[mtbopfuyn]

My, my, isn't that sweet. Driving without a license, has all his family around him, is treated like a king, doesn't pay taxes, and makes more than I do. Welcome to the United States of Mexico.

[xJones]

He pulled out a receipt showing the earnings he was able to send home one week: $1,000 for the month, which his parents have put into a savings account. Jose said they haven't used any of his savings, though he's told them they can. Jose keeps $400, which mostly goes for room and board at the farmworker center.

All that untaxed money going south of the border, while citizens/taxpayers of this country pay for social services, health care, etc. for non-taxpaying illegals. Anywhere in the Southwestern U.S., just walk into the county hospital, any government welfare office, any free services office at all, for that matter, and bring your English/Spanish dictionary with you. And our government does nothing about our non-existant borders, although you might have thought 9/ll would make them more vigilent. But that would also stop the millions of illegals that provide cheap labor for businesses.

[Tacis]

Well, I am confident that even though he drives illegally, without a license, this false documented criminal, surely buys automobile insurance against the event that some American boob might involve him in an accident.

This is the classic problem, however, who would otherwise pick these crops? The answer is that we must FIRST control the border and only then, allow the NEXT half million guest workers who follow our administrative requirements to apply. Any "consideration" to the law breakers already here means that another six million will come north so as to qualify for the NEXT amnesty. Remember, with fake documents, Yankee pensions, benefits, and cash can be obtained and, even, mailed back to home in Mexico.

[Missouri]

He was in Napa County for harvest, one of the toughest in years.

The reason the year was so tough is that there is so many illegals now that supply (illegals) have overwhelmed demand (citizens). Simple economics.

Now go home Jose.

[WaterDragon]

One thing comes through blindingly clearly.....these are hard workers, willing to take great risks just to get a job.

Such a people are the greatest natural resource a nation can possess, as America knows very well.

So how is it that Mexico provides NO opportunity for these people, do not take any advantage of this wonderful resource?

I'll answer my own question.....it's because of the depth of corruption in Mexico's ruling elite. They get wealthy off their people while keeping them in poverthy.

If these Mexicans were NOT allowed to come into the U.S., after seeing the benefits of our society, THEN, there would likely be revolutions in Mexico....toppling the corrupt ruling elite.

THAT is why Fox and the others demand that we allow these workers to come here. To drain off these potential revolutionaries.

We do Mexicans NO favor by allowing this to happen. Where is the compassion?

[xm177e2]

Everyone laughs, knowing that it doesn't matter if you're 14 or 44 if you are an illegal immigrant and driving: Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has sworn to overturn a law allowing illegal immigrants to get licenses.

Of course, Arnold has said he would consider a law that got illegals to register and go through background checks or whatever, but he opposed the current law which would hand out licenses to anyone. Arnold is just being responsible--and if anything, pro-illegal immigrant.

[Publius6961]

Three paragraphs is all I could take.

The obvious question: why did this poor soul not stay in his Mexican paradise?

[PARodrig]

I think that the problem with illegal immigration is similar to that of the illegal drug trade. We spend most of our energy focusing on the supply without making any real commitment to curbing the demand. Illegal immigrants accept the risks associated with coming to the US to work because it pays for them to do so. We target most of the punitive laws against them (the supply), but do little to punish the people who hire them (the demand). Same things with drugs, we punish drug dealers, but let drug users slide with rehab, after rehab, after rehab.

These farmers who hire illegal immigrants, not only get cheap labor, but many also benefit from government subsidies for their products. This leads you to wonder about the so-called problems of farmers, but that's another subject for another time. Most large farmer, by and far, are pretty well off under such circumstances. Not to mention, contractors, restaurant owners, landscapers, manufacturers, canneries, etc. If you want to discourage the number of illegal aliens coming across the border, there need to be stiffer penalties for their employers. It would be somewhat disingenous for us to lay the whole blame on people who just want to work. We can't really fault people for exploiting the system to their own advantage. How many of us wouldn't do the same, if we could. It's the essence of human nature.

[ambrose]

Call the Border Patrol and help this boy fulfill his dream.

[elli1]

Were this story about a 14 year old American teenager picking grapes, comments would likely alternate between admiration for his maturity, sense of responsibility, work ethic, fore-sightedness, etc. and outcries for enforcement of child labor laws & lamentations about his not being in public school.

[SAMWolf]

The politicians jobs aren't in jeopardy, so they don't care about stopping illegal immigration. They even benefit politically from it.