mack wrote on Oct 20, 2005 1:50 PM:This problem is easy to fix if only people face reality or the facts. If some comes here illegally or over stay their visa, is that a felony? I do not think so. Fact is we are all human and it is because that the system never supported legal immigration properly is why a lot of people come here illegally don’t kid your self I know of people under the law took 8 to 10 years to come here that is why people came here and over stay. I do not support that but this is just one of the many reasons that people do this. The 245I gave people a fair chance to get there status adjusted they also paid a large fine. If a further extension is given this would be a more humane approach as people will have to go through the Labor Dept to get a labor cert and still pay a large fine. Fact is no one saw this as an amnesty because it was not. The fact is thousands of illegal immigrants got their green cards that way to implement a guest worker program is more or less geared to the Mexicans. There is already a system there why not use it extend the 245I Act, to a realistic date. There are millions of people that are here with good jobs highly skilled and speak English because it is their native language. To make matters worse to have a guest worker program that will not have provisions for people with higher skill Plumbers, electricians to name a few not to have the opportunity to become legal residents is just Un-American, we are bigger than that. The president is on the right track people in Congress should come together with a sense of compassion and give immigrants here a fair chance after all this country was and is still being built by the sweat of Immigrants Legal and Illegal side by side after all most of our grand parents were from other countries. Thanks Mack.

Mary wrote on Oct 20, 2005 2:31 PM:Because we do not enforce our immigration laws, there are probably 500 million people around the world who are trying to figure out away to get here even as this is written. Any back down from fullying enforcing the laws including evicting the illegals who are here will only encourage more of the same. All we are doing is importing problems and exporting wealth. I got laid off as a staff accountant, was replaced by an illegal a few years back, and then was considered for jobs currently held by middle aged men who I am sure were trying to support a family. That is how illegal immigration effects everyone. This maybe the issue that makes me leave the Democratic Party.

Myke wrote on Oct 20, 2005 6:31 PM:What immigration enforcement hasn`t worked, according to that Ramirez guy. There hasn`t been any enforcement. Jorge Bush and our government keeps selling out America and the American people on illegal immigration. They keep saying the same rhetoric and excuses, and take no action. The border chaos could be stopped tomorrow. The American people aren`t falling for it anymore. The heat is on and it`s only gonna get hotter. The American people are fed up with the chaos and destruction of our neighborhoods. It`s time for the voters in 06 to make changes. Americans this is your wake up call!

William wrote on Oct 20, 2005 6:41 PM:Secure the borders!!! Deport all illegals!!! No more anchor babies.

Ray wrote on Oct 20, 2005 8:03 PM:Mack - are you serious? There are so many mistakes in your assertions, one doesn't know where to begin....First, every country on earth protects it's borders and enforces it's immigration laws, and when now a large majority of Americans want those laws enforced, you think it's mean or it isn't compassionate? The "root cause" is Mexico - a corrupt and incompetent country for almost 200 yrs. The USA has the most generous legal immigration system in the world and you still want more? Here's a hot one for you. Why not petition El Presidente "Big Chin" Vincete Fox to improve his hell hole called Mexico? About 75% of the American people want this illegal flood of Mexicans stopped. Why are you against it? Are you on the payroll in some way, benefiting from this invasion? Are you an American or a spine-less "global citizen" who doesn't have pride in his own nation, language, culture and customs? What a joke.

Samantha wrote on Oct 20, 2005 8:32 PM:Bush's pledge to hire a handful of additional law enforcement personnel is a mere bag of shells. It must be that he needs more of our Border Patrol agents in Iraq and our ICE agents for the next hurricane relief!

Eddie wrote on Oct 20, 2005 8:33 PM: I'd like the people that say illegal aliens "are doing the jobs Americans won't do" to explain to me why there are unskilled, uneducated people on welfare, who claim to be seeking work but can't find it. Why is there a problem with poverty and the homeless? Why don't we match people who want work but can't find it with people who want workers but can't find them?

tom wrote on Oct 20, 2005 8:49 PM:Put all illegals out of the country. They undermine the economy by sending money back home, money that otherwise stays here in America. Americans will do these jobs that Bush says Americans won't do. (THIS IS A LIE). They are bankrupting our hospitals overrunning our schools.(TAXES GOING UP). In VIRGINIA 25 percent of traffic DEATHS are caused by ILLEGALS. Hepitus, whooping cough, meningitus, tuberculosis, plus many other diseses into America. (YOU WANT THESE PEOPLE SERVING YOUR FOOD??).Then there are the gang problems with the ILLEGALS. Ive heard of 60 people in 3 bedroom home. (IN TEXAS). No more anchor babies. No public or private schools for ILLEGALS. No FREE Healthcare. No drivers license. They are destroying America as we know it. This insanity must stop people are fed up with it. DEPORT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM.

soulman wrote on Oct 20, 2005 9:08 PM:"We dont need no stinking amnesty!" Deport all illegal aliens now! Watch the wages start to increase when they are gone! See Americans working for living wages at jobs once held by illegal aliens for minimum wage (or less).

