We are all so eager to express our heated opinions about illegal aliens invading our country, that we jump to conclusions that aren't based on facts.
As I posted on the other thread, 245I is not a blanket amnesty for all illegal aliens!! 245I applies only to aliens who came here with paperwork, like student visas or work visas, and let them expire. 245I allows this lesser group of aliens to re-register (with certain stipulations), and to pay a $1,000 fine, then wait for an interview with the INS -- which may or may not grant them legal citizenship.
This does not apply to the hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants who snuck across the border without paperwork!!
I don't know where you get your information, but you are 100 percent wrong.
This is pretty much what Dick Armey said on Hannity & Colmes. However, he made it sound as though the people benefiting would not be people who "let" their visas expire, but rather, people who tried to renew their visas but were unable to, due to INS backlog and incompetence. He talked about how he drives to work in the morning and sees long lines of people waiting to get in to the INS. He made it sound like these people are innocent victims who are illegal through no fault of their own.
245I allows this lesser group of aliens to re-register (with certain stipulations), and to pay a $1,000 fine...
Okay, here's my question. If these people are really helpless victims who tried to renew their visas and be legal, but couldn't because of the INS long lines, backlog, and ineptitude, then why charge them $1,000? Wouldn't it be mean and unfair to charge people $1,000 for something that is totally not their fault? Somehow this whole thing just doesn't add up.