Undocumented immigrants and illegal aliens
New immigrants have historically filled many labor-intensive, lower-wage jobs that employers have difficulty filling with native-born American workers. Much of this work requires relatively little formal education but considerable physical effort, irregular hours, or difficult working conditions. It includes agricultural labor, food processing, construction labor, landscaping, housekeeping and cleaning, restaurant and hotel work, caregiving and home health assistance, warehousing, and similar occupations. These are the labor-intensive jobs at the base of the American economy.
Instead of maintaining an enormous armed and increasingly militarized immigration police force, whose masked agents conduct paramilitary operations in American communities and have shot and killed civilians during immigration operations, why not offer those undocumented aliens who have become productive members of American society a path to lawful residence and ultimately citizenship that benefits the country as well as the immigrants and their families?
Every undocumented immigrant could be given an opportunity to register at a designated government office. Those who establish their identity, submit to an appropriate background check, and demonstrate that they have been gainfully employed and paying taxes could obtain lawful resident status commonly evidenced by a “green card,” together with a legitimate Social Security number. They could then continue working, paying taxes, supporting their families, and contributing to the American economy.
Except for those who bring professional, technical, or other specialized skills with them, many of these immigrants will continue doing the labor-intensive work for which American employers have continuing difficulty finding enough willing workers.
Serious criminal conduct should subject any immigrant to deportation. Conviction of a felony, or of specified serious misdemeanors demonstrating dishonesty, violence, or comparable misconduct, should terminate the privilege of remaining in the United States.
After five years as a lawful resident, an immigrant could take the first step toward American citizenship by demonstrating an ability to read, write, speak, and understand basic American English. During the following five years, the immigrant could complete the citizenship process by demonstrating an understanding of the basic principles of American government, the Constitution, and the obligations of American citizenship.
Children of undocumented immigrants who have grown up in the American public school system should be entitled to apply for American citizenship when they complete their public school education unless they are already American citizens by birth.
There is nothing particularly radical about asking immigrants who have established their lives here to work, pay taxes, learn American English, understand our system of government, obey our laws, and eventually become American citizens.
It is essentially the process by which generations of immigrants from throughout the world became Americans. Their children and grandchildren became part of the generation that survived the Great Depression, fought World War II, defeated Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan, and became known as the Greatest Generation.
A rational immigration policy should be designed not merely to determine whom we can deport, but whom we can turn into Americans.
I have been writing about immigration and citizenship for many years. My earlier essays, A Rational, Just, and Moral Immigration Policy for the United States (January 16, 2019), and Undocumented Immigrants and Immigration Policy (February 21, 2021) developed the case for bringing undocumented immigrants into American society through work, payment of taxes, American English, and an orderly path to citizenship. More recently, Birthright Citizenship and the Limits of Constitutional Interpretation (July 3, 2026) examined the constitutional citizenship of children born in the United States.
A Rational Immigration Policy
September 6, 2026 | Curbstone Opinions
Undocumented immigrants and illegal aliens
New immigrants have historically filled many labor-intensive, lower-wage jobs that employers have difficulty filling with native-born American workers. Much of this work requires relatively little formal education but considerable physical effort, irregular hours, or difficult working conditions. It includes agricultural labor, food processing, construction labor, landscaping, housekeeping and cleaning, restaurant and hotel work, caregiving and home health assistance, warehousing, and similar occupations. These are the labor-intensive jobs at the base of the American economy.
Instead of maintaining an enormous armed and increasingly militarized immigration police force, whose masked agents conduct paramilitary operations in American communities and have shot and killed civilians during immigration operations, why not offer those undocumented aliens who have become productive members of American society a path to lawful residence and ultimately citizenship that benefits the country as well as the immigrants and their families?
Every undocumented immigrant could be given an opportunity to register at a designated government office. Those who establish their identity, submit to an appropriate background check, and demonstrate that they have been gainfully employed and paying taxes could obtain lawful resident status commonly evidenced by a “green card,” together with a legitimate Social Security number. They could then continue working, paying taxes, supporting their families, and contributing to the American economy.
Except for those who bring professional, technical, or other specialized skills with them, many of these immigrants will continue doing the labor-intensive work for which American employers have continuing difficulty finding enough willing workers.
Serious criminal conduct should subject any immigrant to deportation. Conviction of a felony, or of specified serious misdemeanors demonstrating dishonesty, violence, or comparable misconduct, should terminate the privilege of remaining in the United States.
After five years as a lawful resident, an immigrant could take the first step toward American citizenship by demonstrating an ability to read, write, speak, and understand basic American English. During the following five years, the immigrant could complete the citizenship process by demonstrating an understanding of the basic principles of American government, the Constitution, and the obligations of American citizenship.
Children of undocumented immigrants who have grown up in the American public school system should be entitled to apply for American citizenship when they complete their public school education unless they are already American citizens by birth.
There is nothing particularly radical about asking immigrants who have established their lives here to work, pay taxes, learn American English, understand our system of government, obey our laws, and eventually become American citizens.
It is essentially the process by which generations of immigrants from throughout the world became Americans. Their children and grandchildren became part of the generation that survived the Great Depression, fought World War II, defeated Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan, and became known as the Greatest Generation.
A rational immigration policy should be designed not merely to determine whom we can deport, but whom we can turn into Americans.
I have been writing about immigration and citizenship for many years. My earlier essays, A Rational, Just, and Moral Immigration Policy for the United States (January 16, 2019), and Undocumented Immigrants and Immigration Policy (February 21, 2021) developed the case for bringing undocumented immigrants into American society through work, payment of taxes, American English, and an orderly path to citizenship. More recently, Birthright Citizenship and the Limits of Constitutional Interpretation (July 3, 2026) examined the constitutional citizenship of children born in the United States.