I must admit I was thinking the same thing. Are the only immigrants (legal or illegal) that come to this country Latinos? Hmmm.............

Eva Longoria, REALLY!?!

Why are we(the failed obama administration) running domestic policy based upon what the heck celebrities have to say??? Why do the Hollywood LEFT have a revolving door into the "People's House"?

oh yeah, because obama is UN-presidential and UN-precedent in every thing he does. I hope America can survive this guy, I REALLY DO!

PATHETIC!

With all that is facing this nation right now, his priority seems to be to further enable one of the key reasons we are experiencing these very serious budget/debt issues ... illegal Mexican entry into the US in inchecked numbers and then going so far as to welcome them in with a welcome packet containing instructions, "best places to settle", applications, where/how to vote, etc.

This is appauling what he is doing TO the United States and TO it's lawful, taxpaying citizens, all in the name of increasing the liberal voter base and creating yet more government dependents.

Eva Longoria as one who can relate to immigrant Latino's? That is a slap in the face to any true, hard-working Mexican national trying to assimilate here as she was born/raised here with a silver spoon in her mouth. To her, being poor means having to shop at Macy's and eat out at Morton's Steak House for a month.

Trolling/grasping for votes. He's losing points in the polls and votes from left - he probably can't make that many up.....

Obama is determined to BANKRUPT hard working US citizens by letting in ILLEGALS to STEAL our jobs, get free housing, welfare, public school education, food stamps, social services and now Obama wants us TO PAY for the COLLEGE EDUCATIONS OF ILLEGALS?

And he INVITES inciters of RIOTS to the White House to ENCOURAGE illegals EVEN MORE?

Obama needs to be IMPEACHED he is a traitor to this nation

______________________________________________________________

Sarah Palin 2012 the only candidate with the guts to indict, jail and try Obama, Holder, Napatlino, Geithner, Bernanke, Sebelius and the rest of the Obama administration for their crimes THEY are printing dollars LIKE CRAZY making OUR DOLLARS MORE WORTHLESS EVERY DAY (see high gas)

As an '08 Obama voter, I am distressed by this type of rhetoric and low-brow pandering. The ONLY duty that ANY politician has in America, is to support and promote legislation that is the BEST INTERSTS OF AMERICAN CITIZENS AND LEGAL IMMIGRANTS---- not to call for amnesty for LAWBREAKERS en masse!

The support for ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION is despicable! It is harmful and devastating to the wages of AMERICAN CITIZENS AND LEGAL IMMIGRANTS! Americans across the political spectrum want for their leaders to DO WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF OUR COUNTRY. That includes MOST PROMINENTLY--- enforcing our immigration laws, rendering harsh punishment upon business which break the law by hiring ILLEGAL immigrants and depressing wages, and deporting ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS!

He is going to put more crime on us ,Taxi our social services into oblivian, Kill the poors chances of even finding a job, Over fill the class rooms, Cost the taxpayer billions of more dollars, All in the name of votes fo re-election? Obama the American citizen spoke in 2010? Sounds to me like you want them to yell. Of course any one who does not agree with your Amnesty plans are the enemy? I think that it is somthing like 70% plus of us, Who say no amnesty and secure the border. So do what you want traitor see you at the hearing.

Thousands of deaths of US citizens by illegal aliens:

"We can only estimate the thousands of deaths of US citizens by illegal aliens on our own soil. The media fails to report them, the government ignores them. The murder of David Hartley, on Falcon Lake in Texas and the subsequent beheading by those same cartels of the lead investigator in retaliation have thrown some attention on the threat to us all by the failed state of Mexico."

http://towncriernews.blogspot.com/2010/10/dozens-of-americans-being-murdered-in.html

Obama wants to SUPRESS INFORMATION about ALL the MURDERS by ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS so naturally he makes it ILLEGAL for ARIZONA to EVEN ASK about the IMMIGRATION STATUS of MURDERERS and OTHER CRIMINALS.

Isn't it OBVIOUS this is the sort of BASIC DATA this country and its law enforcemt personnel need. Maybe it would prove Obama needs to send Tomahawk missles and predator drones across our Mexican border to protect hard working US citizens but Obama wastes billions in missles and bombs in Libya WHY not use them across the Mexican border with all the criminals MURDERING TENS OF THOUSANDS?

Obama is SUPPRESSING information that conflicts with his agenda AIDED and ABETTED by the racist Eric "my people win" Holder, the EPA, Interior, HHS and the rest of his gang

Wow, must be a Friday. Another Obama agenda article hits the air waves.

In a summary describing the meeting, the White House said Obama stressed his commitment to a comprehensive overhaul and pledged to intensify his efforts "to lead a civil debate on this issue in the coming weeks and months."

More smoke and mirrors, no bi-partisan talks, and "my way or the highway" approach to Amnesty for Illegal Aliens (Immigrants). Mr. Obama must have seen the recent Census statistics, knows he has lost the Latino vote, and now is getting on the bandwagon for their votes AGAIN. Fool me once, you get away with it, fool me twice, and you can dig yourself out of the hole.

"Civil debate" is going to be a joke. Mr. Obama and his Liberal staff will take "his" legislation off the bookshelf, wipe off the dust, make sure the other side of the aisle get some media time, crush any legislation in the House, then take his "Amnesty Program" to the Senate for vote.

The current Immigration system is in place. Both Democratic and Republican parties have failed to uphold current laws. ENFORCE THE LAWS. No Amnesty for Illegal Aliens (Immigrants), PERIOD !!

Read:

cis.org/immigrant-welfare-use-2011

for some excellent information on our tax dollars being spent.

We do not need any immigration reform. Simply enforcement of existing immigration policies.

Comprehensive Immigration Reform = code words for AMNESTY!

I don't understand why so many of you are afraid of Mexicans

It is not an issue of 'Mexicans', but an issue of an immigration policy (or ignorance of the one we have!) that is unsustainable. Only logical solution at this point....close the borders!

Is it really a surprise that Obama is going against the majority of Americans on this one?? We are still gagging on the health care bill that was forced down our throats.

Immigrants legal and illegal add to our economy and our social well being.

You ought to google search the facts on the costs of illegal immigration to our economy. Yes they add to our economy, unfortunately they take MUCH more than they add...that is a fact!

Keith--

You play to the lowest common demoninator with your OFFENSIVE comments. Enforcement of U.S. immigration laws (the MOST GENEROUS in the entire world) CERTAINLY IS NOT "RACIST NOR BIGOTED IN ANY WAY! The law must be enforced against ALL who violated it!

FYI, "Mexican" is not a race; it's a nationality. Although a high percentage of the ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT population is from Mexico, there are many other nationalities represented in the ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT population (Ireland, other countries in South America, etc.).

Americans, including this civil libertarian ARE DEMANDING THAT OUR GOVERNMENT ENFORCE ITS IMMIGRATION LAWS--- doing so promotes fairness and equality. Not doing so, only serves to reward the LAWBREAKERS over the LAW-ABIDERS!

keith - "Immigrants legal and illegal add to our economy and our social well being." LEGAL immigrants DO add to our society, no question about that. But illegal immigrants - NO WAY. Get real.

Keith-1952.....Amazing you invoked the Liberal "racist" theme again which has nothing to do with Illegal Aliens (Immigrants). Seems this is your MO on just about every issue of the day. Get a frigging life.

Illegal is just that....ILLEGAL. It doesn't matter if an individual is Latino, Russian, Cuban, European, Chinese, et al. If they enter the U.S. illegally without going through proper Immigration channels, they are ILLEGAL !! NO AMNESTY !!

