More than three-quarters of Americans favor allowing illegal immigrants who have spent many years in the United States to apply for citizenship

[Jaylen Brit 0]

I find slightly surreal that people object to topics about immigration on an IMMIGRATION FORUM

Hello?

*Chandler from Friends voice* Do you SEE the irony here?

As the vote/poll/####### ever it was - I don't take much stock in 'em. People will TELL you one thing when it doesn't affect them AT THAT TIME but as soon as immigrants/poor people/people with no legs start moving into their locale, and their taxes go up to support the Bill of Howsyerfather its out with the placards and lets march on Capitol Hill.

Also people lie on polls.

I lie reguarly on exit polls at election time. No reason other than I'm contrary and I don't like being asked. 'Who did you vote for?' 'The IRONY party'

Sheesh.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

How could you possibly know how long somebody has been here? Considering that many of them dont work legally, etc..

There is usually a paper-trail of one sort or another.

Yeah, and the same crooks that sell fake ID's and SSC's will be busy creating fake papertrails as well. Who are you kidding?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

How could you possibly know how long somebody has been here? Considering that many of them dont work legally, etc..

There is usually a paper-trail of one sort or another.

Yeah, and the same crooks that sell fake ID's and SSC's will be busy creating fake papertrails as well. Who are you kidding?

I never said it was infallible. I simply can't see any government endorsing any policy that will result in mass-deportations. At this point in time it seems there are no solutions to the problem of illegal immigration which will keep everyone happy all of the time.

An amnesty of some sort, as much as that will be perceived to be rewarding illegal immigrants for illegal behaviour seems inevitable in my view.

[Jasman0717 9]

The point I think is valid. No mainstream party would endorse mass deportations, it simply will not happen, unless the political climate in the US takes a significant turn for the worse.

I don't propose to have the solution to this issue, I don't condone illegal immigration any more than anyone else, but I think the sheer scale of the problem - the fact that some illegals have been here so long that they have significant family and community ties will make an amnesty of some sort simply inevitable.

[*Robert* 2]

How could you possibly know how long somebody has been here? Considering that many of them dont work legally, etc..

There is usually a paper-trail of one sort or another.

Yeah, and the same crooks that sell fake ID's and SSC's will be busy creating fake papertrails as well. Who are you kidding?

You mean they aren't keeping their boarding passes, hotel receipts, and passport stamps for evidence?!

Oh... I'm sorry, I forgot... they snuck in and don't have all those things!!!

[almaty 19]

How could you possibly know how long somebody has been here? Considering that many of them dont work legally, etc..

There is usually a paper-trail of one sort or another.

Yeah, and the same crooks that sell fake ID's and SSC's will be busy creating fake papertrails as well. Who are you kidding?

You mean they aren't keeping their boarding passes, hotel receipts, and passport stamps for evidence?!

Oh... I'm sorry, I forgot... they snuck in and don't have all those things!!!

edited for political correctness by brother dean

Edited April 26, 2006 by almaty2004

[kc456 0]

Apart from mass deportation what other options are out there?

Those who object to amnesty, what other solutions do you see?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Apart from mass deportation what other options are out there?

Those who object to amnesty, what other solutions do you see?

You crack down on the illegal employment - on the employer side. And I mean crack down.

They'll leave on their own if there's no jobs to be had.

Of course, many seem to prefer capitulation.

Edited April 26, 2006 by ET-US2004

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Apart from mass deportation what other options are out there?

Those who object to amnesty, what other solutions do you see?

You crack down on the illegal employment - on the employer side. And I mean crack down.

They'll leave on their own if there's no jobs to be had.

Of course, many seem to prefer capitulation.

Of course that will require reforming a number of government agencies to make them work more efficiently and more closely than they currently do...

Edited April 26, 2006 by Fishdude

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Apart from mass deportation what other options are out there?

Those who object to amnesty, what other solutions do you see?

You crack down on the illegal employment - on the employer side. And I mean crack down.

They'll leave on their own if there's no jobs to be had.

Of course, many seem to prefer capitulation.

Of course that will require reforming a number of government agencies to make them work more efficiently and more closely than they currently do...

Indeed. And they wouldn't want that. And it ain't gonna happen.

I am just saying that there are viable alternatives to mass deportations and amnesties. It's not like it's gotta be one or the other. That's how the debate is shaped but those are not the only options.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Apart from mass deportation what other options are out there?

Those who object to amnesty, what other solutions do you see?

You crack down on the illegal employment - on the employer side. And I mean crack down.

They'll leave on their own if there's no jobs to be had.

Of course, many seem to prefer capitulation.