Jon wrote on Oct 20, 2005 9:14 PM:Problem is anyone, regardless of race, that illeaglly enters a country is a criminal, don't mistake this. And the crime does not stop at the border, when people have no respect for law, what stops them from committing more crime? Nothing! I live in Arizona, the Mexican Nationals are known theives anywhere they live, ask anyone who lives next door to Mexican nationals. I know there are a few who are good people, but still their coming here illegally makes them bad period. When I was a kid my parents never said to me that some of the bad things I did was OK! Why is it that people think when someone does something wrong and uses it as an excuse because they've been victimized that its OK. No matter how much some may "Justify" their ill behavior, it does not make it acceptable. This is Rationality which seems to be lacking in a few open border fanatics and bleeding hearts. When I visit someones home, I don't come uninvited and just break in, then when my friend comes home, cry racisym when he demands that I leave. Or if he pretends to deal with me, I then decide to demand he feed me, pay for my medical, food for my kids, pay for an education, steal my job, my property,and then claim how they contribute, and when I finally protest, call me a Racist in loud confrontative violent way. You know what, I don't like anybody, regardless of Race, who is like that, if someone tries that with me its WAR. This is the attitude of the illegal Mexican Nationals who come from Mexico, not to mention "Reconquesta" and the Movement to reclaim "Aztlan" The most Racist people I have ever meet have been Mexican Nationals. Americans of Mexican decent on the other hand, thank God, have been the opposite because they consider themselves American and have assimulated. I have many friends who are of Mexican Latino decent including my brother inlaw (full blooded American Of Mexican decent) and I am Latino Romainian, you know the Latinos forgotten, from Europe! God bleesed Americans of Mexican decent and all those who came to this great country through the front door as well, we of many Races are united, in a land of laws that protect the citizens from harm, these illegals mean us harm as their actions have proven. Deport illegals, fine and inprison employers of illegal immigrants and secure our borders. This way the United States can continue to allow those who realy deserve to come here to do so, those whom will appreciate the chance and prove it through their actions (Through respect of our laws) regardless of their race. Those who want to be American!

Kathy wrote on Oct 20, 2005 9:20 PM:Illegal immigration is against the law. We as Americans have laws that we have installed to protect. The Republicans and Democrats need to realize that this is NOT a poltical avenue, this is not about race or unfair treatment. This is about the LAW. 90% of Americans agree that they should be deported,..'what' is so hard to understand? I've heard many claim that it would cost millions to deport them all,..but as Americans,..I think it's our perogative to decide if our millions of dollars in taxes paid should be spent supporting them or deporting them,...we have voted, we have spoken,.law's are being broken, our security is being ignored,..."what part of this do politicians not understand?"

Elaine wrote on Oct 20, 2005 9:54 PM:Mack, this country was built by immigrants who came here to be Americans. They learned the English language and embraced American culture--something that new immigrants are not doing.

