So US foreign policy is dictated by Spanish speaking DJ. Mob Rule is alive and well. The senate never addressed the way to keep 11 million ILLEGAL aliens from coming over the border tomorrow. Nor what to do with th over 4 million unemployed illegal aliens. Maybe the senate should have directed some of the protectionism it displayed to a law abiding Arab company that wanted to work on our docks and ports, to the thousand of Mexican gangs and prisoners in the US. The absence of polls showing how Americans are AGAINST illegal immigration is another MSM manipulation of news to fit their editorial opinions. This is another shameful day in the decline of the US media.

The missing the key to this illegal immigrant problem is Mexico itself. Like it or not Mexico is different and Mexican immigrants have a special relationship with America. This country would be a lot safer and more secure if we had invaded Mexico instead of Iraq. The real solution to the illegal immigrant problem is to clean up Mexico. The corrupt inefficient government in Mexico forces these poor people to leave their homes and families to survive. The US government needs to pressure Mexico to clean up its act NAFTA should be the tool for that. Mexico must have a transparent legal, business and law enforcement system that guarantees the rights of both US and Mexican citizens.

I know from living in Yuma Arizona how important it is to have Mexican Labor in the fields tending our food supply, but i also know how much $$$ money they make. Yes it is a back braking job that most americans do not want and the illegal immigrates form mexico will gladly take. The real issues is not that there taking a job from me, but that they make as much if not more money than myself, in the $40,000 to $50,000 bracket and pay no taxes. Mean while they go to our schools, use our emergency room, have a child in this country and get Social Security while still paying nothing for the benifits i and the rest of the legall citizen's even those mexicans that are leagal and paying taxes for. When is this going to stop. I became very ill while working in Tucson Arizona and needed to get to the hospital emideately. I have insurance that i pay for each month so i drove to phoenix to Good Sam Hospital and the emergency room was closed. I called a nurse that i knew that worked at the Hospital and she said they had to close the doors because there budget was depleted and had no choice. She told me that illigalls without citizenship and no money new that they couldn't be turnd away and were using the emergency room for common colds and such. They the hospital had to finally close the doors. Whats wrong with this problem? YOu tell me.

Bill Logan

From age 8 to age 19, I chopped cotton; picked strawberries, babysat, did yard work, cleaned houses and worked in fast food establishments. No one mentions that the jobs they take used to be done by young people.

We do need their work, let them come legally.

This is outrageous, the Mexicans didn't help us in the war and they EXPECT us to welcome them with open arms!!???! THINK AGAIN!

It's frustrating to see that so many Mexican Americans are wanting the border to remain open. Can they not see that illegal immigrants and the illegal drugs that cross the border are a threat to the US economy. Yes, these immigrants have jobs that many Americans don't take however if they want to come to the U.S., do it legally. There are many people who stand in line and wait for their chance to become American citizens, while the Mexican citizens sneak across and expect to have the same rights as Native born or naturalized citizens. We are not above the law and neither are they. They suck up US resources and Americans are the ones that end up paying for it.

Let there be justice!!.. but on my neighbors cattle. As in the War against drugs, or against terror, or now against immigrants, we Americans would rather look to the outside searching for the guilty of all our problems and refuse to modify our own behaviors in order to gain a permanent change. In the matter of drugs, we are the biggest consumer in the world. I the matter of terrorism, we elect George Bush and proceed to invade Iraq. And now in the matter of immigrants we want them out but refuse to give up cheap prices in all kind of good and services. We are the Capitalist country par excellence, as long as therer is a demand, there will always be a supply. The basic rules of Free-Markets, a small idea that sustains our Country since its inception.

We are worried about the millions (or billions) being spent on helping these immigrants and then we talk about invading them. Wouldn't this money be better spent on some kind of "Marshall Plan" to help Mexico finally get out of poverty so that they won't have to send us their uneducated poor? We should do what the European Union does with the poorer countries that join. After all, Mexico is not going away. We have the means, and we are spending the money on their people anyway. It won't be an expense, but an investment.

Americans supporting anti-inmigrant laws should be ashamed and should never forget that half of their beloved country was taken illegally from Mexico in 1848. These are just the consequences of the actions that the American government took in the past, so now face them (no free lunch). The U.S. owes to Mexico much more than some illegal job vacancies. Remember that.

To all of the conservatives et al. who supports make illegals felons. Consider this, if you had your way the US will end up like France, Spain and other European countries on immigration matters. How is that working out for them? Marginalized (and radicalized) immigrants in their midst. Pragmatically, do you really want that for this country?

I'm surprised you haven't had more comments! We are not the same country we were in the 80s when the last amnesty bill was passed. Free trade has weakened America. Jobs and industries have gone first South and now east to China and India. China is burying the Western hemisphere with cheap goods. Now jobs and industries are going to China from the Western Hemisphere. It is not just the United States. Where do you think that out of work labor force from South of the Border is going to come here looking for work. There first thought will be the U.S.
If all of them do show up on our doorstep, the U.S. will look liked the country they left. It will be a wasted trip. We are looking at the underdevelopment of the Western Hemisphere.

"The Mexican online media does display a broad consensus that Mexicans in the United States, illegal or not, contribute to the well-being of both countries and deserve better treatment."

Agree, they deserve better. What's better? More pay? Health care benefits? Yes to both. But we don't do this now for our own citizens. Should we? If we pay our OWN citizens a living wage and health care was available for all who WORK, millions of the jobs would be filled by Americans and the need for millions of immigrants would largely go away. Congress isn't looking out for my interests, only the desire of vested interests for short term profit at the long term expense of the rest of us. And the bill for this will be hell to pay.

This problem is much more complex than it seems. I have always believed that you want the best people possible in your team. It should be no different when it comes to immigration.

You want the hardworking people, who integrate to society, make a conscious effort to learn the language and abide to the law. Not all immigrants have that. Deport those, and find a way to keep the rest!

Mexicans contribute to most of the labor that is being done in the United States. To repay them by discriminating against them and and building a wall and to keep them out and leave them in the Desert to die is unfair and disrespect to human kind.

For a people so proud of their heritage, it doesnt appear to be a second thought to leave. Who cares if mexico used to lay claim to parts of the US years back, if it was still under mexican control Canada would be debating this same issue.

What has happened to our country? For the first time in history. Our country...A country of immigrants i might add is changing our laws and our language to accomadate ONE segment of a once great society. We all realize that all of the people who've come here legeally have made America what she is. And as for those that say "we" owe anyone anything, that is a bunch of horse manure. And i am taking into account America's history of expansionism, but it doesn't mean we owe anyone anything. America has and continues to be the supporter of freedom and gives to almost every country that has asked for help.
Let's take back our country and for those that don't love it.....LEAVE IT!

"To repay them by discriminating against them and and building a wall and to keep them out and leave them in the Desert to die is unfair and disrespect to human kind" Repay?? I thought they came here to make more money? Is the healthcare that isn't paid, the uninsured cars, the lack of work for people whom arent bilingual, the dirty diapers in the parking lots, and the 5 generations of one family shopping in a grocery store taking up a whole aisle; seems to me that the US is the ones needing payment.

I hope that a realistic immigration reform act will be enacted, one that grants some hope to the millions of illegals that they can become citizens if they learn English and pay an appropriate fine. But, first, we need to close the border so that this form of "amnesty" doesn't result in millions more crossing the border.

The real problem is with the economic and political elites of Mexico who ignore their poor and believe they have the right to send an unlimited number to the U.S. Does anyone in Mexico feel any shame that millions of their fellow citizens can't make a living in their country?