Kieth, If illegal Mexican immigrants are so good for an economy and social system, then perhaps you'd like to open the neighborhood where you live up as a sanctuary neighborhood. Your neighborhood can be half illegals and you can help to support them and watch as the stores, strip centers, yards and homes become eyesores and symbols of despair and hopelessness, and tell me how much value you lost in your home. Then write back here in a few years and let us know how it went, will you?

This same scenario is happening on a national level at break-neck speed, the last 20 years. If they want to come here and fend for themselves, fine. But far too many don't. Too many come here to suck off the American tit and tax the US welfare, healthcare, and education system (that is already over burdened and broke due to waste) into oblivion, for American taxpayers to be forever indebted to correct (if that's even possible at this point)

Unemplyment at dismal levels in the US with no end in sight, and adding 5,000 new illegals into the country every month is going to help the unemplyment situation how? And as if that's not enough, they also ADD TO the cost of our welfare systems ... talk about a double whammy to add to our nation's economic debt/budget dilema!

If people remember nothing else, remember that “Immigration Reform” is code for amnesty. There is absolutely nothing with current immigration law that enforcement wouldn’t fix. Obama needs these 12 plus million votes and is prepared to do anything, constitutional or unconstitutional, to get them.

STexan - actually I am a Texan too and I have lived around Mexican migrants all my life. From my life on our North Texas ranch to now as a construction worker. In my sixty years, all the Mexican migrants have done for me is to enrich my life.

Then Keith, There is a place where you can send extra tax money to the Federal treasury. I suggest you give them your banking information and let the IRS draft whatever balance you have left on the 10th of each month since you feel such a need to help this group, and if this group is such a blessing TO YOU in your isolated corner of the US.

Are you saying white/black workers in the construction trade are not worth a damn? I'm a little confused about what you're trying to say. I've employed plenty of Mexicans who were either born/raised here or who had green cards and yes, they are a respectable, hard-working group. But these are not the Mexican's who we are talking about in this story.

STexan - the brothers aren't hanging at the Home Depot when I drive by.

... Fair enough. A valid point. But I had to include the blacks group in the question I posed or else I might appear "racist" or non-inclusive of other races.

Keith - If you actually work in construction there is absolutelty no way illegal immigrants have only "enriched your life". Illegal immigrants have lowered construction wages and replaced legal Americans jobs throughout the industry. I don't live in TX but I have seen the frustrated honest contractors on the news trying to survive because they can't compete with those who pay illegal wages and no benefits. I also know it is increasing rare to drive by a construction site and see a crew in my area that is white or black.

P.S.

Nice to see Obama reduce important issues to the lowest possible level by recruiting celebrity endorsements from hollywood, this is about as cheap and pathetic as when the Dems invited Steven Colbert to testify in congress. It shows just how little they think of the publics intelligence.

Angelica S is the BOMB (and that means fantastically great in CA).

Regarding the comment below, Mexican IS NOT A RACE - IT IS A NATIONALITY.

I am sooooooooooooooo tired of people misusing the word racist. Before you ever use this word again, understand the definition in merriam-webster.com (a RESPECTED dictionary).

Immigrants legal and illegal add to our economy and our social well being. It doesn't seem like you guys are afraid of the 40% of illegal immigrants that aren't Mexican. Are you racist?

Further, the term is ILLEGAL ALIEN NOT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT. Again, the dictionary would serve you well. If you read the definition, you would know that the word immigrant implies LEGAL entry into a country.

Further, I do not agree that LAWBREAKERS be granted US citizenship. In fact, ICE (formerly INS) does a background check or asks if a potential citizen has broken the law. Lawbreakers are not granted citizenship so why should we start now?

Finally, a week or so before Obama had my former governor to the White House along with the mayor of Philadelphia and a few other "power shakers" to discuss this very issue.

WE NEED TO TELL OBAMA - GET OVER IT - STOP IT - OBAMA, UNDERSTAND US NOW - AMERICANS DO NOT AGREE TO AMNESTY. WE HAVE VOTED NO EVERY TIME.

So when entertainers and celibrities are endorsing Obama they are "an all-star cast" but if they dare challenge him they are "carnival barkers"?

More xenophobic hatred from the Newsvine community.

The TRUTH is that our economy and our society BENEFIT from unauthorized immigrants. They do not STEAL jobs (how is that even possible? You're walking home from work one day and someone sticks a gun in your back and says "Don't show up for work tomorrow, I'm taking your job?) In fact they CREATE jobs.

In Texas alone, unauthorized immigrants raised the state GDP by $17.7 billion and paid in a NET of $472 million in taxes over and above what they received in government services.

Stop drinking the tainted Kool-Aid, and for God's (and America's) sake, stop serving it to others.

I wouold have thought the protection of this country from illegals would mean more USA , real, citizens involved..not hand picked stars and their like...Like any of them will care about the USA...I find it hard to take when like our congress, now the president , is more concerned with what the wealthy think..than the voters of this country and its laws.

We do not need any immigration reform

The implication is that you LIKE a system wherein nearly half of all immigrants are not authorized; you LIKE as system where some Americans (the unauthorized immigrants) are denied human rights, like the right to work, drive a car, or live in dignity.

But if you think unauthorized immigration is a problem, then you KNOW that we need a comprehensive overhaul.

The current system was put in place in 1986. It has NEVER worked and never will.

What we prefer is a system that dis-incentivizes lawbreaking --- FYI--- THAT'S CALLED ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAW!

I absolutely support amnesty. Don't you think the income taxes alone would make a significant difference?

In addition to amnesty, though, you MUST have HEAVY penalties for any business that hires illegal aliens. Then the jobs can go to those that are citizens (including those that are already here). Then we have an increased tax base. I just don't see the problem. They are already here, as a part of america illegal or not, so why not have them start paying like the rest of us for the benefits?

Absolutely not ZZyn--- the taxes paid won't come close to covering the staggering costs of ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. These are largely poor/low wage workers that consume far more in social services than they contribute in taxes, and their presence devastates wages for American workers and LEGAL IMMIGRANTS, thus reducing the tax base.

We agree that the LAWBREAKING BUSINESSES MUST BE PUNISHED, BUT THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ALSO MUST NOT BE REWARDED FOR THEIR LAWBREAKING EITHER.

The implication is that you LIKE a system wherein nearly half of all immigrants are not authorized; you LIKE as system where some Americans (the unauthorized immigrants) are denied human rights, like the right to work, drive a car, or live in dignity.

While that is not the ideal case, that is reality. The US cannot support every person on this planet that wants to immigrat to the US, nor should we have to. We already cannot afford what we have promised to ourselves, how do you expect for us to afford promising the same to everyone who wants to immigrate to the US.

As to the unauthroized immigrants being denied the right to work, drive a car, or live in dignity, the US immigration policy says nothing about that. Those people can do all of those things in their own country.

ZZyn and comonsense - since you are so generous feel free to invite all the illegals over your home and pick up the tab to support them.

The TRUTH is that our economy and our society BENEFIT from unauthorized immigrants. They do not STEAL jobs (how is that even possible? You're walking home from work one day and someone sticks a gun in your back and says "Don't show up for work tomorrow, I'm taking your job?) In fact they CREATE jobs.

PROVE IT. This has to be the SILLIEST thing I have heard all day.

I agree with Glenn. Commonsense and zzyn need to start paying for all these illegals since they are in agreement with lawbreakers using our resources AND THEN SENDING THE LITTLE MONEY THEY DO MAKE TO MEXICO.

