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We would not be having this discussion if the number of illegal persons was one million versus twelve million. It is not necessarily the problem of illegal border crossing as it is the magnitude of that problem which concerns so many.

Exactly, 12 million is a very big number that has to be dealt with effectively, with strategy, not with some garbled nonsense about finding 12 million unknown/unregistered illegals and throwing them in a van back home... way to many.

We're wasting our breath with these "conservatives". They rant about Bush not solving the problem and flatly demand that Bush "close the borders" and yet they have no viable solution for how that could be done without outrageous expense. They snidely berate Bush for not kicking out the illegals and yet have no solution for how to do that without setting up a police state that can stop anyone at any time to ask for "papers" just based on their appearance.

Genuine conservatives would want to take these aspects into account in addition to the problem of illegal immigration... many posters are obsessed with illegal immigrants to the exclusion of not only political strategy and survival, but other conservative ideals they pretend to stand for.

Forced deportation is not practical. Self-deportion is achievable.

Some measures that will encourage self-deportation:

1. A resolution in Congress and an affirmation by the Supreme Court over a defensive interpretation of the 14th Amendment regarding citizenship.

2. New and enforceable retrictions on family reunification policies and law.

3. A full-measure hidden surveillance and backup militarization of all geographical U.S. borders.

4. Harsh monetary and criminal sanctions against federal and local regulatory, social service, health, education organizations including employers that aid and abet persons or groups that are intentionally violating U.S. immigration laws.

5. An expansion of existing restrictions and tariffs on wire transfers from within the United States to persons unable to prove legal status.

This last measure is perhaps the strongest. It is estimated that net wages or benefits of $1200-2000 a month made in the U.S. can fund a future illegal crossing for up to four persons. By making it difficult for an illegal person to to fund the illegal crossing of others, many persons of illegal status will return to their place of origin. Increased border surveillance and enforcement will change the risk-reward ratio for persons that physically transport cash to their country of origin.