Basically, the problem is Mexico. With it's nepotism, cronyism, a flagrant corruption. Part of the culture, existing for generations. Any Mexican American family here in Texas can tell you that. No secret. Never changes. And corruption discourages any meaningful investment. 2. NAFTA was supposed to correct all this > But, has not. 3. Also, on the " Mexican " vote. Many Mexican American families do not welcome illegals. Many Hispanic families in Texas have American roots going back 200 yrs. 4. Note !! On the Los Angeles immigration demonstratiions . Saw no African Americans. Ask them how they feel on the millions of illegals in U. S. Joe Texas

Dear Mexican racists:
China is a very populated country and can't feed some of its people, so I'm sure that you wouldn't mind if a Chinese fleet deposited 12 million "undocumented" Chinese workers into Mexico. Oh, you object Mexican racists? What's the matter-open borders are good for some but not for others?

Only reason so many were allowed to come here in the first place is the US company owners not wanting to pay for good labor. Pay for what you get, higher wages=quality labor, poor wages = illegals.

mexicans can use 12 million chinese people to discriminate them and use them for labor and then let them die just how we do up north

Each year, undocumented migrants return over $20 B to MX through Western Union and various other modalities. While MX is not opposed to losing low-wage, low-skilled jobs, in exchange for a vital source of income for their country, I am curious how they would feel if doctors and lawyers were sneaking illegally across the border to take on higher paying US jobs.

MX is opposed to losing high-tech high-paying jobs, as any sensible government would be. Losing a young workforce will be painful in the future, but exporting poverty is expedient.

these liberals that want to open the border up and give blanket ammnesty to everyone in this country that are here illegal have not come up with a solution to the other problems that illegal immigration has caused. crime..jail population..medical cost...uninsured motorist...social security...border patrol and law enforcement cost..law suits... schools..when they come up with the solution to the back breaking the middle class tax payers are taking ..then i will listen to them...

Americans are NOT divided on this issue either
"opinion polls show the protesters to be at odds with most Americans, who favor restricting new immigration and booting out undocumented workers already in the United States"
Experts cite surveys such as a poll this month by NBC News and The Wall Street Journal that found 56 percent of respondents opposed granting temporary worker status to illegal immigrants.

Connecticut's Quinnipiac University Polling Institute had similar findings, with 62 percent of those polled last month opposed to easing the path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, against 32 percent who supported the idea. Several other polls over the past year confirmed those results.

If this problem isn't corrected then we better get used to the idea of the good old USA becoming the United States of Mexicans! My ancestors came here "legally"!! They learned English and accepted the fact they had to intergrate into the new society they came too. These mexicans refuse to do either, learn English or intergrate. Their purpose is to infitrate and change our way of life and society into a "hispanic culture". They care nothing for this country except what they can "suck' out of it. I am sick of seeing the mexican flag being raised in this country. If they are so "proud and in love of "their country" then lets send them back to it! The mexican government is useless and can not support their own people so they dump them on us!! Their president said that with out the "mexicans" the USA ecomony would stall, if that's the case why doesn't he keep them in there to jump start his county's pathetic ecomony where the average minimum wage is less than 5 dollars a day!! The American people need to wake up and hit the streets and protest this lunacy and stop these illegals from dicating our national policy. The greedy and gutless politicans who are in the country's employers pockets seem unwilling to to right by the American people!! America for Americans, mexico for mexicans, sounds good to me!!!!

Limmigrants pay for the services that they get by doing the bad jobs with low pay and paying social security taxes that are deducted from their paychecks that they do not get back. its only fair to help them at least with the services that we give every other human being.

I am so sick of my fellow lazy complaining and racist Americans. I hope we get over run and outdone by every nation on earth. The only thing that's going to save this country is if another generation of your precious whites grow up hungry.
That'll bring back the fire.

A lot has been said about illegals not paying tax. There are two sides of this story: One side, is of course, nobody wants to pay if they do not have to pay; Another side is, without a legal status, how are they going to pay? Who wants to pay and get into trouble?

This brings up a large questions, is why can't THEY respect OURS law? As asked by many Americans. For most Americans, abiding the law seems to be a no-brainer and the easiest thing to do -- basically, if you want a better life, play by the rules. This is largely true to most Americans, because U.S. is a democracy, so most of the time, the law represents the best interest of most people. Because of this, as long as you work hard, abide the law, you will eventually be awarded by the society -- I guess that's what an American dream is. So for Americans, there are a legal way and an illegal way, and following the legal way generally get much better outcome. It's this very fact that attracts most people to abide the law, and to a certain degree, holds up the law.

However, the picture turns sharply different when it comes to the immigrant. First of all, they have no voting right, so the law doesn't really represent them -- or represent them less if you count their Hispanic relatives citizens. Second, there is no promising legal channel for them to become legal -- either temporary worker, or permanent resident or citizen. For years, they work hard in the shadow and face the fear of being caught and deported. For them the reality is completely the opposite: there is no or very narrow legal way, and an illegal way, there isn't too much hope on the legal way anyway, in order to survive, to feed their family, they had no other choice but taking the illegal way. In other word, in their world, being illegal might give them better outcome than pursuing the legal approach. It's this very fact that attracts so many Mexican's to break the law.

There is also a side issue about how the law is implemented and enforced. Human beings are not perfect, there may be flaws to the law itself, there can be a lot more problems in the process of implementing and enforcing of the law. Again thanks to the democracy, American is able to find and able to correct many problems through out the implementation and enforcing process because the law is made by them and acts upon on them. However, when it comes to immigrations, the law is made by one group who has every right, and acts upon on the other groups who have little or no rights to even defend themselves. I've read somewhere that the procedure of deporting an illegal alien is as simple as revoking a driver license (not sure how true it is, though). Many Indian talents came here legally to pursue the American dream, but their life being put in limbo for 4, 5, 6 years without being able to get their permanent resident status simply because the law wasn't well implemented --- the congressional intention was to get them settled down in 1 to 2 years because they are talented skilled people and this country need them. What voice and power do they have to change this situation -- almost none. I've heard a lot of them joking: see? Being legal? I pay every tax and get nothing.

So really we can not just view it as simple as rule and laws. I think we should look deeper to see whether or how to uphold the true value of the rule and laws. From that stand, we can then think about how to address the problem.

if you dont like it then leave. This country was made on immigrants legal and illegal

why isn't the president of mexico taking care of his people? if his people are coming in waves over here what does that tell you about how he cares for them..i do not hear him asking for them to come back..and if you say that he does not care, then why are you waving his flag around in this country...you cannot have both...

by the way, i was at the march and there were plenty of black people there. how do i know this? i was one of them.

Our Government has failed the people of the US by not securing our borders many years ago and allowing many millions of ILLEGAL immigrants to invade our country. They turned a blind eye to the issue and now that there are an "estimated" 11-12 million ILLEGAL immigrants in this country they have to figure out what to do about them. American citizens must follow the laws, we are a country of laws. If you or I break the law we are prosecuted and must pay the price for our crime(s). Why should the ILLEGAL immigrants be allowed to break the law and then not be treated the same way? Yes, there is a need for labor and LEGAL immigration and that is the key word here-LEGAL! I also cannot condone the protests with ILLEGALS waving their foreign flags and disrespecting our country and our flag. I am outraged at these blatant displays of disrespect. What is wrong with this picture?

So the US is now supposed to suspend enforcement of its immigration laws, reward those who break the law, sap our resources, bankrupt entire states, because of something we did almost 160 years ago?!? Geez. You frickin' Mechistas are as bad as the loser southerners who still wave confederate flags around. That war is over too, and your side lost. Deal with it. (Remember also that your country signed a treaty in good faith. So if you have a problem with territory, start with your own politicians and try persuading them to forsake that treaty. We'll move on from there ;-) )

This land is no longer yours. It was your great great grandfather's, perhaps. But not YOURS. I'll still welcome you into my country, however, if you can do two things for me:

a) Learn to distinguish between ILLEGAL and LEGAL. They're opposites, so understanding the difference should not be as difficult as it has been for all of you Mexican racial supremists. "Migrant" ought not to be an all-encompassing word that includes illegal aliens and those who actually RESPECT the laws of my land and those who follow the rules of the system.

b) Learn and speak ENGLISH. I am sick to death of seeing and hearing spanish almost everywhere on everything. Businesses try to accommodate. Gov't agencies try to accommodate. But no one works on helping you to assimilate into American society and actually BECOME Americans.

