Deep sigh. Ok. Let's give the President credit for trying to do something. However, any proposal for legal status of the current population of illegals must be either accompanied or preceded by control of the border.
Howlin, we are so far removed from control of our border that any guest worker program is laughable. As long as nearly a thousand a day are apprehended along the Arizona border, you don't have border control. The BP admit to catching less than 1 in 5 crossers. That isn't control. When the Sec'y of State says "We're making significant progress.", that's a tacit admission that we're not there yet.
When I say control the border, I don't mean shoot them on sight and I don't mean don't let anyone through. I do mean allow people to enter only at our Ports of Entry - not along a mountain trail through my back yard.
I agree with you 100 percent; and the people in Congress who are working on this problem right now agree with you 100 percent.
That being said, immigration is one of those areas where there is really only one solution, and no one likes it. You have to get control of who is coming in, or any program (save a rolling amnesty, which is the exception eating the rule) will not work. Accordingly, step one is gaining control of our borders (not necessarily with the military or even a paramilitary). But, no one wants to do what it’s going to take, so we will volley back and forth and not get anything accomplished. Same old, same old.
My opinion: nothing is going to happen. It's all talk.