A very sensitive subject, especially recently, to be sure. But I’m just the average Joe so to speak. And I’ve been very curious about why there’s so much focus and debate on unauthorized immigrants and deportations. My brother helped explain to me why we need unauthorized immigrants and the good things they do, the way the USA needs them as part of its economy and infrastructure and how just “getting rid of them” would be bad for the USA. It made sense.

But it still irked me that they were “illegal”, I mean, do we just ignore that word in the title “Illegal Immigrant” (sorry if that term is pejorative or dehumanizing, was only referencing it due to legal code). So if we need them, if they’re good people, why can’t we just make the good and needed ones legal?

My mom came over from overseas, legally, in the early 80’s, she did everything by the book, became a legal U.S Citizen, works a good and steady job, pays her taxes, never broken the law, has many friends, etc. And I was born, along with my brothers, on U.S soil, from a legally immigrated U.S citizen, and so I’m a U.S Citizen. No problems there.

A former coworker of mine, very smart guy, hard working, very technical, I learned his mom was an undocumented immigrant, but he was born here in the U.S and so was a U.S Citizen. He’s good people, a good friend, and I’d hate to see anything happen to him or his family, just because his mom “snuck” into the country.

I think there are strong arguments to be made about us needing undocumented immigrants and the country being dependent on them and many of them being productive members of society. I think one of the biggest issues is immigration and how difficult it is to get into the USA legally. Am I wrong?

Some lawmakers and media are so focused on unauthorized immigrants (which I think is more of a symptom), they don’t seem to be talking about the actual problem, immigration. People are defending the symptom (unauthorized immigrants) because we’ve become dependent on the “symptom”. Republicans seem focused on deporting them, Democrats seem focused on keeping them, arguments can be made on both sides (and they have been, ad nauseam); But why aren’t we focusing on the cause, what caused them to enter the USA illegally?

Going Forward: Streamline Legal Immigration and Citizenship Processes

The U.S. should modernize and simplify the legal immigration process. The current system is often slow, expensive, and filled with bureaucratic obstacles that discourage or prevent people from immigrating legally—even those who would be assets to the country. By making it easier, faster, and more affordable for qualified individuals to immigrate and eventually pursue citizenship, the U.S. can reduce incentives for people to enter or remain in the country illegally. ie Why do it illegally and risk deportation when doing it legally isn’t all that difficult?

Key points:

• Reduce processing times for work visas, green cards, and citizenship applications.
• Expand visa quotas to meet labor market demands.
• Increase transparency and consistency in decision-making.
• Offer clear pathways for long-term residency and citizenship for those who contribute to society.

Existing Unauthorized immigrants

While by no means trivial, and I absolutely could be missing things here and little nuances, etc. I’m the first to admit I’m coming at this from the laymen or average Joe’s perspective and I’ve not at all worked with many unauthorized immigrants so I don’t have the complete picture; but I do have sympathy and I do have a love of the USA and trying to make it a good place to live and be a part of. I’m personally an assimilationist, or integrationist, lol, now I’m just making up words. But the idea for me is, if you want to be in the U.S.A and you worked hard to do so, took major risks doing so, then we should not be so quick and harsh to kick people out. But I’m a realist also, in that I do believe “some” should be kicked out. It’s a cold harsh reality that not every unauthorized immigrant is good for the country.

1. Targeted Enforcement with Fair Opportunities

Implement a policy where recent unauthorized entrant, those present less than 5 years maybe?, are prioritized for deportation. They should distinguish between those who pose a risk and those who have demonstrated positive integration. Unauthorized entrants that have shown to be non-criminal, productive, and otherwise contributing to society, should be offered an expedited way back into the U.S.A; something even faster and more streamlined and prioritized over the regular foreign applicants to become U.S Citizens. ie “Sorry you haven’t been here long enough, we’re going to have to gently ask you to leave, however we recognize you are a good person and good for the USA, so we are going to make it fast and easy for you to get back in ASAP. You should be back in no time.”

Key points:

• Prioritize removal of recent entrants with no established ties, employment, or community involvement. Higher priority going to those with a criminal record, or who cannot demonstrate a consistent effort towards self-sufficiency and positive societal contribution.
• Individuals who have been present less than 5 years, but with no criminal history who can provide verifiable evidence of being productive (e.g., consistent employment, paying taxes if applicable through an ITIN, educational pursuits) and having established community ties (e.g., family, community involvement) could be eligible for a special, expedited process to apply for legal status and re-entry. This process would be more streamlined than standard immigration pathways but would still require meeting clear benchmarks.

2. Pathway to Legality for Established, Productive Residents

For individuals who have been in the U.S. for five or more years, have no criminal history, and can demonstrate ongoing contributions (e.g., employment, family, community involvement), provide a structured pathway to legal status and eventually citizenship—without forcing them to leave the country.

Key points:

• A clean criminal record (defining what constitutes disqualifying offenses).
• Verifiable proof of consistent contributions to society, such as a history of employment, payment of applicable taxes, and community integration.
• Potentially other requirements like basic English proficiency and knowledge of U.S. civics, similar to current naturalization standards. This pathway would allow them to fully integrate as legal, tax-paying residents with an eventual opportunity for citizenship.”

3. Zero Tolerance for Criminal Activity or Abuse of Systems

Maintain strict enforcement for individuals who are in the country illegally and have committed crimes (beyond minor infractions) or are not contributing positively to society. If they have been convicted of a crime (with clear definitions of what level of crime triggers this, e.g., felonies, multiple misdemeanors). Deportation should also be pursued for individuals who demonstrably constitute a significant and ongoing drain on public resources without mitigating contributions, or who, due to untreated and severe behavioral or mental health issues, pose a verifiable threat to public safety. Following deportation, such individuals could only seek to re-enter the U.S. by applying through the standard immigration channels from their country of origin, subject to all existing admissibility requirements. Any prior criminal convictions or findings of public burden would be heavily weighed, and no expedited or preferential consideration would be granted.

Key points:

• Immediate removal for those with criminal records (other than minor, nonviolent offenses).
• Removal for those who are repeatedly unemployed, reliant on public assistance, or otherwise a net drain on society.
• Allow reapplication for entry/citizenship from outside the U.S. after an appropriate waiting period, with serious crimes as grounds for permanent exclusion.

What are your thoughts? I don’t aim to start an argument or offend others purposefully but I fully expect that I may have, and for that I apologize. I know it’s not all so simple and cut and dry, but does it seem like sometimes we’re lacking “common sense”? That the left and the right are so focused on fighting each other on certain issues that they’re missing the point? And they’re dragging the whole country along with them? I agree with what Chris Rock said, “Anyone who makes up their mind about an issue before they hear the issue is a fool.”.

But I think the ideas I came up with above are somewhat “common sense” and could be used as a general guideline to the unauthorized immigrant problem. I know it’s “not so easy” and not so “black and white” but couldn’t they be used as a common framework?

And anything that’s outside of the above, that requires special consideration, there should be an easy way for them to appeal a decision or get an arbitrator or something. There should be clear and easy ways to defend oneself and extenuating circumstances. Again, in line with what Chris Rock says. We’d be a fool not to listen to the issue (if there is an issue). We need not be so rigid and we really should focus on the spirit of the law.

Anyways, I welcome positive constructive feedback. I’m in no position whatsoever to make any political decisions or implement policies, I’m just a nobody posting on his website something that seems like common sense and sensible course of action regarding this whole issue the country seems to be in such an uproar about.

Filed under: Personal - @ 2025-06-04 6:11 pm