We actually LIVE in a border state. We have the second highest number of illegals. (that, IMO, is debatable) We spend a lot of money and exhaust a lot of our teacher's time and patience dealing with the children of these illegals. Not to mention the billions doled out for public services, welfare and medical care.
We deal, firsthand, with the criminal enterprise, the kidnappings, the rapes, the drug dealing, child molesters and the DWI incidences.
We don't need no stinkin *slogans* to plead our case.
And yet you persist in missing the point. Just look at what you said ... "we spend a lot of money.... the billions doled out...." And again we should mention the employers who hire illegals.
For God's sake, man -- think about what you're saying!
Do you really think they'd be coming over in such numbers if Americans weren't offering them money and valuable free stuff?
The illegals are making simple economic decisions. So are Americans. But we're the ones holding the money: it's our own fault.
If you want to deal with illegal immigration, the way to do it is on the demand side, not the supply side.