1)  Stem the tide of Undocumented and Illegal persons into this country from ALL sources
   2)  Stop the flow of US dollars to foreign countries except in the interest of Commerce and Aid
   3)  Devise a compassionate and fair plan for the removal of the Illegals
   4)  Change criteria for Citizenship to disallow birth place as sole requirement, make it retroactive
   5)  Implement a plan to allow those born here of foreign parents a pathway to Citizenship
   6)  Pursue plans for the eventual action of removing all borders 

As Governor, my priority is to the CITIZENS of Texas.  There are State and Federal Laws that dictate the Legal way to enter this country.  It is very hard to have a rational, calm discussion anytime emotional issues are involved.  Though I do not doubt that some people are arguing from their bias or their arrogance, the issues involved in this debate are very real.

Modern America is a country comprised of Immigrants.  I have immigrant ancestors, as well as, Colonial and Native ancestors.  My Father's Father was a German Immigrant, my Father's Mother was Danish, Irish and Cherokee.  My Birth Mother's Father could trace his line to the Mayflower, and they were English and Scottish.  In all of this mix, I also have French, a little more Native, and Black.  I have virtually every type of American that there is or ever was, but I do not have any Illegal ancestors anywhere in my line.

I know that Mexico is an impoverished country, especially compared to America, but we're not doing so well right now, ourselves.  I am not without compassion, but how do we make a compassionate, viable solution that can be done without hate or abuse?  No matter where we stand on this issue, there will be people, both legal and not, that will violently oppose any action we take. But we must take action to solve this problem, once and for all.

My ultimate goal for Mankind's future is Space.  Out there we will have enough room for every kind of person and their beliefs.  One day Earth will be a natural museum "from whence we came", but right now it is a hotly contested piece of property, with dwindling resources.  America is already having to get vital resources from other countries because we have depleted them here, if we don't have enough for our own citizens, how do we have enough for other countries'. 

California has many reasons for its economic trouble, and paying for schooling and Medical care for Illegals is a major factor.  It has instituted Laws and Policies to cut the expenditures on Illegals to the bone, how long before Texas is forced to do the same?

In addition to the expenditures for schools, hospitals, and other assistance programs, the money sent to families back home from Illegals, from Mexico alone,  creates a deficit to our economy of over $140 mil every year*, and that is a conservative estimate.  Then there is the Gang and Terrorist issues from incoming traffic, as well as, the encroachment of the current Drug War that is spilling over the border.    Add to this that 80% of Americans want the Illegals gone, period, and we see that a solution is needed, and fast.

There is an old saying, "Damned if we do, Damned if we don't", no matter what we do on this issue, somebody is not going to be happy.  We can't do Military raids on neighborhoods, we would look like Nazi's and the whole world and a sizable portion of America would be screaming.  Simply look at Arizona right now, and all they did was choose to allow Local Law Enforcement to do the job that Federal Law Enforcement is not doing.  We can't leave the situation like it is, we are bankrupting State economies, and in the present environment, giving jobs to Illegals that citizens could have.  We need to do something that is effective and compassionate.

Illegals are from many countries, but Mexico is the number one country of origin for Illegal Immigrants in America.  The perfect answer would be to make Mexico and America one country, but I don't think that will happen anytime soon.

The Solution

This is no simple task, no Politician has been able to come up with any viable solution, this issue hasn't been dealt with, at all, since Reagan.  These are the best ideas that I have:

"If you give a Man a fish, you feed him for one day.  If you teach a Man to fish, you feed him for the rest of his life"

We, in America, cannot change Mexico, or any other country, but we can teach their Immigrants how to bring about change in their home countries.  It would be better to arm the Immigrants with knowledge and determination and then send them back to illicit change in their own countries, then to simply send them back into the same situation that brought them here.  Yes, that means money will be spent to teach them, but aren't we already teaching them in our schools?  Ultimately, if we teach them how to change their country to what they come here to get, we will stop the flow of Illegals and raise the standard of living for all the Americas.

We should change the criteria for Citizenship, put the emphasis on Parent's Nationality, not birthplace: i.e.; Honduran Parents have a child while in America, the child is considered a Honduran Citizen, not American.  We institute a Policy that gives the children born and raised here an option to become a full American Citizen:

1.  Denounce any ties or Loyalty to any country other than the US
2.  They cannot have a criminal record  consisting of Class A Misdemeanors or ANY Felony convictions
3.  Minimum of 4 years Military Service
4.  At the end of that time, they are given full citizenship as a Natural Born American.

These are two very broad ideas that will have to be studied and implemented cautiously.  I can see no other way that is compassionate, fair, and addresses the Will of the American People better than this.  However, I am open to any discussion that has serious, effective ways to deal with this subject.  Start a Forum, leave a message in the Guestbook, if you have a better solution, sound off!


*It is estimated that for every dollar spent, seven (7) dollars are generated for the economy.  Just relying on Bank numbers for money transfers, Mexico receives $20 mil every year from the Illegals in the US sending money back home to their families.