Thanks, LL, for expounding on your earlier comment. I remember that little ploy when they tried to use the INS to drum up more voters.
One of my real problems with this debate is that these are real human beings with real families, many of whom are US citizens. While a large percentage ARE cheats in the way they arrived, another large percentage (I don't know how many) BECAME illegal because INS failed to provide a document and without a legal training or background (which I was fortunate to have) they didn't KNOW they were out of status until they were out of luck. I think any law needs to make up for the sins of the past. That's why I believe there SHOULD be some sort of discretionary path to citizenship--if you have followed the rules and fell out of status through no fault of your own, get a pass on. The discussion today should give a taste of just how complex the immigration laws are.