It was brought to my attention today that Pres. Trump made a strong, clear statement on the campaign trail in 2016 about when he would entertain consideration of any amnesty for special categories of illegal border crossers and visa overstayers.
At this time when congressional leaders are vigorously trying to pass an amnesty for young adults who came to the country illegally as children or young teenagers, it is helpful to consider the wisdom of candidate Trump about the proper sequence of issues to be handled.
In his big policy-establishing immigration speech in Phoenix on August 31, 2016, candidate Trump said:
In several years, when we have accomplished all of our enforcement goals -- and truly ended illegal immigration for good, including the construction of a great wall, and the establishment of our new lawful immigration system -- then and only then will we be in a position to consider the appropriate disposition of those who remain.
"That discussion can only take place in an atmosphere in which illegal immigration is a memory of the past, allowing us to weigh the different options available based on the new circumstances at the time."
The "lawful immigration system" he referenced was to be one that established a much lower annual immigration level in order to best serve the interests of American workers and of those Americans who were left out of the labor market.
That can't be done without eliminating the Chain Migration categories and stopping as soon as possible the flow of Chain Migration immigrants with lifetime work permits.
And the numerical reduction in lifetime work permits can't be negated by adding lifetime work permits in some other categories.
As for ending illegal immigration "for good": It can't be done without the mandatory E-Verify to stop outlaw employers from hiring illegal workers, the action that virtually all analyses find necessary.
As you look at various DACA amnesty proposals being floated all over Congress this month, check to see:
- whether they end Chain Migration,
- whether they eliminate the Chain Migration backlog or instead allow the backlog to continue to add lifetime work permitted immigrants to flow into American job competition,
- and whether E-Verify is mandated BEFORE the amnesty takes hold.
Unless all of that is in place -- at a minimum -- it would be a violation of Pres. Trump's "Phoenix Promise" for him to sign anything.
Thankfully, the statements from the President and from the White House the past several weeks have been excellent in seeming to honor the spirit of the Phoenix Promise to the wage earners of America.
Unfortunately, most proposals coming from both Parties in Congress do not.
-- ROY BECK is Founder & CEO of NumbersUSA
