We've failed at the border for years, why throw away more good money?

[Timber Loftis]

I'd love nothing more than to round up illegal immigrants and send them back. Can't be done -- it's a physical impossibility. It's off the table -- reality stole it as an option.

So, then, what to do? Status quo means we all suffer -- we suffer when someone works "under the table" or otherwise takes our job; we suffer when our identity gets stolen; etc.

So, what to do?

[Olorin]

Originally Posted by Timber Loftis I'd love nothing more than to round up illegal immigrants and send them back. Can't be done -- it's a physical impossibility. It's off the table -- reality stole it as an option. So, then, what to do? Status quo means we all suffer -- we suffer when someone works "under the table" or otherwise takes our job; we suffer when our identity gets stolen; etc. So, what to do?

Do the one thing politicians are unwilling to do; cut off the employment by cracking down on the employers. This won't happen because those who right the politicians checks (campaign donors) don't want it. They want to keep their illegal nannies, housekeepers and gardeners. The companies want to keep their source of cheap, trouble free labor (illegal aliens who cause trouble for an employer mysteriously get the fast track deportation from ICE).

If there weren't jobs available w/o documentation, the majority of illegals would go home on their own. It wouldn't affect the gang members and drug smugglers, but it would be a lot easier for ICE and the border patrol to deal with them if they were the only ones crossing the border, instead of being able to hide in the crowd.

[Timber Loftis]

Ok, well, you can't crack-down on under-the-table and non-reported jobs. Yes, cracking down on employers must happen if any reasonable system is to work -- nothing can create 100% compliance, though. My point was more to the fact that no matter what you do, you will still have a number of illegals here that you can't effectively hunt down and remove them. So, regarding those that are already here, I asked my question.

[robertthebard]

Ok, maybe that post was a bit too emotional, had to delete it out. But I'm curious, where do we stop with amensty? Are we going to say if it's not a C or above Felony, or a violent crime you can walk with no consequences? These people willfully violated our laws, and knew they were doing it when they did it. They violate our laws every day they're here. But the ideal solution is to say "It's ok, we know you had it hard over there."? I don't pretend to have all the answers, but rewarding them for being slick enough to get away with it isn't the answer.

[Timber Loftis]

I'm sorry, but rewarding them for their longevity is the only answer. I don't like it, neither will (or should) you, but numbers are simply there. Too many to round up. What to do? The Amnesty I'm advocating *sucks,* I have spent a long time again'it. BUt the numbers are what they are. You can't corral them effectively, you can't send them back -- so at least do what you can to stave off the identity theft (I have been a victim of it) and move those folks into some sort of worker visa or other situation. Our Mexicans ain't leaving, pretty much.

Even my relatives and friends in agrarian states in the South agree that their farmers are not going to get by without these people. That includes KY, mostly, and TN and NC and SC.

Sadly, purist results, philosophically sound results, don't put rubber to the road in reality. I don't like that, but I cannot escape it, and neither can any other American. It's a sad fact. With 12M+ illegals we are beyond hard pressed for a "round them up and get rid of them" solution -- such a solution will never occur. Sorry.

[Azred]

He's right, you know. Trying to round them up and deport them would take millions of dollars, years of time, and even then you will waste time catching the same people multiple times.

The only rational, practical solution is to offer modified amnesty to those already here--they must admit that they are here illegally, perform community service, begin the naturalization process, and start paying the same taxes the rest of us pay every time we get a paycheck.

While that is going on, could someone please please please secure the border? You can find videos of two college girls climbing the "secure border fence" in less than 20 seconds on their first try and the Federal Government's own research lists only 4% of the border as "airtight".

edit/update: by the way, three trucks from the Mexican military rolled through Bridge Two near Laredo. The military claims that the trucks got lost but I don't believe that for a second. This was a test conducted by the military on behalf of the cartels to test our border security...and we failed.