Open Borders, Yes; but Illegal aliens are still Illegal

Immigration has become a political football these days. Well, for most of the last century, really. In this light, an article in today's Detroit Free Press speaks to families illegally in the US about their fears as Congress debates immigration reform. Will they be allowed to stay or forced to leave?

The details being discussed aren't particularly important. It is interesting to note that illegals are being called by the Free Press 'undocumented residents' rather than 'illegal aliens'. This is surely an attempt to gloss over the fact that they entered our nation illegally. That fact simply cannot be overlooked: a nation, any nation, has the right to control its borders. Still, we should be moved to pity for at least some of them, those trying to escape terrible conditions at home. What to do, what to do?

We as a nation ought to be willing to accept anyone who wishes to become American become American. It's an old saw that we are a nation of immigrants, and the fact is that we became a great nation in no small way by allowing those who want to live and work in the United States to enter and become citizens. We ought to have relatively liberal immigration laws. Anyone who wants to be here and is no threat to our nation or our way of life should be allowed within our borders.

This makes the question of illegal immigration a tough one. It is not unfair to ask whether we ought to deport illegals or simply make them citizens. Yet it is also not fair to ask those who come in legally to wait in line while others who came in illegally are naturalized by the stroke of a pen.

The best way to deal with the whole immigration issue is to have reasonably open borders. That way, those who are here can be documented and begin to fully participate in the American system. That may require certain things which, on the surface, appear silly. But we could live with deporting illegal immigrants as a matter of principle, while afterwards allowing those same people back in via the proper routes. Give them a front of the line pass, even, for those who have been here for a long while.

Everyone who is no threat to us and are willing to work above board within the United States ought to be accepted here. Only come in the front door, friends. That is not a xenophobic request. It is simply common decency.