We have signs all over Los Angeles - enviar el dinero a Mexico. SEND YOUR MONEY TO MEXICO.

They did not realize that some of us can speak Spanish even though ENGLISH is the official language of the State of California.

Hey Keith,

Illegal Aliens are just that Illegal I don't care what race or color you are just come to this County Legally.

Yours Truly

Naturalized American Citizen

Hey Stexan, In one small town that I know of in the rural south,the latest census shows the Latino population jumped to 49%. Every decaying and crumbling downtown building has a facelift and commerce. The municipal taxes are up. The schools are growing. Crime rate is flat. Quite a few of the normally xenophobic whites are amazingly respectful of their new neighbors. I have talked to a shop owner who is grateful he hasn't had to close his business... a ranch owner that says, "I am glad they are here. When I hire a helper, they show up and work." School secretary and I talked a while about jobs... "There are more jobs as a result. The schools are growing and the community is growing. Houses are being built."

Several of the illegals (some are legal also) are here for survival. Real survival. Life or death survival. One was being stalked for kidnapping becuase he has a wealthy uncle in Mexico.

I do think that deporting teenagers that have been here all their lives is ridiculous and cruel. I think deporting the owner of the local dry cleaner who has been struggling for citizen ship for 7 years is unnecessary and detrimental to the community.

And what about the widow whose American husband died before they could pay for the paperwork? The lawyer wants 1500 and her fridge is empty. The Americans in town are putting out "benefit jugs" for her.

This town doesn't even know they are a sanctuary city, Thank God.

obama should include all the illegals in a huge meeting. then it would be so much easier for immigration agents to round them all up for a bus ride.

It doesn't matter what the opinion is, the practical application of moving 10 million people out or their homes and to a country that can't feed them would be a humanitarian disaster. You certainly don't have to agree with me but I enjoy having a larger Hispanic community around me. I grew up with it and appreciate the cultural diversity.

You folks that have nothing to offer except that Illegal is illegal are pretty short in the communication department and I would suppose you don't know anything about the details of immigration or why we have so many undocumented workers in the US.

I have also experienced the pluses of having immigrants move to town as Henry Thinks described.

People who serve in the military already get fast-tracked to citizenship. This has been the case for a long time. When liberals state that conservatives are against this, they are lying.

As a 2008 Obama voter, I am distressed by this type of rhetoric and low-brow pandering. The ONLY duty that ANY politician has in America, is to support and promote legislation that is the BEST INTERSTS OF AMERICAN CITIZENS AND LEGAL IMMIGRANTS---- not to call for amnesty for LAWBREAKERS en masse!

The support for ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION is despicable! It is harmful and devastating to the wages of AMERICAN CITIZENS AND LEGAL IMMIGRANTS! Americans across the political spectrum want for their leaders to DO WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF OUR COUNTRY. That includes MOST PROMINENTLY--- enforcing our immigration laws, rendering harsh punishment upon business which break the law by hiring ILLEGAL immigrants and depressing wages, and deporting ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS!

Angelica, you got what you wanted. Go OBAMA! This is an Obamination!

Did he invite his Aunt Zeituni Onyango so she could offer tips on how to stay in the country illegally and live off government entitlement programs?

Well---

I do agree with Obama on many things. However, I am writing here to dispel the FALSE NOTION perpetuated by the U.S. media that ONLY the right-wing fringe demands enforcement of U.S. immigration laws--- THAT IS FALSE--- Americans including both Democrats and Republicans, progressives and conservatives DEMAND that our government enforce our immigration laws. There is no civil liberty to be in this country ILLEGALLY NO MATTER WHAT YOUR OPINION IS ON OTHER ISSUES! ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IS DESTRUCTIVE AND HARMFUL!

Anyone who puts their life on the line to protect this country deserves citizenship.

Anyone who says that children should be punished for the actions of their parents goes against the Constitution, common law, and the Bible. No ifs, ands, or buts.

As for people living at the public trough, let's be careful to judge each person individually. Virtually no unauuthorized immigrants are living on the dole. Those people are US citizens. If a non-citizen engages in welfare fraud when they could be working or commits a serious crime (working is not a serious crime, nor is wanting to be an American a serious crime), get rid of them, fine.

Buut if they are working, paying taxes and contributing to society, and living and acting as Americans, then we ought to welcome them.

If we want to end people overstaying temporary visas or crossing borders without inspection, we have to provide a mechanism for inspected border crossings and renewal of temporary visas.

Most of all, we need to eliminate the arcane, unAmerican, and unChristian system of discriminatory quotas.

You can spend hundreds of billions, even trillions, trying to enforce our current immigration laws, and you will never be able to do it. They are stupid laws and need to be changed.

We are spending hundreds of billions of dollars in social welfare services for ILLEGAL immigrants. To any sane person, this is intolerable, as they should be deported.

Lack-of-Commonsense, what provision of the Constitution has been interpreted to require amnesty for ILLEGAL immigrants. Please let me know, as I didn't learn about any such Constitutional provision in either Con Law I or Con Law II.

Buut if they are working, paying taxes and contributing to society, and living and acting as Americans, then we ought to welcome them.

I'm sorry, but if they are here illegally but working and paying taxes and living and acting as Americans they are comitting a crime. Its called fraud. If they are working and paying taxes, they are doing so on a fradulent social security number and stealing someone elses identity. To me, identity theft is a serious crime. Or are we going to tell someone who had $50,000 in credit run up in their name and put them in financial ruin that identity theft is not a serious crime?

commonsense - there are NO illegals putting their life on the line to protect this country - those would be LEGAL immigrants.

Just substitute "Hispanic" For "Negro".

This is the last few sentences of the Cloward -Piven strategy originally published in the Nation Magizne in 1966, also known as the "crisis strategy";

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/03/24-4

"The Weight of the Poor: A Strategy to End Poverty

The theory here, to force change through chaos, was among the most provocative of the 1960s."

...

"And those seeking new ways to engage the Negro politically should remember that public resources have always been the fuel for low-income urban political organization. If organizers can deliver millions of dollars in cash benefits to the ghetto masses, it seems reasonable to expect that the masses will deliver their loyalties to their benefactors. At least, they have always done so in the past."

As a 2008 Obama voter, I am distressed by this type of rhetoric and low-brow pandering. The ONLY duty that ANY politician has in America, is to support and promote legislation that is the BEST INTERSTS OF AMERICAN CITIZENS AND LEGAL IMMIGRANTS---- not to call for amnesty for LAWBREAKERS en masse!

Angelica, I truly am glad that you are distressed. I was distressed during the campaign and when he was elected.

There was NO DOUBT in my mind that Obama wanted to grant amnesty to illegal aliens, NONE whatsoever. I would have voted for Hillary Clinton but because she wasn't running, my vote went to McCain. Clinton does not agree to amnesty.

The fact that you voted for him and now feel this way gives me TONS of hope that we truly can elect a replacement in 2012. WE NEED SOMEONE ELSE WHO CARES ABOUT WHAT AMERICANS WANT, NOT WHAT ILLEGAL ALIENS WANT.

Anyone who says that children should be punished for the actions of their parents goes against the Constitution, common law, and the Bible. No ifs, ands, or buts.

How is returning someone to their native country punishment?

Anyone who says that children should be punished for the actions of their parents goes against the Constitution, common law, and the Bible. No ifs, ands, or buts.

How is returning someone to their native country punishment?

Not to mention, where in the Bible does it talk about illegal aliens?

