What rich irony

[CitizenBBN]

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-takes-shot-at-california-for-wanting-tighter-border-during-coronavirus-pandemic

It's OK when it's just drugs and gangs and diseases like tuberculosis, but if illegal immigration actually may cause some upper middle class soccer mom to get Covid19 then we have to do something.

Admittedly this isn't a sea change in California's position, though certainly you'd think this would cause them to wake up, as there are calls for illegal immigrants to get federal money, etc. just for being here during this crisis, but it is still humorous.

Trump has made a poor case for securing the border, the better approach to be to emphasize expanding legal immigration to reasonable levels while utterly shutting down illegal immigration and closing loopholes like the sanctuary process, but even with his poor rhetoric surely people can see that it may be a good idea for any nation to have authority over its borders versus leaving it to the Mexican drug cartels in this case.

[Doc]

Kristin Gaspar, San Diego County's Third District supervisor, sent a letter to Vice President Mike Pence in April saying that medical professionals were "increasingly worried about the rapid spread of COVID-19 in northern Mexico" and that there had been "a sudden influx of critically ill patients from Mexico" in Chula Vista, Calif. Gaspar asked for senior Trump administration officials to speak with local hospital executives and medical professionals to address the issue

They are just coming here to access their basic human right of free medical care. Those evil xenophobic Californians, where is their Christian philosophy? Perhaps Nancy can pray for them too..........

[ukpumacat]

That story is just pure BS.

First, that letter was written by Kristin Gaspar who I've met and had the unfortunate experience of working with in the area. She is a Republican political hack.

Secondly, San Diego County has 3,927 total cases of Covid. There are 3 areas of San Diego County that border Mexico. Imperial Beach, Chula Vista and Tecate.

Their numbers =
IB - 30
CV - 526
Tecate - 2

Meanwhile, the City of San Diego (which does not border Mexico) has 1,782 cases. So, 4 times that of Chula Vista which she mentions directly. And if you've ever been to Chula Vista (as I have many many times) you would know that its by far the most dense area of San Diego County (yes, even more than the city itself). They have 3x as many houses per square mile there.

But, here is the "rich irony". She's not even the District Rep for those cities! None of them. She's the district rep in the wealthy (mostly coastal) part of of the county. Del Mar. Encinitas (where she was Mayor). Solana Beach. There are 51 total cases in that area.

So, she wrote a politically motivated letter to the VP asking for "help" in a city that doesn't need it and that she doesn't represent. And then tweeted it. Ya, nothing odd about that at all.

We have had 139 deaths total in a County of 3.4 million people. Ya, we desperately need the President to step in and save us.

https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/dam/sdc/hhsa/programs/phs/Epidemiology/COVID-19%20City%20of%20Residence_MAP.pdf

[ukpumacat]

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-takes-shot-at-california-for-wanting-tighter-border-during-coronavirus-pandemic

It's OK when it's just drugs and gangs and diseases like tuberculosis, but if illegal immigration actually may cause some upper middle class soccer mom to get Covid19 then we have to do something.

Admittedly this isn't a sea change in California's position, though certainly you'd think this would cause them to wake up, as there are calls for illegal immigrants to get federal money, etc. just for being here during this crisis, but it is still humorous.

Trump has made a poor case for securing the border, the better approach to be to emphasize expanding legal immigration to reasonable levels while utterly shutting down illegal immigration and closing loopholes like the sanctuary process, but even with his poor rhetoric surely people can see that it may be a good idea for any nation to have authority over its borders versus leaving it to the Mexican drug cartels in this case.

Btw, I actually do not disagree with anything you posted. Just that the article itself is B.S.

I can tell you from very first hand experience that the biggest issue in San Diego as far as immigration is not illegal immigrants crossing. Our border patrol here is absolutely terrific. The issue is the difficulty and expense in becoming a U.S. citizen.

I have heard more people than I need to say, "Get in line. Do it the right way". Let me just tell you (from someone who has tried helping many people "do it the right way"....the system completely SUCKS. THAT is why so many live or work here illegally. Not drug dealers. Not rapists or criminals. People who have entire families here and have "been in line" for years and cannot get a green card renewed or citizenship taken care of. They are trying desperately. One of my best friends in the world runs a non-profit doing this exact thing - helping people get citizenship.