Of course that will require reforming a number of government agencies to make them work more efficiently and more closely than they currently do...

Indeed. And they wouldn't want that. And it ain't gonna happen.

I am just saying that there are viable alternatives to mass deportations and amnesties. It's not like it's gotta be one or the other. That's how the debate is shaped but those are not the only options.

Sure - something at least needs to be done. Its just a shame that with the national deficit at record levels (Iraq has more than a little to do with that) there likely to be little money left in the coffers to do anything meaningful to really alleviate the problem.

[desert_fox 32]

Apart from mass deportation what other options are out there?

Those who object to amnesty, what other solutions do you see?

You crack down on the illegal employment - on the employer side. And I mean crack down.

They'll leave on their own if there's no jobs to be had.

Of course, many seem to prefer capitulation.

Of course that will require reforming a number of government agencies to make them work more efficiently and more closely than they currently do...

Indeed. And they wouldn't want that. And it ain't gonna happen.

I am just saying that there are viable alternatives to mass deportations and amnesties. It's not like it's gotta be one or the other. That's how the debate is shaped but those are not the only options.

Sure - something at least needs to be done. Its just a shame that with the national deficit at record levels (Iraq has more than a little to do with that) there likely to be little money left in the coffers to do anything meaningful to really alleviate the problem.

You just make so unattractive by being here, where you cant get a SSN, a job, a drivers license, etc, and have no opportunity, that you will return on your own.

They need to start questioning the policies of their own home govts that makes it necessary in the first place that they would prefer to come here. Time to clean up corruption at home!!!

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Apart from mass deportation what other options are out there?

Those who object to amnesty, what other solutions do you see?

You crack down on the illegal employment - on the employer side. And I mean crack down.

They'll leave on their own if there's no jobs to be had.

Of course, many seem to prefer capitulation.

Of course that will require reforming a number of government agencies to make them work more efficiently and more closely than they currently do...

Indeed. And they wouldn't want that. And it ain't gonna happen.

I am just saying that there are viable alternatives to mass deportations and amnesties. It's not like it's gotta be one or the other. That's how the debate is shaped but those are not the only options.

Sure - something at least needs to be done. Its just a shame that with the national deficit at record levels (Iraq has more than a little to do with that) there likely to be little money left in the coffers to do anything meaningful to really alleviate the problem.

True. I mean, I know that an amnesty of some sort will be coming our way unless a miracle of some sort happens. Don't like it, don't agree with it, won't vote for any politician that supports it. But it's coming. And then the next wave of illegals will build up all the same. The wages of American workers will be pushed further down in the process. Not sure how much more wage pushing it is going to take to build the kind of momentum to put a stop to this insane and lawless madness. Sooner or later, we'll have similar immigration related issues that Europe deals with since what falls of the wagon altogether in this changing environment is the idea of integration and assimilation. That's a powder keg waiting to explode.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Apart from mass deportation what other options are out there?

Those who object to amnesty, what other solutions do you see?

You crack down on the illegal employment - on the employer side. And I mean crack down.

They'll leave on their own if there's no jobs to be had.

Of course, many seem to prefer capitulation.

Of course that will require reforming a number of government agencies to make them work more efficiently and more closely than they currently do...

Indeed. And they wouldn't want that. And it ain't gonna happen.

I am just saying that there are viable alternatives to mass deportations and amnesties. It's not like it's gotta be one or the other. That's how the debate is shaped but those are not the only options.

Sure - something at least needs to be done. Its just a shame that with the national deficit at record levels (Iraq has more than a little to do with that) there likely to be little money left in the coffers to do anything meaningful to really alleviate the problem.

You just make so unattractive by being here, where you cant get a SSN, a job, a drivers license, etc, and have no opportunity, that you will return on your own.

They need to start questioning the policies of their own home govts that makes it necessary in the first place that they would prefer to come here. Time to clean up corruption at home!!!

True. A fair number of products sold in the US are manufactured in Mexico, though a lot are based in China and the far east. The US like most developed countries outsources a lot of its manufacturing to developing countries where wages are lower. I have to wonder why US companies aren't setting up their manufacturing operations in central and south america. Standards of education come into that equation somewhere - but Mexico (to me) seems as though it would be perfect for manufacturing. That said, the industrial infrastructure of mexico will never be able to compete on the level of China, for instance.

[kc456 0]

You crack down on the illegal employment - on the employer side. And I mean crack down.

They'll leave on their own if there's no jobs to be had.

Of course, many seem to prefer capitulation.

Do you ever see this happening? Ha ha. Like the agro-industrial lobby would allow for that. 25% of workers in meat packing industry are estimated to be illegal immigrants.