If they came here legally, then they are here legally and would not need amnesty to make them legal. Actually, you are wrong. It is meant to give a break to those who stayed past their VISAs, due to inefficiencies in the INS.
They came here expecting to remain for more than one VISA, but the INS apparantly did not process their paperwork.
Dick Armey laid it out pretty clear that he'd never have supported this legislation if it were meant to support anyone who entered the country illegally.
If you want to believe the media spin, then be my guest. Do what you choose, but I believe Dick Armey.
Overstaying a Visa is being here illegally, they can return home and reapply. They had no right to assume that they automatically would get as many Visas as they felt like having, being here on a Visa allows you a set amount of time and they should have lived up to the agreement. I can accept this amnesty if it's exactly as you say and amounts to a few thousand people who may be in that situation ----but I heard the lies told last time about the amnesty ---how it would be for a few hundred thousand and it turned into more than 3 million ---at least 2 million immediately came over just to get in on it.