Here in SW Florida, there is a large Hispanic population with heavy employment in agriculture. They are also heavily represented in construction and you will be very unlikely to find non-Hispanic landscape/lawncare companies. It's been estimated in the local press that as many as 50% could be here illegally.

To me, the problem (as it nearly always does) has its origins in Washington, DC where our elected Congressmen and Senators do whatever it takes to get re-elected and screw the rest of the country. Is the collective memory of Americans so short that we forget the events of 9/11? If we do not control who enters our country, we will most surely experience other attacks. No rocket science here-- leave the border unprotected and sooner or later a nuke is going to be driven into this country by our enemies. I'm far more concerned about that than I am about anything else.

This country was built with the blood and sweat of many immigrants who arrived lawfully, and they felt that good fortune had landed upon them. They were proud to be in America and wanted to be part of the USA, not change America into an extension of their former homeland. A citizen was quoted in the local paper over the weekend as having said that referring to someone as an undocumented immigrant makes about as much sense as calling a burglar an uninvited house guest. I think most Americans welcome legal immigrants, but object to those that refuse to respect our laws and borders. To me it all starts with stopping illegals from crossing the border. The solution to those already here will be difficult, and many will not be pleased, but standing by while hundreds of thousands more come into the country as they please is just absurd.

I guess I am a descendent of undocumented immigrants...since laws governing this didn't exist (heck the country didn't exist) in the early 1600s. This makes me wonder when laws were actually put on the books to govern immigration, and what percentage of our population is descended from such "undocumented immigrants". In other words and to look at it another way, what percentage of the population came to this country and had to immigrate through some sort of legal mechanism...I don't have any idea, but I'd bet it would be an interesting (and impressive) number!

I don't disagree that people should respect the law, but when the law is so obviously outdated and uneforceable, and when our politicians are so obviously unable and unwilling to create a fair and enforceable set of laws, the blame can't be laid totally on the immigrants. The problem is in Washington, and we're the ones making the decisions on who we send there. Mid-term elections are coming....George W. Bush says "he's the decider". He's wrong...we're the deciders!

There are multiple issues to deal with.

1) Use the available technology to prevent more people from entering illegally. (We have satellites, we should use them.) This must be done first.

2) Work out the systems for people who want to enter on a temporary basis for work. (Minimum wage here is what a doctor earns there. Many want to earn the money to build a house back home. The entrepenurial ones add a few extra rooms for rental income and a store front on the first floor. This makes staying in Mexico more desirable for others.)

3) Work out the systems for people who want to enter to stay. (Those who want to learn the language and culture and become citizens. These are the ones who can be compared to my grandparents and great grandparents.)

4) Work out how to handle those who are already her illegally.

Last I heard there is a 10 year waiting list to enter legally from Mexico.

Being convicted of a crime should be grounds for permanent deportation. This should also include use of false ID/names.

Ed,

What do you feel should be done with the illegal who goes to the hospital for care? (Currently the hospital writes it off or medicare pays.)

This is a loaded question because it includes handling our own poor and ID.

Note: Many of the ID's used by Mexicans are not 'fake'. People in Puerto Rico with no plans to come to the US will sell their IDs to Mexicans. The names and photos are similar enough to pass.

Ken

"(Currently the hospital writes it off or medicare pays.)"

In both scenarios, YOU and I pay, not the hospital or Medicare !!!!

Unfortunately I'm aware of that. I just dropped my health insurance because I can't afford it. If I got sick, I would be responsible for the bills. And without insurance I would not have the benefit of the negotiated rates. The hospitals would love it if I got sick. The illegal and many legal immigrants don't have the house, car, and credit rating to protect.

( I am also amazed by the number of legal people getting government assistance for paying rent, yet they can afford cable tv, cell phones, SUVs, and other luxuries.)

For me, I feel like I have been slapped in the face. Second generation Europeans have been known to shed a tear at the Statue of Liberty, not demonstrate on the platform.
This feels very personal to me and if you look at it on a 1 on 1 level this is the best analogy I have seen.

Dear Illegal Immigrant
You came to my house that my parents helped me buy, said you needed some help. I let you stay in the spare bedroom for a couple of years. During that time I fed you when you didn't have anything to eat, I gave you band-aids when you hurt yourself and did what I could when you needed help. Sure you worked hard during that time, so did I. I also paid taxes, followed the rules and served jury time when it wasn't exactly convenient or profitable. Some of your relatives served in the U.S. military as did many of mine. It doesn't earn us any extra points, it's what you do. I helped you until MY children started to suffer. Imagine my disappointment when one day you are not happy with the spare bedroom, and you demand the master bedroom. Heck, when you first got here you said you'd be happy to sleep on the floor! On May 1st, you block my driveway, make my life difficult and TELL me that I WILL accept you on your terms. When you come "home" tonight, don't expect your key to work.
Signed, Uncle Sam, just not YOUR Uncle Sam

Denny,

I don't see a way to keep money from leaving the country. The best we can do is set up a system for people to work here legally, then atleast we could collect taxes. (I guess that's an argument for income vs sales tax.) Notice previously I attentionally put the issues I felt need to be dealt with, but did not put any solutions.

Make them pay what everyone else pays, but they should not be eligible to collect unemployment, or SS. They should also have a license and insurance for their cars like everyone else. (By the way, many of the illegal residents I've spoken with would get a license/insurance for their car if they could. Many states are now preventing this, but they still need to drive and are taking the chance doing so. - If they get a ticket it doesn't alert immagration.)

Seeing that we're only talking about those who are entering for a limited time with the goal of earning money to send home, I have no problem with also limiting some of the normal tax deductions. And unless their kids have one US parent they should not be citizens. They should not be eligible for credit either. Temporary workers should not be building long term security/lives here.

As I said I would treat those looking to stay differently. Among other things learning English.

I reckon you should delete the thread , I KNEW David was opening up a can of worms here!!! :) 
Problem is that positions , stances etc taken here polarise the community and this affects the quality of Tech type posts in that in reading em , you are often coloured or skewed by the posters personal position taken and only serves to generate some animosity.
I reckon can it , it's already gettting nasty.

Rodney,

Another very effective option, for those objecting to this thread, or an individual within, is to use the "Ignore" button, a radio button located below the post(s), with a heading preceeded by: "Rate My Interest", which will restore a members peace of mind, by allowing them to "selectively" (for all practical purposes) delete the thread.

That option worked very well for me, in the "Stephen Spence" upheaval.

Some will rate the thread "Interested" while others will choose to "Ignore."

Knowing we have members across the full spectrum of interest, I think freedom of choice should prevail.

I am sure that David figured that it might be a can of worms also.

I consider it a far more accurate poll of opinions than any pollster can produce. We are far better off by knowing what opinions are out there than burying our heads in the sand.

Philadelphia, PA (Really Bensalem)

Harvey's Tips Page When you finally understand it completely... it changes.