I love it! Yes, I'm so sure there will be a balanced discussion about immigration when EVERYONE on the panel is Hispanic!

BTW, My wife is Hispanic and first generation American whose parents gained citizen ship legally and still proudly display their naturalization certificates alongside family pictures. Did I mention that they are not Democrat, my father in law is living off a retirement he built himself and my mother in law still holds a full time job and pays taxes? Funny how the deck didn't seem to be stacked against them, yet that's the roundabout premise for all the welfare spending that continues to occur.

Immigration law needs to be revised. Like commonsense said, This one ain't working. "Enforcement only" is not only unrealistic at this point, but not possible. Far better for our country to KNOW WHO IS HERE.

The rest is in response to commonly believed myths.

The law does not provide free medical care for Illegals. They do not have access to welfare. The only exception is that the hospital must respond to life threatening situations.

Most theft of identity is for the purpose of work and paying taxes. Most credit scams and defaults on loans are by US citizens.

from Wiki
Undocumented Taxpayers

The IRS estimates that about 6 million unauthorized immigrants file individual income tax returns each year.[10] Research reviewed by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office indicates that between 50 percent and 75 percent of unauthorized immigrants pay federal, state, and local taxes.[10] Illegal immigrants are estimated to pay in about $7 billion per year into Social Security.[11]

Undocumented Workers Subsidize Social Security

Illegal immigrants pay social security payroll taxes but are not eligible for benefits. During 2006, Standard & Poor's analysts wrote: "Each year, for example, the U.S. Social Security Administration maintains roughly $6 billion to $7 billion of Social Security contributions in an "earnings suspense file" -- an account for W-2 tax forms that cannot be matched to the correct Social Security number. The vast majority of these numbers are attributable to undocumented workers who will never claim their benefits."[8]

Francine J. Lipman, a Professor of Law at Chapman University School of Law, in the Spring 2006 Harvard Latino Law Review wrote an article "Taxing Undocumented Immigrants: Separate, Unequal and Without Representation," In it she wrote:

"[U]ndocumenteds actually contribute more to public coffers in taxes than they cost in social services...

[E]ach year undocumented immigrants add billions of dollars in sales, excise, property, income and payroll taxes, including Social Security, Medicare and unemployment taxes, to federal, state and local coffers. Hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants go out of their way to file annual federal and state income tax returns.

Yet undocumented immigrants are barred from almost all government benefits...Generally, the only benefits federally required for undocumented immigrants are emergency medical care, subject to financial and category eligibility, and elementary and secondary public education. Many undocumented immigrants will not even access these few critical government services because of their ever-present fear of government officials and deportation.

Undocumented immigrants living in the United States are subject to the same income tax laws as documented immigrants and U.S. citizens. However, because of their status most unauthorized workers pay a higher effective tax rate than similarly situated documented or U.S. citizens. Yet, these workers and their families use fewer government services than similarly situated documented immigrants or U.S. citizens...As a result, undocumented immigrants provide a fiscal windfall and may be the most fiscally beneficial of all immigrants."

IRS statistics

According to the IRS, the number of taxpayer-identification numbers assigned annually in the U.S. has risen from 615,414 in 1999 to 1,837,583 in 2009. More than 7.8 million have been distributed in the past five years.

Last year, 2,030,699 tax returns were filed using tax-identification numbers - by both immigrants here legally and undocumented workers.

http://www.deseretnews.com/mobile/article/700043538/Fact-or-fiction-The-myths-and-realities-of-illegal-immigration.html

Immigration law needs to be revised. Like commonsense said, This one ain't working. "Enforcement only" is not only unrealistic at this point, but not possible. Far better for our country to KNOW WHO IS HERE.

Why? Apparently we do know because wow in the world do we know how many are here in the first place?

ENFORCEMENT of our laws IS POSSIBLE. Just because YOU have a vision problem does not mean that the rest of us do. We see clearly that Obama wants to add another voter base because his approval ratings SUCK and will continue to decline unless the economy starts picking up better than it has.

Americans overwhelmingly want illegal aliens deported.

And finally - TRUE intellectuals DO NOT USE WIKIPEDIA or WIKI for their facts. Use primary sources.

It is funny to read: "Enforce the law and deport all illegals" it is the same than saying "Stop using drugs and put in jail all drug dealers" .... if the solution would be that easy, should not be done by now???

On the other hand, thousands of wealthy mexicans are moving to the US because of a fear to kidnappings. There are promotions in Mexico to move to cities like Laredo, San Antonio, Houston, McAllen, Brownsville.. etc.. all these cities in Texas. Last year when the housing market crashed, the South Texas had a boom in house sales and renting?... Carlos Slim last year purchased an apartment in NY paying $40 millions... why nobody bother these wealthy people??? how they can live in the US with a tourist visa?? why is not a requirement to be a legal citizen/resident to buy a house? why nobody stop these wealthy people driving "BMWs, Land Rovers, Mercedes" with mexican plates that overstay in the US?

The name of the game is money and the US loves MONEY, illegals are just a consequence.

Karen, the census was anonymous and written in both languages. That is how we have an idea of how many but not WHO. We don't know the criminal records or history without knowing WHO. This is one of the benefits of immigration reform of which amnesty is only a small part.

The amnesty proposals (as I have read it pardon any inaccuracies) are not for all illegals. The Dream Act was for teenagers that grew up in this country and were coming of age with no experience of their native land. Because this act was defeated they may be deported to a country with no relatives, background, or means to survive. Merciful and idealistic, isn't it?

Other amnesty discussions include pardons for productive tax-paying illegals that have stayed out of trouble, no misdemeanors or felonies. Some interesting ideas include military or civil service.

If amnesty measures are approved, the ones that meet the criteria will step forward and apply. Those that do not can then be more easily caught and deported.

STL, are they paying taxes?
And "angry over a record number of deportations"? Yeah. I should they they'd be angry. Angry that they didn't change their minds when they came to this country illegally in the first place and made no efforts to be come US citizens and that's why they're getting deported. If they're taking all our jobs, our welfare, our unemployment benefits, they can't still only be doing the jobs that no one wants to do. Is everyone telling me that they wouldn't work in a field if their children were starving? They wouldn't stand behind a fast-food counter in a stupid uniform? They wouldn't work at least two part time jobs with menial pay if their family was struggling to make ends meet? Is everyone really telling me that they're THAT unwilling to get their hands a little dirty? It's depressing. When I moved out of my parent's house I told myself that I was an adult, I'm not going to let myself go back home, and I worked from 8 in the morning to 10 at night a lot of days, two different jobs, to pay my bills, buy food, put gas in my car to make it to work in the first place to do the job that I'd been given until I found a full time job that could pay what I needed to live. I know there must be more people like me that must have done the same, worked the job that fit the hours around the other job, found a different job once one was lost, kept at it and didn't give up, didn't spend money on things they didn't need, rarely asked their parents for help. I took pride in the fact that I was a grown up and could handle my life, and so did my parents, seeing that they'd raised me to make the choices that kept me on track.
I'm asking the country, the legal Americans, to get off your unemployed asses and get a the job that is to somehow so horrible to get because it's not a "respected" position. You'll be respected when you figure out how to provide for yourselves and your families at all cost. Our women got up in World War two and kept the nation going when our forces were overseas. Where has that sense of pride gone? You're outraged at the state of the country and yet, you won't fight for a crappy job. You'd rather fight for unemployment and the welfare that is somehow going to the people who aren't even citizens of your country. Demand the right changes in legislation. Tell the president to quit being the man that apologizes all over the place for the changes that haven't been made, and then tells other countries that they should drill for oil and that we'll happily buy it. Put some pride back in your country, and do what has to be done to keep America the country it needs to be.