Just about everyone that lives here knows it. We all know families that are torn because of it. So you are just never going to convince Californians that they "need to wake up".
San Diegans want the drug cartels out. They want a strong border and border patrol. I do. Most do. And I cross that border multiple times a year and I can tell you its fantastic. I am white and make a living and have a Global Entry card...and I'm still nervous when I cross because I might have 2 bottles of wine in my car (only one allowed per person...seriously). I've been checked and searched several times. They know what they are doing.

San Diegans (and Californians) want to see the system fixed to allow families to re-unite. Every one of us have someone on our street whose wife and kids live here (for all the reasons we love it....schools, work, health care, etc) but whose husband lives in Tijuana because they cannot get their citizenship. Or both parents live there and the kids live with friends or Uncles or Aunts. Its EVERYWHERE here.
That is the concern of 95% of San Diegans. And why we care so much about this issue and take issue with those who do not live in border states (not talking about you...Trump) talk about "immigrants" the way they do.

[CitizenBBN]

Oh, I prefaced it with the fact that it came from a non-pro-immigration person and wasn't a shift, so it wasn't really an irony, but it is funny. No one seems to have changed their views on this due to Covid, on either side.

As for immigration, I have been "pro immigration" my whole life, and I think Trump has made a poor case for controlling illegal that was unnecessarily divisive.

But I have to say I'm not generally for chain migration, i.e. "reuniting families". Just b/c part of a family comes here does not persuade me the entire family must then be admitted as citizens on its face. There may be good reasons to do so on a case by case basis, but the problem is that chain migration has no logical end, and is not based on a merit based system of admission.

It sounds good, reuniting families, but is the husband in TJ more deserving than anyone else there simply b/c part of his family is here already? Is that a fair basis for making those decisions?

More important question, if he comes in does that mean his brother can come in? Then the brother's family? Where does that end?

I've argued for immigration reform since the 1980s. I agree the system sucks. We're stuck b/c the left won't agree to tighten up illegal immigration unless we vastly increase legal immigration (too much to get agreed upon) and the right won't increase legal immigration until the illegal immigration stops. Neither seems to want a real merit based system b/c they don't want the brain drain creating too much competition in key fields.

I get the passion about it, and as someone who employs DACA recipients and who has family that has all kinds of migrant workers (legally) I'm all for immigration, there's far more work to be done in this country than we can do with our current population.

But the obvious and only solution, which is to shut down illegal immigration HARD and then liberalize and streamline legal options to increase the flow of legal immigrants, eludes both sides politically.

Honestly the only politician who could get that done is Trump. Only Nixon can go to China, and Trump could IMO get that deal through. I wish he would, but I have little hope.

But I do agree with him that we can't simply choose to ignore our laws b/c we don't like them. That's what we've been doing with immigration for 30 years and that's a horribly dangerous, unconstitutional, and anti-legal approach.

Frankly if we shut down illegal immigration people would figure out pretty quick that we need immigration to sustain the economic growth of the nation, and things might get fixed that way.

[Doc]

Btw, I actually do not disagree with anything you posted. Just that the article itself is B.S.

I can tell you from very first hand experience that the biggest issue in San Diego as far as immigration is not illegal immigrants crossing. Our border patrol here is absolutely terrific. The issue is the difficulty and expense in becoming a U.S. citizen.

I have heard more people than I need to say, "Get in line. Do it the right way". Let me just tell you (from someone who has tried helping many people "do it the right way"....the system completely SUCKS. THAT is why so many live or work here illegally. Not drug dealers. Not rapists or criminals. People who have entire families here and have "been in line" for years and cannot get a green card renewed or citizenship taken care of. They are trying desperately. One of my best friends in the world runs a non-profit doing this exact thing - helping people get citizenship.

Just about everyone that lives here knows it. We all know families that are torn because of it. So you are just never going to convince Californians that they "need to wake up".
San Diegans want the drug cartels out. They want a strong border and border patrol. I do. Most do. And I cross that border multiple times a year and I can tell you its fantastic. I am white and make a living and have a Global Entry card...and I'm still nervous when I cross because I might have 2 bottles of wine in my car (only one allowed per person...seriously). I've been checked and searched several times. They know what they are doing.

San Diegans (and Californians) want to see the system fixed to allow families to re-unite. Every one of us have someone on our street whose wife and kids live here (for all the reasons we love it....schools, work, health care, etc) but whose husband lives in Tijuana because they cannot get their citizenship. Or both parents live there and the kids live with friends or Uncles or Aunts. Its EVERYWHERE here.
That is the concern of 95% of San Diegans. And why we care so much about this issue and take issue with those who do not live in border states (not talking about you...Trump) talk about "immigrants" the way they do.

