[Tribune7]

PS If anyone doesn't think illegal immigration doesn't cost Americans a bundle in taxes and jobs, I have the stats to prove you wrong!!!

I have no doubt you're right. The question is what to do about it. Round up the 10 million-plus here, ship them back & close the borders? I'm cetain it wouldn't work and it would be a huge mistake to try -- we'd lose the Hispanic vote for generations if not for ever.

We could try to "crackdown" on businesses that hire illegals. Again, I doubt it would work. Some unpopular businesses might take a hit but those whose success is based on political connections would thrive and continue to hire illegals, and frankly those are the businesses I'd like to see go under.

Also, you'd have the more serious entreprenuers take their capital & go offshore. If you think outsourcing is a problem now . . .

I like Bush's plan. Those who are here illegally can petition for residency by paying a small fine. As I understand it, they don't jump the line for citizenship.

And of course, once here legally, they pay taxes, businesses have to give the SS and the minimum wage which means some of the advantages they have over the native born disappear.

Also, we can now start keeping track of them, which I don't think is possible under any other scenario.

[kellynla]

we'd lose the Hispanic vote for generations if not for ever

I don't know if you have ever lived in CA but those of us who are native Californians can tell you for a fact that the people who are the most upset about illegal immigration from south of the border are the naturalized Mexican-American-Californians...
The illegals are pulling the wages down of unskilled and semiskilled labor while causing the taxes to support them in our schools, food stamps, medical care and housing to go up.