<== Site of the Week for 2010-08-02 ==>

Americans for Legal Immigration

I am a life long supporter of immigration. I truly hope that world will evolve in the direction of open borders.

However, I realize that ideals must be held in balance. While I prefer open borders, I realize that current political realities make that ideal untenable. I realize that we are at a point in history where we need humane, but enforced immigration laws.

I've also come to the conclusion that the widespread flaunting of immigration laws has proven a net negative for the cause of immigration. The flaunting of laws traps millions of people in an extra legal status. The people in this extra-legal status form an exploitable underclass which is detrimental to society at large and the illegal immigrants themselves.

As such, I support the general concept of a Political Action Committee calling itself Americans for Legal Immigration (ALIPAC) that supports enforcement of immigration laws with the aim of improving legal immigration.

I don't know these people beyond their web site. The site has some good ideas.

For example, the video below calls for the establishment of safe departure points to help those undocumented workers who are wanting to return home during this bad economy.

Having folks return to their native country reduces the number of people living in an illegal status and helps solve our current problem in a human fashion.

The scary part of the video is an implication that some undocumented immigrants are wanting to leave because of increased intimidation. Personally, I see this intimidation resulting from the fact that our nation is not enforcing its laws.

I know littler of ALIPAC beyond the web site and YouTube videos. I think the site shows some forward thinking. The goal of our immigration laws should be to help legal immigrants. If there are problems with the laws, then the problems should be addressed through legislation and not selective enforcement of laws.