Ways to Stop Illegal Immigration

The U.S. borders are a pathway into the country. Lack of security leaves the country vulnerable to illegal immigrants. The Immigration and Naturalization Service estimates that in January 2000 there were 7 million illegal aliens living in the United States, a number that is growing by half a million a year. The numbers confirm that our borders are not secured. We are even left to wonder if some of those 7 million are terrorists. Many immigrants die in their efforts to get over the border. Border patrol agents have killed and have been killed. More money and technology should be invested to securing our borders and making them safer. The Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005 - Title I: Securing United States Borders - (Sec. 101) Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) to take all appropriate actions to maintain operational control over the U.S. international land and maritime borders, including: (1) systematic surveillance using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), ground-based sensors, satellites, radar coverage, and cameras; (2) physical infrastructure enhancements to prevent unlawful U.S. entry and facilitate United States Customs and Border Protection border access; (3) hiring and training additional Border Patrol agents; and (4) increasing deployment of United States Customs and Border Protection personnel to border areas with high levels of unlawful entry. Click here for a complete summary of the act.
Increasing border control will help stop immigrants from entering our country illegally, but what do we do with the 7 million that already reside in the United States? President Bush’s Comprehensive Immigration Reform has several proposals. One of the major propositions is worksite enforcement. The Department of Homeland Security will raise the civil fines imposed on employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants by approximately 25 percent. Efforts to secure the border will fail unless the “magnet” that attracts them is eliminated If employers are less inclined to hire undocumented workers, illegal immigrants will have nothing to come for. The fines for hiring illegals are so modest that companies treat them as a small cost of doing business. An addition to raising fines, employers with significant numbers of employees with inaccurate personal identity information will receive a “No Match” letter from the Social Security Administration. Employers will be held accountable if they choose to ignore the problems and fail to take the specified steps outlined in the letter within 90 days. Finally, the Administration proposes the use of E-Verify, The Federal Electronic Employment Verification System. This system ensures that employees are authorized to work in the United Sates. The key is to make it more difficult for illegal immigrants to obtain jobs. Other steps in combating illegal immigration include expanding exit requirements so persons who overstay limited-duration visits to the United States can be identified.
Removing the enticement to enter the U.S. illegally can be achieved by stronger border control and worksite enforcement.