Our national message has to be, IMHO, that immigrants are welcome, but illegal immigrants will be treated as the criminals they are. A healthy immigration/guest worker (green card) program should be in place that is in keeping with our true nation needs, with the intent that those immigrating and looking to citizenship are assimilated as American citizens with an understanding of our laws, constitution and an ability to speak the language...otherwise, no citizenship. Such a program then needs to be strictly adhered to and inforced, with no amnesty or free pass for the ones already here illegally. The borders then need to be firmed up, controlled, and seriously patroled to prevent illegal entry.
As to the illegals themselves, IMHO, the answer is (new ones or older ones already here) to deport every one of them, place thier names and fingerprints on a list, and then make sure they know if they are caught illegally back in the country they will go to prison and spend a minimum of five years building those buildings, digging those ditches, harvesting those crops for free...before they again are deported with the message that the next infraction brings on a ten year sentence of the same.
Then, we need to have just as stiff an enforcement on those Americans who knowingly hire the illegals, stiffly fining them to begin with, and building on that depending on the nature and size of the infrction, to where they also serve time in the gray rock motel.
Such a program may be somewhat painful at first...but not nearly as painful as what is coming if we do not get a firm handle and control on this issue.
Just my opinion.
Pretty well reasoned opinion, Jeff. I like your idea of acknowledging that some level of need exists for the labor, but I wouldn't fix that before working to secure the borders...I'd do borders first and immigration quotas second.
That's the only difference I have with what you say.
As for the Government. The members of the DEA,FBI etc etc are just as comlicit as the employers. It is their job to protect the American Constitution, not aid and abet the anarchist (all of them) that are working to destroy it.