Damn straight.

I'm a liberal democrat and I agree. Illegal is illegal no matter where you come from.

Voter recruitment for a political party at the expense of LEGAL US workers. Can it get any more pathetic.

Maybe you all forgot or were not born yet in 1986 POTUS Ronnie Raygun gave blanket amnesty to 4 million plus illegal immigrants the repubs threw the doors wide open and are now clamoring to close it. I am all for enforcing the laws and deporting all illegals but the hypocrisy of "I was for it before I was against it is ludicrous" ship {ALL} the politicians with the illegals to a third world despot country.

Part of the deal with Ronald Reagan was that tougher immigration laws were to be written and enforced to make sure we did not go through a blanket amnesty again. Now the politicians are basically say that they want amnesty again but afterwards they will enforce the laws already on the books. Sorry but no way. A better idea would be to throw out the politicians.

Illegal is illegal

Then everyone who gets a speeding ticket should lose the right to drive.

the deal with Ronald Reagan...

Ronald Reagan disagreed with what he called "anti-immigrant hysteria" and insisted that hard working, foreign- born Americans of good repute be allowed to become citizens.

The political hacks gave Reagan what he wanted only after instituting a bizarre, arcane, unworkable, self-defeating, and downright discriminatory system of quotas that virtually guaranteed no amount of enforcement could succeed. They also imposed new (and very bad) laws, such as making it a crime for some people to workfor a living.

How's this for a stupid law? By law, no more than 5,000 unskilled laborers are allowed to come to the United States each year. But American businesses have demanded 250,000 to 500,000 low-skilled new (i.e., non-native) laborers every year, year in and year out, for the past several decades.

The altrernative to hiring immigrants is outsourcing jobs to China. The alternative to unauthorized immigration is to make it legal.

wheels460

Maybe you all forgot or were not born yet in 1986 POTUS Ronnie Raygun gave blanket amnesty to 4 million plus illegal immigrants the repubs threw the doors wide open and are now clamoring to close it. I am all for enforcing the laws and deporting all illegals but the hypocrisy of "I was for it before I was against it is ludicrous" ship {ALL} the politicians with the illegals to a third world despot country.

Did it ever occur to you some of us view the blanket amnesty Regan granted as a mistake and we learned from it so we are avoiding making the mistakes our predecessors made? Just because I do not support amnesty now, does not mean I would have supported Regean's plan in 1986. I was only six at the time and too young to have an opinion on the matter.

commonsense....

Illegal is illegal

Then everyone who gets a speeding ticket should lose the right to drive.

Last I checked, this does happen. But you have a choice, pay the fine or go to jail and lose your right to drive. All illegal aliens have this same choice. They can go to jail and be deported, or they can apply for citizen ship and pay their costs to do so.

OBAMA should look up the meaning of the word "ILLEGAL" His job is to uphold the laws not ignore them.

He IS a lawyer so presumably, he knows the definition.

The situation is that he is NOT a lawyer, he's a politician pandering to votes.

This is the only group that has NOT yet been turned off by Obama.

Did it ever occur to you some of us view the blanket amnesty Regan granted as a mistake and we learned from it so we are avoiding making the mistakes our predecessors made? Just because I do not support amnesty now, does not mean I would have supported Regean's plan in 1986. I was only six at the time and too young to have an opinion on the matter.

I was 26 and I was totally against it then too. My relatives are not American and unless my sister and I agreed to financially support them if they could not get a job, then they could not emigrate to this country.

Since my sister and I did not want to be on the hook in case they did not find jobs, we could not sponsor them.

MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE RANCH, OUR FREAKING GOVERNMENT ALLOWED SO MANY ILLEGALS TO BECOME CITIZENS. HOW FAIR IS THAT? IT IS NOT.

NO AMNESTY. PERIOD.

Obama is clueless to what the average American Citizen wants! This is only the latest slap in the face to us! Eva Longoria! Give me a break.... if this doesn't convince the 'legal' voter in America where his head is at, then we're all in trouble!

I see large scale amnesty for illegal aliens prior to the vote in 2012! Arizona knows this, unfortunately most Americans won't see the light until it is too late!

It is also his job to revise the law. And in this case entirely appropriate.

And in response to Karen, ever read Animal Farm?

Or in more contemporary literature, Charles Bowden?

You may certainly look up the sources that Wiki quotes in my post. They are there. I have read them and a great many more. I have studied crime rates, tax rates, visa process....etc etc. I have also found indicators of "planted stories" by tea party activists and "staged " news events.

Sorry if relatively non-biased and documented facts upset your tea cart.

Illegal is illegal

Then everyone who gets a speeding ticket should lose the right to drive.

Last I checked, this does happen. But you have a choice, pay the fine or go to jail and lose your right to drive. All illegal aliens have this same choice. They can go to jail and be deported, or they can apply for citizen ship and pay their costs to do so.

To get a speeding ticket you gotta be caught first. After you get caught pay a fine and keep driving, accoding to the law. Illegal aliens have no the same choice, they are caught working without papers and then got deported period. If they would be able to pay for a work permit after they were caught working illegaly then it would be the same.

Immigration waiting times are as follows: for direct relatives of a US citizen (parents, children) it takes 12 months avg.

For non direct relatives(brother, cousing, uncle) it takes 18 months avg but, if you are mexican, chinese or dominican is 14 years.

There are quotas in quantity and nationality to immigrate to the US.... in fact there is a year lottery where everyone around the world can apply... for mexicans, chinese or dominican the spaces reserved is 1. I guess, 1 is to prevent the word "racist" against immigration law. Why the law is not honest?... "we dont want legal immigration from mexicans, chinese nor dominicans, we dont want them in the US" (at least not legally).

14 years? Mexico isn't that far away. Give them a week, under supervision, to pack up their stuff, make phone calls to relatives back home in Mexico, put them in a moving truck, and drive them across the border. Maybe we could give people, American people, jobs to help them pack their crap and go. Anyone else game?

Catastic,

Probably my post was not clear enough, 14 years avg is the waiting time to be able to move to the US LEGALLY when they are sponsored by a brother, uncle, cousin. This waiting time only applies for mexicans, chineses and dominicans in this category. For parents, children and wife/husband is 18 months avg (any nationality).

Good info Equalizer-2090878, So many people scream, go back and do it "the right way". But they don't know and don't care what the "right way" is. Somehow when a toilet bowl tea party movement" starts, the bad mouthing just HAS to be RIGHT... NO QUESTIONS NO FACTS!!!

Folks, this is what immigration reform is really about.

Now they have a problem with photo id for voting. ID is always produced, with no objection, to use a credit card, cash a large bill, buy smokes, liquor. beer (40's), welfare services and checks, food stamps. driver licenses, cash checks, enter age related business's (bar, porn shops, movies).
But showing the same ID to vote, no, no, you are racist, hate monger.

Saying thinks like "Osama Obama" doesn't make people what to agree with you any more. Things like that are a real discredit to your already crumbling political party.

real discredit to your already crumbling political party.

In case you haven't noticed, it is our nation that is crumbling. When POTUS chooses to ignore federal immigration laws in order to work on producing a larger voter base for himself, he is due whatever criticism comes his way. Forget political parties and start working on a party of 'accountability'!

randi is a girl - yes it does. It shows just how disgusted people are with obama. And just how do you know what party Dr. Bob is affiliated with? No mention of any party in what he said. It sounds just blantantly democratic on your part.

