RE: Sponsored Immigration: giving citizens a financial incentive to support immigration reform
That is a very interesting proposal. While I disagree with some of the "everything is wonderful" points of view on the effects of immigration on citizens, because research on the actual data collected shows otherwise, the added requirements you mention could improve the process. Including more requirements to be accepted, incentives for integration, limitations on voting for more benefits, rewards for obtaining citizenship, and even payments to citizens for sponsorship adds some interesting ideas to the subject.
Unfortunately, none of this matters when the border is wide open and illegals can work the grey market openly. Once that problem is reduced and being a legal citizen actually matters again, some of these ideas would be worth trying to advertise.
The people who cross at the border now are the people willing and able to undertake a very hazardous journey, and work for low pay under the table while in hiding. Therefore, while this selects for people with courage, determination, and hardiness, it also tends to select for people who are poor and have little to lose.
Meanwhile, the most skilled and able immigrants--those who have other options in their home country--in general, are not willing to immigrate or work under those conditions in this country.
Thus, the status quo selects for the poor and desperate, and excludes (for the most part) the skilled and educated. This seems backwards to me.
It seems to me that providing a means for the most skilled and able to immigrate to the US is a good thing, independent of what one thinks the proper response to poor immigrants crossing illegally should be.