My thoughts:
Birthright citizenship: We keep it. I’ve met stateless people. Even though the one I knew best was fortunate enough to come from a family with some means it was still a colossal hassle. The ID rules for such people - and ID’s are becoming more and more important every year - are a mishmash.. The comedian Mo Amer has incorporated the problems of being a stateless person in regards to travel into some of his comedy routines (he is, as of 2009, an American citizen). We should not be contributing to this problem. No one should.
Asylum: expand the processing system and fully fund it. Part of the problem with this currently is an enormous backlog of cases. Pay the money to expand the workers and make this system actually work instead of the nickel-and-diming that has occurred since the Reagan years. If asylum cases drop then cut back, but if they go up again expand again. Actually, we should up our quotas - we’re big country, we can take in more people and we should.
Make it a lot easier to apply: note, this doesn’t mean change the criteria, it means coming into the 21st Century. On-line apps that actually work (apparently the “work” part of this is a problem of late) to start the process, that can be obtained nearly anywhere in the world would be a place to start. If people can arrive at the border, an embassy, or an airport with part of the process already completed that will help a great deal for all parties involved.
Make it easier to apply: this time I mean expand the numbers of people who are eligible. Currently, waiting lists are measure in years, even decades. It make a farce of the whole concept. Our current pool of citizens are NOT reproducing sufficiently to replace those aging out of the work force, the only reason our population, particularly our working age population, is holding steady or growing is immigration. If we aren’t going to produce new citizens via reproduction then we’ll need to import them, or face the problems now confronting other nations with falling birthrates who resist immigration.
If we must have quotas and criteria make them actually fit our needs: sure, we’d like people with advanced degrees or resources, but that’s not possible for everyone and we’re also experiencing a labor shortage in areas that don’t require higher education. Do we need agricultural workers? There are thousands of people able and willing to do that work for a chance to get to the US. Do we need people to stock shelves in stores or drive forklifts? Ditto. There’s more to desirability than a college degree.
Eliminate racist and sexist barriers: No more rules saying “if you were born in this country we don’t want you”. Absolutely screen people, but no one should be barred just because they come from X, Y, or Z country. Likewise, no more of this talk about how young able-bodied people (especially men) should stay put and change the system in their home country rather than move elsewhere - some systems are too broke for individuals to fix. Recognize those fleeing gender or sexual bias face real threats. We should be a haven for people from “shithole countries” who want a better life, not an obstacle.
Revise work rules: if someone is waiting more than a month for an asylum hearing or a determination on their case let them work. Or at least let them seek work. I’d prefer that determinations be made quickly but currently we have people waiting months or years, it would be better if they could contribute to their own upkeep in the meanwhile. It would also be better for them mentally. Yes, it’s a problem if their case is denied but it’s also a problem if they are destitute or working under the table. On the flip side, those unable to work for some reason (injuries, caretaker for young children, whatever) should be decently housed and provided for. Frankly, we should be doing this for people who are already citizens but apparently Americans are jerks about this even to their own.
Severely punish companies and individuals who hire and exploit illegal migrants: If you “can’t afford” to pay your employees a fair wage in decent and safe conditions you shouldn’t be in business because you’re crap at running a company. The willingness of some employers to break the law is part of why we continue to have problems in this area. Currently, the migrants get deported, perhaps jailed along the way. The people running the sweat-shops and exploitation mills should also face serious jail time and get a felony record. Sure, there should be some safeguards for employers against a person who fraudulently states they are allowed to work in the US but if a significant portion of your work force falls into that category the problem isn’t them, it’s you.
Social support for new arrivals: No, I’m not talking about them living a life of idle luxury, I’m talking about helping newcomers become oriented, whether that’s a discussion of how social norms in the US differ from where they come from, to ESL classes, and learning how to navigate this new society they’re in. Nor can this be one size fits all - some of the Lost Boys of Sudan that came here had to be taught how to use American cooking appliances and electrical things. Some countries have different personal hygiene customs. People from tropical areas settling in, say, Chicago, may need some help appropriately dressing for winter the first time they go through it. Some countries have no problems discussing topics Americans would find either personal or offensive to bring up in public. The current “system” for this is threadbare, spotty, and underfunded but it’s essential if we want newcomers to fit in and be successful here.
Design, implement, and fully fund effective border controls: No, this does not mean build a wall, because foreigners aren’t stupid, they know what ladders are. Nor do people enter this country illegally just at the southern border, a lot of them fly in on visas and over stay. In some places a wall might be appropriate, in others actual people on ATV’s or horseback, in other places agents to track down those who overstay visas. The point being, something that actually does the job without becoming oppressive, and is appropriate to the problem. Not security theater.