Resources Readily Available for Immigrant Registration and Security

We have a readily available resource for bringing in and registering the majority of the 11-14 million illegal immigrants in this country; the local police and sheriff stations and precincts, some 12,000 plus, and over 100,000 Post Office branches.

Police and Post Office procedures include the verification of ID when necessary. More importantly, the standard police fingerprint procedure could be an interim step in the establishment of the National Secure ID Database which we must have to manage immigrant status and provide verification when necessary to employers, Homeland Security and other agencies.

Post offices, which currently process Passport applications in thousands of locations could easily be trained on the proper equipment, offering many additional secure locations and good security procedures.

The fingerprint collected could be the an important first step in preparing for the Biometric Secure Identity Card included in the pending legislation. And, the requirement of establishing a current name and address, as well as the security of fingerprint identification will insure that when needed, a verifiable identity is at hand.

Changes of address, moving, false identities could and would be managed successfully, and at the same time, give us a secure way to identify felons and criminals through the fingerprint process. While most of us appreciate the need and desire for work that drives illegal immigrants to the US and somewhat to other countries as well, there can be no dissent in the need for knowing Who is here and Where they are.

As with current immigrant visa requirement and Work Permit procedures, immigrants must notify authorities when moving, changing employers or educational institutions, and a variety of other security-related circumstances.

The 11-14 million illegals need for status must be balanced against our own security needs. And this necessary procedure cannot be viewed as a civil rights matter; this is a national security matter, notwithstanding that most of these folks just want jobs. If anything, using these resources would introduce people to the community, institute some familiarity with civil personnel, create some confidence among illegals that here in America the police system really does work on behalf of citizens, and more. For those who want work and an opportunity, registering is the minimum requirement; for those whose needs are darker and more sinister, discovering them will give us the opportunity to root them out.

This requirement would also deal with employers complaints regarding inability to obtain ID verification when employing illegals. And, this is something that could start within 60-90 days; only taking as long as necessary to order fingerprint materials and film for cameras, and the printing of necessary forms. Of course, an electronic copy of the form would provide for the IRS to issue TAX ID numbers through the registration process, perhaps ensuring that some tax money and withholding is collected. The money for the equipment and training, and the processing would be an expense the citizen taxpayer would be willing to absorb.

The process of delivering Tax IDs to registrants would verify the address used for registration; no signature, no card; no card verified through delivery? Immediate ICE and IRS notification. Basically, we DO have the infrastructure necessary to fulfill the overwhelming citizen's mandate to get control of the immigrant population for the security of us all.

We must use it.

Without enlisting the help and resources of those already trained or easily trained, there is no hope of expecting the federal government to keep their promises in this and other immigrant matters.

Those of us who remember the broken promises of 1976 by the Reagan administration will not accept a repeat.
While this is just a part of the discussion of dealing with illegal immigration issues, it might instill enough confidence in the public to allow other issues to be addressed.