Our current immigration system isn’t working for much of anyone, its broken and it needs to be fixed badly.  The current immigration and non-enforcement system both leaves our nation totally unprotected from hostile people and at the same time is enough of a barrier that it is just getting a bunch of people who just want to come and work and live an otherwise honest life killed.  There is simply nothing positive than can be said about the current system of pretend enforcement and the reality of institutionalized lawbreaking.  It must and will change.

There is a lot of baggage attached to this sort of conversation that I am going to try to just leave out because further discussion is pointless.  The recent events are another matter.  The nationwide rallies by Latinos all across the nation is such large numbers has shown a nation in deep denial just how significant the issue is.  I live in the Los Angeles area where the largest rally estimated at 500,000 people happened.  People noticed and are talking about it everywhere.  Especially the signs in the rally calling for the Reconquista , a Mexican reclaiming of the land comprising essentially the entire Southwest of the U.S. that they claim was ’stolen’ from them in the settlement of the Mexican-American War.  The crowds demanded the Federal Government cease consideration of increasing immigration enforcement.  It is a stunning demand put just that way, as a demand from a group of people who illegally entered our nation and who are now laying claim to it.

A lot of America woke up this weekend and realized we had been invaded.  Invaded by millions of people with absolutely no respect for our laws or our nation.  They just have demands, claims of rights and privileges.   And they are issuing orders telling us we dare not enforce our laws.  Its stunning… and alarming.  What do we do?

Lets talk first about what we aren’t going to do.  There is just no way we are going to even try to kick them out, if that was even in the best interests of this nation.  The measures it would take are just too harsh for the public to want to support.

What we can do is close down the border and just stop all further illegal immigration.  People who tell you that it isn’t possible are not serious people.  Of course it is, much smaller and poorer nations across the world do it all the time because they actually mean it.  They make it a priority and don’t look the other way at breeches and they keep a handle on it.  Will it ever be perfect?  No that’s not possible, but in terms of stopping the mass migrations of simple illegal immigrants it is.  There is simply no logistical reason we can’t keep a better eye on the borders and ports.  Right now the Federal Government has made a conscious decision NOT to enforce the border because they want to have it both ways.  We can and should end the double talk.

After we have control of the border we should then work out some sort of work visa system for the people already here and to meet the legitimate labor needs of our economy.  We should present the illegal immigrants here with a choice:  work for a while and leave, or spend the time and effort to learn what it means to be an American and speak English so that they earn the privilege of citizenship and can contribute fully to our nation.  Michael Barone is right that we need to strongly reverse the multicultural experiments of the past few decades and insist on assimilation into the great ‘melting pot’ of American life.  We aren’t doing the Latinos, or anyone else, a favor by allowing them to keep their own language and traditions that will force them into segregated gettos where they and their children are trapped and unable to fully participate in our society.

This multicultural path is the one taken by the French and many Europeans, and the alienation it has caused that built up over decades is now a problem that may lead to civil war at some point in the near future.  We already see the signs of alienation and simmering anger here in the Latino community in these demonstrations. The Latino community in particular feels that they are being used and excluded without being given the respect they would expect any human being to be given.  From their perspective they are just meeting the demands of U.S. employers by illegally crossing the borders and they have nothing but disdain for our hypocrytical immigration system.  That’s why they are protesting, and that’s why they feel they have a right to make demands.

They are right about the demands of our businessmen.  Our economy is drawing them north.  We need to match economic reality with real enforcement so that everyone respects the law once again because it is real and enforced.  Only then will the real needs be discussed openly in Congress and the deals publicly made to make the law match reality.  When the law is enforced and rational it will be respected, and we can confidently move forward to invite as citizens those who truly wish to join us.   We will be a stronger, safer, happier, and richer nation when all are willing and full participants in our great nation.