If the only law an illegal has broken in a couple of decades or more was coming here a couple of decades or more ago AND they've been good, established, law abiding, tax paying members of the community ever since, then figure out a way to make them pay for breaking the law decades ago and leave them be.
These law-abiding illegals have broken multiple laws besides entering this country illegally flaunting our laws. The lawbreakers have probably committed ID theft, worked illegally, tax evasion, drving without a license, used invalid or stolen SSNs, etc. They are really felons and should be treated as such.
Candidates who respond that we should deport “criminal” illegal aliens and that “undocumented workers who play by the rules” should have their status regularized in some way by the federal government, i.e., pay a fine, learn English, and get to the back of the line on a earned path to citizenship are supporters of amnesty. Trying to create two classes of illegal aliens is a distinction without a difference, except if you are intent on treating them differently, i.e., providing one group with an amnesty.
Agreed. But, they have been officially encouraged to come here and have been rewarded for being here thanks to pseudo-legal creations like sanctuary cities and even federal loan programs to give illegal aliens home loans.
There are, within the variety of illegals, a percentage that has shown through how they have lived their lives here that they are worthy enough to stay.
Do NOT grant them amnesty and reward them with full citizenship.
Instead, perhaps they should be treated the same and have a similar limited set of rights and privileges as convicted felons who have served their sentences, once they have earned it by coming forward and going through the immigration process.
They are they only ones who get to stay. Make them pay for the privilege and don't make it easy. Boot the rest, enforce the border and reform the immigration process.