Re: Immigration Question (Part 2)

Now Scooter, to answer your question:

I only wish it were as simple as waving a wand. But, in the LJ utopia, (1) the criminal element would be sent back to wherever they came from; (2) the current immigration laws would be strictly enforced; (3) very strict penalties for employers who hire illegal aliens; (4) very strict penalties for those who bring them over and are caught; (5) after a background check, any illegals who come forward voluntarily will be given green-cards and any who have been in the U.S. over a certain period (and I don't know what period I would come up with...3 years, 5 years, 8 years..I have no idea) would be granted citizenship if they want it, provided they are able to read/write/speak English (which also would become the official language of the country). For those that do not come forward and we then find them, back they go.

We can't send 11 (low estimate) to 30 (high estimate) million people back home, so we need to do something to get them paying more than just sales tax here. And I don't blame them for coming - I blame us for allowing it to get to this point, I blame employers for exploiting them, and I blame their countries (Mexico in particular) for not getting their own economic house in order and promoting illegal immigration to the U.S.