As the son of an undocumented immigrant (my mom overstayed an au pair visa for years before marrying my dad, a U.S. citizen), it’s deeply personal: Reddit wouldn’t exist if ICE had come for her.
I do think border security matters. But it shouldn’t come at the cost of crushing lives. A sensible amnesty / legalization policy (like what Reagan offered in 1986!!) could strike a better balance:
Path to citizenship for law-abiding, hard-working undocumented immigrants <<after background checks, waiting periods, and meeting clear standards>>.
Order and accountability; those who don’t step forward for the pathway should face enforcement under due process.
This isn’t open borders, it’s smart borders + humane immigration reform.
The guys up at the crack of dawn in the Home Depot parking lot <<looking for work>> or the women hustling their home-made food on the corner are <<exactly>> the men & women we want contributing to this great nation. We shouldn't be rounding them up at gunpoint.
Later we'll find it hard to believe that masked thugs were dragging people off the street at gunpoint. At least I hope we will, since the other alternative would be to decline into the kind of country where that's normal.