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It's really a moot point, as most illegals become legal, one way or another. Via, amnesty, anchor child sponsorship, marriage, birth of a child, etc. Half the street corners in east LA, have an office of an immigration lawyer on them. The fact of the matter, is that immigration is out of control, period! Illegal immigration is a no-brainer, and should stop. Legal immigration levels are way too high.
This country's population carrying capacity, was passed 30 years ago. We are driving on roads and bridges designed for the traffic loads, of 30 years ago. Water and sewage systems are over-whelmed. Schools are over crowded and crumbling. Water rationing is being called for in the southwest. More than half the trauma centers, that existed in greater LA, 30 years ago, have gone bankrupt from non-paying indigent patients. Every community in America is carrying extra tax burden, for this.
In California, the legal population has doubled, in 40 years. Virtually, 100% of that growth is from immigrants and their children. The population of the US reached the magical replacement fertility rate of 2.1, in 1971. 97% of American population growth, since then, has been from immigrants and the children thereof.
There are 23 million Americans currently unemployed (not counting those that no longer get unemployment benefits), and yet Wall Street clamors for more immigration.

DO THE MATH! "NUMBERSUSA..COM/VIDEO"

We have been all kinds of tough, and the result has been the worst of both worlds: miserable, sub-human living conditions for illegals, who by virtue of their status, cannot negotiate market-rate labor values- meaning domestic labor rates are undercut by the very policy that seeks to defend domestic workers from unfair competition.

This is what we get for thinking punitively- the worst of both worlds.

We need to open up our borders to those willing to work. We should prioritize the best and brightest, allow people to compete and excel here- because for sure if we keep them out, they'll do so elsewhere.

I think it should be made easyer for them to enter LEGALLY, otherwise I say we need to have stronger borders, not just for the purpose of mexicans coming into the usa illegally, but what about a dirty bomb? It's very easy to sneak parts or other explosives into the country.

Just so you know, I forgot to sign in!

As Presidential candidates go, NONE of the 3 (Clinton, Obama, or McCain)understand:
1)You can NOT have assimilation of non-indigenous people when the immigrants (legal or otherwise) outnumber local citizens. Case in point: California , where more people fly the Mexican flag than our own!

2)Tax cuts increase tax revenues. McCain voted against Tax cuts, ie the Bush admin's tax cuts. Taking a page out the democrat's play book, He called them Tax cuts for the wealthy. Sorry guys, but a trucker making $ 40,000 doesn't mean I'm weathy. Lower taxes mean I can buy more and the store I'm buying from can afford to hire more workers or give raises to current employees. Capiche?

3)It isn't the poor palestinians being terrorized by "evil" Israeli's, it's the other way around. Israel should've pushed them all back into Jordan where they came from but then Jordan killed thousands of them already for the trouble they caused. When 93% of them voted for a known terrorist group, Hamas to lead them and they have celebrated in front of news cameras every time we've been attacked, to hell with them!

Only the congressional GOP and a few democrats understand. As old as McCain is (and liberal), the only hope for America is that he dies before summer and a true conservative can lead with a new GOP majority. Harsh, reality often isn't.

Otherwise, pack your bags GOP because poor illegals already vote. They can't prosper, that requires English so naturally they'll want Gov. handouts from the democrats. Mexico won't let Americans living there vote in their elections. And thanks to McCain and Motor-Voter, now they do get to vote. How do you think he won his nomination...in open primaries in states that don't require photo ID.
McCain's sponsered SCAMnesty bill would have just codified it into law...and still will if any the "3 Amigos" get to the Oval office. Doubt what I'm saying? Just go ask your registrar of voters for an absentee ballot in Swahili or Chinese. They cannot refuse you thanks to congress and McCain. Excuse me but if you have to know English to be a citizen and only citizens can vote, then what in the hell else is going on?!?

Choosing only one of your options does not allow for a realistic solution, which should contain all the following elements:
* Severely punish illegal hiring by corporations
* Facilitate speedy imigration by talented people, regardless of ethnicity
* Drastically reduce illegal immigration, including helping Mexico get their economy providing more jobs
* Provide legal, but not torturous, pathway for most, but not all, of our current illegals to become citizens
* Provide well-considered programs to integrate immigrants into American economy, culture & our incredibly precious heritage of freedom and secular, representative government.

because of "illegal immigration" half of america is now filled with the decendants of irish for example, who would have simply staved to death in thier own country. And i know, "but irish people arent brown!" your probably saying to yourself. But your not allowed to use that argument no matter how much you dress it up.

