But first, let me apologize for the length of this diary.  Further, let me suggest that if you are a campaign operative, reproduce this diary, and give it to your Democratic Candidate with the idea in mind that your Candidate now has another approach to addressing immigration, and all from the standpoint of using the tool of Economic Development to strengthen human relations.  This is a differing approach that your Candidate can market and sell to the self-defined "aggressive" Moderates like myself.  Equally important, there is one particular element that can cause Republican and Independent women to cross over and feel comfortable while doing so, voting for a Democrat and your candidate.  Thusly, you will find that the Republican opponent has no presumptive self-defense to their lack of compassion, and that's just for starters.

And secondly, let me share some history of this notional for how the TNT Centers came about.  This idea was created years ago by the Chicano Veterans Organization (and which occasionally speaks for 3.3 million military veterans, their spouses, and sons and daughters.) to combat the Right's stealth attack on 'racial and ethnics' residing in the Sonoran Desert.  Back in the 1980's while President Reagan was taking one of his famous afternoon siestas, his national security wonks crafted a study in which two of the conclusions were that the Spanish-speaking were a "potential fifth column" and that Immigration should be placed onto the general populace's radar screen for a well-deserved political attention.  To date, the tail is still wagging this dog!

However, when confronted by well-intentioned military vets, Reagan denied the existence of the study, but given a copy of the study that had been secreted out of the White House, much to his good credit, President Reagan ordered the study destroyed.  But the damage had been done, and the 'gutter politics' of his political operatives was recognized and castigated.

Lest I forget to mention, I am a Vietnam War Vet, somewhat long in the tooth, so when my patriotism is challenged by those who are unwilling to lace up the combat boots and strap on the body armor, these dry dip sticks on the Right, are amply recognized for what they lack, as in "street cred" or for not having been "deep in the weeds".  

Now to the meat of the Idea, and for knowing that Immigration was coming down the pike in the foreseeable future, the idea for TNT Centers was crafted and advocated.

TNT Centers will be located at all ports of entry into the United States, from either Canada or Mexico.  Consequently, these brick and mortar facilities will contain five elements, and they are:

1.  Citizenship.  Your candidate should focus on "streamlining" the process to acquire citizenship.

2.  Employment.  The undocumented immigrant goes into the local branch of this national systemic of the TNT Center, submit the required documents to acquire the work permit, while paying a nominal fee.  This fee could be a low as $25.00 or even as high as $250.00.  Your candidate could argue that by imposing the cost/fee, the undocumented immigrant would no longer have the need for the "coyoteros" or human smugglers, or for having to run the gauntlet of the Sonoran Desert, while having to face death from the high heat and the lack of water.

3.  "Our Littlest Citizens".  After having been here in the USA, the undocumented immigrant may have had a child or two born here, and thusly, our newest citizens.  Moreover, when the parents return to their nations of origin, our littlest citizens are repatriated as well.  And since there is no current systemic available, we, as a nation, have lost contact with these children, and this has occurred due to our trenchant behavior for "out of sight, out of mind", and this cavalier dismissal and egregious neglect, demeans us all.  Without this knowledge, our littlest citizens may not have three squares a day;  go to bed hungry; have no health care; have less than optimal educational opportunies; and even develop a high degree of resentment.  Are there other needs that need to be addressed?  Of course, there are.

On the other hand, the taxpayers of these nations of origin have been covering the financial tab for all these many years, and without any expressed concerns, reservations, or even complaints.  Thus, their daily approach to Courtesy, Civility, and Compassion, is this 'something' that we all here in the USA could use a tad more of.

4.  Financial Capital and Technologies.  This component can be utilized to coalesce and coordinate the investment and use of cross-border captial and techologies, and which can go a long way towards improving the associated private sectors, and leading to greater transparencies in municipal governance that would likely facilitate and ameliorate the complexities of Twenty-First century migration issues.

5.  Support Services Network.  Here I am speaking of both federal and state agencies working in tandem such as intelligence gathering and organized crime, law and justice, and labor initatives, among many others.  In regard to Labor, two sub-elements would be deemed important.  Take, for example, OSHA as a recognized participant.  These newly documented immigrants would have a viable 'connection' to register their complaints and concerns, with the reasonable expectation that governmental attention would be exercised at their place of employment, and perhaps, leading to a more amenable working environment.  Another equally important feature, would be the available 'connection' to seek out assistance in response to an employer's ongoing 'organized labor suppression tactics'.  Perhaps, these newly-documented immigrants would see their self-interest more in crafting an organized labor vehicle more attuned to their workplace.  Given the current demand faced by organized labor's institutions, such as providing knowledge and assistance, constraint on monies and staff, as well as their ongoing political agendas, these TNT Centers would be a refreshing alternative to enhance the ambition and opportunities available to the newly documented immigrants.

In summary, the Chicano Veterans Organization recognized from long ago politics that marketing and selling TNT Centers would require the long view for combating a universal and cavalier dismissal that comes from a competitive environmment of sharp elbows and economic self-interest.  Needless to say, the votes are still not sufficient to create change, but will be there in the future provided the change agents can outlive the Grim Reaper.  In any event, politics being a "contact sport", Common Sense will prevail.  At some point, America will come to realize that listening to the pontificators for practicing their "street crud" cannot stand up to the wealth of "street cred" that is readily available. And needless to say, but I will, the dry dip sticks on the Right, have yet to recant their wrong-headedness, but will.