I am an independent voter and vote for the best (if you can really say one candidate is better then the other) one I think can do the job. As far as the current White House resident is concerned, I think he is the most destructive politician we have ever had. Why? Because in the past presidents have had disagreements with the opposition party. Some minor and many major, but in time they were worked out.

This one is so rabidly democratic that he is unwilling to compromise at all. It's his way or the highway. Never in the history of broadcasting and journalism has a real president excluded news organizations whether they saw eye to eye with them or not. This one discriminates against FOX News because they do not see things the way he does. His hatred of FOX is almost to the point of bigotry.

Hey Richard...I take offense to that! Oh wait, I just re-read your post and you are exactly right! However, you are not allowed to use the words hatred and bigotry when talking about a Pres. that is half-black...you do know that is a sure sign of you being racist don't you?? (sarc)

Randi is a girl, learn how to spell, you are discrediting your party.

Does Randi think Bob is a Democrat? Last I heard Dems were ones instituting a "strategy" of labeling the people who are replacing them as "extreme", and who are desperate to trade citizenship or cash for votes... you can't "crumble" much lower than that before you are extinct.

It takes a minimum of 5 years to obtain US citizenship once you are in the system, and very few make it that quickly. (Last year a woman obtained her citizenship after living in the US as a permanent resident for 100 years, but she wasn't trying very hard.) So Obama is not signing up new voters for the 2012 elections.

The truth is more likely that you do not want immmigrants to vote ever, because you are afraid they might vote for the 'other' party.

And non-citizens do not vote. If anyone claims otherwise, I challenge you to document even one single verifiable incident.

commonsense....

It takes a minimum of 5 years to obtain US citizenship once you are in the system, and very few make it that quickly. (Last year a woman obtained her citizenship after living in the US as a permanent resident for 100 years, but she wasn't trying very hard.) So Obama is not signing up new voters for the 2012 elections

First, I don't care if it does take 5 years or 10 years. Citizenship in the United States is not a right for every person on the planet. It's just not feasible.

Second, what the heck do you think giving amnesty to all the illegal aliens will do to the voter rolls. You make them citizens, you give them the right to vote. And that is exactly what Obama is trying to do for the next election.

It takes a minimum of 5 years to obtain US citizenship once you are in the system, and very few make it that quickly. (Last year a woman obtained her citizenship after living in the US as a permanent resident for 100 years, but she wasn't trying very hard.) So Obama is not signing up new voters for the 2012 elections.

The truth is more likely that you do not want immmigrants to vote ever, because you are afraid they might vote for the 'other' party.

And non-citizens do not vote. If anyone claims otherwise, I challenge you to document even one single verifiable incident.

What kind of nonsense is this? It's NOT commonsense.

President Reagan wanted the Hispanic vote when he granted amnesty because back then they were voting Republican.

I live in California. WE KNOW that illegal aliens vote. Soooooo many of them have fake ID. How do you think that Meg Whitman's maid was able to be employed? SHE HAD FAKE ID.

With fake ID, she could register to vote.

Anyone Pick up on the statement "Entertainment Community", Well Said. Mr. President:Secure the Border.

Abusing children is absolutely disgusting and there is no excuse for your reprehensible comments. You speak of "illegal criminal" activities, but denying US citizens their rights under the Constitution is illegal and criminal.

You worry about petty things like overstaying a visa (which could easily be renewed, like an expired drivers license, if there were a mechanism for doing so), but you would trample on the United States Constitution itself.

You are no patriot. You should be thoroughly ashamed of yourself, and roundly condemned, for attacking American children.

There are a few of us in the entertainment community that want illegal aliens deported. It's rare because....

"Show business kids making movies of themselves, you know they don't give a f - - k about anybody else, they're outrageous." (Steely Dan)

No guts is the real problem. Taking the easy way out and not caring about the American people or the legal residents who did it the right way.

Not one of those people was for anything but amnesty so how is he having a talk about immigration reform when there is only one side there? Meanwhile this country gets deeper in debt due in large part to illegal immigrants and their anchor babies.

Amnesty that will send our country further down a path of socialism that we could not possibly fathom. I hope he continues this argument with the "entertainment community" - it will be the nails in his re-election coffin. He couldn't telegraph his intentions any clearer. Desperate for votes....

Good idea throw the traitor and his linebacker wife and kids out of the country, Michell will not miss it to much considering she has only been proud to be a citizen of this country for a few years now, Maybe some socialist or communist country will take them.

If the Republicans had their choice, ALL the illegal immigrants would be sent back to their respective countries. Hispanics give nothing to the GOP so they are very much pro-enforcement of immigration laws. The increase of deportations is not Pres. Obama's or the Democratic party's effort because they want the Hispanic vote. The Republicans will do anything, spin everything to regain the power of the White House. It is very easy to see right through their tactics.

I'm a democrat and I can see a media ploy. However if you put eva longoria in a suit, had her run republican and spout jibberish then you would have sarah palin wouldn't you? However, illegal is illegal and I don't think those whose first act in the country is to commit a crime should get any preferential treatment. The longer we wait to rule on this situation, the harder it will be to work it out, there are already 3rd and 4th generations from illegals here and they are considered citizens.

Randi is a girl, very smart. I mean, this is the first stab at Sarah Palin. You are a trendsetter. The first to post something sooo smart. You thought of this all by yourself huh?

Except that Longoria is apparently perfectly happy to throw the country that gave her fame and fortune under the bus because sharing a race with border criminals is more meaningful to her.

She and Shakira can move to Mexico and enjoy the Mexican lifestyle instead of trying to foister it on the American public who are not rich and famous enough to avoid it.

Longoria is American, Shakira is Columbian. What does Mexican lifestyle have to do with either of them. This is a discussion on Immigration reform, not just Mexico. Enjoy swimming in your hatred.

Wow. Such vitriol for other humans that just want a better way of life. Disgusting.

"Longoria is American, Shakira is Columbian. What does Mexican lifestyle have to do with either of them."

They have both been preaching for amnesty despite the fact that they nor their children will ever have to endure the consequences resulting from it? It is very self-righteous to wish spreading a lifestyle, which Mexicans themselves are fleeing, but not abandoning, onto your fellow citizens.

What does their nationality have to do with either of them? Other than the fact that it obviously means very little to them?

Thank you. If the Latino celebrity community is so angered at deportation and immigration laws that are sending their fellow Latinos back home, maybe they should start looking at the root of the problem-why they are leaving Mexico in the first place and taking up US tax dollars to live here illegally. If they really cared about their people, they should get to the root of the problem, investigate what's going wrong in Mexico that needs to be fixed there, to keep people from taking US resources.

Those people can't buy themselves out of jail like those in the republican party.

Randi - Jailed MS-13 gang members are another group Obama needs to cater to. Just think about it,by allowing the gang members to vote even while they are in prison you can intimidate honest citizens on the outside to fall in line and vote with the Dems.

Not sure what you mean about buying your way out of jail, perhaps you are thinking about Clinton's pardon for Mark Rich? (I think that was one of the names, there were many however)

Who needs to buy their way out prison under an administration that hands out "job czar" positions instead of prison sentences? Try paying zero taxes on billions in earnings and see if you get a government appointment like Immelt, if your corporation publishes enough propoganda you just might get rewarded.

Funny, but on average, unauthorized immigrants are the least likely people in America to commit a jailable offense.

US citizens are five times more likely to commit a serious crime than an unauthorized immigrant, and that holds true even when controlling for ethnicity.

