If only the distinction between holding and dictum were that clear cut. Language within the context of a holding may or may not have the weight of holding. That is the subject of future cases and legal journals.
In either case I am not disputing that we are discussing a class of individuals who are here illegally. I might even reluctantly stipulate the potential illegality of a minor child that has lived here most of his or her life. I am talking about, and I think Newt is talking about a path to legality for certain classes of individuals but not all. So wholesale deportation is, IMHO, not the best answer.
I used ‘wholesale’ in deference to your discomfort with ‘forced.’ But I don’t think forced is a wrong choice of words despite the fact that you did not explicitly use it . Force can take many forms and not all are bad. I know you advocate self-deportation. And I have considerable sympathy for that approach. Remove the magnets and many illegals will leave. Of those that remain it would still be more humane to distinguish between those with real, long-standing ties and roots who are otherwise productive members of the community and those who ar only here for the freebies. A path to legality for the former and a path back to the border for the latter would be just fine with me.
Any chance you have some empirical evidence that “most” are here just to snooker us and have no desire to naturalize?
We either follow the laws we have, such as our immigration laws, or we continue down the Obama path of picking and choosing which laws we will uphold.
Illegal Aliens Get Millions In Monthly Welfare Checks
http://www.judicialwatch.org/blog/2009/jul/illegal-aliens-get-monthly-welfare-checks-0
Illegal Aliens Get More Welfare Benefits Than Citizens
http://www.thenewamerican.com/opinion/selwyn-duke/7042-illegal-aliens-get-more-welfare-benefits-than-citizens
Try googling “Illegal Aliens and Welfare” for more of these articles.