Thoughts on Immigration

Let's face it: We have an illegal immigration problem, and we're not managing it very well.

Part of the problem is that Mexico and a few other countries to the south have millions in poverty, and they see immigration to the U.S. as a personal, practical solution.  And, for many, it is.  They come here and integrate themselves into the community pretty well over time.

Also, let's face it: a number of businesses or agricultural concerns would have problems in finding people to work for what they pay if it weren't for the illegal immigrants.  That pretty much accounted for why there were so many Spanish-speakers moving into northwest Alabama several years ago.  (You can get darned good tacos in Franklin County now.)  And a few years ago, when the state really cracked down on illegals, it was hard to find people to pick the crops.

But, screw it!  There's something just plain un-American to take advantage of those people because they are willing out of desperation to work for very slim wages.  And, to really load the argument shotgun: it seems to be also un-Christian.  And people who do that just plain suck.

A big part of the problem is the widespread willingness of employers to exploit these people coupled with almost nothing in the way of penalties for their doing so.  Plus they have the ethics of an alligator.

So, here's ol' Elvis's plan to deal with this kind of thing:

1.  Levy hefty fines for each person hired without documentation on the person or company who did the hiring.

2.  If those persons were hired for exploitation wages, then the person who did that spends some time in the cooler.

3.  If child exploitation or prostitution is involved, then send the offender to one of the more nasty prisons.  The Limestone Correction Facility is one.

4.  Develop a program for guest workers, legitimize the process, and make the social safety net available for them too.