I heard a story on NPR this morning that has me torn.

It was about a teacher who wants to give kids of illegals the same options that legal kids have. Her theory is that if you can’t pay for college and can’t drive what motivation do kids have for graduating and furthing themselves. She wants the kids to get the state rate.

I am conflicted. I am here in the US legally at considerable expense to my employers who have paid for the cost of my visa. I currently can not switch jobs or leave the country because of visa stuff. One half of me says screw them why should they get it easy when I have to jump through all these hoops and wait many years. The other half says makes sense give the kids a goal, graduate from high school and then go to college for 2 years and you can become legal.

I wonder if I could get a high school diploma and go to college for 2 years. Right now that sounds a hell of a lot easier than proving that your employer couldn’t hire a US citizen to do you job. File the paper work and wait. Then wait some more. Then wait even longer. So far I have been waiting for over a year and don’t expect it to move in the next 6 months. When that first stage finishes file stage 2 and 3 together wait probably another year. Then I have to work another year afterwards or I have to pay back all the costs of the getting the green card.

I do object the ideas that are being floated about an amnesty for illegals. If the US really needs these people. Which I think it does. Then make a new class of visa and give them the option to leave the US and re enter on this new visa. To start with it should be based on the persons ability to prove that they have paid taxes. Give it to them for 2 years and allow them to renew for say 10 years. The visa should be tied to the availability of a job. This will allow people to get drivers licenses, go to school and all the other things that they want.