Michael wrote on Oct 20, 2005 11:58 PM:All of the pandering and all of the talk will not solve this problem. Enforcement will. If anyone noticed, every single one of the Amnesty aspects of the 1986 and the 1996 Immigration Reform Acts were implimented but not a single Enforcement policy was ever used as they were meant to be used. Many people want to grant a blanket amnesty because they feel the need to replace responsible government and the rule of law with some personal, self-motivating, PC warm and fuzzy action. Listen. If you want to adopt a Mexican, be my guest, but don't include me in your silly scheme. We are either a Nation of Laws - or we are a Lawless Nation run by Law Breakers. DON'T MAKE DECISIONS FOR ME OR FOR MY CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN. The weakest argument being made is that we are a Nation of Immigrants!! WRONG!! WE ARE A CONSTITUTIONAL REPUBLIC FOUNDED BY AMERICANS!! ONLY ONE FOUNDING FATHER, ALEXANDER HAMILTON, WAS AN IMMIGRANT FROM THE WEST INDIES. EVEYONE ELSE WAS BORN HERE AND AS AMERICANS, THESE MEN AND WOMEN SACRIFICED FOR US. THERE WERE NO ILLEGAL ALIENS INVOLVED AND IF YOU READ CLOSELY THE FEDERALIST PAPERS - YOU WILL BETTER UNDERSTAND THAT ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION WAS A CRIME THAT COULD GET YOU "PUT" IN THE GRAVE. AND, BEFORE YOU START SAYING THAT OUR FOUNDING FATHERS LIVED 225 YEARS AGO AND WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND TODAYS SOCIETY - GET A LIFE!! THESE MEN AND WOMEN WROTE A DOCUMENT THAT HAS STOOD THE TEST OF TIME AND WE LIVE IN THE OLDEST CONSTITUTIONAL REPULIC ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH. IT IS ONLY WHEN "MEDDLERS" START THEIR TINKERING THAT WE FIND OURSELVES A NATION DIVIDED BY CULTURE, LANGUAGE AND VALUES - THAT IS TO SAY - DIVIDED BY AMERICAN VALUES AND OUR UNIQUE CULTURE AND OUR ENGLISH LANGUAGE AS OPPOSED TO EVERYTHING MEXICAN!! Americans should try to remember that we are American. We are not spanish, German, Italian, Irish, Russian, Native-American, or anything else. We are American. As a part Chippawa Indian, I am an American first and I bring to the table a mixed bag of ethnicity, But I am an American - first, foremost and always. So please, stop your misrepresentations. America was not founded by immigrants and the vast majority of our population did not flow from immigrants. We just happen to be a Nation that never turned a LEGAL IMMIGRANT away - and so goes the wonderful story of the United States of America. What part of ILLEGAL don't you all understand? God Bless America and her wonderful Citizens.

Michael wrote on Oct 21, 2005 12:03 AM:All of the pandering and all of the talk will not solve this problem. Enforcement will. If anyone noticed, every single one of the Amnesty aspects of the 1986 and the 1996 Immigration Reform Acts were implimented but not a single Enforcement policy was ever used as they were meant to be used. Many people want to grant a blanket amnesty because they feel the need to replace responsible government and the rule of law with some personal, self-motivating, PC warm and fuzzy action. Listen. If you want to adopt a Mexican, be my guest, but don't include me in your silly scheme. We are either a Nation of Laws - or we are a Lawless Nation run by Law Breakers. DON'T MAKE DECISIONS FOR ME OR FOR MY CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN. The weakest argument being made is that we are a Nation of Immigrants!! WRONG!! WE ARE A CONSTITUTIONAL REPUBLIC FOUNDED BY AMERICANS!! ONLY ONE FOUNDING FATHER, ALEXANDER HAMILTON, WAS AN IMMIGRANT FROM THE WEST INDIES. EVEYONE ELSE WAS BORN HERE AND AS AMERICANS, THESE MEN AND WOMEN SACRIFICED FOR US. THERE WERE NO ILLEGAL ALIENS INVOLVED AND IF YOU READ CLOSELY THE FEDERALIST PAPERS - YOU WILL BETTER UNDERSTAND THAT ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION WAS A CRIME THAT COULD GET YOU "PUT" IN THE GRAVE. AND, BEFORE YOU START SAYING THAT OUR FOUNDING FATHERS LIVED 225 YEARS AGO AND WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND TODAYS SOCIETY - GET A LIFE!! THESE MEN AND WOMEN WROTE A DOCUMENT THAT HAS STOOD THE TEST OF TIME AND WE LIVE IN THE OLDEST CONSTITUTIONAL REPULIC ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH. IT IS ONLY WHEN "MEDDLERS" START THEIR TINKERING THAT WE FIND OURSELVES A NATION DIVIDED BY CULTURE, LANGUAGE AND VALUES - THAT IS TO SAY - DIVIDED BY AMERICAN VALUES AND OUR UNIQUE CULTURE AND OUR ENGLISH LANGUAGE AS OPPOSED TO EVERYTHING MEXICAN!! Americans should try to remember that we are American. We are not Spanish, German, Italian, Irish, Russian, Native-American, or anything else. We are American. As a part Chippawa Indian, I am an American first and I bring to the table a mixed bag of ethnicity, But I am an American - first, foremost and always. So please, stop your misrepresentations. America was not founded by immigrants and the vast majority of our population did not flow from immigrants. We just happen to be a Nation that never turned a LEGAL IMMIGRANT away - and so goes the wonderful story of the United States of America. What part of ILLEGAL don't you all understand? God Bless America and her wonderful Citizens.

