The “10 for 10” Plan – A Solution to the U.S. Immigration Problem

Proposed by Citizens for Sound Solutions¹ --- May, 2008

Executive Summary   [ Read the full proposal ]

Immigrants crossing borders to obtain work is a world-wide problem and the United States is no exception. Approximately 12 million unauthorized workers are in the U.S. and more come each day.

In 2007 the U.S. Senate failed to adopt a proposed comprehensive solution to the problem of illegal immigration because of the heated outcry of many citizens. Although businessmen and economists understand that the U.S. economy needs immigrants to satisfy labor requirements, many citizens object vehemently to the presence of unauthorized immigrants. They assert generally that the U.S. should not allow anyone to benefit from unlawfully entering this country and, more specifically, that unauthorized immigrants take jobs from U.S. citizens, do not pay their fair share of taxes and receive benefits U.S. citizens pay for.

The “10 for 10” Plan is a totally new approach to solving the immigration problem. It provides that U.S. citizens have the first right of refusal to all jobs but permits immigrants to take unfilled positions. It provides strong incentives for immigrants to enter the country legally and pay their share of taxes just as U.S. citizens do. New immigrants will be required to have jobs before they enter the U.S. or adequate financial guarantees. Most significantly, the “10 for 10” plan will generate Hundreds of Billions of dollars of new revenues to the United States. It is a win-win solution for everyone.

The “10 for 10” Plan basically requires each unauthorized immigrant currently in the U.S. and each new immigrant to pay the U.S. Treasury the higher of $1,000 or 10% of his adjusted gross income in each year for a 10 year period. Thus under the “10 for 10” plan, an immigrant with $9,000 income would pay $1000 in Year 1 of the 10 year period. If he earned $15,000 in Year 2 of the 10 year period, he would pay $1,500. If an immigrant earned $9,000 in each year of the 10 year period, he would pay a total of $10,000 over the 10 year period. If an immigrant earned $15,000 in each year of the 10 year period, he would pay a total of $15,000 over the 10 year period. These payments would be adjusted for inflation. These payments would be in addition to Social Security, Medicare and state and federal income taxes which the immigrant would also pay just as U.S. citizens do.

In exchange for their completion of these payments over the ten year time period, immigrants will receive fully vested, permanent immigration status. In the interim immigrants will have provisional permanent immigrant status which they may retain only by continuing to make their “10 for 10” payments and other compliance with the law. Upon an immigrant’s initial registration he will receive an identification card and an “account with America”. Once signed up under the Plan, immigrants will have freedom to work anywhere, live anywhere and go anywhere (including travelling to their home countries and returning). They will live in security without fear of deportation and will not be subject to discrimination based on their immigrant status. The right to live and work in the United States is a very valuable privilege. Like other valuable items such as a house or car paid for over time for, these rights and privileges will be worth the cost to immigrants. For the immigrants with small incomes, the weekly payment will be approximately $19, which is less than the cost of a carton of cigarettes.

The “10 for 10” plan will benefit the U.S. by generating an estimated $753 Billion in needed revenues over 10 years and an estimated $66 Billion per year thereafter. It will ensure needed labor requirements for businesses and help make the U.S. competitive with other countries for decades to come.

[ Continue reading the full proposal ]

¹ This white paper was developed by Alan W. Nash, a Houston attorney, based upon years of interaction with unauthorized immigrants and others familiar with the immigration problem. Citizens for Sound Solutions is a social justice organization based in Houston, Texas.