[markomalley]

I think the argument against amnesty is largely a socialist argument.

1. We didn't have the socialist economy that we do now.
2. Immigrants were actual immigrants (for the most part) and wanted to be Americans. You can't say that, for the most part, now.
3. We most certainly did have restrictions on immigration. See, for example, the 1862 Coolie Act.
4. With the exception of Chinese, the vast majority of immigrants to this country were Christian. That is no longer the case (you may not have noticed the volume of mosques going up in recent years...if you live under a rock). Same general religion...same general core values.
5. Low skilled jobs depended upon manpower back then. We now have these things called "machines" that do our ditch digging for us.
6. etc.

[PapaNew]

I guess there were exceptions as you point out. But generally immigration was free. Our efforts need to be focused on destroying the Socialist state.