Years ago, when we had all those European migrants, they followed the rules and became AMERICANS. BTW, you don't have to abandon ethnic pride to be one. You just have to stop pushing your language onto us.

Not too hard, really, and not much too ask.

if your going to get mad at the illegal aliens then you first need to get mad at the republicans because they let american companies like levi and nike, move to china and india because there they give $20 for a month's wage. so you think that illegals are costing you money, ok , then hire a bunch of blue-collar white people to pick your lettuce but dont complain when you have to pay $6 dollars for a head of lettuce!!
ps. blue-collar angry americans dont want a job. watch bowling for columbine. even the CEO of NIKE says you dont want to work. oh and by the way, he is white

Illegal immigration is basically a work-related issue. If the labor market in the US needs foreign labor people from all over the world will continue coming over, not only from Mexico. If the US economy goes down that will cause people to stop coming, was it not what happen when there was the gold fever in California? People from everywhere came to California to get their share, that's simply life. Finding a way to make it legal is not only smart but inevitable, for your good you'd go anywhere and cross any border. That is what happen when one million retired americans who are now in Mexico enjoying their retirement. There are also historical reasons for Mexicans to be in the majority coming over, was not half of the United states part of Mexico before? The United States is also part of America, it is not "America", but part of it only. We all are Americans in the sense of al of us being in the same continent. Finding a way to make things work for most of us living here is the way to go....either we do it, or people will do it anyway...

Immigration is the price the west is paying for imperialism and economic inequlalities in the world economy.

Not that I'm necessarly opposed to immigration and all the left wing "hippie crap" is necessarly true. Or that 3rd world nations must accept responsibility for there problems and can't blame anyone else.

As a person living in Texas i wind up wondering a lot of times just what country i am living in? Most of the time i get the un easy feeling it is in mexico. Go any where and all i hear is mexican spanish, see mexicans and smell mexican. A principle in a Houston High School pulling down Ol' Glory (the flag i fought for) and rasing that nauseating flag of the "illegals", seeing all the kids of the "illegals" we the American tax payers paid for flying that flag in their protest just enrages me. I didn't serve that damn flag in my service to this country!! When as a people are we going to say ENOUGH!!! Come here illegally, you have no RIGHTS, PERIOD! Boycott these greedy companies that employ these parasites!! Shut down any reason for them to come here. If i wanted to be in mexico or around mexicans i would move there! I wonder why the mexicans don't try this with a country like China? Reason? The Chinese don't cave in to "illegals" crossing their boarders. they have a very effective solution to the problem, it's called a AK-47!! Tell you something?? American politicans and American business are all the same, greedy and blinded by money and power to make the middle class American public miserable! Just my opinion, but i could be wrong. On second thought, Nah!!!!!!!!!

to all the those people who are offended when mexican wave their flags, do not take it personally its a sense of pride. we also wave american flags because we love the U.S because only the U.S does hard work=dreams coming true. if we didnt love america, why are the illegals fighting so hard to stay here? imigration does need reform and its important that the U.S put more pressure on Mexico to clean up its act and that U.S stop letting companies get away with cheap labor and keep american companies from moving to other countries.

ps. those looneys who say that this was mexico and that they want their land back, first, this is not your land because only a mexican american would be dumb enough to say that. the only person who could say that is a mexican, and even they dont say that. 2. if we are going that route then 13 east coast states really belong to the U.K because we took it illegally from them and 3. France should be the ones helping the Katrina victims

my dad came to the us from mexico back in 1954 and he was employed for 20 years to one one the great cities of the USA. YES, MY DAD, had a passport and the required documents to be gainfully employed. He came to work and provide for his family, although he had this city job , at age 6 myself i use to see my dad do other things to support us. he used to sell scrap metals and do odd jobs because he was trying to help us and his other family in Mexico-----his mother, father and brothers and sisters left behind. He used to tell us that it was very hard in Mexico thats why he decided to come to the USA,,,,,GOD BLESS AMERICA, AND MY DAD FOR ALWAYS BEING THERE FOR OUR FAMILY-------MEXICANS ARE ALWAYS CLASSIFIED AS ILLEGAL BUT NO THE CORRECT WORD IS-------MEXICAN CITIZENS -----WE/THEY ARE HUMANS TOO----QUE VIVA LA RAZA

this country might have been made on both legal and illegal but that will also be the downfall...

Shut up,
Everybody complains, its so easy. Mexicans are messing up our economy. Pin it on the donkey, just like we always have. First of all this economy is going down hill because of inflation, globalization, and a stupid president. Neo-colonialism had to come to an end some day. We have reaped the benefits of having an open field of raw materials for years from Latin America and now that other countries like India and China have entered the marketplace we don't know what to do. Oh no gas prices are going up! What did you expect with your cool SUV's. Not so cool now.
Listen, I don't consider myself a republican or a democrat, I see the issue at hand. Why are hospitals closing down, because of petti lawsuits, increased insurance costs, and yes the uninsured, but if day laborers where offered insurance we wouldn't have that problem in the first place. The companies that hire them and don't offer them these benefits are at fault. Second, immigration is like drugs if it didn't benefit both economies we wouldn't have the problem. Think of all the the jobs created, its like going to war. This is the largest reason why we went into iraq. Money runs the world and those who don't see it need to open their eyes. Why was the Kyoto Plan not approved, it would effect the economy and special interest groups. These are social class problems not racial problems. People need to focus on the real criminals, such as those involved in Enron.
Who was the idiot who said that immigrants don't pay taxes. This is false. The majority of immigrants work under fake socials and do pay taxes. Furthermore, at the end of the year they don't get any money back like you do buddy. Moving on they also pay medicare and social security, but don't see any of the benefits.
Who said Mexicans didn't help us in the war. Did you know that they are offering immigrants who go fight in Iraq citizenship. Yes, they are good enough to die for this country, but not good enough to live here. And yes the Iraq war was wrong, we rushed into it, and now that a real threat like Iran comes along our forces are overextended. But thats an issue for another day.
In closing, I am very proud of all the peaceful demonstrations that have gone on over the past few weeks. It reminds me of the Civil Rights movement. People need to open up their eyes. These are Inhumane laws that regardless of what racial group they target are wrong. If you just want to be angry and blame all your problems on someone do it, but you will never be happy.
Most of you who read this are middle class and I understand that. Just while you are here complaining about Immigrants think about this: special interest groups such as large corporations are taking away your benefits, shipping jobs overseas, the government is giving these groups tax breaks, and your taxes are going up. Yes, taxes went down so you could buy your home, but house prices went up and in return you pay more property taxes. If, you could see the big picture yould be joining those demonstrating.
God Bless America

