The American Dream should not be a nightmare

There is an ideal in the world that America is the land of opportunity. It has persisted since America became prosperous and it has resonated through the world to draw immigrants from every country and walk of live to come here for the American Dream: work hard, get rich, no matter who you are. That is what your ancestors did (Native American ancestors were the first to immigrate, the first to live that dream even if they didn't know it).

This belief is no different for an illegal immigrant ready to jump the border. They want to come here to be an American, to have the opportunity to get a job that puts food on the table, they want to be in the greatest country. Do you know what they do? In some places they cross scorching desert with risk of death to cross over fences guarded by men with guns. Then they are alone, and have to find work, and they seek it everywhere they can until they find any job that gives them money. When they start working, they send money back home for their family to come or to simply survive back home.

That is not lazy. Nor is it the mentality of someone who wants to come here and clog our system, degrade our standard of living, or whatever you want to claim illegals intend on doing. They do not sit in their country and think "Hm, I want to go to America so I can take a job away from a citizen, not learn the language because I am stupid and stubborn, and drive without a license or insurance so I can be a nightmare to everyone on the road." That does not happen. In fact I say that is far more determination and couragous then some people who are born into this country in every class, in every race. So stop pointing the finger of righteous damnation and accusing them of destroying our country. There is one significant reason why illegals are able to get a job in this country: because citizens are not pursuing that job.

Yes, I said it. There are people in this country who sit on their ass and collect the minimum amount it takes to survive with no medical insurance because they are content to get by with nothing. So what happens? There is a business man who says "Hm. I can offer a job that pays minimum wage to citizens, or have an illegal take the same job for $2?" The outcome is obvious because that is how business theory works: have the least amount of people paid the least amount of money for the most profit. And so when the job gets to the immigrant, he's just happy to have it because he does not know the system and what it could do for him.

The system that would work for him if he had not committed a crime. That's right, I am not justifying illegal immigration, I am merely explaining its cause. I do not know the immigration requirements for getting into America, but I do know that Canada requires $5,000 Canadian in a bank account, and you must have job skills or a career profession. I am pretty sure America's requirements are easier. But maybe there is a quota at process centers. I don't know.

Yet no matter how you cut it, an immigrant is hurting the system by being here. They are being exploited because they can be, they are not learning the language and adding to confusion, they are endangering us by not getting a liscence or insurance. Deporting them does not work because they come right back. Providing them a work visa is in essence turning the immigrant into a second class citizen with no rights. Declaring them a citizen cheapens the process one takes to become a citizen, and just encourages all immigrants to be illegal and, once here, wait until they are caught only to be given exactly what they wanted.

Make them citizens, but make it more tedious than the normal route. When you find an immigrant who is not here legally, they and their family are taken to an immigration center where they are processed, given a social security number, and whatever else immigration does. However, the individual (and their family) are on probation. You have a set amount of time to 1) get a job that pays x, 2) Get a driver's license, 3) Get insurance, 4) Learn some broken form of English. If you fail to do so, you are deported. If you come into this country again, you will be exiled. If you do it a third time, you will be arrested and put in jail. These new citizens will not be shoved out the door and must fend for themselves; resources will be provided. Go here for help finding a job. Here's a paper on how to get insurance. These places give free English lessons.

Now this likely will not work because I do not understand the current system, and I know the current political stances of this country and it would not be allowed for some time. But I would rather approach the causes of immigration rather than whining and moaning about the effects. Harsher penalties on exploiting immigrants. Easier ways to become a citizen. Distribution of this information in Mexico and countries where significant immigrant numbers originate from. Latino (or whoever seems appropriate for anywhere) government workers sent into immigrant communities and giving them information about how to become citizens, the benefits, the rights that they would have, and other tips, information provided confidentially; the worker can't report them.

This is what I would like to see.