The Immigration Radicalism of the Democratic Reconciliation Bill | National Review

What else are we to do with 8 million people? It is impractical to deport that many people. It is a discouraging problem to say the least. While I don't condone lawlessness, I firmly believe immigration makes our country stronger. Here is an excerpt from President Reagan's last speech as President:

"January 19, 1989: Now, tomorrow is a special day for me. I’m going to receive my gold watch. And since this is the last speech that I will give as President, I think it’s fitting to leave one final thought, an observation about a country which I love. It was stated best in a letter I received not long ago. A man wrote me and said: “You can go to live in France, but you cannot become a Frenchman. You can go to live in Germany or Turkey or Japan, but you cannot become a German, a Turk, or a Japanese. But anyone, from any corner of the Earth, can come to live in America and become an American.”

Yes, the torch of Lady Liberty symbolizes our freedom and represents our heritage, the compact with our parents, our grandparents, and our ancestors. It is that lady who gives us our great and special place in the world. For it’s the great life force of each generation of new Americans that guarantees that America’s triumph shall continue unsurpassed into the next century and beyond. Other countries may seek to compete with us; but in one vital area, as a beacon of freedom and opportunity that draws the people of the world, no country on Earth comes close.

This, I believe, is one of the most important sources of America’s greatness. We lead the world because, unique among nations, we draw our people — our strength — from every country and every corner of the world. And by doing so we continuously renew and enrich our nation. While other countries cling to the stale past, here in America we breathe life into dreams. We create the future, and the world follows us into tomorrow. Thanks to each wave of new arrivals to this land of opportunity, we’re a nation forever young, forever bursting with energy and new ideas, and always on the cutting edge, always leading the world to the next frontier. This quality is vital to our future as a nation. If we ever closed the door to new Americans, our leadership in the world would soon be lost."

Cpl Vic Burk LTC Stephen F. SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen SPC Woody Bullard 1SG Steven Imerman Lt Col Charlie Brown PO1 Tony Holland SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth Capt Gregory Prickett CSM Charles Hayden SGT (Join to see) Maj William W. 'Bill' Price PO1 H Gene Lawrence GySgt Thomas Vick MSG Stan Hutchison
PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SPC Douglas Bolton SSG Michael Noll PVT Mark Zehner

Maybe, just maybe, if the GOP members of Congress would actually get off their collective asses and confer with the Democrats, there could actually be a comprehensive immigration bill, but I know that is wishful thinking. The Republicans care noting about anything other than obstructing the vote and attempting to grab more power.
By the way, the immigration part of that reconciliation bill pertaining to immigration has been removed by the Senate Parliamentarian.

I've mixed emotions on the issue. Immigration reform has been needed for decades and neither party has had the guts to tackle the problem. I realize that laws have changed since then, but technically my grandparents were illegal aliens when they arrived here. They had no papers that allowed them to come to the US, the ship that brought them from Denmark disembarked them on Ellis Island and they were processed there. Not everyone was accepted but the point is they were welcomed with no documentation and allowed the opportunity to show how they would become productive US citizens. I don't necessarily believe blanket amnesty is the answer but I also don't think rejecting them because they are "illegals" is in the best interest of the country.