I am sick in the heart to see the flag and ideals i served for being dis-respected and abused the way it has over the past few weeks. I have tries to keep an open mind to this complex problem, but i am tried of all the mis-repersentations and half truths from both sides of the issue. The mexicans claim they have a right to be here under any condition, if they are here illegally then they are law breakers. I break the law of the land and know what happens to me? I'm off to jail, no questions asked! I live in the upper part of Michigan (land of long winters and at times brutal cold)and i am seeing a endless stream of mexicans in this area of the country. What are they doing here? They sure can't claim they "used to own this part of the country"! And if they do i want to know if they use to own Canada also? There are no real factories or industrial base in this area, it is rural and has to depend on tourisim and small "Mom & Pop" shops for income for the people to survive on. Hell there are not enough good paying jobs for our oun citizens to have! I am a Nurse and see first hand the enormous strain on limited State budgets as here in Michigan. It's appalling at best. Our senior citizens here who worked hard all their lives are having much needed state programs (in health services) cut so the State can funnel this money into "migrant health" programs. It tells a whole lot about a country and society in how they care for their senior citizens! I understand that this country is based on immigration, but it is legal immigration!! My ancestors come from Nothern Europe, when they came they kept their culture alive and spoke their native tongue in their homes. they strived to learn English and "fit in" so they can become Americans. These Illegals want neither to learn English or to "fit in". They come here with a agenda, to fundamentally change this great nation for ever. To make it a extention of mexico and latin America. I have read and heard all the "hispanic", "latin" or what ever they want to call them selves (i sure don't hear Americans from them when they refer to this section of the population. They are blowing smoke, period! You want to come here' follow the rules and laws of this country to do so! You think the mexican government would put up with a problem like this if we americans flooded their county illegally?? Hell no they would up and shoot us and feel proud about "protecting" their country! These illegals are blantlantly corrupting the facts to fit their corrupted views on this subject. The Government might wants us to cave in and "welcome" these illegals, but i am not!!! Come here legally, learn English and abide by the laws of this great country, then i will welcome you. if not,get out and go back home and fly your damn flag all you want. Just don't dare and fly it in front of me! I'll tear it down in a heart beat!! Bill J. U.S. Army Vet

I AM AN IMIGRANT AND SO FAR I HAVENOT EAR ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT TO DO TO KEEP THE AMERCAN BUSNES IN THE COUNTRY ISTEAD OF GOIN OVERSEAS JUST GO TO ANY CLOTHING STORE,AUTO PARTS,HARDWARE,ALLMOST EVERYTHING IS MADE OUT OF USA I HOPE THIS GOVERMENT DO SOMETHING TO COMPITE AGAINST THE ORIENTAL SHEAP LABOR BECAUSE THAT IS THE REAL PROBLEM NO US

its ok to proud of your heritage..but whoever we are..we are amercians first...american asian...not asian american...

sounds like god bless america has it all figured out...there is not a immigration problem..

yes, immigration is like drugs...just say no....

Most of us American Mexicans do love this country. It has brought our families alot of opportunities. My Grandpa was the first to come to this country legally under the Bracero Program Years ago. Unfortunately, some of our family stayed behind and that is a link that is very hard to break. Many Mexicans don't only leave behind a heritage they also leave behind a family...The sad part is that people don't realize other peoples problems unless they've been in their shoes and they just pass judgement.

can anybody tell me if there taxes have been going down...? i want to move there....

sometimes in life you have to seperate your heart from common sense...its like being a supervisor and having to let a employee go....you might not want to deep down inside but you have too...nobody wants to lay off people from jobs...if you have to lay off people for financial reasons to keep your business going...thats the commmon sense approach...why don't we just go from country to country and bring in all the unfortunate people and people that want to come to the good ol us of a here ...it would be financially feasible....

It is a shame that so many Mexicans, most living in the poorest conditions have to risk their lives in hopes of a better life, and spend the little money they have saved/borrowed to be smuggle across the border to the U.S. by "people", better known as "coyotes", who profit from the traffic of human-beings, without caring about their lives.

It is a shame that this same poor people, most of them only looking for simply a better (more human) life than what they have had in Mexico, have to stand hummiliation and discrimmination from many people including: Mexican-Americans, and Mexicans in both the U.S and in Mexico.

It is a shame that the number 2, and even sometimes the number 1 source of income in Mexico comes from the poorest mexicans living in the U.S. Some of them being treated not only worst than human-beings, but worst than animals by mercenaries who profit from cheap labor, and sometimes even from free labor.

It is a shame that companies like Western Union and Elektra register obscene profits from the money these hard workers have been able to save to send to their poor families in Mexico so they can just live a better life, because their country, government and society hasn't been able to provide them.

It is a shame that the rich, wealthy and powerful Mexicans in Mexico care less about this problem.

It is a shame that the Mexican governments over the years have used this problem in their advantage to maintain the economical and political control of a Country with so many inequalities, injustice, and corruption. Administration after administration have kept the poverty levels growing to alarming rates, a problem that has been only "covered" by the "advantage" of having a richer neighbor country who until now has been able to provide some benefit to these people. Even when lots of these workers are being paid below the minimum wage, they have still managed to support their families in Mexico. As long as, this small group of "Mexicans" who control Mexico, keep getting wealthier and richer and can get away with anything they want to do,they can care less about the problem and the poor. After all the poor are the poor no matter in what country they are.
All this is not only a shame, it is sad, and it's wrong, and something needs to be done.

Mexico needs a real change, not only from political promises every 6 years, but a change in its values that have corrupted part of its society. Mexico is a "kidnapped" country, it has been "highjacked" by Drug dealers, dirty politicians and industrial leaders not only from Mexico but from foreign countries.

As long as the basic and fundamental problems in Mexico (hunger, education, social injustice, drug dealing, kidnaping, corruption, etc) are not being solved, illegal immigration into the U.S. will continue with walls or no walls in the border. More people will continue risking their lives to try to make a better life for their families and themselves no matter what the cost is. And the problems to both the U.S and Mexico will continue.

Commen Sense, Building a wall between two countries is commen sense, the berlin wall was commen sense. Everybody has their own commen sense and I respect yours. What if, what if, I thing american pride is getting off track. The problem is immigration in Amrica today and how we can fix it in a realistic way. Furthermore, more people doesn't necesarily mean a worst economy. This is why large cities have more jobs. More consumers means more sales.

nobody needs a history lesson on the americas...we are not talking about a immigration problem in the americas...but the united states...i have never heard of anybody living in south america claiming to be south americans...or in canada claiming to be americans...its not a north or south american problem..but a problem in the united states....no body in mexico claims to be a american..

we would not need a wall if people would respect the borders of countries...why do you think all countries have borders...to keep control of their country...when you go to another country you get a passport and go to that country legally...if you do not think that a influx of illegal immigrants are not putting a strain on the economy think again...you have got to be kidding ...do you think that everybody is prejudice just because they want immigration laws to be tighter and the border secure...you are not looking into the future problems...i am not just talking about hispanics..but anybody else that comes to this country illegal...

First of all, to a certain extent the United States is getting what it deserves in regards to illegal immigration. Illegal immigration would not be the "problem" it is today had we not invited workers in under the Bracero Programs during WWII. The free trade pockets and tax breaks given to the raw materials and finished products that have lead to terrible conditions in factories on the border have also caused this influx. Of course, Americans are quick to point the finger and blame somebody else rather than face the problem that we ourselves have created in the past. I invite anyone to research these Bracero Programs and factories to learn more about the plight of Mexican immigrants. Also, if they were to be deported American agriculture, especially in California, would be crippled. Furthermore, studies show that benefits withdrawn from illegals are less than tax money that is pulled in from this same pool of immigrants. Keep in mind that those working with false documentation or are not payed under the table pay into your social security, etc. but can't even recieve a tax refund.

common sense...huh...no wall...no port security...no coast guard..why not let people come into our country on ships and boats into our ports...into airports...tear down all those berlin walls..if you do that there would be no need to tunnel under the ground from mexico to the united states to smuggle people and drugs into our country..thats what most liberal minded people want...do as you please...do not compare the united states to germany...please....