Fed Up wrote on Oct 21, 2005 2:02 AM:Hey Mack! I'm an electriction who is watching my wages fall, thanks for offering to replace me. maybe I can get a job cleaning my replacements new home!!

Critter wrote on Oct 21, 2005 3:54 AM:MACK! your argument is beside the point ,ILLEGAL is just that ILLEGAL! No exceptions! PRO PATRIA!

RR wrote on Oct 21, 2005 6:47 AM:THIS IS MY COUNTRY I was born in the USA. I didn’t sneak across the border nor did I pay a smuggler to help me get here. My parents were born in the USA and their parents before them. My relatives fought in the civil war. My dad served in the Marines in World War II. My uncle was wounded on the beach at Normandy. I served in the USAF during peacetime. My relatives fought for this country to preserve our heritage, our culture and our way of life. And, each day, I see America, as I know it, slipping away. Unlike the millions of illegal aliens in the USA today, I have a vested interest in this country. They come here to make money; I’m here because it’s my home. They send a substantial part of their salary, $14.5 billion annually, to their relatives in Mexico; I send mine to my government in the form of income tax. I have a vested interest in this country and I don’t like the changes I see taking place because of illegal aliens. Those changes are made possible because our government won’t enforce our borders. Those changes are made possible because our elected officials are more interested in promoting and protecting the “rights” of illegal aliens than the rights of our citizens. Slowly at first, yet more rapidly each year, the leaders of the Hispanic community are getting elected to state and federal legislatures where they promote the interests of illegal aliens instead of looking out for the interests of American citizens. In order to gain even more power and control, these Hispanic officials form their own organizations (and the list seems endless) such as the Latino Legislative Caucus (in California), The Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials, The Congressional Hispanic Caucus and The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials. These same individuals and organizations throw in the “race card” and label state and congressional representatives as racist if they don’t go along with their program of empowering more illegal aliens with state issued driver’s license, in-state tuition, educational loans and free medical care. These Hispanic elected officials say that “diversity” is good for America yet they aren’t so “diverse” in whom they represent. I have a vested interest in this country and I don’t like calling a business or government agency (practically any city, county, state or federal agency) and hearing, “Dial 1 for English” and then hearing some message spoken in a foreign language. I shouldn’t have to “Dial 1 for English.” This is America and English is our language (or at least it used to be). I don’t like clicking on a government web site and seeing a link for the same information posted in a foreign language. English is our language, and if you can’t read and write English then either learn it or get out of my country. I have a vested interest in this country and it comes at a price. Health insurance is expensive and it costs businesses and private families millions of dollars every year. Yet, if you’re an illegal alien, you get free medical care at the emergency room of any hospital. In fact, our hospitals are “giving away” so much free medical care, they’re going bankrupt--77 hospitals on the Mexican border are $1.4 billion in debt. Soon, they won’t be able to care for American citizens. The hospitals have little choice; our government forces them to treat illegal aliens. I have a vested interest in this country and I pay for the privilege of living here. Education is expensive and it’s funded by American taxpayers. Yet if you’re an illegal alien, you can send your children to school and they’ll receive their education on the backs of American taxpayers. As for the children that don’t read, write and speak English, no problem: we’ll hire teachers to speak to them in their language, we’ll buy textbooks written in their language. And when it’s time for college, once again, no problem, we’ll give them in-state tuition and even provide them with a government loan thanks to our elected officials. I have a vested interest in this country and I pay for it in the form of taxes. As for the argument that illegal aliens pay taxes, it’s untrue as they get paid under the table by thousands of employers. The majority of illegals don’t own a home and don’t pay property tax (although that’s changing thanks to special home loan programs for illegals). Illegals don’t file income tax returns and because most are paid “under the table,” there’s no way to record their wages. However they seem to make plenty of money to send “home” to Mexico since their remittances is the second largest source of income to that country. There isn’t one illegal alien that can say they have a vested interest in the USA because it’s not their country. At least not yet. But at the rate things are changing, if our politicians continue failing American citizens, it’ll soon be their country.

Jim wrote on Oct 21, 2005 7:01 AM:In my view, there is only one issue that determines my vote on election day - "illegal aliens" and who has the nerve to enforce immigration laws. All other issues will become irrelevant as we slide towards third world status.

