While an estimated 12 million plus undocumented workers contribute to our culture, economy the Senate is closing in on approving a cloture motion to end debate on immigration reform and send some type of legislation to conference with the House version passed earlier this year.

Unfortunately the House version known as HR 4437 is strictly border enforcement with penalties for employers and does nothing to address the moral question of what to do with the people who have come to our gifted land for the economic opportunities and freedom we so often take for granted.

For weeks now, the Senate has bickered incessantly about the definition of amnesty, social security entitlement and affirming the King’s English as our native tongue.

Yesterday they shut down Senator Feinstein’s attempt to establish an orange card which would be granted to all non-citizens living in the United States. Unclear if that was blanket amnesty the American way or legal status Nazi Germany’s way. It would have solved nothing at best and could be despicable at worst.

The McCain-Kennedy comprehensive proposal is so convoluted it would create unintended consequences that would exacerbate the government’s inability to have good reform, although it does contain very good provisions including the adjustment to the number of visas granted and by which formula are they given.

Republican Senator Mel Martinez, a former Bush administration official from perennial swing state Florida has a proposal that appears to open the door for new American citizens as far as the eye can see. It’s also dead on arrival.

So now comes along, Congressman Mike Pence of Indiana. A self described, “Christian, Conservative and Republican; in that order” with a proposal that seeks to find some middle ground between the competing border enforcement only and amnesty crowds.

Oddly enough, Pence is chair of the House Study Committee, otherwise known as the House conservative right-wing cook committee.

His proposal calls for tough border enforcement including physical, virtual walls; tougher penalties for employers; a guest worker program with technological identification process and all the 12 million currently here have to do is go home and touch base. There they can tag (like baseball) and advance forward back to USA by receiving health screening and criminal background check.

No proof of work or rent receipts required. No costly or undoable deportation. Employers would have to participate in a single system supported by the work of private firms. Similar to the current but unenforced agricultural visa system.

That means no new government agency with an unfunded mandate which is what we see currently. Obviously, Mike Pence’s version could use some tweaking such as civil rights for the workers, especially in the workplace, but it’s the best idea to reach the light of day in this ultra emotional debate.

This is the kind of reform that will bring about a new day on our border. Instead of “coyotes,” drug-runners and the US military ruling the border and the corporate political interests that maintain lax control to ensure exploitation of workers, god-fearing human beings who want better for their families can emerge from the shadows.

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