I am bilingual and I do work hard. We can't take the jobs Americans want because of current immigration law, and I don't think illegals should get to take high profile American jobs. For a foreigner to recieve employment in the United States without the help of a major corporation there are many requirements. First, the company must have a job posted for no less than one month with the pay of the position included before anyone that isn't American can be considered. This is against many companies' policy...game over. Second, the job must be such that an American cannot meet the requirements. Therefore, the career must be highly specialized. An immigrant for example would not be able to gain employment in a position described as "ER doctor with experience", but could apply for "ER doctor with experience working with tropical diseases that speaks Quecha and Spanish".
As far as marriage for a green card, by law an immigrant that is illegal and marries an American citizen must return to their home country for a minimum of one year before even applying, and then many times the application is denied. Applications are nearly impossible to begin on a tourist visa (valid for 3 months).

RESEARCH BEFORE MAKING EMPTY ARGUMENTS AND ACCUSATIONS!!!!!!!!

You know how we suffer. Our country is corrupt in our world. What are we to do? Sometimes I feel we don’t have any
opportunities on either side. We deserve an opportunity, and we have worked so hard for so long. Our people work 16 hours for $6.00/ hour if we’re lucky. Then after the harvest is done they throw us out. It’s so difficult. We’re not here to destroy or rob but to work hard. We need an opportunity, and we settle for the many opportunities that Americans don’t want.
We’re not asking for better rights than Americans. We’re humans too and we’re not asking for much.

tighten up our borders..enforce the immigration laws..fine companies using illegal or undocumented workers....deport criminals that come in here illegal and commit crimes...if you want to be treated like a american citizen and reap the benefits from living here then go thru the legal steps to become one...its a start...

once again...if you want citizens of the united states of america to sympathize with illegal immigrants then give us a solution to the problem..and if you do not think that there is a problem then that is where we disagree..

you have to be a citizen to file for a tax return...

To American pride:

Understand what you say...but it's not as easy as you say. "Go thru the legal steps to become one..." What legal steps? You know any? Are they workable? Have they been well implemented/carried out? You have to understand that immigrants, even legal ones, most of the time doesn't have too much a say during the whole process, which considerable undermine the value of the law.

Tortilla, beans, and ramen noodles are at an all time high for sales.

I have to post from first hand experience of doing payroll for my company. Yes, they have hired questionable statused employees, seems we get ID's and documentation that is probably false. The first thing these employees do when they fill out the tax form for me is put down 4 or 5 deductions so that NO INCOME TAX is withheld from their checks. Sure they have to pay into Social Security and Medicare but NO FEDERAL OR STATE TAXES ARE PAID. When they were questioned about this they insisted on keeping their withholding as they stated so they don't have to pay income tax. This happens with every new worker that comes in..they already know what to put on the form so they won't get income tax withheld from their paychecks! Please don't try to tell me that the illegals are paying their share of income tax...NOT TRUE!

not the taxes that bothers me. Clogged aisles at grocery stores, dirty diapers thrown wherever, crappy unwelcomed music, lack of car insurance, unwillingness to learn english...or anything about the US for that matter. Almost like parasites...come here to feed off of the host and offer nothing in return, well other than poorly built houses.

I love the smell of hate in the morning.

Here is an analysis of the effect of illegal immigration on the American job market and how it affects American workers:
http://www.cis.org/articles/2006/back206.html

It basically says that though we have an unemployment rate of 5% that only reflects the overall unemployment rate. But if you look at the unemployment rate among unskilled labor it is 10%. The high unemployment rate in the unskilled sector is blamed on illegal immigrants competing at lower wage rates. The data is based on census and other data.

Here's another interesting article from that wonderful center of liberalism, Berkeley. Its a case study of illegal immigrants and their effects in Austin, Texas:
http://are.berkeley.edu/APMP/pubs/i9news/illegalfuelaustin12599.html

The illegal immigration problem could be stopped in one minute if employers knew they would suffer for hiring an illegal. What are needed are REAL employer sanctions, and a functioning way to verify someone's right to work in this country. If we have "instant checks" to buy a handgun, why cannot we have "instant checks" to see if an applicant is allowed to work. This needs to be supplemented by MASSIVE fines for those who hire illegals. Perhaps we could even find use for trial lawyers to file class action suits on behalf of American Citizens against industries, like restaurants, hotels, and agribusiness, who are known to hire illegals.

I am a black male and I am with my immigrant brothers and sisters 100%. Don't give in to these fascist who stole this land from the Indians and continue to use and misuse every damned being they can!

I'm in favor of the humane treatment of illegals.

Let's humanely deport them, or arrest those who employ them. As the law says.

Unfortunately, our American congress has sanctioned illegal immigration for decades. It's not entirely the fault of the illegals. However, I believe that if they prove to be good workers and have a clean record, then those already here should stay and work their way through our new emigrant process - learn English and our history, etc. Once we have secured our borders we can remove all those illegals who are criminals in our country and prisons. Furthermore, in order to protect future immigration and our country from terrorist we should create new Ellis Islands on our borders and desert areas. There we could place special industries and technologies (necessary for our security) instead of giving them away to our enemies; not simply to stop all out-sourcing, but to put more pressure on autocratic governments to change. These autonomous Ellis Islands could give emigrants an opportunity to learn Enlish, our history, and prove themselves; including provide low priced goods for our greater American retail. (If constitutionalist complain about this idea, then why don't they complain about out-sourcing to slave labor?) (I repeat, that It's first important to secure the borders!) Furthermore, we should spend some of that three-hundred billion dollars now going to Iraq in a negotiated deal to help Mexico and other third world countries. ( I'm not totally against president Bush's efforts in Iraq, but the war has been mismanaged. Maybe it's about time to come home and work on homesecurity, and our interstate system, and local community of nations. Continue the war against terrorism with special forces and technologies, etc. Put more immediate pressure on Iraq to take over their own security. (Truck driver's WEB SITE Science and Society: GOOGLE Keyword, "Dr. Warpenstein").

I was born and raised in this country.The illegal mexicans muslims anyone whoever they are,MUST FOLLOW THE LAW!!!
Are these people above the law do they deserve more than people born and raised here. My relatives go all the way back to the revolutionary war.yet I will not get social security when I am old. I can bet the illegals will qualify for the social security I should get. Supposedly we are all suppose to follow the laws of the land, and please english should be the predominate language not spainish. If you dont want to follow American Laws. THEN GET OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are selling our own country out. What a mess we are leaving our grand children

I find myself in closest agreement with the person who likened the need to enforce our immigration laws with the way you feel when you need to fire someone. Your heart hates having to do it; your head knows that you must.

My grandfather came here to the States in the 1930s from Ireland. He and my grandmother didn't speak English very well (they were both from Galway and were native speakers of Irish Gaelic). My dad didn't speak a word of English till his first grade teacher (also Irish) sent him home with a note for my grandmother, admonishing her to start speaking English at home if she wanted her son to succeed in the new country. The same charges that people now level at the Mexicans (lazy, smell bad, don't speak the language, loud, uncouth, and all those children!) were the very ones levelled against the Irish. Plus, we had the whole idol-worshipping, primary-loyalty-to-the-Vatican-thing to deal with.

They came here legally. But to be honest (a) the law was a lot easier to follow then. You filled out some forms, got your picture taken, and bang! you were pretty much in, assuming you had no communicable diseases or outstanding warrants. It was hard to leave brothers and sisters and parents behind, and Ireland is a lot farther away than Mexico -- popping home on holidays not really an option. But the mechanics of following the law were much easier.(b) while they were poor in Ireland, they weren't starving to death. I can't find it in my heart to fault someone too much for making a run for the border NOW, and worry about the paperwork later, if his kids are hungry and he can't make a living for them otherwise.

Having said all that . . . a sovereign nation MUST secure its borders. And the laws MUST be enforced. If they are the wrong laws, then our elected officials can always change them. But this wink-wink/nudge-nudge approach -- carrying laws on the books that everyone knows are a joke -- is the surest way to erode the rule of law and breed cynicism even for the concept of the rule of law. Our willingness to tolerate ELEVEN MILLION lawbreakers has started us well down that slippery slope already and it's time -- past time, in fact -- to reverse the slide.

