Immigration

Immigration and border security are becoming important issues.

We need a comprehensive plan that provides a solution that we can afford—something that really works!

United States authorities do need to know who is crossing our borders and be able to prevent criminals from entering the country. However, security measures along the borders are just not enough —they do not completely solve the immigration problem. We need a comprehensive immigration plan. It is time to implement an immigration policy that allows for better documentation and more easily obtainable permits for temporary guest workers to fill jobs that Americans refuse to take.

Immigration into the United States by ambitious, willing workers and their families is a good thing. Not only is it a historical and energizing part of American culture and experience, it is vital to our economy. These positive benefits should not be sacrificed or reduced in any solution to stop illegal immigration. However, a clear distinction must be made between illegal and legal immigration.

In reality, true and cost-effective border security will only be achieved through a common sense combination of technology, a market-based guest worker program, and a safe, but efficient system for the legal flow of immigrants to and from the United States.

Governor Johnson’s immigration proposal focuses on the following six key points:

1. Establish real and cost-effective border security.
• Continue to encourage and allow legal immigration.
• Support current border deterrents and security measures.

2. Create a temporary guest worker program that makes sense.
• Expand and streamline a market based temporary guest worker program.
• Enact an application and tracking procedure for guest workers, such as an e-verify system. Procedures must be quick, simple and efficient in providing documentation information, and must meet the needs of both employers and willing workers.
• Require guest workers to not only pay income taxes, but also provide proof of adequate health care coverage through insurance, secured savings programs, bonds, or a combination thereof.
• Allow spouses and dependents to enter the U.S. with guest workers, but only with proof of adequate health coverage and subject to the same background checks and health requirements.

3. Impose meaningful enforcement of immigration laws.
• Establish procedures and devote adequate resources that are sufficient to actually identify illegal immigrants and deport them. Implement a “one strike, you’re out” policy toward illegal immigrants with regard to future eligibility for guest worker programs.
• Impose and enforce sanctions and fines for noncompliance with immigration laws by employers that are sufficiently costly, ensuring that the risks simply are not worth the rewards.

4. Enact a reality-based process for current illegal workers to earn legal status.
• Allow a two-year grace period during which illegal immigrants already in the U.S. can come forward, pay any taxes owed, provide proof of consistent employment, pass a criminal background check, and apply for guest worker status.

5. Reduce border crime.
• Address the root cause of most border crime by legalizing marijuana, thereby removing 70% of the current cross-border illegal drug trade and replacing cartel and prohibition-related violence with legal, regulated and nonviolent commerce.

6. Achieve a better working relationship with Mexico.
• Stimulate cross-border investment through a robust, above-board and legal guest worker program.
• Strengthen the Mexican government by dramatically weakening the cartels through the legalization of marijuana.
• Aggressively negotiate mutually beneficial agreements with Mexico regarding such issues as funds transfers, taxation of income earned in the U.S. by guest workers, and deportation and incarceration of Mexican nationals arrested in the United States.