American patriots understand how blessed we are to be citizens of a nation governed by the concept of We the People, free to speak our minds and our hearts, knowing we can be and do better as we move forward. This status, enjoyed by 3.5% of the world’s population, is the most sought-after on earth.

American citizenship comes with a passport that is accepted visa-free or visa-on-arrival for admission into 182 countries. That’s how much we are trusted. We are protected by the biggest and best military and branches in the world. More than 65% live the American dream of owning their own homes.

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Only a very few American privileges are granted solely to citizens and not legal residents. Voting, holding a security clearance, and traveling on a U.S. passport are just about the only differences between citizens and legal residents. It’s best that we do not degrade the value of our citizenship by offering it to criminals.

I’m glad President Trump is moving forward on more narrowly defining birthright citizenship. The Republican Congress needs to take advantage of its rare trifecta and move quickly to convert his executive order into law. As we have seen in recent years, E.O.s can be wiped out with the stroke of an autopen. This issue needs to be concluded in defining law now. It would be a positive talking point in the upcoming mid-term elections for those who vote yes.

We are currently dealing with those being smuggled in to be born in the United States—birth tourism. Now we can turn our eyes to the horde of national squatters trying to settle into a house they burgled for its benefits. Some came for a visit, never intending to leave. Minors were smuggled in. Most just crossed the border either on their own or with help. All of them, save some minors, knew exactly what they were doing; that is, they knew they were breaking the law.

Whether they came to earn better money, improve their social conditions, steal our resources, or conquer an enemy land, they should be thwarted in the ultimate prize of acquiring American citizenship. We do not need to water down the value of the blue passport by giving it out to anyone crass enough to try to rip it from our hands.

Let’s call a halt right now to all this “path to citizenship” nonsense. The natural path to citizenship is clearly via birth to American citizen parent(s). The legal path starts with immigration under a variety of mostly family- or employment-based routes. Legal immigration can lead to naturalization after a waiting period of years.

There are millions of potential legal immigrants with approved petitions currently waiting for their interviews for immigrant visas and permanent residency. They should not be shoved aside for those who jump the line, no matter now convenient (lacking in distress) such a process may seem.

There should be no “path to citizenship” via initial criminal acts (overstaying lawful admissions or entering illegally). They should all be returned abroad. This is not a judgment on anyone’s intrinsic worth, value to the economy, contribution to their community, how well they speak English, or how nice they have been. They’re not here with permission. They need to go back to their homelands.

But if Congress is determined that some illegals should be allowed to stay, or to depart and reapply for entry, then those allowed this rare privilege should be limited to a small class of people for whom we have reliable identification information. That means those who initially obtained visas or visa waivers to the United States and presented themselves for admission at a proper port of entry.

However, that residency shouldn’t be a glide path to citizenship. Instead, if residency is granted to some of those who are or have been here illegally, no matter by what means they adjust their status to lawful, it should be lifelong conditional residency—conditioned on engaging in no more criminal conduct, and no actions that would be deemed an ineligibility for immigration purposes. Conditional residency provides no basis for naturalization. Permanent residency should be beyond their reach.

Living in the United States brings enormous opportunities and benefits. Among them are government-protected inalienable and civil rights, opportunities for economic advancement, free general education, and the freedoms to travel, speak, associate, and petition the government for redress. Basically, peace and prosperity if one diligently seeks them.

That is enough for those who seek to obtain all this through criminal behavior. We are a nation of laws; its highest benefit should be reserved for those who follow the law.

Anony Mee is the nom de blog of a retired public servant who X-tweets at oh_yeahMee.