Citizenship is not a liberal issue – It’s a patriotic one!

It’s not liberal to expect accountability for our presence in Iraq. It’s our lives and our tax dollars. It’s not liberal to pursue and capture terrorists and to want secure borders, ports and a safe public. Domestic security must include adequate first responders, such as fire, emergency rescue and law enforcement. Neighborhood watch and international coalitions help fight threats to our security. It’s not liberal to replace fear and anxiety with hope.

It’s not liberal to adhere to the ideals of our forefathers of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness and prosperity. It’s not liberal to adhere to Judeo-Christian beliefs of selfless caring for other fellow humans. Our Constitution and places of worship are built upon these beliefs. It’s not liberal to pursue humanitarian ideals of fairness, health and education. Our domestic and foreign policies claim to pursue such goals.

It’s not liberal to challenge acts by large corporations or powerful special interests whose self-serving agenda is based upon fear, ignorance or discrimination. What made the United States the greatest nation on earth is her compassionate leadership. It’s not liberal or conservative. But it becomes corrupted when a small minority dilutes and manipulates the truth. It was done in Iraq and is being done again with the issue of Immigration.

In the almost five years since 9/11, more than 60% of the estimated 10 to 12 million immigrants arrived in the U.S. against our laws. This suggests our domestic security is woefully inadequate. Building walls isn’t the answer. Our great nation ought to be building a “Coalition of the Americas”. This will create more safety for us in our Western Hemisphere. It will help address the economic and humanitarian reasons why most come to the United States.

What won’t resolve the immigration issue is deportation. This will drive people further underground. Identifying, locating, arresting, processing and deporting the 2.4 million who have resided here for under two years will cost tens of billions of dollars – more than the costs if these people were given a path to citizenship, learn our language, work hard for a fair wage, pay their taxes and attain an education.

So what does this person look like? How do we prevent illegal search and seizure of folks of Hispanic, Portuguese, African and Asian decent? What becomes of deportees’ property and their legal relatives?

Those in the U.S. for 24 to 60 months would also have to turn themselves in and pay a fine of up to $2,500. They could be granted documented worker status once they have paid back taxes and could speak English. They could apply to become citizens, but would have to return to their country of origin first.

These measures will lead to desperation, lawlessness and exploitation. It’ll divide hard working families who attend our places of worship and have income withholdings, but collect no benefits. Harboring or abetting the undocumented would be a felony subject to imprisonment and fine.

The only part of the existing Senate measure that makes sense is the up to $20,000 fine and three years in prison for employing an undocumented immigrant. Call it liberal, but the provisions for citizenship are inconsistent with what America can and should be.