Amnesty for Obama´s aunt and the millions like her

Image by publik18 via Flickr

I just read the shocking story of Obama´s aunt, Zeituni Onyango, who sends $5 to the Obama campaign while living in the US illegally for many years. It is a sad story that will somehow be used against Obama. As a former illegal alien in the States who then became legal, then a US Citizen and who eventually resigned to the US Citizen in favor of the European Citizenship via Spain, I sincerely hope that this poor woman and the millions who live in hiding in the States get an Amnesty.

This amnesty, if given to residents who can prove they have been in the States for at least 5 years, would result in enormous increases in tax collection to the US government. It would also be justice for people who greatly contribute to the American economy and get no recognition. If a plan to tighten immigration controls is adopted, which would make sense in a time of deep crisis, this plan must contain an amnesty for people in the case of Zeituni Onyango.

Moreover, what USA should do is to copy what Europe did in the EU. USA, Canada and Mexico have NAFTA but with NAFTA goods move but people can´t move. The EU has free movements of goods and people and the surprising finding of the EU has historically been that when people are free to move, few do because conditions greatly improve in the country where they come from.

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