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The U.S. is attempting to address the long avoided issue of ILLEGAL immigration. This country isn't anti-immigration (activist spin). The U.S. only asks that persons come to our country the legal way, even if it means you have to WAIT awhile.

For some reason, some in Mexico (and countless other countries) seems to think the rules don't apply to them.

This is further proof that the Mexican government wholly supports these illegals as a subsidiary of their corrupt rule.

MUCK FEXICO!

You took the words right out of my mouth there - almost to the letter.

Well said

Would you do me a favor and ping a few friends as I lack a ping list?

"This country isn't anti-immigration (activist spin). The U.S. only asks that persons come to our country the legal way, even if it means you have to WAIT awhile."

I'm afraid the wait is what is driving many to cross the borders illegally. When a Mexican is out of work and suffering financially, they have basically three choices:
(1) Staying in squalor in Mexico, trying to eke out a living by finding other underpaying job,
(2) Stay in squalor in Mexico until your legal immigration papers get processed and you're allowed to enter the U.S. legally, a process which can take two years or more; or
(3) crossing the border illegally to have an immediate chance at much better working conditions and income.

Here's my naivete: Why not make LEGAL immigration easier, simpler and safer? Realistically, I'm afraid the border will never be militarized.

Can't we make the requirements to enter strict but attainable: you must have a job lined up (90% of illegals come here because their brother/cousin/daughter already has a job in the factory and get one for their relative down South), a place to live, and no criminal history (Mexico would have to step up and cooperate). Let's reduce the waiting list, and speed things up.

You must pay a one-time entrance fee of, say, $500 (most mojados pay the coyotes more than this to get across now), which would weed out some of the freeloaders.

You will be issued a 3-year temporary work visa only. If you have not obtained citizenship AND attained at least some basic English proficiency by the end of the 3 years, it's sayonara, back to Guadalajara. (Many illegals I have known are only planning on working here a few years then returning to their native land.)

During the 3 year temporary work period, an adult wage-earner may not have more than one child or non-earning dependent in the country.

No more automatic US citizenship for infants born in our country. Citizenship only to children of citizens.

You MUST check in voluntarily every six months with the INS and provide proof of address, proof of employment, insurance, etc. (Maybe using some type of National ID for "guest workers" only, with a bar code or magnetic strip, something difficult to fake. No genuine ID card, no job, no welfare, no school, nada.) If you fail to check in, you are automatically considered illegal and subject to immediate deportation.

Will they check in? The honest ones that are here to work--of course they will. Especially when the ID Card is needed to be hired, get services, etc. If somebody doesn't check in, the INS can just "cancel the card," making it show up as invalid the next time a potential employer swipes it, or the police scans them when they pull 'em over for speeding, etc.

Any crime committed while our guest, higher than a simple misdemeanor, will get you a one-way trip home.

I have no problem with the honest and hardworking who want to come here and engage in gainful employment. But they have to play by the rules, and we have to enforce the rules. Sure, this system might be hard to implement at first, and there would be costs involved, and the ACLU would never stand for it, but I think in the long run it would be less costly than what we do now or having our military seal our borders. At least it might be a step in the right direction.

Comments, suggestions, flames?

I'll second that.

Mexico should have been dealt with before Iraq. Mexico is worse by far.