re: #371 doppelganglander

Ah well, politics is compromise.

Anyway, for other Lizards, here is the bit about immigraion from the Whig Party Web Site:

Immigration

The Modern Whig Party understands the dual responsibility of securing our borders while also dealing realistically with those illegal immigrants already in the country. Many of our members are with the National Guard and have indicated a willingness to operate on our borders so long as a clearly defined mission is developed.

If somebody is in this country illegally, then he or she should be deported if caught. However, it is not realistic in terms of manpower and resources to attempt to hunt illegal immigrants down. We propose the following: Offer illegal immigrants the opportunity for citizenship if they join the military and serve out their initial contractual term honorably. This system already is in use for green card holders and has proven to be an absolute success. In fact, much of this proposal is based off of the highly applauded current framework. The illegal immigrants will not be entitled to jobs that require security clearances, but will be eligible for the GI Bill, Tricare and all other benefits afforded to US service members who serve honorably. This program also will include a background check and English-language classes if necessary. In this manner, any illegal immigrant ranging in age from 18 to 42 will receive job skills and educational benefits while they earn their citizenship in defense of our country. Of course this military path to citizenship would not apply to elderly or disabled illegal immigrants, but it does offer an opportunity to tens of thousands of illegal immigrants.

In respect to the orderly deportation of other illegal immigrants, we propose the following: A creation of ad-hoc immigration courts. Essentially, highly regarded immigration lawyers in varying parts of the country will be nominated and selected to serve as immigration judges. When a suspected illegal immigrant is caught, an ad-hoc court can quickly be convened in order to ensure fair proceedings. In this manner, we can significantly impact the current problem of immigration court backlog while at the same time empower local communities such as Prince William County in Virginia that wish to enforce immigration laws.