"Securing the borders." Hah!
I didn't watch the Presidents speech last night, but I read the transcript today. Here are my comments.
1. The border: He didn't go far enough.
Putting "up to" 6,000 National Guard on the border sounds like a good idea, but it quickly turns into a bad idea when they will be there only in a "support role." That means they might as well not be there. The President doesn't want to "militarize" our border with Mexico, but they already have! When Mexican Army vehicles are ferrying illegals (and drugs) across the border, we need a few armed engagements to show them that we aren't kidding and will do anything to secure our border.
2. The program: He didn't go far enough.
Anything short of making all of the illegals leave the country and reapply for entry is simply not acceptable. If you are an illegal and you get caught, everything you own should be confiscated and sold, and you be dumped over the border with nothing but the clothes on your back. then and only then should you start the legal process of entering the country.
3. The employers: He didn't go far enough.
In today's computerized society, a Social Security Number should be easily flagged if it shows up in more than one place. A TIN (Taxpayer Identification Number), which kind of works like a SSN should also be an instant red flag. Once a red flag pops up, the person should be investigated, and if necessary deported, along with his family. Anchor babies would be put into the foster child system.
4. The incentives: He didn't go far enough.
We are a nation of laws. When you break these laws, you should expect to be punished for breaking those laws. Illegal immigrants exist outside of these laws, and do not deserve the protection of the law. They do not deserve social support, medical care or anything else short of a one-way ticket to the border. We must withdraw all social incentives so there is no reason for them to come across the border. Change the 14th Amendment to reflect that children born in this country retain the citizenship of their parents, unless they are legal immigrants. That right there would cut 50% of the illegal traffic, because there would be no reason for pregnant Mexicans to waddle across the border to give birth to an American Citizen.
These are desperate times and they call for drastic measures. We must militarize the border, just like how Mexico has done with their own southern border. We must remove all job and social incentives for them to be here. We must make every illegal alien afraid to be in this country.
Just remember, calling an illegal immigrant an undocumented worker is like calling a rapist an undocumented boyfriend.