You who claim that a person, as opposed to an act, can be 'illegal' really care nothing about law and order. It is all about persecuting people you fear, hate, or think belong to an 'inferior' (as opposed to equal) demographic.

I personally have significant issues with the fact that felons can't vote. In my mind, they should absolutely be able to vote if for no other reason to vote against the laws that put them away. There are a LOT of unjust laws out there. Taking away a man's vote perpetuates a climate of unending control over dissenters.

"Funny, but on average, unauthorized immigrants are the least likely people in America to commit a jailable offense.

US citizens are five times more likely to commit a serious crime than an unauthorized immigrant, and that holds true even when controlling for ethnicity."

You're right that is funny, it's even funnier that you actually repeated it as if it wasn't total B.S.

Since you apparently don't understand basic math or reality, you should know that violating a country's border laws is a serious crime therefore 100% of "unauthorized" immigrants have committed a jailable offense.

why aren't we giving the jobs we give prisoners to unemployed Americans on welfare? Surely it doesn't take a criminal record to learn how to press license plates. I understand training people in jail who are going to be released to have a way to start back up in life and rehabilitate themselves, but at the moment, I think it's a little more important to reconsider what jobs can be giving to the people who aren't behind bars. Once we have the job situation under control, the economy in better shape, and the illegals out of the US, then we can re-focus on rehabilitation for small time offenders. Quit closing down our auto-plants and sending them to Mexico so that Mexicans can make the parts and ship them back to the states. Put significant limits on worker's union power and just give people their jobs back, as I'm sure now 75% of them would be willing to have that job back now to pay bills, put food on the table, take their kids to the doctor.

Hopefully in 2012.

You mean 2013. Politicians who lose their bids for reelection are shown the door in January.

Thanks much for the laugh!

Will the stupidity ever end? Only when this elitist is out of office.

Not to mention the free pass he and his administration have been giving to the financial services industry. No one has gone to jail for the worst financial crisis of our generation. Absolutely astounding.

Free pass, how about all his tax cheats he gave jobs to?

They got free passes on the crimes and rewards of government positions for their "support" and obedience to his agenda.

No, Yes and enforcement.

Yes, and Yes. What is wrong is that it is a racist policy run by incompetent people led by Legislators that are afraid of their constituents.

When Mexicans are treated like Canadians then we can say our policy is not racist.

It's numbers Keith. Illegal canadians have zero right to be here just like illegal africans, europeans, asians, and hispanics. ICE picks up illegals of all colors/cultures. The extreme high majority of those are hispanics only because the extreme high majority of illegals are hispanic. It isn't racist at all, it's just percentages that no one can argue with.

@What is going on

My brother in law has been waiting 7 years for his visa. His application was approved years ago but the quotas are too low.

Alex...don't confuse them with the facts or it may override their emotional appeals.

I posted a response to the main chain already however, KEITH, I am a Canadian immigrant (LEGAL) who is now a citizen. It took me 10 years to get citizenship, going through all the same treatment as any other LEGAL immigrant including being treated like a lower class citizen every time I had to go to the immigration office. This is just part of the process for becoming a LEGAL citizen to this great country.

It has nothing to do with RACE - Canadian/Mexican, as far as I can tell, are not races... maybe I am wrong here?

At immigration, everyone is treated like crap. They are intimidating and act like they are all on a power trip (sorry if I offend any immigration workers). Just our experience.

My dad was grilled for two hours straight when renewing his work visa. They treated him like he was part a of a criminal interrogation.

Get your facts straight before posting such foolishness.

Will someone explain what is wrong with our current immigration laws.

• Does it take too long to become a citizen?
• Are the Quotas too low?
• What has to be changed?

whatisgoingon, you have the best post on this page. There are too many things wrong with our cuurrent immigration system to detail here, but in answer to your direct questions:

It takes too long to be approved for entry into the United States, especially if your are from the Philipines, Mexico, Latin America in general, India, or almmost any Catholic country. Wait times of two, three, or four decades are common, but most people from those countries are simply not allowed ever because they don't match one of the 'quota' categories. If you are from England or Germany, there is no wait whatsoever, and you can even get in on a "diversity" visa (designed to ensure that northwest Europeans always have a chance to immigrate) if nothing else applies. Once approved for entry, citizenship can be attained within 5 to 20 years in nearly all cases.

The quuotas for some people are way too low, especially for unskilled laborers (5,000 per year versus the 250,000 to 500,000 we hire every year), Mexicans, Philipinos, Latin Americans, and several other countries. Moreover, the quota system is never adjusted (beyond some numbers going down when others go up, etc.). It's as though we believed a bunch of hhack politicians in 1986 were able to predict exactly how many our economy would demand every year for the rest of time, and that the number would never change.

Important changes include: eliminate the discriminatory quotas (better yet, scrap them altogether and let the free market do it's job; allow people who want to come here the opportunity to do so, keep track of them, and if they can't make it on their own once here, let them go back whence they came without penalty or prejudice against trying again later; pass out work visas like candy (but do not allow agents or companies to 'sell' them), requiring stable employment and staying out of trouble as a condition for renewal; allow visas to be renewed without leaving the country; provide a pathway for normal status for people already here who work, pay taxes, and stay out of trouble; make it legal to work; make it legal to drive a car; eliminate the prohibition against temporary residents working; etc.

Well we hope not since we now have Secured Communities though a bill to ensure that all communities actually did it died in the session due to the Dems.

The old mayor of Denver is now the Gov.

We do have a huge hispanic population and its gotten much bigger over the last 10 years. You can tell with the number of things we have to cater just to them.

I'd be happy if he and the rest of the hard left libs would simply STOP encouraging and enabling Mexican nationals to come here by any means possible ... so long as you get here before Nov 2012.

I don't expect the border can ever be "sealed" as that is a logistical impossibility, but they an stop encouraging them to come here and promising them a comfortable, secure life if they can just get here.

Attend a Citizenship Ceremony and You may rethink your Position, Illegal Aliens need to leave now and apply for citizenship through due process. There should be no Amnesty, it will compound the problem going forward.

I'm trying to be realistic. That isn't necessarily how I personally feel about deportation, more what I feel is the reality of 12-20 million (or more) Illegal aliens, the majority of who came here to better themselves and their families. Having a stiff financial penalty for them versus those who come legally will cause many to self deport before coming back legally. Also, as my post states, any further breaking of the law should be grounds for INSTANT DEPORTATION for any conditionally recognized aliens.

Xray:

You dont seem to realise what allowing 12 to 20 million to get legal citizenship would mean. Chain migration for decades to come; more illegals since this would be #2 amnesty; much harder for the legal people already here to find work; a bankrupt country too.

You are right about chain migration, once in , it would open the floodgates immediatey for 4 to 6 times the numbers of illegals already here so don't think 20 million illegals. Think 20 million illegals, then 80-120 million more allowed in on the family visa program.

I guess you didn't pay attention to my post if you think I support blanket amnesty. I absolutely oppose it, but there should be some way to deal with the reality of those here that doesn't involve blanket deportation (the other extreme that pops up in this discussion).

I believe any solution should ensure that those who receive some sort of conditional recognition of status are at the back of the line for citizenship behind those who come legally and that they should pay a substantial penalty before being allowed any sort of application for citizenship. As I also stated aliens given provisional status who break (o)the(r) law(s) should be subject to INSTANT deportation!!

xray, can you please tell me how NOT applying the "other extreme" of blanket deportation to the US would directly benefit you and your family? Your neighbors? Your friends? People you work with who are US citizens? What negative changes would it make to you and your friends lives if we sent all the illegals back home by the end of this year? People might have to branch out a bit more? Their teenage kids could get jobs and learn how to fend for themselves? That would just be horrible, right? Welfare and unemployment could be given back to the people who don't send it out of the country to bring the rest of their own families here illegally. We're basically paying for illegal immigrants to come here and mess up our economical situation while we claim innocence.

