Newt Gingrich and illegal immigration

Without a doubt, illegal immigration is one of the hottest topics for the 2012 Presidential Election. I decided to tune in to watch the Republican presidential debate, and was pretty astounded by Newt Gingrich. Finally, here’s a Republican candidate taking the unconventional route on such a controversial issue.

The Atlanta Journal Constitution states Newt Gingrich’s immigration plan “would give special consideration to illegal immigrants who have lived here for many years and have deep ties to their communities” and that it “has the potential to affect millions of illegal people, according to a new study.”

My high school in southern California was approximately 90 percent Hispanic. In some of my classes, there were significant numbers of “illegal aliens”—a term that always confused me. However, a lot of my high school classmates came to the U.S. at a very young age. For some of them, America was all that they know and is still their home. When it was time to apply to colleges, I saw one of our salutatorians defer her dream. Coming from a low-income family, she had to put her dreams aside due to the fact that she has no legal status in this country.

Some of the most assiduous people I have known are “illegal aliens.” These individuals pay federal, income, sales and property taxes. The Texas State Comptroller in 2006 reported that illegal immigrants added $18 billion to the state economic output. Furthermore, there is also a sizeable percentage of illegal immigrants who contribute to the United States labor force.

Whomever holds the office of president following the 2012 election needs to formulate a plan close to one that was proposed by Gingrich. If an individual immigrated here illegally and has no family ties and is not well grounded in the public order, he or she should be deported. Breaking families apart that have been established for decades, however, should be avoided. The concept of the “American family” has always existed in the history and identity of this country. Families are symbols of strength and support and it is important that the law maintains those values.

People may argue that Gingrich’s plan might serve as an incentive to future illegal immigrants. That’s why, if such a plan is adopted, it should exist only for the short term. A path to legal residency and citizenship should be created for only those illegal immigrants who have lived here for a long time. By doing so, it would be easier to curtail future illegal immigration through stricter laws and scrutiny.

The Dream Act also needs to be a short-term law if both houses instate it. Children of illegal immigrants who come here do not have any control of their parents’ choices. Impeding the dreams of talented individuals based on their parents’ past decisions is un-American. What happened to that whole concept of the American Dream? What happened to the idea that life should be better for everyone based on his or her own talent and diligence? What are we then saying about dreams? A person cannot have a dream because he is less of an individual due to his illegal status. By doing so, we are making one’s legal status a requirement to pursue goals. Instead, we should provide platforms for the children of illegal immigrants to pursue their dreams. As long as you have what it takes to be admitted to an institution of higher education, you should be allowed to pursue your educational goals and career interests.

As someone who despises a lot of Republican stances on issues, I actually support Gingrich’s plan. Illegal immigration can never be stopped. We can make the society less of a burden to some established illegal aliens instead of making them a burden to society. We need to put time conditions on immigration policies and how such laws can be applicable. Exclusivity for those who would qualify for Gingrich’s proposal and the Dream Act should be applied. After all, it’s virtually impossible to deport the estimated 11.2 million illegal immigrants who currently live here. We might as well employ certain laws to help those who have been established and settled in this country for a long time.