Okay, so we should live by the letter of the law then the spirit of it? Using the speed law as an example, yes, tipping the speedometer at 66 MPH makes me “illegal”, but then again, the basis of all law is to give all citizens the example to live by, not to create a police state of draconian enforcement. Enforcement is targeted to the folks who would break the law, not aimed at citizens to compel compliance through fear and intimidation. If you want to make the argument that laws defining our boarders are illegal, racist, immoral, or whatever, this post does not do that. Present a defense of why this country should not police and defend it’s borders, then we can start talking about clamping down on all those speeders and mattress tag removers who are obviously sucking the life out of our society. Phil

The more I look at this, I’m wondering just what the point is you are trying to make here – that if any group of people can break a law, and demand amnesty as a group, the breaking that law is okay? Just a thought….Phil

Ah, Phil, I’m pretty sure this is sarcasm which I for one am delighted to see. The point being that after the moral, practical, economic and security considerations point us toward legalizing immigration on a grand scale, the best argument against doing so is the fear of rewarding law-breakers which we do in this country constantly. On the more direct first paragraph, though, I would add that when we talk about the economics we talk about it like undocumented labor is for the purpose of luxury. The truth is, the day farmers are limited to a workforce of citizens and permanent residents under current laws, it won’t increase wages for Americans, it will end the farming of most labor-intensive crops in this country. The enforcement only approach that sends people back, in the almost impossible event that it succeeds, is a decision to eat mexican lettuce while American fields lie fallow or are sown with less valuable crops.

Doug, immigration is legal, now. A non citizen applies, and if accepted, receives the necessary papers and if free to come and go. If, as a citizen you feel this process is to long, then write your congressperson and ask them to do something about that. If the country needs a guest worker program, then ask your congressperson for that. I’m not a proponent of open borders, and feel that this country has done a miserable job of securing the borders (both north and south) in this post 9/11 world. I also beleive that the United States has the right to secure it’s borders. I don’t have the right to just take up residence in another country undocumented, so I don’t think it’s unresaonable to think that others should have the right to just “show up” here. From a philosophical stand point I have a problem, obviously, with the idea of rewarding someone who entered the country illegally with citizenship – I don’t see anyone wanting to extending amnesty to the 9/11 hijackers. From a practical standpoint, you are right – it’s virtually impossible to deport 12MM plus illegal aliens. So, is it time to fire up immigration arbitration panels, and give folks a stretch of time to plead their cases? If we can extend amnesty to dead beat dads and tax cheats, can we allow these illegal immigrants to pay up, register properly, and secure the border so we don’t have this problem again?I suspect that if reasonable people sat down a simple solution could be worked out – unfortunately, Washington seems to have a shortage or reasonable people these days. Cheers….Phil

Kuo truly is a lightweight. The fundamental difference between amnestied former illegal aliens and amnestied drivers is that the latter are U.S. citizens. The former had no right to come here and did so in contravention to our laws. The second group is part of our country. As for the politicians who did nothing, Kuo might want to think this through in a bit more depth. Isn’t that situation a symptom of massive political corruption? Isn’t massive political corruption extremely dangerous? And, of course, there’s no such thing as an “illegal American”. Illegal aliens, by definition, are citizens of another country. As for the comment above about crops, there are plenty of crops that don’t require massive amounts of stoop labor. Crops like strawberries can be imported, and not having access to so many serf laborers will force other crops to be picked using machines. The development of such machines has actually been intentionally restricted for various reasons; not having so much cheap labor will reverse that. Kuo and Jim Wallis might want to read “In the Strawberry Fields” together to find out what they’re supporting.

Phil, I think that’s what I’ve done. Asked my representatives to create a guest worker program and a path to citizenship for guest workers and argue for that in public fora like this. I’m with you, though, that we can and should have this conversation civilly, although I kind of enjoy a little sarcasm. Just to decorate the ballroom for the dance.

They are illegal aliens. They have no right to demand anything of this country. Especially if they will not speak english.

David, At what level of education did you learn that two wrongs, or, fifty wrongs, make a right? This blog of yours is absurd. Mexicans do NOT live with, or, under the Constitution of the United States of America. Have you David, or your Leftist anti-American buddies ever realized that? Let the Mexicans go back to Mexico, with their Mexican-American offspring, and petition THIS country to become citizens of The United States of America.Why is honesty such a bad thing?

I think it’s rediculous to even have a question about illegal aliens. I usually enjoy reading this blog, but I was very disapointed with this one. It is so completely irrational to talk about violating speed limits and tearing of mattress tags in relation to illegal Americans. I am not sure I’m even cool-headed enough to respond in a way that sounds rational. So here’s the irrational. WHAT!? Are you serious!? Ok, America is a wonderful country. Sure, it has it’s downfalls. It has quesitonable people in leadership and a good amount of it’s citizens who think they know what they’re talking about, don’t. They simply listen to what celebrities and other famous people have to say (And why is it people think celebrities are political experts?) I’m getting off on a tangent here. Illegal Aliens are just that. They are illegal and they are aliens. As in, they have broken our laws before even attempting to become our citizens. I know that they may be escaping something awful, or they may be trying to make a better life for themselves and their families. But why should it be tolerated illegally? That’s ludicrus! Our country may pride itself on being the “Land of Opportunity” but the opportunities are going to severely diminish in the long run if things remain as they are now. I apologize if the tone of my response is harsh, but I’m angry. When is America going to quit being so “Politically Correct” and start REALLY looking out for the interests of the good of the good of the country?

Their “Mexican-American” offspring (I’m assuming you meant born in the US) are, in fact, US citizens. They don’t have to petition the government for the right to stay in this country.

“Especially if they won’t speak English.” I’ll be sure to let my non-English-speaking, US-citizen relatives (and, not that it really matters, they’re European) know that they shouldn’t demand anything from their government. I mean, come on! They don’t speak English!

I must say, it’s really a good thing our country didn’t have such rules when it was starting out, or many of our ancestors would never have made it in.You do realize the only reason this country enacted immigration rules was to keep out “undesirables”: Chinese, Jews, Irish, Italian, etc…