Re: “End immigration stalemate,” Feb. 3 editorial:

Few would not favor a “rational immigration policy”; however, what the president and various congressional groups are proposing is hardly rational and instead resembles a rerun of the 1986 amnesty that gave us the 11 million-plus illegal aliens we now have.

In 1986, we were told that 1.2 million illegal aliens would be granted citizenship and we citizens would be guaranteed strict enforcement — internal and border — to ensure another amnesty would never be needed. Instead, we got amnesty for 2.7 million people, 11 million-plus new illegal aliens, and a 27-year wait for strict enforcement.

In the new proposals, we hear much about citizenship but little about internal enforcement, such as mandatory employment verification through E-Verify. What we are likely to hear later is a proposal to “perfect” E-Verify, with a system years down the road. What happens to new illegal entrants?

What we are being offered is rolling amnesties every few years to bring the newest illegal aliens “out of the shadows” — sort of open borders on the installment plan.

We are fools if we let this happen.

DEENA FLINCHUMBLACKSBURG

Weather Journal

11 hours ago