11 million people out of 326 million people, who live in the US, aren't citizens and will never be citizens (unless we change something.)

They are here because US companies can pay them lower wages. A non-citizen is less likely to complain. Not because "Americans won't do those jobs."

I hate when people say that. These people are essentially Americans. How can we make *that* argument while also saying they are somehow mysteriously able to do exhausting, work for low wages?

2/

From most Democrats the "vision of the future" is murky, but amounts to "just leave things as they are" far too often.

I think we should be a diverse nation, as we have always been. A nation that both assimilates and is changed by the people who live here.

I don't think we should have a significant portion of the population who lives here indefinitely but will never really be a part of America.

It's OK to visit, but if you live here we need your help with running the government.

3/

The Republican project to eliminate undocumented Americans is either a fake out: that is, we will look around in 10 years and there will still be millions of undocumented people working in the shadows with no path to citizenship.

OR it's the same kind of eliminationism that leads to some of the worse crimes in history.

I want to hear someone say NO. There should be a path to citizenship. Requirements should be reasonable. Become a part of America if you want to stay.

4/

I think a lot of people would agree with "Become a part of America if you want to stay."

A friend of mine works in roofing. He's been doing the job for 20 years which is amazing because it's a very dangerous job. From time to time I've had to talk him down from supporting Republicans because he sees directly how his wages are lower, his job is less safe because most of the other people doing the same job are here illegally.

It's easy to blame immigrants for "not following the law"

5/

Blaming immigrants for "not following the law" is also BS because the US laws have been contradictory. They way the laws are enforced ranges from random to incomprehensible.

This is obviously because there are business owners who want to hire people for lower wages, but don't care about them beyond that. We can all see this happening.

There have even been attempts to make government programs to codify this arrangement.

6/

Things like "guest worker" programs that let people work in the US in agriculture for two years but then they need to return to their home country for a time before they can return to do two more years. Basically an exception just so farm owners can get their field workers without those workers ever becoming a part of the country.

Just keeping a thumb on people pressing them down.

7/

And that downward pressure doesn't just impact immigrant workers, it has an impact on the whole industry.

Everyone acts like it's unthinkable that picking strawberries or roofing could be a job that pays a decent wage. We really need to stop doing that and acknowledge the people who have been doing this work. Show them some respect.

8/8

@futurebird thanks for those wise words.

I might use them in my next discussions with people who buy into this "we have to keep our passport guarded or anyone could get it"

like. what if anyone could get it? would that really be that bad?

I am all for some sort of rules, like living in a country for some time (probably years), working or studying or caring for someone
and maybe a certificate of language knowledge