Tonight is President Trump’s first official State of the Union address. Article II, Section 3 of the United States Constitution mandates that the president “shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.”
Since Woodrow Wilson, presidents predominately use this speech to publicly share their vision on issues currently facing the nation. Tonight, Americans are likely to hear about a wide range of topics such as infrastructure, foreign policy, healthcare, and immigration.
Immigration is still one of the biggest issues that the United States faces, and frustration with the system under President Obama was a primary reason why Donald Trump was elected president. Therefore, it makes sense that it should be one of the primary focuses in his speech tonight.
While there are many things Trump could educate the American people about concerning immigration, here are five things people need to know about the state of the immigration system in America today:
- The costs associated with illegal immigration into the United States is unacceptably high.
The Federation for American Immigration Reform estimates that illegal immigration costs American taxpayers $116 billion annually. That’s nearly $100 per household, annually. In California, that burden is a whopping $1,800 per household. This is money that taxpayers shouldn’t ever lose.
- Amnesty is not the answer.
Providing amnesty to illegal aliens, especially without making it contingent on true immigration reforms, only encourages future illegal migration. Before accepting any kind of compromise that would include status or citizenship for illegal aliens, reforms such as the enacting mandatory E-Verify, ending chain migration, and building an effective border barrier must already be in place.
- The Democratic Party currently values illegal aliens over the interests of American citizens.
Democrats kicked off the year by holding the paychecks of hardworking government employees hostage to their demands of full amnesty for millions of illegal aliens. This was a clear betrayal of our national interest and shows voters what their true priorities are.
- Chain migration is unfair.
Chain migration unfairly favors extended family ties over immigration applicants who demonstrate potential that could benefit the United States. Currently, only 7 percent of visas issued by the United States government are skills-based. Immigration into the United States has essentially devolved into a sort of caste system where your admission depends on your family relations.
- Merit-based immigration encourages diversity and innovation
Currently, the majority of immigrants who enter the United States based on skill come from diverse countries such as India, China, and Mexico. This dispels the racist myth that a merit-based system favors migration from European nations (those that push this myth are essentially saying that non-white immigrants don’t have the ability to pass a merit-based system). Furthermore, changing to a system that favors skill and merit over simply family ties would open our doors to innovators who could improve the United States’ technological standing in an increasingly global economy.
Simply put, the state of the immigration system in the United States is that it is broken. According to a recent Harvard-Harris poll, 81 percent of Americans want to see a reduction in immigration levels into the United States. The same poll also showed that 79 percent Americans think our immigration system should focus on “a person’s ability to contribute to America as measured by their education and skills…”
If President Trump wants to deliver on his campaign promises to the American people, he should assure the American people that steps will be taken to enact meaningful immigration reform on issues like these, then follow through with those promises by bringing proposals before Congress.
8 Comments
The thing that distinguishes an amnesty now from the one in 1986 is that there was a recognition then that it was more difficult to actually check backgrounds. It could be done but it was more time consuming. The promise, which never was kept, was supposed to be accept those already here and put maximum effort into preventing future illegals.
There are now two very large differences. We have learned you can never trust the other side when they promise to support future enforcement. They simply pay it lip service to further their own plan of open borders. The second and biggest difference is that the internet has made checking for legal status quick and immediate and done for almost no cost. If you entered legally, those records are available and accessible. It’s a lie that we are unable to do e-verify except at great expense. The IRS knows if a SS number is bogus right away.
As for chain migration, you were given permission to come here, not 50 of your extended family. If you will miss them too much, don’t come here.
Illegal, the meaning falls on deaf ears. No one is doing anything about it. No one has for 35+yrs. I personally have had to endure the drug cartels. Had some difference of a nature that caused my family to relocate in Was from Ca. And what do you know, they’re everywhere. No offense, but I blame Americans for not standing up for our rights!!
To Lisa, I am puzzled at your favoritism of democrats unless, of course, you are one the people on our nation that wants freebies for yourself thst others pay for that all come from democrats no matter the costs. But, just for argument, let’s assume you are getting benefits from one or more public assistance services. So, I ask you to consider these facts. The democrats want to continue bringing in foreigners to take American jobs at lower costs to the employers. The democrats want to continue keeping our doors wide open to the constant flow of illegal drugs and illegal foreign people. The drugs destroy our young people and our families. The illegal aliens overwhelm our public education system and our medical system, both degrading access to good education and good healthcare for you, your family and all other American citizens. We, Americans, are willing to use our money to help OUR fellow citizens in need, but the fact is, fireign illegals in our nation cost us around a billion dollars EVERY YEAR, just in basics like education and medical care. But many, many millions of these illegals are also on welfare and stay on welfare for lots of years, maybe permanently. Then, we also have the refugees/asylees coming into our country by the thousands and are, upon arrival here, are signed up for all welfare services where they stay for years or permanently. NOW, Lisa, this all increases greatly year after year. The result right now, is that some of OUR CITIZENS are unable to get the help they need. This is all wrong becssuse our rights and benefits are supposed to be ONLY for American citizens, but the democrats WANT these strangers here and quite willingly give them just about all the rights/benefits of citizens like you. NOW, think about this. These people keep coming, and we are forced to keep taking care of them. This is all due to democrats ( and some republicans). NOW, just how many more foreign illegals can we support and for how much longer can we do this, BEFORE AMERICA FAILS and there is no assistance for anyone??? Think hard about this and how it directly affects you and your loved ones. I am not pushing you to become republican because they are not great either, but you do need to pay strict attention to what the democrats WANT and actually do concerning bringing millions of strangers here to replace you and your rights and benefits. Just think about it.
Republicans need to stay strong with Trump to keep America United and to keep the freedoms our servicemen fought and died for alive and intact. When you do the right thing people see that it works and word travels fast. We can be a great nation if we FOLLOW OUR LAWS and enforce them.
Go away. I want nothing connected to or from the Republicans. You are all rich, are all for the rich and do not care why some people are poor. GO AWAY.
I’m assuming by the content of your post that you will 1) decline any bonuses or pay raises (assuming you do work), 2) will refuse to pay the lower income tax rate (assuming you do file an income tax return) 3) will continue to support the former Democratic Party in its’ effort to destroy our American Republic and 4) have no radio, television, newspapers or internet service to inform you of President Trump’s achievements in the past 12 months on the job to reverse the damage deliberately created by Muslim Marxist Obama, a Socialist agitator, during his eight abysmal years in the White House.
You do understand that Socialism – like Communism – is a failed attempt and that our centuries old system of Government is a tried and true, working system. Naturally, had Hillary Clinton been elected instead of Donald Trump, America would likely have had a worse situation under her brand of Socialism (a dictatorship) with the able assistance of her good friend, George Soros while following the instructions to destroy OUR Democratic Republic in Saul Alinsky’s “Rules for Radicals”. Recall HRC’s- then a Republican – college theses in 1969 was about Socialist (sometimes called a Communist) community organizer Saul Alinsky who she called a “Great Man”?
I highly recommend you watch and listen for the results as President Trump continues his agenda to Make America Great (and Respected) Again. He’s a Great President and deserves OUR support.
YOU GO AWAY! No one asked you to come on here you Dumbocrat troll. I am Republican and trust me I am NOT rich and neither are the majority of my Republican friends. Want to know who is rich as Dumbocrats like Bloomberg and the Hollywood elite.
great article except you misused the word “caste”… thanks