And this is why many, myself included, are for less government. If its possible to screw something up, the US Dept of (fill in the blank) will do it. My brother in law immigrated to this country and did so legally. He jumped thru all the hoops, and lived here according to all the rules for many years before becoming a citizen. He did it the right way, and it can be done. Is it hard? Yes. Is it fair? Probably not. Does it take a long time? Absolutely. Is it the law? Yes, and as such needs to be followed. Lots of laws I don't agree with, even some I find counterproductive...but I typically follow them. Aside from the speed limit, I follow them and would expect those who want to live here do the same. Immigration is a cluster..... because neither side really wants to confront it and neither side is willing to give an inch, probably rightly so because one side makes a promise and breaks it. One side supports something then 4 years later they are against it. But I am pretty confident that it could be 100% fixed, making it as uncomplicated as possible and there will still be those who enter illegally. I live in a state full of immigrants. Some are decent people but none are law abiding. The guy who cleans my house if an immigrant (legal one) who routinely goes to Mexico to see his family. Sure he wishes they were here but they are not. The fact he wishes they were here does not give him or them carte blanche to violate the immigration laws that were established by congress.

[ukpumacat]

I didn't mean to intimate that they should be allowed to be a citizen simply because their family is (although I do think it should be considered). I mentioned it because it is the reason most Californians have the view they do. Its just FAR more personal. Everyone on this board likely knows someone in this scenario. In San Diego, you usually know 100 of them.

And its different here than it is in Florida (especially) and even Texas.
Because San Diego is the only large city in the United States right on the border. Therefore, its very easy for people to cross the border (legally) every single day to work (this works both ways btw....a ton of American Dentists, etc work in Tijuana).

The other issue that it seems just never gets enough attention is that the process for citizenship is not the same for every country. By law, it is supposed to be. By practice, it absolutely is not.

I may have shared this example before but if not...we have systems in place for people coming from Iran (my neighbor) and Iraq. They can come here under a program and live and work for a year. During that year, there are certain criteria they have to meet (English class, citizenship test, cannot leave the state, hold a job). If they do this, they immediately become citizens (a huge amount of Uber drivers are on this program).
And what state they go to from Iraq is not up to them. One year, its California. Another, its Wisconsin. Its random and changes every year.
Its a streamlined system and process that allows them to become citizens fairly quickly (considering the alternative).

But, as Doc noted, the United States Government has completely and colossally messed the system up for most immigrants (especially Mexican ones). Its a complete sh*tshow.

I've mentioned this before, but I have a very good friend who I work with (she works directly for a school district). She lives here where I do and has a great job. Her daughter was born here and lives here. But, her husband lives in Tijuana.
Why? Because he wants to do it "the right way". Mostly, because they are afraid it will negatively affect mom and daughter even though they are 100% United States citizens now.
The husband and wife came over at the same time. She went to school here on a school visa and he came here on a work visa.
His expired. Hers didn't.
He tried to get his renewed and has been denied multiple times.
She graduated from school and because she did was allowed to stay. It took her 5 years but she became a citizen. Her daughter was born here so she is as well.

She drives down every Wednesday and every weekend so they can be together. They have hired multiple lawyers to help him become a citizen. He is not a felon. He is certainly not a drug dealer etc. He is a mason (and a very good one at that) and runs a successful business in Mexico. My friend's non-profit has tried helping as well. That is a pro-bono attorney doing what they can to get him citizenship.
And here is the kicker....Its been 17 flipping years. 17. This isn't a story in a news article. I know them. I've been to their home. I have worked with her for years. I know their daughter. I have eaten lunch with them countless times. 17. Years.

Do you want to know why so many come here illegally? Because of that bullish*t right there. Because they have money and resources and connections and lawyers and he STILL can't do it.

Build a wall all they want. Lock down the borders. Lock up any illegal they can find. None of that will stop illegal immigration.
Want to really fix it? Then....fix it.

Streamline the process for good people who want to do it the right way to be able to do it. Quickly, cheaply and efficiently. Stop having different rules for different countries. Make it SIMPLE. The problem is this just doesn't incite a rally like a wall.

The moment you do that, you will have many of those same "illegals" doing it the right way, paying taxes (as many of them already do), joining society and contributing.
And it will be FAR easier to isolate and lock up those who are dealing drugs and human trafficking. Everything else is simply political speech and partisan politics.

[CitizenBBN]

You'll get no argument from me Puma. None at all. I'm all for fixing the system, and increasing the quotas of legal immigrants.

I have several friends who went through the process and it's a complete mess.

And I think Trump has squandered a tremendous opportunity to fix it b/c he drew attention to it and if he endorsed a deal that expanded immigration but really shut down illegal immigration he could sell that to his side IMO, and then the left would have to agree or take a beating.

But both sides are too myopic and too set on churning up their base to really solve this issue.

IMO most politicians don't want to solve these kinds of divisive issues as they are so very useful and easy politically. It's all partisan on both sides IMO, b/c neither has bothered to suggest that very obvious solution for 30 years.

The right needs to embrace more legal immigration, and the left needs to abandon this direction of open borders. Frankly 5 years ago I found the right's position to be more extreme, being against all but a trickle of immigration, but I think the left's move to open borders has eclipsed them. They're moving farther apart, not closer together.

[ukpumacat]

You'll get no argument from me Puma. None at all. I'm all for fixing the system, and increasing the quotas of legal immigrants.

I have several friends who went through the process and it's a complete mess.

And I think Trump has squandered a tremendous opportunity to fix it b/c he drew attention to it and if he endorsed a deal that expanded immigration but really shut down illegal immigration he could sell that to his side IMO, and then the left would have to agree or take a beating.

But both sides are too myopic and too set on churning up their base to really solve this issue.

IMO most politicians don't want to solve these kinds of divisive issues as they are so very useful and easy politically. It's all partisan on both sides IMO, b/c neither has bothered to suggest that very obvious solution for 30 years.

The right needs to embrace more legal immigration, and the left needs to abandon this direction of open borders. Frankly 5 years ago I found the right's position to be more extreme, being against all but a trickle of immigration, but I think the left's move to open borders has eclipsed them. They're moving farther apart, not closer together.

Sucks for all of the people being hurt by it.

I could care less about the drug dealers, etc. Rope em all up. But fix the damned system.

[CitizenBBN]

Sucks for all of the people being hurt by it.

I could care less about the drug dealers, etc. Rope em all up. But fix the damned system.

It's an absurd system.

For the last 20 or so years I have been in favor of a system where we actually swap people. Send me a truckload of people thirsting to work and better themselves and we'll send back a load of deadbeats who want to live on the government teet and play video games. :)

Trust me, I have a positive view of immigrants generally, very much so b/c every farmer I know has a terrible time getting a whole lot of "Americans" to actually do hard work.

But I also know our current immigration admissions system is being run as much by the Sinaloa cartel as it is by the US government. Lots of good people, not just drug dealers, are paying them on the Mexican side for safe passage. It's completely insane.

And now that has become a crossing for people from every country in the world, which opens us up to the risk of terrorists coming into the country.

It's a huge security risk, there's no doubt of it, but the solution that would satisfy MOST americans seems to not even get a first reading from our politicians.

[MickintheHam]

Btw, I actually do not disagree with anything you posted. Just that the article itself is B.S.

I can tell you from very first hand experience that the biggest issue in San Diego as far as immigration is not illegal immigrants crossing. Our border patrol here is absolutely terrific. The issue is the difficulty and expense in becoming a U.S. citizen.

I have heard more people than I need to say, "Get in line. Do it the right way". Let me just tell you (from someone who has tried helping many people "do it the right way"....the system completely SUCKS. THAT is why so many live or work here illegally. Not drug dealers. Not rapists or criminals. People who have entire families here and have "been in line" for years and cannot get a green card renewed or citizenship taken care of. They are trying desperately. One of my best friends in the world runs a non-profit doing this exact thing - helping people get citizenship.

Just about everyone that lives here knows it. We all know families that are torn because of it. So you are just never going to convince Californians that they "need to wake up".
San Diegans want the drug cartels out. They want a strong border and border patrol. I do. Most do. And I cross that border multiple times a year and I can tell you its fantastic. I am white and make a living and have a Global Entry card...and I'm still nervous when I cross because I might have 2 bottles of wine in my car (only one allowed per person...seriously). I've been checked and searched several times. They know what they are doing.

San Diegans (and Californians) want to see the system fixed to allow families to re-unite. Every one of us have someone on our street whose wife and kids live here (for all the reasons we love it....schools, work, health care, etc) but whose husband lives in Tijuana because they cannot get their citizenship. Or both parents live there and the kids live with friends or Uncles or Aunts. Its EVERYWHERE here.
That is the concern of 95% of San Diegans. And why we care so much about this issue and take issue with those who do not live in border states (not talking about you...Trump) talk about "immigrants" the way they do.

