[Sir Gawain]

We've got some 11 or 12 million illegals in the country. It is a national security problem. It's also an economic problem. If you could round all those folks up tomorrow and put them back over the border, you'd have a big hole in your workforce.

...

I mean, the president pointed out in his speech for example that since we got into office, we have arrested, turned back, sent back across the border some six million illegals.

So which quote of yours is the truth, Mr Vice President? It can't be both.

[Darkwolf377]

So which quote of yours is the truth, Mr Vice President? It can't be both.

Why not?

There are 12 million here...we turned back 6 million...

Why can't both be true?

[SF Republican]

They both can be correct; 12 million are here, 6 million sent back

[Wolfstar]

So which quote of yours is the truth, Mr Vice President? It can't be both.

Of course it can be both. It not only can be, but is. Illegals have been pouring into this country ever since President Reagan signed the 1986 immigration reform act which provided the first, and so far only, true amnesty to illegal aliens.

The Border Patrol apprehends on average around 1.1 million illegals a year -- actually not necessarily 1.1 million individuals since some of them are captured more than once trying to cross. The 1.1 million is a percentage of the total. The ones that made it in comprise the estimated 11-12 million now in the country.

[snugs]

Yes it can. If we suppose that a good percentage of the 11 or 12 million are working full or part time then to deport them would if only temporarily put a big dent in the workforce.

The 6 million that were sent back have not affected the workforce because they never got a chance to enter it.