Fixing Illegal Immigration

For John, BLUF:  Have you ever stumbled across the fact that the way we treat Mexican citizens is a lot more open than the way they treat our citizens.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

I had been mulling over in my mind a radical solution to illegal immigration from Mexico, but I waited too long and Roger Kimball basically beat me to it.

As we know, from our Commonwealth's Attorney General, "it isn't illegal to be illegal in Massachusetts".  So, lets make it that way across the US and Mexico.

You can click on the link to see the Roger Kimball plan.  My plan is more formal.  I would have House Majority Leader Eric Cantor introduce legislation authorizing and directing the Administration to open negotiations with the Government of Mexico to provide reciprical rights for citizens with an open border.  Examples called forth would include rights concerning ownership of property and employment rights.  They should be the same for citizens of each nation in the other nation.  There should be reciprical accommodations with regard to government interactions, to include having forms in both languages.  With regard to education, residence, as opposed to citizenship, should determine tuition and fees, on either side of the border.  Both nations would agree to provide special language assistance for students from the other nation.

Regarding voting, it would be based on citizenship.  One's right to vote would be based upon where one was born, until one changed one's citizenship.  The Eric Cantor Bill would provide that citizenship change would be based upon ten years continuing residence in the other nation (with exceptions for reasonable vacations and family visits), the passing of a citizenship test, and a renunciation of one's previous citizenship (i.e., no dual citizenship).

Having dealt with Mexico, we could then turn to the problem of illegal immigrants from Ireland.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff