I think the demonstrations have had a positive effect in scaring the daylights out of Americans.
Yep. A lot of wasted energy, IMO. If the illegals would go home and spend this much energy on reforming the corruption in their own countries of origin illegal immigration would not be an issue here.
Not when every single cable news program I've watched this a.m. (including Fox) frames this as an "immigration" debate. It's not! It's about massive numbers of people breaking existing law, then cynically trying to use their 'rights' under the same law to make demands on legal citizens.
It's crucial to get the language right! These people are lawbreakers, illegal aliens, non-citizens. They have absolutely no rights under the Constitution except those granted to fugitives. ENFORCE EXISTING LAWS! If Congress won't do it it's time to find new Congress-critters who will.