They steal, buy, or make up social security numbers.
What is it about the term "illegal" do you not understand?
I understand the word fine.
First, all crimes are not equal. People who speed break the laws. People who litter break the law. And people who trespass (like illegals) break the law. They are criminals. See? I got it right. None of these offenses is necessarily punishable by jail or even fines. Many people get warnings.
Most of the illegals work multiple jobs, pay taxes, and love God, their family, and America. Their crime is wanting a better life and crossing a border. Last Oct the limit for guest workers was met in one day. Chances are they would never be legally allowed in America with the system we have today. I think that is sad, because their is so much room in America for people who want to work hard and make their community better. The INS and immigration rules are screwed up. They need to be changed and they will be. I don't think legislation is coming because immigration is in the news. We have had an immigration problem for a long time. Dubya promised immigration reform when he ran in 2000 and only 911 postponed it. The reason why you are hearing about illegal immigration in the news is because legislation is coming. There will be a debate and reason will win out.
Second, the law is wrong. There used to be a time when it was illegal for slaves to run away from their master. Those who broke the law and were not caught before the law changed were not later rounded up, sent back to the master, and told they must now remain slaves because they didn't play by the rules.
Third, your anger at business is misguided and naive. State rules differ, but the federal government requires employees to fill out a W2 for taxes, and I-9 for legal identification. If a new hire comes in with fake documents the employer is NOT authorized to question the documents. He can only file them. If an employer made the mistake of questioning a legal worker's document he would open himself up to litigation, and charges of discrimination. The employer does not have the right to dispute the documents. That is the responsibilty and duty of the INS.
The I-9 requires 2 forms of ID like birth certificates, drivers licenses, and other document that are not standardized from state to state, county to county, city to city. The right fringe recently tried to stop everyone else from passing regulations and standards for birth certificates and drivers licenses, along with more border agents, holding cells for captured illegals, and information gathering streamlining. They got shrill and puffed out their chests. They pounded on the podium and declaired loudly "THIS WILL NOT STAND! We ARE the majority!"...but they failed. Like they always fail. It must be a conspiracy...a conspiracy of the sane.
Those crimes aren't analogous to what illegal aliens do. They are trespassers.
Trespassers aren't necessarily jailed, but they are removed from the premises.