A 21st century approach to Immigration
I want to take a few minutes to talk about an issue that has been used as a political football for far too long: Immigration. What is happening today is completely unacceptable. To be clear, the need for laws isn't the problem—it’s the archaic, reckless procedures being used. We’ve seen enforcement tactics so outdated they have actually cost the lives of American citizens in the process. When a policy endangers the very people it claims to protect, the system has failed, and it’s time to move past the rhetoric. We need to start relying on reality and facts instead of fear. We hear a lot about the desert, but the fact is that most drugs enter through legal points of entry. We need to stop the shouting and start using 21st-century technology—heat sensors, motion sensors, and advanced drug-detection equipment—to actually secure our borders properly. The truth is, we need a strong immigration system because this country thrives when we have one. Immigrants in the system today, including those here illegally, pay around $100 billion a year in taxes—money they can’t even access. At the same time, we’re seeing billions in investment for new manufacturing plants, but we have a massive labor shortage because, frankly, many Americans don’t want those jobs. We need a workforce that does, and we can find it at our Southern border if we do it the right way. That’s why I am proposing a "Train Now, Pay Later" program. I want to see a massive investment in apprenticeship schools right at the border focused on elder care services, farming, manufacturing, assembly, and the trades. These schools will be open to both Americans and immigrants, but we will always ensure that American citizens looking to enter these fields get the first available slots. This isn't a handout; it’s an investment. We’ll use a self-funding model where graduates pay a small percentage of their paycheck back into the program for life. Based on an average tradesman's salary of $70,000, an American citizen would contribute 1.5% (about $1,050 a year), while an immigrant would contribute 3% (about $2,100 a year). To keep things orderly, an immigrant family would send one representative through the program first. Once they’ve secured a job and can support themselves, the rest of the immediate family will be vetted and moved across to join them at their own expense. I believe in a fair system. If you cross illegally, you move to the back of the line because it’s not fair to the people doing it properly. But if you are willing to work, learn a trade, learn English, and assimilate into our work culture, you belong here. This program also gives our local farmers, healthcare providers, and business owners a direct pipeline to hire pre-vetted, pre-trained, and highly skilled workers. It’s a win for the worker, a win for the employer, and a win for the American taxpayer. We can have a secure border and a thriving economy at the same time—we just have to choose people over politics.