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To you, but also to all who believe paying a fine can't be the punishment for breaking our immigration rules --

If you break tax laws, the punishment is almost always a fine, not jail time. If you break traffic laws, most of the time you just pay a fine.

Now, I agree that in the theoretical world, they should pay a fine for breaking the law, and then they should be sent home to Mexico or wherever.

But if you ARE going to let them get in line for citizenship, it makes sense not to send them home, because, while we hate the idea that they are here, they have proven their intention of integrating into our society.

Under Bush's plan, NO foreigner who is waiting to become a citizen will wait ONE MINUTE LONGER than they are today. They simply will have to wait where they are, while these people who are here illegally will be allowed to stay here under a work visa until they qualify for citizenship. And when they do, it will be AFTER those who were waiting legally.

They are being put ahead in line for the "legal work visa" stuff, and I don't like that, but from a practical perspective sending well-settled people to a country where they have no ties, no place to go, and no contacts, just so we can let some other people (good though they were to wait legally) come take their place, people who don't know OUR culture, don't know the jobs, maybe don't know the language, it just seems like a lot of hassle just to stick it to the people who really didn't commit some great offence -- they just came where they wanted to live. You could move to Texas tomorrow and set up a new life. They did the same thing.

I can't believe I'm defending this 5-year stuff. I was so against it when it first came out. But I've talked to some people, did some reading, did some praying, did some thinking, and it just seems that, once you've decided you are going to let them in the line at all, there's no point in throwing them out of the country. It doesn't help us, it doesn't help them.

I'd be a lot more selective though than just "5 years". Bush said he wanted it more selective -- I believe him, but I don't know how we will be more selective, because government is pretty bad at stuff.

But I'm willing to give in on the 5-year point, with ALL the safeguards Bush mentioned, IF in return we get serious about policing the borders, and kicking out those here 5 years or less.

I think the Senate bill had a path for the 2-5 year people. I'd rather have it be 6 years, not 5. 5 is the MINIMUM I'd accept if I got everything else.

I am glad the guest worker program HE proposes requires them to leave the country at the end. The Senate bill I think lets them stay at the end and apply for citizenship.