"it would cost $80 billion"
Oh come now, who is smoking the wacky weed here. Even an intermittent fence would slow things down.
And you have yet to show how any illegal would be jack stupid enough to sign up for a guest worker card only to be taxed, finger printed, regulated, subject to minimum wage, located, subject to fines and spindled, folded and mutilated.
So, your solution is no solution, just unlimited Reconquista. Start with the FENCE, then employer sanctions for not following existing wage and tax and OHSHA laws.
You'd have to ask JeffAtlanta what he is smoking, because "$80 billion" is his figure and I don't smoke.
I agree with you on the issue of illegal immigration, but I strongly feel that the American public just doesn't have the political will for a fence.
The cost isn't a problem, but it would take years to build and funding would eventually be stopped.
I believe that the cutting off of non-emergency social services to illegals including education should be the first step as it has the most bang for the buck.
Couple this will prison time for employers that use illegal labor and most would self deport.