I don't know whether the jobs illegal aliens take are ones that truly would not otherwise be filled. But I DO know that if Mexican journalists or news anchors or college professors started flooding the market and were willing to do THOSE jobs for a fraction of what their American counterparts make, the coverage and teaching about this issue would be quite different.

I am not in favor of some kind of guest worker program. We should not have second-class citizenship for anyone. Anyone who comes to this country legally should be able to get onto the track for citizenship. If they're not interested in becoming citizens and assimilating, then they don't have to of course, but they should have to go home. As someone else pointed out, western European countries have ghettoized minority populations who have gone for generations without assimilating. The pathologies of those kinds of parallel countries-within-a-country are nothing that any sane society would seek to replicate.

Every time I fly into New York I am moved again by the sight of the Statue of Liberty, and I think about the "poor huddled masses yearning to breathe free." I think most Americans are basically decent and generous, and loathe to deny to anyone willing to work hard and respect the law the chances that our families were given.

The nature of immigration has changed in the last few generations, though, and that change reflects broader societal change, namely: the overwhelming, amazing sense of entitlement that everyone seems to have. We have come a long way from a teacher sending a first-grader home with a note for Mom to start speaking English . . . to requests -- nay, demands -- from people who don't pay taxes that public schools deliver bilingual education. We have come a long way from parents who told their kids how lucky they were to be in this country . . . to parents letting them walk out of school and march with the American flag upside down, beneath the Mexican one.

People like that make me angry. I can't imagine they're making life easier for their fellow Hispanics, either. The only reason there is even any debate about this issue is because people naturally have sympathy for anyone trying to have a better life, and the Hispanic community erodes that sympathy at its own peril. In any case, after open and lively debate, at the end of the day, the United States will decide our immigration laws, thank you very much -- not Vicente Fox, and not some disc jockey.

There is a fact that we all need to realize regardless of how we feel about this issue. Changing our American Immigration law will not stop illegal immigration. Why? We don't have control over what other countries do. As long as there is oppression and corruption in their home land and America is a much more appealing option to them, we will still have illegal immigration. Whether it be immigrants from China, Mexico, Central/South America or anywhere else in the world. Not one law we pass can stop illegal immigration. Do I like illegal immigration? No. No real red blooded American patriot should for many reasons. One being some illegals do not pay taxes on their wages, that's lost revenue to our government and we could really use all that we can get right now. Another reason. Social services being are being provided to some of these people that come to our country illegally when they did not pay into the system to begin with and that is unfair to the citizens of this country that pay into those systems. I do not think changing our immigration law is the only answer. The answer is mult-faceted, should go across all agencies that provide social services and keep in mind any of those changes cannot be perfect and cover all possible situations. We need to look at what is depleting our government of financial resources, correct what we can and live with the rest.

Most illegal immigrants from Mexico are not Migrant workers-It is a horrible misnomer that people outside of California, Arizona, and Texas still believe that most illegal aliens are migrant workers and other agricultural workers. One family member may bring one-hundred other family members. Since he or she has been working in the US for several years he or she gets in a position where they can get an employer to hire other family members and the cycle goes on. They are heavily concentrated in the hospitality industry, restaurant/fast-food industry, manufacturing industry, construction industry, retail etc. as well as small businesses. Just about every small business in southern california has at least one illegal immigrant or are the child of an illegal immigrant. Also these new immigrants come from all over South America as, its easy to travel to Mexico to cross the border. They are more hostile and violent than previous immigrants and are dead set on driving other ethnic groups out of their communities by any means neccesary and many refuse to speak English and never will. Here in the LA area people protested to get a bilboard taken down that had on it Mexico, California. The jobs that they take directly compete with jobs that uneducated Americans need to support their families. They also compete with upwardly mobile Americans who work these jobs to pay their way through school. We are not a third world country, but we are headed that way if we let South America and Central America dump most of their people here. Keep in mind with the exception of Mexico these people are coming from countries that cannot even maintain a democracy. I am not a racist. I am a realist this country cannot support the amount of illegal immigrants that are coming and their numerous descendants. Too many people per area will turn us into a China, India, South America, or Russia all of which have few jobs to sustain their people. Close the border put a wall with an electric fence backup and then use satellite methods. I'm here in LA and I feel like a minority in my own country and it was not like that in 1987. They have spread to every major city and believe me there are no fields there for them to work. They are working in all sectors. Many jobs require you to be bilingual and they won't hire you if you do not speak spanish. In just 15 years they have surpassed every other ethnic group here in california. Everything is so crowded. We can't build enough schools to keep up with their birth rate. They multiply like third world countries, but we are not third world. Something gotta give.

Tell me why it is that with every war comes a new breed of raceism? Tell me why it can't be the fault United States and Mexico?....Tell me why materialism plays no role in what is going on with humanity?....Tell me why I am scared for my life now?... When I leave my house im afraid of being humiliated by racial profiling because of my brown skin. Im a 4th generation "American" citizen of a mestizo background. My ancestors lived here before this was American territory and they have been degraded for centuries after that. They have been cut down from being spaniard immigrants looking for a better life in the new country and powerful,creative Mexican Indian People to just being poor lazy mexicans. My ancestors worked to pick the food that fed this country......Why do i have to be scared to leave my home because we as a human race choose materialism and rascism? These are all problems of the past these problems go back way before the existance of our country this is not the mexicans fault this is all of our faults....some of you need to do some deep soul searching some of you need to quit being so narrowminded and self absorbed some of you need to realize that this problem will effect you becasue this problem effects the human race as a whole. Being an American does not make you superior being a good human being does don't forget there are imperfections in all of us don't forget that many of your American citizens are in jail for crimes they commit against humanity the color of your sking and your culture doesnt make you a criminal but the actions you take to destroy the lives of other human beings and many of the people behind bars shouldnt even be there and are ther becasue of your own prejeduce and insecurities im sad that we live this lifstyle i am not sad to be an American becasue i know that i am not a narrowminded American i do care for all of you brown,white,black,yellow,red all i want is peace call me a hippy and then you can call yourself a narrowminded self absorbed materialistic human being......

I agree, that Illegals are taking jobs from Americans.I work with them,they will not work as team! they all bunch together,speak spanish while talking about the gringo's! Every new hire is Mexican,uncles,cousins,brothers and sisters.In my neihborhood i see the working while African American male are standing on the corners watching Mexicans work!Somethings got to done now.Our Goverment leaders where elected to uphold the LAW, not break the LAW by not enforcing
the immigration on the Books already!! Why, should I obey the LAW, only to see it broken by our GOVERNMENT &CORPORATIONS and 12 MILLION Lawbreakers and thier supporters! Also, what about jobs for our highschool kids out on summer break? They useed to work for McDonalds,Wendy's,Walmart,and other companies

Dear President Bush:

I'm about to plan a little trip with my family and extended family, and I would like to ask you to assist me. I'm going to walk across the border from the U.S. into Mexico, and I need to make a few arrangements. I know you can help
with this.

I plan to skip all the legal stuff like
visas, passports, immigration quotas, and laws. I'm sure they handle those things the
same way you do here.

So, would you mind telling your buddy,
President Vicente Fox, that I'm on my way over? Please let him know that I will be
expecting the following:

1. Free medical care for my entire family.
2. English-speaking government bureaucrats
for all services I might need, whether I use them or not.
3. All government forms need to be printed in English.
4. I want my kids to be taught by English-speaking teachers.
5. Schools need to include classes on American culture and history.
6. I want my kids to see the American flag flying on the top of the flag pole at their school with the Mexican flag flying lower down.
7. Please plan to feed my kids at school for both breakfast and lunch.
8. I will need a local Mexican driver's license so I can get easy access to government services.
9. I do not plan to have any car insurance, and I won't make any effort to learn local traffic laws.
10. In case one of the Mexican police officers does not get the memo from Pres. Fox to leave me alone, please be sure that all police officers speak English.
11. I plan to fly the U.S. flag from my house top, put flag decals on my car, and have a gigantic celebration on July 4th. I do not want any complaints or negative comments from the locals.
12. I would also like to have a nice job without paying any taxes, and don't enforce any labor laws or tax laws.
13. Please tell all the people in the country to be extremely nice and never say a critical word about me, or about the strain I might place on the economy.