Since when are those who live in non-border states not allowed to have an opinion on immigration? You talk as though we are unaffected by it or don’t care about it. We are and we do.

Btw, I believe it is fair to say Trump has lived in two states greatly affected by immigration. I would go so far as to say New York and Florida have immigration issues far more complex than San Diego.

[CitizenBBN]

Since when are those who live in non-border states not allowed to have an opinion on immigration? You talk as though we are unaffected by it or don’t care about it. We are and we do.

Btw, I believe it is fair to say Trump has lived in two states greatly affected by immigration. I would go so far as to say New York and Florida have immigration issues far more complex than San Diego.

When people from over 60 countries have tried to sneak into the US this year from Mexico I'd say we have a very broad problem.

Trump is right on stopping illegal immigration and securing the border. I just wish he'd try to cut one of his famous deals and get more support by giving some.

And in fairness, he did initially try when he was willing to give on DACA and some other issues, but the Democratic leadership didn't give much and it fell through. Then he went back into attack mode.

This would be a perfect time to try again and float a compromise, arguing that we must secure the border from these kinds of threats, but that we need to come together now and find common ground. It would sell in this environment IMO, and put huge pressure on the Congressional Dems.

[ukpumacat]

Since when are those who live in non-border states not allowed to have an opinion on immigration? You talk as though we are unaffected by it or don’t care about it. We are and we do.

Btw, I believe it is fair to say Trump has lived in two states greatly affected by immigration. I would go so far as to say New York and Florida have immigration issues far more complex than San Diego.

Oh they are and do.
This thread is a response to a San Diego specific issue. So I’m speaking to it from a San Diego specific point of view.
If the thread was about hospitals in Hoover....well, I would likely pay special attention to what you had to say.

Generally and Nationally, our entire immigration system sucks. Anyone that knows anything about it will tell you that.
Specifically and locally, I don’t know the least bit about immigration issues in Miami or Texas or NY or SF. You all may know tons about it and have tons of opinions. I’m speaking about my area and the problem I see needing fixed.

[MickintheHam]

[
...........And why we care so much about this issue and take issue with those who do not live in border states (not talking about you...Trump) talk about "immigrants" the way they do.

QUOTE=ukpumacat;637360]Oh they are and do.
This thread is a response to a San Diego specific issue. So I’m speaking to it from a San Diego specific point of view.
If the thread was about hospitals in Hoover....well, I would likely pay special attention to what you had to say.

Generally and Nationally, our entire immigration system sucks. Anyone that knows anything about it will tell you that.
Specifically and locally, I don’t know the least bit about immigration issues in Miami or Texas or NY or SF. You all may know tons about it and have tons of opinions. I’m speaking about my area and the problem I see needing fixed.[/QUOTE]

Hoover has a significant percentage of immigrants, more than any other city in Alabama. We are not a border state, but I am entitled to an opinion on immigration laws. Immigrants here are not just from Mexico (they are the largest group), but from dozens of other countries. All of them deal to some extent with separation issues. It's not unique to San Diego.

We have to have a national strategy. It doesn't need to be tailored to San Diego County.

[ukpumacat]

Oh they are and do.
This thread is a response to a San Diego specific issue. So I’m speaking to it from a San Diego specific point of view.
If the thread was about hospitals in Hoover....well, I would likely pay special attention to what you had to say.

Generally and Nationally, our entire immigration system sucks. Anyone that knows anything about it will tell you that.
Specifically and locally, I don’t know the least bit about immigration issues in Miami or Texas or NY or SF. You all may know tons about it and have tons of opinions. I’m speaking about my area and the problem I see needing fixed.

Hoover has a significant percentage of immigrants, more than any other city in Alabama. We are not a border state, but I am entitled to an opinion on immigration laws. Immigrants here are not just from Mexico (they are the largest group), but from dozens of other countries. All of them deal to some extent with separation issues. It's not unique to San Diego.

We have to have a national strategy. It doesn't need to be tailored to San Diego County.

That wasn't in any way my point. The article was about a San Diego specific issue. So I answered in a San Diego specific way.

Yes, you can be from Hoover or Dallas or Antarctica and have whatever opinion on immigration laws or good burritos or anything you want.

[MickintheHam]

Donald and I both thank you.

[ukpumacat]

We have to have a national strategy. It doesn't need to be tailored to San Diego County.