Legal immigration to the U.S. is fine. It does add to our economey and our diverse society. It is, in part, what this country was made of and founded upon. My problem is the word ILLEGAL immigration which implies that people are coming here with something to hide, to possibly do us harm, or running away from something. We must protect our borders, not just our southern border, but the 48 contiguous United States. Have we learned anything post 9/11. The main thing that we should have learned is that there are people in the world that want to do this country harm, kill us, and if we tighten up our southern border illegals will move on down the road. I live on the border with Canada and there's a lot of miles to guard but we must take this seriously. Analogy: As kids we would sneak in to the baseball park or theater without paying the price of admission. If we got caught we were asked to leave or buy a ticket. Still happening, isn't it.

This is a hot potato that big business and politicians don't want to fall. Here's some quick math for you:
For a 'legal' citizen, a company has to pay equal taxes. So, you pay 3 bucks an hour for your job, they pay another 3. Let us just say that a company could conceivably save $3 an hour for any employee for not paying taxes (Fed/State/SSN), not to mention unemployment and worker's comp insurance.
Let's add another 5$ for underpayment of wages for workers, 80% of whom have less than a 3rd grade education and fearful of being deported if they complain.
$8 x however many millions of illegals there are. Estimates range from 12 to 30 million in this country.
$8 x 12 mil.= $88,000,000 per hour.
$8 x 30 mil.=$240,000,000 per hour.
If you optimistically think that those same illegals do not work more than a 40-hour week, you're talking:
$199,680,000,000 per year for 12 mil
$499,200,000,000 per year for 30 mil.
$199-499 billion a year and it isn't about money?
This is where the argument that they're paying taxes and aren't really harming our economy falls flat on its face.
Those jobs they do that Americans wont? They used to be the jobs teenagers and senior citizens did. Look at the government's numbers for how the unemployment rate for teens has been dropping over the last 30 years. And, NO. Teens have always been lazy and that won't explain the colossal drop.
If you really want to fix this problem. Ask President Bush to offer to come in to Mexico and 'fix' their problems. I am sure things would change quickly. Meanwhile, how about we stop prosecuting our border patrol for defending themselves against known criminals and bring our National Guard back from Iraq to help them patrol the borders.
(Isn't it interesting how some people can claim they don't know, yet can site how much money these people contribute to our society while they're unable to site the drain of the same magic group of people)

The US economy could not operate without the 12 Millions or so Illigal Immigrants.

The GOP managed to defeat the reasonable Mc Cain/ Kennedy bill. Let's not forget that the last President who managed to pass an Amnesty bill was Ronald Reagan.

Immigration ( and his flip-floping on the issue) could be a huge problem for Mc Cain.

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Illegal immigrants create a strain on our economy, education and social services. AN illegal immigrant came here illegally, isn't filing his taxes, so doesn't deserve or have the right to social benefits. Those are reserved for citizens only. The original allowance for immigration was to allow passage for good, hard working people who would assimilate into society and contribute to it. It was also meant to bring in people with special skills to also contribute. Most illegals are poor when they sneak in and continue to live in poverty while they remain here, sponging off the system. What exactly are they contributing to? On top of that, most of the new illegal immigrants that come here could less about assimilating and fitting in with society. Immediately after Arizona's employer sanctions act went into effect, my son's class dropped by 5 students as did my niece and nephews classes, and we live in a well mixed community. I suspect that those children were part of illegal families who were spooked by the new law. If you live on a bordering state like Arizona, California or Texas, you easily see the problems that illegal immigration brings. I have lived here all my life and have seen Phoenix turn for the negative, especially in the last 10-15 years.

For the illegals here now, we need a path for citizenship, requiring them to pay a fine or move back to where they came from. An English proficiency exam requirement. Employer sanctions for hiring illegals, no benefits or education tuition unless they can prove citizenship or that they have paid their fines and are pursuing the path to citizenship. Don't sell houses to illegals and anchor babies should not be allowed. If their parents are illegal and come here to have a child, let them have their child, but since their here under illegal means, send them all back. That child shouldn't be a citizen because they were not supposed to be here in the first place.

My family came here the right way, it was tough but illegals take away everything it means to be an American and to become one. If you're so loyal to your country, stay there, otherwise become an American, not Mexican-American, Asian-American, African-American. Your loyalty should be right here, that's it!