Back to the pesky illegal immigrant problem?

• Author: Adams, Tucker Hart
• Position: The ECONOMIST

LAST MONTH I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF sitting on the stage as more than 1,000 graduates, of CU Colorado Springs walked across to receive their diplomas. As each name was called and the corresponding student walked across the platform, the air was pierced with cheers and whistles.

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Last name alter last name was not of Western European origin, many of which were cum laude or magna cum laude graduates. More than one-third were the First in their family to graduate from college. Almost all had worked full or part-time to help pay for their education. I learned over to the two deans sitting beside me, both immigrants to the U.S., and whispered, "Isn't it a shame those immigrants come to the U.S. and are nothing but a burden on society!" (For those of you who don't know me, that was very much a tongue-in-cheek remark.)

There were two graduation ceremonies in Colorado Springs that day, one in the morning for Arts and Sciences and one in the afternoon for the other schools and colleges. The reason: There is no venue in the city large enough to hold all of the family and friends if the graduates if there were only one ceremony. Anil our wonderful chancellor refuses to limit the number of friends and family who can attend. As my husband and I exited the World Arena, someone was snapping a photo of a proud young graduate, clearly or non-European ancestry, surrounded by 30 or so proud guests.

It's been three years since rye written about the immigration issue and the need for reform. Although legislation is pending in Congress, we are no nearer a solution than we were back in 2010).

The answers to the issue are so simple!

* Introduce a robust guest worker program that allows people who wish to improve their family's quality of life back in their home country to come to work in the jobs many American citizens seem to be unwilling to do. Whether in agriculture, hospitality or constriction, wages that seem low to us are a vast improvement to what can be earned at home for these temporary immigrants.

* Have a separate visa program for people who want to become permanent residents or citizens. There is a fragment or me that says just get rid...