America, face it or not, there are over 10 million illegal immigrants currently residing in the USA. They are not going to be all deported or arrested and put in jail so there needs to be a practical solution to the illegal immigration issue. I am extremely pleased to see that Senator Rubio is taking a leading role is addressing this issue by working on introducing a bill.
Several years ago, I had written in my book "Obamacare, A Doctor's Guide to Saving Healthcare" a chapter on immigration because it was obvious that if there is going to be any meaningful comprehensive healthcare involving the people living in the US, then the illegal immigration issue has to be addressed. I had proposed an immigration bill that is similar to that proposed by Senator Rubio. I only wish the republicans in Congress had proposed this in 2011 when they had a majority in the House of Representatives.
In 1986,a congressional act called EMTALA stated that hospitals and emergency rooms must provide care regardless of citizenship, legal status or ability to pay. This resulted in hospitals and physicians absorbing the costs without any compensation. This puts a burden on healthcare costs and increases the costs of private insurance, which is passed on to the consumer. Therefore, it is cost effective for eveyone in the long run to address this issue. Also, I believe that it is more humane to propose an avenue where illegal immigrants can become legal immigrants and eventually citizens of this great nation.
First, there is a need to secure our borders.
Once this is obtained, all illegal immigrants must register within 180 days of the passage of the bill. Those who do not register will have committed a felony.
Registration will consist of issuing an immigration card for a small fee which includes the name, current address, date the card was issued and a picture. If there is a change in address, the immigration agency will need to be notified of that change within 90 days.
Ten years of US residency must elapse after the date the card was issued, before one can apply for citizenship (Ten years is double the legal process for legal immigrants).
All children of illegal immigrants who were minors (under 18) at the time they entered the US are eligible for citizenship 10 years after the date of their immigration card. They will not have to pay a fine.
For the remaining illegal immigrants, there will be yearly fines for 10 years, paid with their tax returns(to compensate for the years of not paying taxes). The amount of the fine can be 1,000 to 2,000 a year depending on their income. For those who do not earn an income- will have to do community service. Exceptions will naturally be made for those individuals that are disabled or elderly.
With this immigration card, one would have the legal right and privilege to reside in the United States, be included in the census and not worry about deportation unless they are convicted of a felony. With this card, they can obtain healthcare insurance/benefits as currently exists for all citizens. They can also vote once they are citizens.
Our nation has become a great nation because of the contributions of legal immigrants over the centuries. It is time to begin the process giving all residents of the United States an opportunity to become legal citizens. If illegal immigrants wish to remain in our country and become legal, they will need to prove that by paying yearly fees and not committing a felony in our country. We are a nation of laws and should remain a nation of laws.
As a nation, we need to set an example for our children and grandchildren that we are compassionate and will allow those who have lived here for years to have an avenue towards citizenship, even though they entered our country illegally. The process of becoming a US citizen needs to be a fair one, especially since man immigrants came here legally, followed all the rules, made tremendous sacrifices just to have an opportunity to be a citizen in our country. Also, as a nation of laws we need to enforce the existing laws and make securing our borders a priority.
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