Issue Position: Immigration Reform and Illegal Residents

Issue Position

We are an immigrant nation and should be proud of it. We should have a vibrant and clear and not overly complicated or expensive immigration policy at our borders that welcomes people from all over the globe who are taking the same chance that our ancestors did by coming to America to start a new life.

Unfortunately our immigration policy is in disarray, inefficient and almost institutionally corrupt and unfair. This needs to be solved at the federal level working in concert with the states to devise a fair and reasonable system. Some one who has, however, crossed into this country without a visa or intentionally overstayed their tourist visa is here illegally and there is a world of difference between the two. Until the time we are prepared as a nation to have no borders and recognize no countries I will advocate for robust, fair immigration policies and equally robust enforcement of our Visa Rules.

We have a huge problem with our driver's licenses; we want them to be an indication of minimum competency to drive and at the same time use them as a national ID card. While they have been proven time and again to be a poor ID card, there is little interest in creating a better one. As to minimum competency for driving, the numbers are both staggering and depressing -- every year 40,000 people die on the roads and the numbers of injured with the attendant costs are almost not comprehendible. Based on these facts I believe that every person behind the wheel of a vehicle must be able to prove that they have competency (and insurance). I would propose that people holding a legitimate visa be allowed to take a driving test and obtain a license that clearly denotes their visa status ( and perhaps the exit date). Drivers intentionally driving with out a license should face felony endangerment charges regardless of their citizenship or birthplace.

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