We need to change our LEGAL immigration policies as well, e.g., eliminate extended chain migration beyond the nuclear family, develop a merit based system of immigration to attract the skills and talents we need to be competitive in the global economy, eliminate birthright citizenship [anchor babies], and reduce the numbers of LEGAL immigrants from the 1.2 million a year to 300,000 annually.
To compare the immigrants of today to the ones that came through Ellis Island is like comparing apples to oranges. The immigrants of today are coming for the freebies and thats it. In most cases it is not to be part of the American culture. When our ancestors came here they did not get interest free loans to start businesses and they did not get any social services. They came for the freedom and opportunity, if they could not cut it they were gone.
Regarding the numbers of LEGAL immigrants from any given country, I’d like to see the number set with a formula that takes into account a guesstimate of the number who have entered illegally. For example if one million are allowed per year from a certain country and we estimate that 500 thousand have entered ILLEGALLY, we would allow then only 500 thousand more to enter LEGALLY, making the TOTAL number (legal and illegal) from that country one million. This would help to pit those who want to do it in the legal way from the lawbreakers perhaps.