Immigration ReformMike Rappaport

With the immigration debate being conducted in the Republican Party, I find myself largely in the middle.  I tend to be a pro immigration person, but I also believe in the rule of law and in the need to assimilate immigrants.

I would “solve” the problem as follows:

1. Build a fence across the entire border with Mexico — or do whatever is necessary to stop the flow of illegal immigrants before they get here. 

2. Set up a system whereby the existing illegal immigrants in the US can pursue a process that would lead to citizenship.  That process should include learning English and assimilating the political culture as soon as possible.  Bilingual education programs should be stopped. 

3. Establish new quotas for legal immigrants that are generous.  Victor Davis Hanson, who seems to hold many of these same ideas, says we should allow 50,000 legal Mexican immigrants a year through a process that encourages assimilation. 

These reforms would promote immigration, but also lawfulness and assimilation.  While they might seem like a pipe dream, they do provide something for everyone and are probably more feasible than they first appear.