Schwarzenegger: It would cost over $40,000 to deport ONE illegal immigrant

[Sinergy 3]

I could see the cost running that high. Think of it this way 95% of all cases never see a day in court. They are pleaded to guilty pleas, etc. Now think of 12 million or more people faced with Deportation--I don't see where 95% of them would plead to waive their day in court and be deported without a hearing etc.

The cost would be substantial. If you are deporting/denying entry to someone at the border, there is no requirement for due process. (US Constitution does not apply at borders).

On the other hand, if you are arrested or detained in the US, the right to habeus corpus should exist (right to be brought before a judge within 72 hours). Lincoln suspended this right, supreme court ruled it unconstitutional. Bush has played around with suspending it as well, though the legality of this is still suspect.

Ultimately, it is still necessary to PROVE that someone is here illegally. I have family members with no documentation proving their US citizenship. (Born here, no birth certificate from when city hall burned down 70 years ago..)

And how do you find these 12 million people in the first place? Search every house?

My great grandmother was born in Canada. When she died, she had no proof that she was here legally... (She came here in 1897, I saw her birth certificate) Never got a green card. What would you do with people like her?

Most US Citizens don't carry around proof of their legal status. Therefore, I don't think it is reasonable to deport people solely based on their failure to produce documentation.

The most common way to verify citizenship is SSN checks. Do you trust that these records are correct? While I was in the Air Force, my SSN was wrong. (Typical goverment paperwork screwup.) I'm sure the error with mine was not the only mistake ever made. Not all citizens have SSNs. Do you deport them?

Ultimately, any attempt to deport large numbers of illegal aliens will result in some citizens and legal residents being detained or deported. The only way to prevent this would be to allow suspected illegals some sort of appeal. This will be expensive.

The likelihood of a citizen actually being deported is slim to none. When you actually are arrested and taken into deportation proceedings, one of the first things they do is determine your country of citizenship. If let's say Mexico's consulate says you're not Mexican, they can't very well send you there.

It can be done, it would just take alot of time. nothing is impossible.

[iceyspots 0]

Isn't Arnie an immigrant himself tho?

Seems a bit whack to suggest not allowing ANY immigrants in - given his personal history..I smell a soundbite...

Yup, and a hypocritical one as well.