Americans of all stripes should get behind Senator Allen on the subject of immigration and illegal aliens. The only shortcomng in his position is that he does not invoke his constitutional duty to secure and defend the borders as a Senator through the making of appropriate law. Some things that Allen stood up for would have best been solved through other means (like keeping illegals off of Socialist Security by simply doin away with the failed Socialist Security system), but these things were themselves not what was being debated, so his position to disqualify those in the country illegally from receiving those benefits is correct. Dismantling Socialist Security is a debate for another day.

Immigration
Securing Our Borders

I have long said that legal immigration has been and continues to be part of the fabric and lifeblood of our nation; my own mother legally immigrated to America after World War II. Unfortunately, illegal immigration is one of the biggest problems affecting our country today and it is undermining our economic and physical security.

First and foremost, I believe we need to secure our borders. We need more border agents and detention centers along the border and we ought to be using technology such as unmanned aerial vehicles and sensors to help with surveillance. Secondly, we must not reward illegal behavior because it will only encourage more illegal behavior. Thirdly, I believe that we must have a workable, legal and temporary worker program for seasonal and technology workers when entrepreneurs cannot find Americans to apply for job openings.

The only problem I have with Senator Allen's position is that he refers to these people as "immigrants". By definition, these people are not immigrants. They are aliens, and their practice is not immigration, it's "presence", "entry", or "crossing". Other than that, Allen is spot-on. Here are a few other quotes on the matter:

A country that can not control its border can not control its own destiny. - May 15, 2006

As I've advocated and voted in the past, we need more border security personnel, detention facilities, actual and virtual fences to stop the flow of unaccountable, illegal entry into our country. - May 15, 2006

President Bush is right to focus on better securing our border. However, that does not mean that the government should reward illegal behavior with amnesty. - May 15, 2006

We are a nation of laws and no one who breaks them should be rewarded with citizenship to this great country. - May 17, 2006

My mother came to this country legally after World War II from Tunisia. I personally realize that America is a nation of immigrants. We are also a nation of laws and should remain both. - May 17, 2006

If anyone who is here illegally desires the benefits of citizenship they should become citizens legally not through amnesty. - May 19, 2006

Mr. Allen's positions are all derived from this basic philosophy:

First, I believe the American people deserve borders that are secure... Second, we should not reward illegal behavior. If the U.S. government rewards illegal behavior with amnesty, we'll get more illegal behavior.

It's all spot on.

In the recent debate on the Senate illegal alien entry bill, Senator Allen supported the following:

- Increasing the mileage of permanent fencing and barriers;
- Prohibiting felons and those convicted of 3 misdemeanors and illegal immigrants who overstay deportation orders from gaining legal citizenship;
- Protecting American workers by requiring the Department of Labor to attest that no American is able to take a job before a "guest worker" is eligible for a green card;
- Establishing English as national language of the United States;
- Improving integrity of Social Security by ensuring that illegal immigrants don't receive Social Security benefits for work done while they were illegal;
- Codifying President Bush's call for National Guardsmen to backup Border Patrol surveillance and operations.

Securing the borders and protecting people's Second Amendment rights should be any candidate's first priorities today, possibly behind fighting the terrorists. Without these two three items, there really aren't any other rights to speak of. That's why, despite the fact that we may have to remind and persuade Senator Allen of his responsibility to the Constitution, he's by far the best candidate I've seen for the presidency this time around. Don't forget what happens when the opposition gets elected.

RWR