I know this is an easy request because you
already do all these things for all the people who come to the U.S. from Mexico. I am sure that Pres. Fox won't mind returning the favor if you ask him nicely.

Thank you so much for your kind help.
An American citizen and taxpayer

As an America I have to say that I am so disappointed to see some of the stuff I see here.
AMERICA OWES MEXICO NOTHING!!!!!!!

NAFTA didn't work.
A fence won't work.
There is a right way to do things. If there are people down in Mexico that would like a better life, then I would suggest, they get right on it, in their own home towns.
There should be enforcement of our laws. If I was standing on the street doing something ill-legal I would get arrested. Maybe it is time we follow through with our threats, instead of ignoring the majority. The majority of Americans, including myself, are not against immagration. It is the way it is being done. Break the law and pay for it, then go back to mexico for life.
There is no reason we should be spending our every dime on people around the world who are breaking our laws. Why are we giving them health care and not Americans who are following the right way. Why am I paying for my children to go to school where they are the only Americans in their class.
Why is it that my daughters day care in Vermont has ill-legal children in it to the tune of 3 to 1. Why is Spanish becoming the official language of the street. Why can't I go to a convience store and speak to some one in english. I live in the good Ole USA, that is why. We are to nice of a society. We feel for people and become bleeders for them. NOT ME! They can find a way to do the right thing here.
I see the gangs. I see the dumps made out of nice housing. I see the slum that Columbus has become and can't imagine how Texas or Arizona look by now. Why are we spend our tax money on bottled water to be left in the desert. Then we have to hire some one, ill-legal, to go clean their mess out of the desert. The government can deliver my bottled water to me at my house.
STAY HOME. We don't want you here.Even the legal immagrants don't want you here.
President Bush, President Foxx, If I knew a way to get you both out of office I would be banging down the door to congress.
All of the news media has stopped talking about this. I want to know why. It didn't dry up and go away. I hear about this everyday. All I have to do is drive through the slum every day on my way to work, so I can pay Uncle Sam, for things that I don't get. I hear about it at work. I hear about it at the grocery store and the restaurants. It is time for Mr. Bush to understand that I pay taxes so my children won't have to. You know that short term tax deal with the American public. A few years of taxes to pay for the war. It is too bad that Mr. Bush can't see the war right in front of him. It is in our streets and neighborhoods all across this use to be great nation. My husband and I use to be proud americans. My husband has served this country for 22 years in the USAF. We are ashamed at the way "America" serves her people. We are ashamed of the leaders of this country, and think it really is time to rise up.

What if all the white people stop working?! Not for a day. Just stopped. It isn't a racist thing, I am just tired of seeing many many many people of color talking about their rights, and debts owed to them from the "GUBBAMINT." Why is it that there is not one person of color in my neighborhood that will hold a job for more than 2 weeks. Get that first paycheck and buy a gun. Well, I have one now too. Come on over and visit me, we'll discuss your green card, officially, ofcourse. Most of the stores in my town are surprise when they aren't given food stamps at the grocery store. It registers on her face when I check out, "oh yeah, your white."

Dear Shag,
Are you aware that you sound ignorant? Just had to ask.
Next you'll probably wave your hand in the air and talk about your PEEPS, right?
Mrs. Michon

Unforunately, the "idea" that undocumented migrants pay their fair share of taxes doesn't pan out. I invite you to take a trip to the midwestern farms and ranches and ask migrants how they are paid. I also would encourage you to ask them if they are planning on filing jointly with a 1040A or 1040, and itemizing their deductions (moving, as a work related expense, co-payments for medical care, HOPE tax credit for their children attending college), etc. Also, ask if they qualify for the EIC, and are claiming it this year.

You get the point.

Most economists agree IMMIGRATION has a positive impact on this country. There is NOT agreement that illegal immigration has that effect. Those on the left like to use facts selectively, substituting "immigrants" when it suits them and "undocumented migrants" whne it suits their arguments more precisely.

Analysis by several respsected economists finds what the left fears: migrants end up transferring wealth from workers to land-owners and business. The cost-savings is not well distributed, and wages are depressed. A reasonable amount is 3% per year, which matches inflation on a normal year basis within the past 10. Those who benefit from immigration are primarily the industries that have lobbied the congress for guest worker programs. It enables them to save money on healthcare, labor, and the workforce is extraordinarily adaptable, they can hire when they want (growth) in areas they want (markets) during times of expansion and lay off during contraction. A guest worker program has none of this adaptability, and the illegal migrant program is much to the benefit of owners. This furthermore leads to economic distortion and dependence. Traditionally areas that change skilled or unskilled laboroers experience a convergence of wages, and the area losing workers (mexico) should see a rise in wages. This hasn't happened, and in fact, the money returned which could and should be used for infrastrucvture development for further generations has not panned out. The benefits are not being realized by America or MX.

In light of "we get all these cheap products" that really isn't the case. An analysis done comparing areas with high migrant versus low migrant concentrations, extrapolates about a 1.3% decrease in real prices (not nominal) for those who hire migrants over permenant residents/citizens. This represents one quarter of economic growth. If you think of how much "better off" you were three months ago, thast your savings in real dollars. Its not enough to make any meaningful fiscal impact. If we were seeing discounts of 10-15%, that would be significant. So wages are suppressed 300% versus prices, with wealth transfer to large land-owners and corporations as a result of the migrant dilemma. This is usually precisely what the left fears-the American worker losing to the multinational or mega-agrobusiness. I would suspect they would be on the different side here.

As mentioned above, the Bacero program was a disaster, but I do not tink it "lead" per se to the issues we face today. Rather it is a good way (between 1942 - 62 at framing the temporary worker debate. There isn't much "temporary" about the workers of this program or others. It has lead to protest upon protest of "we will go out of business without this cheap labor" because of distortion in economic decision making on the part of employeers.

There is very little, I stress, VERY LITTLE net impact of illegal immigration, but much of it economically is negative, estimates place it, adjusted for taxes and social services at 10 billion yearly. Next to eliminating the estate tax for Hilton (1 trillion over 10 years), the medicare part D debacle (700 billion over 10 years), privatizing SS (2 trillion over 10 years), the war in iraq (several hundred million per day), and the bush tax cuts (1.6 trillion over 10 years), this is really small potatoes. The real question we have to define is whether the immigration debate is setup for the benefit and growth of the US or to let "huddled masses yearn to breath free". This will require different parameters, and both are legitimate arguments.

The bill passed by the senate is an unmitigated disaster, and is not respsonsive to the market at all. The house bill is far more reasonable.

A real immigration reform bill would equate illegal labor employment on the legal of child labor employment. We have done it with child labor laws, as we will be able to (with will) enforce adult labor (documentation) labor laws. A real immigration reform bill will expand skilled visas and transform family sponsored visas into those with a basis on suffrage/skill. The price of a visa could be floated based on market conditions, and the number of visas available could be streamlined (a separate agency), and the number floated based on the expansion or contraction of the US economy to make it more responsive to our needs.

None of these options is being discussed, and likely none will be discussed.

Before any of this makes sense; however, we must be able to enforce existing law. Layering the unenforceable by the unwilling to coverup, rather than fix, the current problem will replace 2006 with 1986. McCain-Kennedy is nothing more than Simpson-Mazzoli.

