PW,
You usually spout that we need to uphold the laws, but I guess this is another case of cherry picking them.
Under the 1982 Supreme Court Plyler v. Doe 5-4 decision, states are prohibited from denying K-12 schooling to these children. This is not the fault of the Dept. of Ed. or Obama.
That is correct. Also, there's a mountain of state and local laws--again none of them having anything to do with the DoE or Obama--that prevent denying education to children unless their parents can prove immigration status.
I know, I know. All these facts really screw up another good ObamaBashing opportunity. . . but there you have it.
Here's a thought: Why not stop bashing these poor kids and place the blame where really belongs: On gutless American politicians in both parties who for decades have ignored the immigration problem because the illegals benefited them.
Republicans are as guilty as Democrats in this matter. The fact is that both parties have been bought off by big agriculture and other big business interests. Big business LOVES illegals because they force the wages down. Politicians love big business because they love the campaign contributions.
As always, the hardest thing for America to do these days is to use common sense:
1. Have a 90 day "Get Legal" period for all illegals. If they surrender voluntarily, their case would be instantly reviewed while they were held in temporary holding areas. If they have committed no crime in the US (other than illegal entry), allow them to pay a fine and they would receive a one-time work visa. This visa would allow them to stay and to work legally as long as they committed no crimes and paid taxes. All illegals would also be sentenced to mandatory 5 years in prison, sentence stayed.
Any commission of a crime including tax evasion would result in an activation of the stayed 5 year prison sentence. They would do the time for the crime + the mandatory 5 year stayed sentence and then they would be automatically deported with no appeal. Under these conditions, the rate of criminal activity would be next to zero.
Rabid anti-immigration pundits take note: I did NOT, repeat NOT say that they would be given citizenship. I said they would be given a work visa. Anyone who can't understand the difference between a visa and citizenship should be deported because they are too stupid to be a US Citizen.
2. Implement a Guest Worker program so it is possible for those who have in-demand skills and a legit job offer to enter the country legally and to work and pay taxes. This Guest Worker visa will have the stipulation that anyone convicted of illegal entry would NEVER be eligible for any type of visa. Thus, there would be strong motivation to get a guest visa rather than risking illegal entry.
See above note to Rabid Anti-Immigration Pundits.
3. After the 90 day "Get Legal" period, all illegal immigrants caught by any means would be automatically and instantly deported with no exceptions. Any illegal caught attempting to enter the US would be forever banned from having a US visa of any kind.
Anyone caught attempting to enter the US a second time would serve a 1 year sentence in a boot-camp facility where they will learn valuable skills and disicipline by working on community service projects like demolition and cleanup of inner-city crack houses, repair of public infrastructure, and so forth. Anyone attempting re-entry again would not receive such lenient treatment and they would automatically be sentenced to 10 years in a hard labor camp.
Problem solved. Except that it makes too much sense.
Grouse
