Many people who are against illegal immigration point out that their problem is NOT with the immigrants it's with the ones who come here "illegally". The phrase, "what part of 'illegal' do you not understand?" tends to be uttered a lot. The problem is that we do not have enough resources to allow for the amount of immigration our economy needs. Instead of thinking about how these people came here, take a moment to think about why they came and where they came from.
Pandagon has a wonderful post about the term "illegals" on their site. It allows us to not think about these people as people- they're "illegals". When I think about the people who are not here legally today, I think of my family. My grandparents on my father's side escaped pogroms in Lithuania. When my grandmother ran through forests and stowed away on a boat, she wasn't thinking if her papers were in order for arrival in New York.
Back then, we had Ellis Island, and people would be sent there to be processed. We need Ellis Islands along the border. The way to end illegal immigration is to create more ways for immigrants to enter legally. There is no way to prove this, but I believe that if you let more people in legally, there will not be more immigration, but there will be less illegal immigration. Don Pardo says, "Come on down! You're the next contestant on Welcome to America!" Set up welcome centers, do background checks and then give these people ID's.
We've had a Beware of Dog sign up since Jamestown in 1607. We have established a beacon of freedom. We put up a statue with a torch to light the way that says you are welcome here. It is long past time to live up to the message on that ladies pedestal.
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