sure needed to stem the tide to a level more reasonable. My ideas are still evolving with this crisis and may well change as situations and discussion warrant.

[barbara]

Over fifty years ago immigration was the topic on my debate team in high school. We have not progressed any since then.
I have a theory. Neither democrats or republicans have effectively addressed the so called immigration crisis because neither party wants to. The crisis serves both parties well. During election years it is used as a battle cry, a talking point. Other years it is ignored.
In reality, which does not exist in politics any more, we are currently experiencing a worker deficit and immigrants should be helpful on the work force. During other times illegals are used in business to cut the cost of labor which ultimately keeps prices lower. A good example is produce.
I expect there will be a lot of talk about immigration in the news cycle but I do not anticipate any real resolution from either party.

[RickeyM]

One thing I see seldom mentioned is addressing conditions where these migrants are coming from? It's not an easy solution but IMO it's better than the finger-in-the-dike approach we have now.

[Oerets]

I think if one were to look at consequences of climate change where the equator is being effected. Mass migration to the poles is a very real possibility. If this has nothing to do with what is happening now. Then soon will be a major event for us to consider. Especially since being the developed countries were the main causes of the heating of the planet making the migration a necessity.

For a country that likes to think it is the best in the world. We sure procrastinate, kick the can down the road. So short sighted are we.

[Ike Bana]

This country is a signatory nation to the 1967 Refugee Protocol (an extension of the 1951 Refugee Convention), one of 193 sovereign parties who have agreed on the process for the handling of refugees seeking asylum at their borders. Anyone who is interested in the structure of these agreements can find it on the Wikipedia page...

Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees

The problem with this for us is that the great majority of refugees worldwide seem to think the best place for them is here in this country. Personally I believe they are mistaken, but that's the way it goes.

A long time ago this country agreed to follow the protocols of the Refugee Convention, and we have a responsibility to do the best we can with this. A deal is a deal...even though the 45th President believed that deals were the way for the party with the most power, control, and money, to victimize the other parties to every deal.

Responsibilities of the member nations...

The contracting states shall not...

discriminate against refugees (Article 3)
take exceptional measures against a refugee solely on account of his or her nationality (Article 8)
expect refugees to pay taxes and fiscal charges that are different from those of nationals (Article 29)
impose penalties on refugees who entered illegally in search of asylum if they present themselves without delay (Article 31), which is commonly interpreted to mean that their unlawful entry and presence ought not to be prosecuted at all[19]
expel refugees (Article 32)
forcibly return or "refoul" refugees to the country they have fled from (Article 33). It is widely accepted that the prohibition of forcible return is part of customary international law. This means that even states that are not party to the 1951 Refugee Convention must respect the principle of non-refoulement.[18] Therefore, states are obligated under the Convention and under customary international law to respect the principle of non-refoulement. If this principle is threatened, UNHCR can respond by intervening with relevant authorities and, if it deems necessary, will inform the public.[18]

Refugees shall be treated at least like nationals in relation to

freedom to practice their religion (Article 4)
the respect and protection of artistic rights and industrial property (Article 14)
rationing (Article 20)
elementary education (Article 22)
public relief and assistance (Article 23)
labour legislation and social security (Article 24)

Refugees shall be treated at least like other non-nationals in relation to

movable and immovable property (Article 13)
the right of association in unions or other associations (Article 15)
wage-earning employment (Article 17)
self-employment (Article 18)
practice of the liberal professions (Article 19)
housing (Article 21)
education higher than elementary (Article 22)
the right to free movement and free choice of residence within the country (Article 26)

[Mark B]

What's with the scare talk about immigration?

It's not a problem, it makes our country stronger.

[Oerets]

It is not only our country or at this time fearing or anger towards immigrants is present. Must be a root issue with the human condition, that fear of another tribe or competition. Even fearing the unknown.
Used by a group of power hungry individuals wanting to pit and distract the masses to keep manipulating for their gain.

[RickeyM]

Get folks riled up enough about something of against something and it's easy to distract them from whatever you don't want them to see or know.

[Ike Bana]

Originally Posted by Oerets

It is not only our country or at this time fearing or anger towards immigrants is present. Must be a root issue with the human condition, that fear of another tribe or competition. Even fearing the unknown.
Used by a group of power hungry individuals wanting to pit and distract the masses to keep manipulating for their gain.

No argument here. I will only say that xenophobia is a problem everywhere. "Outlandish" is the word. The residents of third world countries don't like outlanders/outsiders any more than the white christian first world countries like outlanders. Of course there aren't any crowds desperately trying to get entry into Somalia. As Willie Sutton remarked when asked why he robs banks..."Because that's where the money is." The first world is where the money is. And make no mistake, Brexit was/is all about English xenophobia. Any argument you hear out of the English about anything else being the reason for the Brexit...is major bullshit...it's pure racist xenophobia.

The problem is...humanity is incorrectly named. Mankind is the missing link between apes and humans. And it's probably an insult to the apes, who are considerably more noble creatures than us. Railroad robber barron Jay Gould described human nature with a nauseatingly accurate simplicity when he said, "I can hire half the working class to kill the other half."

Globally in 2020, 149 million children under 5 were estimated to be stunted (too short for age), 45 million were estimated to be wasted (too thin for height), and 38.9 million were overweight or obese. Around 45% of deaths among children under 5 years of age are linked to undernutrition. Around 2 billion people around the world do not have access to clean and safe drinking water. Are the one's like us who supposedly care enough doing enough with our yearly tax deductible donation to UNICEF? Yeah...yeah...despotism and tyranny, obviously a major feature of human nature, are not going away.

Thus...thousands of refugees at the border.

But then...there's Carl Sagan...

“We have held the peculiar notion that a person or society that is a little different from us, whoever we are, is somehow strange or bizarre, to be distrusted or loathed. Think of the negative connotations of words like alien or outlandish. And yet the monuments and cultures of each of our civilizations merely represent different ways of being human. An extraterrestrial visitor, looking at the differences among human beings and their societies, would find those differences trivial compared to the similarities. The Cosmos may be densely populated with intelligent beings. But the Darwinian lesson is clear: There will be no humans elsewhere. Only here. Only on this small planet. We are a rare as well as an endangered species. Every one of us is, in the cosmic perspective, precious. If a human disagrees with you, let him live. In a hundred billion galaxies, you will not find another.”

― Carl Sagan, Cosmos

Carl really tried to get us to understand that we need to behave more appropriately, but human's aren't particularly good at listening to anybody unless they think there's something tangible and directly in it for them.

[Rajoo]

Originally Posted by RickeyM

Get folks riled up enough about something of against something and it's easy to distract them from whatever you don't want them to see or know.

That is the Republican Mission Statement in a nutshell. Well done.