[Sabertooth]

I'd double the number of additional Border Patrol agents (16,000 as opposed to 8,000) and the INS agents (4,000 as opposed to 2,000) in the Gekas bill. Is that a suitable start?

Anything's a suitable start. What I don't understand is why you want such a huge Amnesty for millions before you begin augmenting our security at the border.

Amnesty rewards illegal behavior. Past experience and common sense show that Amnesty attracts more Illegals. Your problem at the border will get worse, not better, if you grant an Amnesty.

[hchutch]

I'd be happy to combine the provisions of the amnesty with the provisions of the Gekas bill I'm for (I'd strike out four of the 50+ provisions there).

If we require those applying for the amnesty to prove they were in the U.S. prior to January 1 of this year (I'm open as to the specific date), it should deal with future Illegals to a large extent. And the additional INS agents can be used to start prosecuting employers hiring Illegals, or going after the folsk who smuggle people in.

And what is there to say that the additional Border Patrol agents wouldn't help clamp down on things as well?

I'm also of the opinion that it might not be a bad idea to modify the quotas - cut off the immigration from Arab nations and take the slots used for the Diversity lottery, and apply those to immgirants from Mexico. Plus, I'd also restart the bracero program that used to be in place before Ted Kennedy's 1965 Immigration law.

[snippy_about_it]

Immigration should only be granted when legally applied for and on a limited basis.