[King Black Robe]

Amnesty: an act granting a pardon to a group of individuals.

How is this different from amnesty? What price are they paying for their illegal activity? What motive will others have to not do exactly the same thing?

[CalKat]

This is not different from amnesty. It is amnesty, and calling it something else does not make it something other than amnesty. Sheesh.

[McGavin999]

The price they are paying is the fee they must post. The people who apply from their home country do not pay the fee. You must remain employed. If you lose your job, you must go home. The employers will be responsible for reporting if you have been dismissed. If they don't THEY will pay a BIG FINE.

[McGavin999]

This will be pretty easy to enforce. If you are standing in a parking lot awaiting a day labor job, the first truck that pulls up will probably have INS on the side. You won't have a thing to say about it if you don't have your citizenship. If you have a blue card, it means you are in violation and will be shipped home. If you have neither a blue card or citizenship, you will be shipped home.

What this law will do is make the rules clear and anyone violating it will be punished. There will be no "Everyone has been doing this for decades and never punished". There are new rules, everyone will understand them, and those who break them will be punished. The illegals by being shipped home with no hope of ever obtaining either a card or citizenship ever, and employers will pay hefty fines and probably prison sentences. Considering the security problem today, they will be luckey if that's all they get.

[SunStar]

How is this different from amnesty?

"I oppose amnesty, placing undocumented workers on the automatic path to citizenship. Granting amnesty encourages the violation of our laws, and perpetuates illegal immigration. America is a welcoming country, but citizenship must not be the automatic reward for violating the laws of America."

What price are they paying for their illegal activity?

If they are caught, they would be deported. However, there are too many of them now to deport them all, and, due to Political Correctness, not to mention anti-discrimination laws, it would be very difficult to ask all Hispanics in the U.S. to show ID.

What motive will others have to not do exactly the same thing?

Hopefully, President Bush is serious about severely penalizing American companies and businesses who employ illegal immigrants after the new laws are passed. If there are few jobs available for Mexicans who do not have a "blue card", obtaining one will be the priority, rather than border jumping.