Unforunately, the "idea" that undocumented migrants pay their fair share of taxes doesn't pan out. I invite you to take a trip to the midwestern farms and ranches and ask migrants how they are paid. I also would encourage you to ask them if they are planning on filing jointly with a 1040A or 1040, and itemizing their deductions (moving, as a work related expense, co-payments for medical care, HOPE tax credit for their children attending college), etc. Also, ask if they qualify for the EIC, and are claiming it this year.

You get the point.

Most economists agree IMMIGRATION has a positive impact on this country. There is NOT agreement that illegal immigration has that effect. Those on the left like to use facts selectively, substituting "immigrants" when it suits them and "undocumented migrants" whne it suits their arguments more precisely.

Analysis by several respsected economists finds what the left fears: migrants end up transferring wealth from workers to land-owners and business. The cost-savings is not well distributed, and wages are depressed. A reasonable amount is 3% per year, which matches inflation on a normal year basis within the past 10. Those who benefit from immigration are primarily the industries that have lobbied the congress for guest worker programs. It enables them to save money on healthcare, labor, and the workforce is extraordinarily adaptable, they can hire when they want (growth) in areas they want (markets) during times of expansion and lay off during contraction. A guest worker program has none of this adaptability, and the illegal migrant program is much to the benefit of owners. This furthermore leads to economic distortion and dependence. Traditionally areas that change skilled or unskilled laboroers experience a convergence of wages, and the area losing workers (mexico) should see a rise in wages. This hasn't happened, and in fact, the money returned which could and should be used for infrastrucvture development for further generations has not panned out. The benefits are not being realized by America or MX.

In light of "we get all these cheap products" that really isn't the case. An analysis done comparing areas with high migrant versus low migrant concentrations, extrapolates about a 1.3% decrease in real prices (not nominal) for those who hire migrants over permenant residents/citizens. This represents one quarter of economic growth. If you think of how much "better off" you were three months ago, thast your savings in real dollars. Its not enough to make any meaningful fiscal impact. If we were seeing discounts of 10-15%, that would be significant. So wages are suppressed 300% versus prices, with wealth transfer to large land-owners and corporations as a result of the migrant dilemma. This is usually precisely what the left fears-the American worker losing to the multinational or mega-agrobusiness. I would suspect they would be on the different side here.

As mentioned above, the Bacero program was a disaster, but I do not tink it "lead" per se to the issues we face today. Rather it is a good way (between 1942 - 62 at framing the temporary worker debate. There isn't much "temporary" about the workers of this program or others. It has lead to protest upon protest of "we will go out of business without this cheap labor" because of distortion in economic decision making on the part of employeers.

There is very little, I stress, VERY LITTLE net impact of illegal immigration, but much of it economically is negative, estimates place it, adjusted for taxes and social services at 10 billion yearly. Next to eliminating the estate tax for Hilton (1 trillion over 10 years), the medicare part D debacle (700 billion over 10 years), privatizing SS (2 trillion over 10 years), the war in iraq (several hundred million per day), and the bush tax cuts (1.6 trillion over 10 years), this is really small potatoes. The real question we have to define is whether the immigration debate is setup for the benefit and growth of the US or to let "huddled masses yearn to breath free". This will require different parameters, and both are legitimate arguments.

The bill passed by the senate is an unmitigated disaster, and is not respsonsive to the market at all. The house bill is far more reasonable.

A real immigration reform bill would equate illegal labor employment on the legal of child labor employment. We have done it with child labor laws, as we will be able to (with will) enforce adult labor (documentation) labor laws. A real immigration reform bill will expand skilled visas and transform family sponsored visas into those with a basis on suffrage/skill. The price of a visa could be floated based on market conditions, and the number of visas available could be streamlined (a separate agency), and the number floated based on the expansion or contraction of the US economy to make it more responsive to our needs.

None of these options is being discussed, and likely none will be discussed.

Before any of this makes sense; however, we must be able to enforce existing law. Layering the unenforceable by the unwilling to coverup, rather than fix, the current problem will replace 2006 with 1986. McCain-Kennedy is nothing more than Simpson-Mazzoli.

Unforunately, the "idea" that undocumented migrants pay their fair share of taxes doesn't pan out. I invite you to take a trip to the midwestern farms and ranches and ask migrants how they are paid. I also would encourage you to ask them if they are planning on filing jointly with a 1040A or 1040, and itemizing their deductions (moving, as a work related expense, co-payments for medical care, HOPE tax credit for their children attending college), etc. Also, ask if they qualify for the EIC, and are claiming it this year.

You get the point.

Most economists agree IMMIGRATION has a positive impact on this country. There is NOT agreement that illegal immigration has that effect. Those on the left like to use facts selectively, substituting "immigrants" when it suits them and "undocumented migrants" whne it suits their arguments more precisely.

Analysis by several respsected economists finds what the left fears: migrants end up transferring wealth from workers to land-owners and business. The cost-savings is not well distributed, and wages are depressed. A reasonable amount is 3% per year, which matches inflation on a normal year basis within the past 10. Those who benefit from immigration are primarily the industries that have lobbied the congress for guest worker programs. It enables them to save money on healthcare, labor, and the workforce is extraordinarily adaptable, they can hire when they want (growth) in areas they want (markets) during times of expansion and lay off during contraction. A guest worker program has none of this adaptability, and the illegal migrant program is much to the benefit of owners. This furthermore leads to economic distortion and dependence. Traditionally areas that change skilled or unskilled laboroers experience a convergence of wages, and the area losing workers (mexico) should see a rise in wages. This hasn't happened, and in fact, the money returned which could and should be used for infrastrucvture development for further generations has not panned out. The benefits are not being realized by America or MX.

In light of "we get all these cheap products" that really isn't the case. An analysis done comparing areas with high migrant versus low migrant concentrations, extrapolates about a 1.3% decrease in real prices (not nominal) for those who hire migrants over permenant residents/citizens. This represents one quarter of economic growth. If you think of how much "better off" you were three months ago, thast your savings in real dollars. Its not enough to make any meaningful fiscal impact. If we were seeing discounts of 10-15%, that would be significant. So wages are suppressed 300% versus prices, with wealth transfer to large land-owners and corporations as a result of the migrant dilemma. This is usually precisely what the left fears-the American worker losing to the multinational or mega-agrobusiness. I would suspect they would be on the different side here.

As mentioned above, the Bacero program was a disaster, but I do not tink it "lead" per se to the issues we face today. Rather it is a good way (between 1942 - 62 at framing the temporary worker debate. There isn't much "temporary" about the workers of this program or others. It has lead to protest upon protest of "we will go out of business without this cheap labor" because of distortion in economic decision making on the part of employeers.

The United States of America, what does that mean to you? What it means to me,
is the greatest ripoff in the history of mankind. If you calculate the blood sacrifice
of AMERICANS alone in all of the geat struggles of our fledgling, once great
republic. You would have to say My goodness
the people of this country have been blinded, brainwashed if you will, out of knowing the great history of this country,
The answer to illegal immigration is very simple, either the illegals win, and transform our once great republic into a Spanish speaking thirld world nation, or
Americans of all races will come together and take a hard look at the problem, and majority is supposed to rule in a republic.
What I am trying to say is that it is up to us Americans to either lose or win this great struggle, forget about the federal politicians, they are too busy stealing,
fornicating, and murdering to be interested
in this problem, they prefer the staus quo.
We need to organize a third political party
made up from the middle class, a peoples party, so to speak. Then and only then when
decent people come to power can anything be changed in that bordello known as Washington D.C. If we fail, we deserve what
we get.

Shut down the illegal businesses that hire undocumented workers. Put all criminal businessmen owners in jail. Track and wiretap all customers of illegal businesses, they are supporting population terrorism. Build a fence so high the sun will set at 3pm in El Paso.