People are often surprised when I tell them I believe in open borders … in theory, that is. That’s right, the libertarian side of me believes that a person has a natural right to live wherever he pleases.
Stop and think about that for a moment. Why should a bunch of corrupt politicians and bureaucrats be able to keep you from living in the country of your choosing? Or make you jump through hoops for the honor of legally settling there?
All good theoretical stuff, but, unfortunately, reality has a way of overwhelming theory, and the dominant reality of our age is that a significant number of the earth’s inhabitants believe they have a right to violate your freedom. I’m not just talking about political thugs and bureaucrats, but their envy-crazed followers as well. Thus, the reality of illegal immigration is that it has the potential to destroy a civilized country.
That said, if the United States were to declare undocumented residents ineligible for any form of government assistance, that would be a reality that would change everything. I’m talking about food stamps, unemployment benefits, and healthcare (yes, including emergency room services) — literally, all forms of public assistance — not to mention free education and myriad other government programs.
Some other actions that would change the reality of the illegal-immigrant landscape include:
-Immediately terminating the United States’ absurd anchor-baby policy and have it adjudicated by the Supreme Court once and for all. Babies of non-citizens born in the United States are in no way, shape, or form covered by the 14th Amendment, which was adopted in 1868 specifically to protect the children of former slaves.
-Passing legislation to end the visa lottery and chain migration.
-Meting out steep financial penalties against employers who hire undocumented workers.
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