The desire of human beings to be free and have opportunity is one I do not wish to see suppressed. The fact that so many people want to come to the United States of America, even during the most difficult of times is a testament to our greatness.

But in light of these difficult and dangerous times, and the many entitlement programs running our nation deeper and deeper into debt, we must keep the influx of immigrants in check. Additionally, a sovereign nation guards its borders, and I believe in sovereignty.

I support having National Guard patrolling our borders, a fence by itself would be fully ineffective. Beyond the concern of immigration, we need to guard our borders to be sure that weapons of mass destruction, terrorists, and even foreign military are not crossing our borders.

Once the borders are secure, we need to make more reasonable ways for people to come to the United States legally, when millions of people break a law, the problem is most likely with the law itself and not the people violating the law.

The demand for immigrant labor is real, but as long as Americans are collecting unemployment or welfare in places where companies are demanding immigrant labor, those Americans should have the opportunity to have those jobs, even if only on a temporary basis while they seek other work. The remaining demand for immigrant labor must be supplied, and good people who seek a better life should have the opportunity to find it in America.

As for those already here illegally.

• Persons who have committed any crime must be deported without undue delay. I support the deputization of local sheriffs and correctional facilities by the department of immigration and customs enforcement, to deport illegal immigrant criminals upon their release from custody.
• Any illegal immigrant receiving any taxpayer subsidy must be deported without undue delay, our country is great, and we have provided safety nets for our citizens, but those who come here in hopes of living off the back of the taxpayer are parasitic to our society.
• Persons who are in the United States illegally only with the hope of building a better life must have a path to legal residence and work status, not citizenship, voting or entitlement privileges, but a means by which to live and work here legally, this path should include showing a mastery of the English language, maintaining a job, abiding by the law, and not receiving any taxpayer subsidy.

On the subject of birthright citizenship. The 14th Amendment provides that persons born in the United States are citizens of the United States. Whether we like it or not, this is the constitution and we must not compromise with it. Under no circumstances will I support the deportation of American Citizens, or the parents of young American Citizens.

There has been some discussion of repealing the 14th Amendment and replacing it with an altered version, I do not support this. Such an option would not address the current birthright citizens already here, because of the ex post facto law clause in Article 1 Section 9, and closing the border would essentially stop the problem of pregnant women racing to the United States to give birth to their "anchor baby".