Most of our ancestors came in without papers or permission. American First Nations, fighting illegal immigration for 600 years.

Keith - Not exactly accurate. Almost all came through Ellis Island in a legal manner. You ought to visit the museum sometime and you will learn the facts about the "legal" immigrants that have made this country great.

Go to your local police station and look at the wanted posters for more history on the illegal criminal aliens primarily from Mexico.

@Bill that isn't exactly accurate either. There weren't many immigration laws during Ellis island's peak. The ones that were in place were there to keep Chinese from immigrating to the U.S. Quotas weren't introduced until the 1920s so immigration was pretty open. There were no obstacles except getting here.

The other really important restriction ... women traveling alone had to be met by a man, or they were immediately deported.

This President has divided this country more than any political entity in history.

RVE agree with all but granting children citizenship. until we actually settle this issue this would, still be an incentive for ILLEGALS to cross our border.

you're going to waste more money, time, and manpower enforcing that than it's worth. it's such a short sighted and ignorant view.

perhaps you should understand and take a history lesson about the United States. So many people claim to be proud Americans and want to protect their country from immigrants...it's sickening. the United STates is a nation OF immigrants. it's about open doors and making a new life, one that is better than where you came from. the ideas you put forth have nothing to do with being American -- it is more likened to naziism and the third reich.

Ryan79:

Nowhere did I suggest that the US should stop accepting imigrants into this country. Just enforce the laws that are already on the books, and change some others.

Naziism and the third reich...I didn't realize the TSA was included in this discussion.

AMEN!! We need our troops home defending our own borders and protecting our own citizens. Automatic citizenship for the anchor babies born in the US to illigel immigrants should be considered illigel also. Are you listening to the AMERICAN people Mr. President!! Apparently not.

Ryan sonny put your pipe down and I left you a message at 22.1

Ryan,

The view of the majority is not against immigrants, it's against illegal immigrants. I absolutely despise that both parties have let all the illegals in our country over the past decades. But that isn't against immigrants. I work with LEGAL immigrants, I've talked with them about the long painful process they are going through to become citizens. While the process should be streamlined, it is still a process that needs to be gone through by ANYONE wanting in our country to stay.

Every single illegal that is in this country has broken at least one law, which makes them all criminals. Many of them are using stolen social security numbers. The bleeding hearts say that they need it to get a job and to live here. Well, what about the actual owner of that ssn, what about the AMERICAN citizen who's credit is being ruined (which in this country could easily ruin your life for a long time, no house loans, no car loans, problems for health care, etc, etc).

Any person from any party that is in favor of amnesty is against the American people, cut and dried.

Give all Police Federal powers when dealing with immigration, Implement E-verify for all employers, Huge fines for those employers who do not comply,Use all fine money for deportation and Enforcement, Secure the Border, One warning shot, lethal force for non-compliance, This last solution would probably not have be used except against Drug smugglers and cartel once our stance on security is known.

No amnesty! Come here legally, or not at all. I have a friend from Libya. He came here legally. He did everything he needed to do to become a citizen. On the day of his citizenship grant, he had a huge party to celebrate becoming an American. He is a LEGAL, tax paying citizen and claims to be AMERICAN!

Many of the people from Mexico, don't want to become United States Americans, they just want what is available in this country. They want the country to change to their ways (and we're doing it, look at the job ads- must speak spanish indeed). If you want to be a United States American and feel you must state where you came from (we really don't care, we just want to be sure you're really on our side and we don't have to worry about who's behind us if a war breaks out, only the enemy in front), be a U.S. American-Mexican. Put the US first!

All illegals need to be picked up and deported. All of them. If our government can post 26,500 armed US troops in South Korea to protect their country and border why can't our government post 26,500 US troops on our border to protect our country?

It did state 'entertainers' and not 'rocket scientists'.

Maybe he could form a committee of crack dealers to address the flow of drugs from Mexico also? Or deadbeat parents to address the societal issues that are leading our children to a path of failure? Or AS and JJ to lead a committee on how to overcome a victim mentality and become a productive member of society?

When entertainers and celibrities are endorsing him they are "an all-star cast" but if they dare challenge him they are "carnival barkers". Not a drop of leadership to be found.

Good point pjam!! Are you surprised from someone with his limited experience?

There are already laws to address your issues. To call some one a nazi because they have more sense than you do, is a leftist union tactic that doesn't fly any more. Unions are toast!

If you can't get cheap labor that means the wage must go up to secure workers. Is that a bad thing or should we continue to use low cost labor?

Ryan - you are right, a practical approach is something the anti immigration crowd fails to address. This problem was created by our government not the immigrants. The folks commenting have no idea how our system works or how racist the laws and regulations are.

I guess we'll pay more for our food then. If the wages are higher for those doing the planting, picking, then they can afford to pay more for food. You talk about jobs americans won't do, I'm willing to bet that if the wages are fair, the job will get done. By the way, I've baled hay, picked tomatoes, detassled corn, etc. Great spending money when you're a kid, but not enough to raise a family on.

kieth you are on drugs also, we are talking about illegals, not immigrants, what a difference a word makes!

Keith - Next you will tell us that the problem with bank robberies was created by the banks and not the robbers. The banks are trying to hold on to their money so the only way some people can get money is to rob the banks at gunpoint.

that is such rascist crap.

Racist crap???? Really??? Ryan, if you want to pay for all the illegals, then by all means - go ahead. We have a LEGAL process for obtaining citizenship in the U.S. You Ryan are supporting the position of breaking the law. A law which the President is suppose to uphold. I know plenty of people in line to obtain U.S. citizenship coming from many different countries. Why should they follow the law and latinos be allowed to BREAK IT!? This is about following the law and using the process that has been already been setup. We cannot simply open the floodgates to the entire world. It doesnt work that way!!! We would be a third world county overnight! WAKE UP RYAN!!!!!

Maybe you should check out :

cis.org/immigrant-welfare-use-2011

It is an excellent read in to why giving amnesty would drive our country further into the gutter. It's also an excellent read as to why we should be enforcing the immigration laws of the country so that our brain pool doesn't get further diluted.

Regrettably Ryan, while there are races and cultures from all over the world that are here illegally, the hispanics are by large the majority of the problem. Number don't lie.

Hahahahaha....Ryan79 must an illegal himself. Hahaha!

It wouldn't hurt to include some border state representatives or governors in the discussion...

No kidding, but that makes too much sense....lame.

Sounds like to me Obama's using the Old Quaddfi tactics..lol Invite singers and superstars...Just like he stated...a Carnival, thats what it sounds like to me...leaving out those elected Officials that SHOULD BE INVOLVED.

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/24/us/wal-mart-raids-by-us-aimed-at-illegal-aliens.html
You may want to rethink that post as it regards to what Bush did and didn't enforce...

amf1211,

Good link, but it does not contradict Freedom Fighter. The employees were arrested and deported and most likely quickly replaced with more illegals. We should have gone after the employers; jailed and fined the corporate officers personally for their criminal and treasonous actions.

The solution is to fine and jail employers that hire illegals... that is the solution. It would be easier to chase 10000 employers thant 12 millions illegals.