Another amnesty? Here's the way it could work
It's a pipe dream, but it could happen...if pigs could fly and our law-makers developed spines. The RAA, as I'll call it, is simple in its concept and language. It's straightforward and unapologetic in tone and content. It's anti-globalist in nature.
The Congress of the United States of America offers persons residing illegally in the United States a 12-month amnesty period to return to their countries of origin. Illegal aliens and their families must individually come forward and apply for the amnesty.
Applications will be recorded with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Customs Enforcement, and the U.S. Justice Department. Officials will assist applicants in the administration of the amnesty process and will ensure that all accepted applicants (and their families) are shielded from prosecution during the amnesty period.
Applicants that avail themselves of this amnesty, and perfect it by returning to their home countries, will avoid any future negative report on their previous illegal status and be allowed to apply to enter the U.S. through normal, legal channels.
The U.S. government will issue preparatory bulletins and courtesy warnings to all member-nations of the U.N. to inform them of the U.S. legislation and to apprise them of the identity of their nationals as they become known through the application process.
The U.S. government will utilize the news media (to include Public Radio), Voice of America, and The Integrated Public Alert and Warning System in a nationwide advisory campaign.
There will be a three-month grace period, beginning the date of this legislation, to allow adequate understanding of amnesty provisions and application requirements. The 12-month amnesty begins the day after the expiration of the three-month grace period.
Country-of-origin embassy and consular officials will be expected and required to communicate with their respective nationals and facilitate their citizens' repatriation.
No persons illegally entering the U.S. (or overstaying a visa without just cause) after the 3-month grace period will be eligible for this amnesty.
After the amnesty period ends, the full weight of U.S. immigration law enforcement will be mobilized to identify, apprehend, and deport illegal aliens in the United States.
Amnesty, in its classic use, refers to forgiving domestic insurgents; they lay down arms, cease all belligerency, acknowledge the wrong, and turn from it. They don't continue stealth insurgency by supporting and encouraging others engaged in ongoing battle on the same front. The amnesty being proffered today by Democrats, and a surprising number of Republicans, feeds perpetual victimhood and again seeks to exonerate multiplied millions of illegal residents.
The Immigration Reform and Control Act, Pub. Law 99-603, enacted November 6, 1986, also known as the Simpson-Mazzoli Act or Reagan Amnesty, essentially told us, the American people, "if you let us legalize millions of unknown foreign nationals today, we promise to really clamp down on the problem; categorically, if we give a pass to all those 'living in the shadows' we will get, you know, very serious about enforcing the law."
While we as Americans peer side to side, wondering how we just got hoodwinked, the Congress of the United States looks casually away, saying, "What are you, a racist or something?" We had a phase for this in kindergarten: "liar, liar, pants on fire." It used to be "fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me." Not anymore.