Btw, I don't agree with this. This, to me, is one of the biggest issues with immigration right now.

I believe we need a National Program with an Area Specific Strategy. What works for NY doesn't work for Texas. What works for Miami doesn't work for San Diego. Different issues. Different problems. Different solutions. The strategies need to be tailored to the region.

As Chuck said, unfortunately, immigration has become one of the slew of issues that has simply become so politicized that nothing gets fixed. So, Republican Presidents often talk of nothing but how to "protect from immigrants" and Dem Presidents often talk of nothing but how to "legalize immigrants".
Marco Rubio tried when he was a part of the "Gang of Eight". Any bi-partisan passing is going to take compromise on both sides. But it really hurt him politically. And was a warning on both sides of the political backlash of stepping out of your lane.

[CitizenBBN]

Btw, I don't agree with this. This, to me, is one of the biggest issues with immigration right now.

I believe we need a National Program with an Area Specific Strategy. What works for NY doesn't work for Texas. What works for Miami doesn't work for San Diego. Different issues. Different problems. Different solutions. The strategies need to be tailored to the region.

As Chuck said, unfortunately, immigration has become one of the slew of issues that has simply become so politicized that nothing gets fixed. So, Republican Presidents often talk of nothing but how to "protect from immigrants" and Dem Presidents often talk of nothing but how to "legalize immigrants".
Marco Rubio tried when he was a part of the "Gang of Eight". Any bi-partisan passing is going to take compromise on both sides. But it really hurt him politically. And was a warning on both sides of the political backlash of stepping out of your lane.

Except if you allow something in one part of the country it's obviously going to be for every part. You can't allow one kind of immigration at the border at San Diego but a different kind in New York or Miami. I don't see how that's workable.

People are either allowed to come here (temporary or permanent) or they aren't, and once they are here I don't see how we regulate them to stay in one place, thus the laws have to be national.

Now, they can address those various other issues, but it has to be one law.

And that's the problem with "uniting families". Where do we stop? Why do people abroad out of the many millions who want to come here get special cut in line privilege? is it just for spouses? That leads to abuse. Just if they have kids? What about parents and grandparents?

You case is very narrow, a wife with a child and a husband. But we're letting a lot of people in with far more distant relations.

And getting him with his family would be great, but what about the doctor or chemist from that same town who has also been waiting for years to come to the US? Is his family less worthy?

These are hard choices b/c from a lot of countries its really a case of who gets in the lifeboats. We need clear laws and bright line tests so we can be less gray.

But some people will still have heart tugging stories who don't get in the boat.

[ukpumacat]

Except if you allow something in one part of the country it's obviously going to be for every part. You can't allow one kind of immigration at the border at San Diego but a different kind in New York or Miami. I don't see how that's workable.

People are either allowed to come here (temporary or permanent) or they aren't, and once they are here I don't see how we regulate them to stay in one place, thus the laws have to be national.

Now, they can address those various other issues, but it has to be one law.

That’s the difference between policy and strategy.
I didn’t mean “allowing some in one place” to become citizens and not in others.
The policy for who can and can’t be here has to be national. Agreed.
But the strategy on how they implement, protect, work with, etc should be very regional imo. And in many ways it already is. Just not enough. Border Patrol actually does this very well. Other organizations do not.
We deal with the strategic mistakes of implementation all the time.

[ukpumacat]

My bottom line is this:
We shouldn’t have to make a choice between the husband and the pharmacist. Streamline the system.
Make it simple. Cheaper. And fairer.

The system is so broken that it increases and encourages illegal immigration. Fix it and you do far more to stop illegal immigration than the Great Wall will ever do. It won’t win as many votes but it will fix a problem that has been broken for years.
And it will cost a heck of a lot less.

[CitizenBBN]

My bottom line is this:
We shouldn’t have to make a choice between the husband and the pharmacist. Streamline the system.
Make it simple. Cheaper. And fairer.

The system is so broken that it increases and encourages illegal immigration. Fix it and you do far more to stop illegal immigration than the Great Wall will ever do. It won’t win as many votes but it will fix a problem that has been broken for years.
And it will cost a heck of a lot less.

No argument overall, but I do fear we'll still have to choose between the husband and the pharmacist. Just too many people want a seat and not enough chairs. We'll have to say no to a lot of people even with a more fair and clear system. I'm all for saying yes to more than we do, but it will never be enough.

That's why open borders is such a disastrous concept. We'd collapse under a flood that massive when we aren't about to let people come here and starve in the streets en masse.