There are other choices besides mass deportation or a blanket amnesty. Attrition thru enforcement works. We have empirical evidence that it does. Why should we reward the lawbreakers with the object of their crime? When you reward something, you get more of it. We had a one-time amnesty in 1986 that was supposed to solve the problem. The USG estimated that 1 million would apply, but the true number turned out to be 2.7 million. We now have 12 to 20 million illegal aliens. Now we are being told that legalizing them will solve the problem. Nonsense. Why the urgency for legalization?
But on immigration they avoided the reality that this country is split on immigration. We attend church and live beside illegals, and sometimes with them. They work hard and appear to be good Christians.
Working hard does not mean you get to stay after breaking multiple laws. In addition to entering this country illegally, they have committed multiple crimes including working illegally, tax evasion, ID theft, lying on employment forms, misusing SSNs, etc.
What kind of message does this send to the 4 million intending immigrants waiting overseas for their turn to enter legally. They have completed all the paperwork including background checks, physicals etc. How fair is it to allow the illegal aliens to jump the line and be allowed to stay and work here? What about the Rule of Law?
What we should do is focus on the 10% of immigrants (both legal and illegal) who are undesireable. Deport those taking welfare. No immigrant, legal or illegal, should come here for welfare. And, of course, target supporters of terrorism and those who oppose the first amendment, and oppose our constitution,. And, of course, target murderers, rapists, Dui drivers.
Deport those who are taking welfare? LOL. It is far more than 10%.
There are an estimated 2 million criminal aliens in this country. A 2011 GAO report details the following:
The number of criminal aliens in federal prisons in fiscal year 2010 was about 55,000, and the number of SCAAP criminal alien incarcerations in state prison systems and local jails was about 296,000 in fiscal year 2009 (the most recent data available), and the majority were from Mexico.
Based on our random sample, GAO estimates that the criminal aliens had an average of 7 arrests, 65 percent were arrested at least once for an immigration offense, and about 50 percent were arrested at least once for a drug offense. Immigration, drugs, and traffic violations accounted for about 50 percent of arrest offenses. About 90 percent of the criminal aliens sentenced in federal court in fiscal year 2009 (the most recently available data) were convicted of immigration and drug-related offenses. About 40 percent of individuals convicted as a result of DOJ terrorism-related investigations were aliens. SCAAP criminal aliens incarcerated in selected state prison systems in Arizona, California, Florida, New York, and Texas were convicted of various offenses in fiscal year 2008 (the most recently available data at the time of GAO's analysis). The highest percentage of convictions for criminal aliens incarcerated in four of these states was for drug-related offenses. Homicide resulted in the most primary offense convictions for SCAAP criminal aliens in the fifth state--New York--in fiscal year 2008. GAO estimates that costs to incarcerate criminal aliens in federal prisons and SCAAP reimbursements to states and localities ranged from about $1.5 billion to $1.6 billion annually from fiscal years 2005 through 2009;
The same report included the fact that 25,000 criminal aliens were charged with homicide.
Where do we draw the line on deportation? We already deport hundreds of thousands of illegals every year even under the lax enforcement under Obama. Is it a question of numbers? We can deport the 2 million criminal aliens but we cannot deport the other lawbreakers? BS. You violate our laws and you suffer the consequences. No country on earth has a policy that immigrants can self-select where they wish to live without regard to the laws of the country.