June wrote on Oct 21, 2005 8:16 AM:One side of my family was here before the American Revolution and one fought in that war for independence. I do not consider myself an "immigrant." That is beside the point. We who were born here at any time in this nation's history, are legal. Those who break in, are ILLEGAL. Every one needs to be deported and until then, there should be NO talk of a guest-worker program. The Dallas Morning News ran a column in the last few days saying how much of a bubble our President is in - surrounded by "yes" men and women, and not reading newspapers, so perhaps he is totally unaware of the devastation he continues to allow. And he wonders why his popularity ratings are so low. Let's make sure our next leader cares more about his own people than big business and the demands of foreign leaders who urge their people to break our laws.

Realist wrote on Oct 21, 2005 12:02 PM:Haha. did we forget our wonderful ameican history? lets gothrough a refresher shall we? lets see. now where were the native american's border patrol when the europeans invaded the eatern cost and flooded america with illegal aliens in the 1500's? where was africa's border patrol when the illegal white immigrets invaded and plundered? What was that about our borders? people coming over or something like that? kinda like that time white invaders moved accross the border of mexico into texas. Hey remember that alamo? when a whole bunch of white people decided that they wanted to dominate even in their state of illegalness so they built a fort? and when mexico came to crack down on the illegals this wonderful america decided that this was enough reason to illegally dominate another piece of the continent. then we got a little carried away and took california, nevada, arizona for the heck of it. Then we settled which is a wonderfully presumptious term. It would be like me sitting in your front lawn with a shotgun picking off your family saying to myself and passers by that i just settled the lawn. Well we went and stole (or for the theiving white man stole=settled) the new territory that our destiny manifested. Now here we are many years later. The natives want to cross the border simply to mop your floor or make your taco or maybe go to one of the schools you built on his ancestor's hunting ground so he can escape the third world you left him to and maybe make a better life for his kids and your telling me that we should crack down on the illegals? Why in the world would you want youself removed from such a wonderful land that you've stolen? Seems to me like you would want the government to crack down on the natives. the people who are actually from here. then we can go take over the rest of the world. I CALL DIBS ON IRAQ!

AL wrote on Oct 21, 2005 7:31 PM:No to guest worker program No to free health care and education of illegal aliens and their families No to anchor baby policy No to illegal aliens No to hiring illegal aliens No to deporting illegal aliens that commit crimes in US. Absolutely yes to enforcing illegal alien laws in US Code. Absolutely yes to unconditional deporting of all illegal aliens NOW!

Les wrote on Oct 21, 2005 9:14 PM:What part if “illegal” is not understood? They are already here illegally, and a “guest worker” program is nothing more than amnesty with window dressing. They are here illegally; they will remain here illegally when the “guest” period expires, then, who will track them down and make them leave? Nobody, they are here forever with “anchor” babies and relatives, paying little or no taxes and consuming more than their share of tax sponsored programs. Our hospitals are going broke; our schools are over crowed and cater to language arts rather than math and science, and our streets are clogged. Illegal alien sympathizer, Christian Ramirez, is right; border enforcement is not effective. Arrest and prosecution of those who hire illegal aliens will dry up the job market and force the illegals to stay home. Illegal alien sympathizer Christian Ramirez is also wrong; “we” do not need to address the root cause of illegal immigration, which is a job for El Presidente, Vincente Fox. Mexico does not have a welfare problem, they all come here, and El Presidente more than welcomes one of his problems fleeing north.

Woody wrote on Oct 22, 2005 9:06 AM:Immigration is regulated here in the USA so that assimilation of other less sucessful cultures can be absorbed into the mainstream of American society and that they can learn to live by the values and laws that made our country the greatest and the most desirable place to live. Unregulated immigration can and is undermining and overwhelming those values and laws.The Balkanization of our country is creating pockets of foreign cultures who see no penalties for breaking the law to get here and upon arrival a network of support. No wonder they laugh at our concern. Immigration is a good thing ,the concept is now being HIJACKED by voices representing ILLEGAL migrants from Mexico and points south who are NOT comming to the USA to be Americans and part of the Melting Pot

marie wrote on Oct 24, 2005 10:31 PM:first of all i hear all this trash talking about illegal immigrants ruining our schools, invading our country and etc, etc, etc. illegal immigrants are making this country diverse. in other words their making it a better place. you know who are ruining our schools, invading our country? i dont know if you heard lately about the school shootings, but those people are ruining our schools. killing their own classmates and innocent people. and about ruining or invading our country TERRORISTS. Now those people are ruining our country with hatred and having no sympathy for anyone. People need to think before they act, say and write. And need to get their facts straight.

DL Peat wrote on Nov 16, 2005 11:23 AM:Employer sanctions will work if the minimum wage is increased to correct for inflation to provide the labor by Americans.