I am staunchly democratic politically but I do not support the idea of immigration reform. I do not feel that we, as a nation, must amend our laws to satisfy a group of people who have decided amongst themselves to break our laws. As a black man born to parents who played a significant role in the struggle for equality here in America, I can honestly say that I appreciate the struggles and the fight to overcome them. And with that being said, I ask why will a person come here for a better life as opposed to fighting for a better life where they live? That struggle, that fight, amounts to dignity; it amounts to giving your children a reason to stand and be proud. I read a story about a woman who came to America illegally. She now resides in Columbia, MD where she cleans office buildings for a living. According the author of the story, she has made more money and worked fewer hours than she would have working in the country she came from. She also hasn’t seen her son in over three years. Some say would argue that that kind of commitment to making a better a life for her child is the kind of people we need here in America. But I’d argue that theory. To me, she has taken the easiest path; the one of least resistance to earning money. And his life, her child’s life, has to be worth more than money. To leave your child to be raised by someone else in hopes of earning enough money to bring him somewhere illegally isn’t parenting. It’s teaching your child that doing something wrong is ok so long as your reasons justify making money. To me though, fighting for a better life at home; fighting to change the laws where you live is the admirable thing to do. As learned during the Civil Rights Movement, no struggle is greater than the people who have the courage to stand up to it and change it. Regardless of the outcome; whether it is imprisonment or even death. You fight for what you believe in! Yet too often you look around and virtually everything American is slowly turned into something of an international commentary of what the sad state of affairs is. You can go into a grocery store and find more people speaking Spanish than English; you have people arguing that English should not be the “official language” because so many people can’t speak our language. We have our schools split between English speaking and Spanish speaking students. It has to change. I can readily admit that I do not hate anyone or any culture but at the same time I admit that I love my country. For better or worse I love America and I wish that those who come here illegally leave and try to come back the right way. Or better yet, be the person who is willing to stand up and fight for your country to a better place to live.

as a parent, I realize 'change' can take time and the time it can take is relatively much longer than the time that peoples children can go without food or safehaven or clean water

these immediate NEEDS will very reasonably take precedent over long term 'change',,,

and both things can happen concurrently, people can meet their immediate needs while doing things to contribute to long term change

I do believe immigration laws should be enforced, but I am torn about sending people back who didn't come here through their own consent (children) but have gone on to create productive lives,,,,

anyone that came here illegally as an adult, should face the consequences of deportation,, those who came here legally but missed paperwork (the forgotten 'illegal' immigrant class) should have the option to correct their document errors

Those who come here as children with their parents ought to have a clear path to citizenship. No questions asked but their parents should also pay a very steep price. For those who come here illegally should be sent back. The basic necessities of life are important but so is the fight for those necessities. I argue that if the world heard you speak then there would be international help. No country would sit back watch those fighting for equality without offering assistance. I have a problem with those who fight for immigration reform here but won't fight for basic needs at home.

I live on the border.

One very grand problem OUR gov. won't address is the anchor child.

There are Mexicans who have permission to come over to shop, not work, and will go to the local hospital here and drop their kids. The kids are automatically given US birth certificates.

Then, with new kid in tow, they head straight to the welfare office. Check, Medicaid, foodstamps. In this area, the welfare workers work the system for those who illegally drop a kid here.

I firmly believe, they should be given live birth certificates and stated on there, they are citizens of Mexico.

I do not think non citizens should have a voice in politics or be asking for policy changes. that is presumptuous. learn to speak english acquire legal residency and citizenship. then gain a political voice and participate in the process here

otherwise, I agree, illegals already have their own country and it is not the U.S. If they want to be politically active they should go home and do so until such time that they have taken the legal steps to make this their country.




But legal immigrants should be welcomed with open arms!

I agree their should be an anti anchor baby law of some kind, or a law requiring that a mother is a US citizen or legally married to one

By law, to marry a Mexican national, the US citizen must apply to DHS. Then, the Mexican National has to go to Monterrey with their filled out application for permission to live here. Time passes, they get the yes answer, they make an appointment in Juarez to pay the filing fees, take their physical exam and are subjected to a background check
.
If their physical exam and background check comes back clean, they go back to Juarez and pick up their immigration papers.

Anyone knowingly marries an Illegal or someone with a visitor pass commits a felony. Time in prison and/or a fine. The US citizen will lose their passport and the Mexican national will be deported and never allowed reentry.

Janet Napolitano used to say some really dumb things, but THIS guy is stuck on stupid.
Homeland Security Secretary: Illegals Have ‘Earned Right to be Citizens’
CNSNews.com) – Speaking at the United States Conference of Mayors on Friday, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said the approximately 11 million people who are in the country illegally have “earned the right to be citizens.”

“An earned path to citizenship for those currently present in this country is a matter of, in my view, homeland security to encourage people to come out from the shadows,” said Johnson, in what he remarked was one of his first public speeches since being confirmed as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) chief in December.

“It is also, frankly, in my judgment, a matter of who we are as Americans,” he said, “to offer the opportunity to those who want to be citizens, who’ve earned the right to be citizens, who are present in this country–many of whom came here as children–to have the opportunity that we all have to try to become American citizens.”

Outsourcing will soon cure the immigration problem (for those who actually want to work), what we need is welfare reform and the problem will fix itself!

They're all Mountain Dew stealing aliens!
The whole lot of them!
Always trying to steal my Mountain Dew!
Always falling into my traps!
Those soabs!

Brilliant post...

Taxpayer money Barry gave GM is helping them move production to Mexico

It has been proven through data that both legal and illegal immigration has lowered wages for low skilled native workers.

While lowering wages and making jobs more difficult to find, it has increased corporate profits for those businesses that choose immigrant labor over native labor.

This reform idea is only going to exacerbate both sides of this equation.

The last mass pardon and automatic citizenship grant movement only ended in a need for more illegals. Those granted amnesty quit working the corporate low end jobs.

Here is some misinformation pushed by the US government.

There are 11 million illegals. Check the records on the internet. There have supposedly been 11 million illegals for many years although the Border Patrol says over a million a year come in. There are probably over thirty million illegals in the US. The US government does not want to admit how bad the problem is.

Illegals commit very little crime and work hard to support their families.Stats show that about 13% of illegals commit hard core crime such as murder and rape. A higher percentage commit lessor crimes.
Surveys show 47% are on government assistance.

Ya want to get rid of illegal immigrants?

Fine the crap out of the restaurants, hotels, and meat processing
plants that hire them. End of illegal immigrant problem.

Drying up the magnet of jobs would help a lot.

The U.S. Constitution would have to be amended in order for that to happen.

Perhaps there could be a law that forbids a pregnant foreign woman from legally entering the USA.

wouldn't it be easier just not make the baby a citizen?

We the people don't have that power.

Demand the recall and firing of those who are supposed to be making my sure Federal laws are being enforced.

BTW, 3 years ago, numbersusa said there were 30 million illegal.

Hussein stopped corporate raids, investigation of reports on small businesses and construction sites.