Few issues divide Americans like undocumented immigrants.

Peter King, a U.S. congressional representative from New York (Democratic) and Tom Suozzi, a Republican representatives from the same state, sketched out a plan to lessen immigration problems. (“A Grand Compromise on Immigration,” The New York Times, March 24, 2019)

The plan, if carried out, might solve the status of about 5 million undocumented immigrants in the United States, plus provide money for alleviating border problems.

Today’s undocumented immigrants include the Dreamers (those without documentation brought as children to the U.S.). To qualify according to the plan, they must have graduated from high school, have no record of criminal activity, and be in the military or working full time for at least three years or attending college.

In addition, the plan would be available to those in temporary protected status (TPS). Beneficiaries of TPS are those who have been allowed to stay temporarily in the United States because of natural disasters, violence, or extreme poverty in their home countries.

To start the process, each applicant would be required to pay $2,000 dollars. The funds raised would be used first of all to fund the process.

The excess would go to additional physical structures along the southern border, aid to Central American countries to discourage further immigration from those countries, and improved border technology.

One advantage for the immigrants targeted by the program is that they already are productive individuals and are familiar with American culture.