American Citizens Take Backseat to Illegal Aliens

I am disappointed today. Disappointed because it has become patently obvious that I, a legal American citizen, a person who loves America and what it stands for, no longer matter to my government.

Today lawmakers reached a tentative compromise on the illegal immigration reform bill which will essentially, if it ever even becomes a real law, grant amnesty to most, if not all, illegals currently residing in the U.S. while doing absolutely nothing to either enforce the borders or make the U.S. safer.

Apparently, the opinions of the illegals who rallied and the Hispanic vote mean far more to members of Congress than the opinions of the average, legal, tax-paying U.S. citizen. In other words, I no longer have a voice in my own country. My lawmakers are more concerned with doing whatever it takes to win the Hispanic vote than with getting my (and millions of other concerned Americans') votes or doing what is best for the country.

What the Hispanics don't seem to realize is this: The lawmakers don't care about them either. They don't even care if this bill ever gets passed. The reality is, both parties only want to be seen as being in favor of Hispanic immigration in an election year. Neither side wants to be the bad guy who sends the illegals home and strengthens our borders. The lawmakers only want the Hispanic vote. They are obviously not concerned with keeping America safer. They don't seem to care about the fact that many of the Hispanics coming to America don't want to be Americans, they simply want to work here and benefit from America but still be Mexicans. They don't care that the Hispanics and Mexicans are using America, because they are using the Hispanics and Mexicans to get re-elected.

The compromise does nothing to make America safer, which should be the first and foremost goal of all Americans and particularly our leaders. The legislation basically says this:

1. Those illegals already in the U.S for less than 2 years must leave immediately. This makes up about 2-3 million people. How they will be found or deported is anyone's guess.

2. Those illegals currently in the U.S. for 2-5 years must go to a U.S. port of entry and declare themselves to receive a temporary visa. Once back in the U.S., they may apply for citizenship. This accounts for 3-4 million people. This will be apparently be done on the honor system. How they would be held accountable for this is anyone's guess.

3. Those illegals already in the U.S. who could prove that they had been here for more than 5 years (what counts as proof is unclear) will not have to go back and declare themselves. They would be given guest worker status and be placed on the 11-year citizenship track. This accounts for about 5 million people. How this would be enforced is anyone's guess.

None of this legislation takes into account the fact that many of those already illegally here do not want to be Americans, they don't want to pay taxes or support our country. They are working to support their families back in Mexico. If they are already here without having to pay taxes and benefiting from our goodness, then what incentive will they have to show themselves and start paying taxes? How will we ever find the estimated 2-3 million who have been here less than 2 years and are supposed to be deported? How will we ensure that when this debate dies down, in a couple of months or years, the government will keep track of those who are supposed to be doing certain things to obtain citizenship when they don't even know where they are right now? And most importantly, how does this do anything to stop more illegals from coming here?

The reality is, there are plenty of laws already on the books to address illegal aliens in America. The problem is that the government refuses to enforce existing laws. They merely want to give the appearance of doing something, instead of tackling the harder issue of addressing the root of the problem. Their main goal is not America's security or continued strength, it is to get re-elected by any means possible. In doing so, they are ignoring a huge number of hard-working American citizens who are concerned with the direction America is heading and doing what could very well be irreparable damage to our nation's legal system and security. They are putting their short-term desire for more power above the interests of this great nation and her citizens. Meanwhile these congressmen and women are sending a dangerous message to the rest of the world. Go ahead, feel free to come here and break our laws, just be sure to vote for us in the next election.