1. I am glad to hear the government is finally doing something about enforcing OUR immigrations laws.
2. What in the hell does illegal immigration have to do with HGTV????? I thought HGTV was about home and garden, not bringing political issues up for discussion.
3. There are plenty of other 'home and garden'stations to watch that don't use politics as their talking points, so maybe I should choose another station.

RESPONSE FROM MARJIE O'CONNOR: I want to address this common misconception: This website is NOT HGTV.com. It's HGTVPro.com. Although it's owned by the same company as HGTV, this site focuses on builders and contractors, almost all of whom work in small businesses. Therefore, any issue that relates to the ongoing shortage of qualified labor in the construction industry is absolutely an excellent "talking point" for the site. Thanks for giving me the chance to clear that up.

If you think, this bad, you are NOT a REALIST
Why should some borderjumper take some construction job from someone else ? Just because they will work for peanuts, that is the ONLY reason people hire them, they get no fringes. Would YOU want to live like them 40 people to a 2 BR House ? Bet you say NO !
So many jobs have been exported, we are a service oriented country, keep the jobs AMERICAN !!!

Marjie O'Conner, you obviously had documentation necessary for your Tennessee drivers' license. You must consider the proximity of Tennessee to Dalton, Georgia where huge numbers of illegal residents live and work and overflow into Tennessee. (Estimates vary as to exactly how many according to who makes the estimates, but no one denies the number is very large.) I personally applaud Tennessee for their efforts to insure that new residents (as well as current residents) are legitimate. It is but a minor inconvenience for the legal residents to prove their legitimacy for the purpose of protecting the population at large. The easiest, and most effective, way to control the influx of illegal residents is to prevent them jobs, housing, and transportation. Notice, I have said all of this concerning ILLEGAL residents and of whatever origin. Just wanted to speak my peace. Thank You.

In my travels, I have encountered numerous tradesmen seeking employment, willing to work almost anywhere, who have sought employment in different locations only to find the jobs they thought were available, have been taken by illegal aliens. Worse they find wages offered can be two to seven dollars an hour lower (at times even more), than those typically paid for a number of occupations.
Among owners & management, I have found any number angry they lost contracts to companies whose employees are illegal aliens. It turns out many illegal aliens are paid less than an American. Job costs are lower for some employers who can then use that illegal advantage to get work. Losing work because one is competitively underbid legally is part of the ball game. However, when one loses a job because the other guy has an unfair unknown advantage of lower labor costs, is disturbing.
The issues for many I speak too is not those of race or color of skin or national origin. The issues are legality, security, & a square deal.
No one wants to tell someone they cannot better their situation. That does not justify making the situation worse for others to accomplish that!

keep it simple stupid!!! all employers must varify legal status of employee, if not NO business deduction on income tax, and pay social security (no deduction)

fighting illegal immigrants could be in force by county, city and state, they have brokeing the law, and need to be sent back. our state and county back this.

no i do not agree w/you ,to get a legal driver's lics ,you should be a legal person of the usa,try goin to mexico and do something wrong,read their immagration laws,and aren;t they here to do the jobs that americans wont,construction is not on the list .

The feds have let the number of illegals get way out of hand, if you can call twelve million plus out of hand. It's about time the states took control, I think that is called "states rights". The problem is too many governors think like the feds and seem to not care.

Whatever it takes! We simply can not afford to continue to provide health care, education, housing assistance, not to mention the additional police and prisons necessay to handle the deluge of illegals.
Just cracking down on employed illegals doesn't solve the problem. The illegals who create the most problems for the citizens of the U.S. are the gangs, dope dealers, gun runners & coyotes. Making employers verify S.S. #'s does nothing to remove the most dangerous illegals!

My husband is a resident alien from Spain and we resent all the ways that American businesses including construction and builders use to exploit illegals just to make a buck! I've been through immigration and I am glad that Tennessee is finally put something in to place since they have a great majority of illegal aliens. Finally, DHS is enforcing the laws already on the books!

Btw, I speak Spanish fluently and our home is bilingual. I am not afraid of the influx of Hispanics into this country. However, because of illegal immigration, I do NOT want any illegals from terroristic nations that HAVE used our frontier between Mexico and also Canada to get into this country illegally to blow us up!

I have no problem with the crackdown.
If only we enforced the laws we do have to begin with we wouldn't have to have such crackdowns.
I'm not against immigration(legal that is). I'm just against(illegal) immigration that makes a mockery of our system and is a slap in the face to those who came here the right way ( and also took the effort to learn the english language).
I'm not a hyphen american, I'm an a American period!!!

My husband and I both feel "DEPORT THEM ALL!" I was raised near Detroit, a very ethnically diverse community. I have no problem with legal immigrants going through the process but we have had it with illegals draining our health and school systems and taking jobs away from citizens. Don't believe me? Just ask the Amish and Mennonites in our area, not to mention all the locals about job losses to Hispanics who will work for just a few cents less. I've heard comments about their work ethic. Bull, They just don't make waves, they are'nt stupid, they work hard, lay low, then have marches DEMANDING RIGHTS NOW!

I dont have to tell You that America is going straight to hell on a hand truck.... and the Numba One problem is Illegal Immigration. Back in the 60's, we used to say "If your not part of the solution, then your part of the problem" - and that is the straight truth. The whole dang country is being Over Ran with Nobody knows Who... its like an Infestation of CockRoaches. If YOU hire um, then YOU are helping to Suck the Life Blood out of the USA. Hey, remember that you get what you pay for. What is going to happen if one of um has an Accident??? You ever try to file a Comp Claim on one of um? Training??? dont even Tell me you have done any kind of OSHA training on these folks... My ole Drill Sargent used to tell me "Boy, you screw up, and you Pay for it!" Same with this. Buy American, Work American, BE American, for Gods sake.

I read your article and have one question, how often do you change your drivers license? I dont see why anyone would have a problem with showing multiple documents, I would be happy to know that people who are licensed can be more easily tracked if there is a legal concern. A license from another state is not proof of who you are, people do change their names and can produce fake drivers license.

On the illegal issue,yes employers should be held accountable since the employer only looks at the bottom line anyway. Lets think about the legal hardworking americans citizens who get screwed over daily by companies downsizing and hiring illegals with false documents for much less that you or I are worth. I was replaced by a illegal imigrant about 7 years ago the company claimed it needed to lay off people my hourly rate was $15 an hour about 2 months later an illegal with false documents replaced me at $8 and hour.

I am not the only one who has dealt with this. I know that construction companies love to hire illegals, I got my driveway done, I am latino and spoke with the 6 employees one was legal the others not, the same with the roofer a pretty large outfit in the area who also had all 8 latinos working for him they only spoke spanish and they all were undocumented. Because the employer was not reachable I had to take one of the employees to the hospital after he cut of part of his finger off, thats when he told me he and the others were not legal. mind you the company made $14,000 from me that day but the employee has to pay for his own emergency room visit since the employer did not provide insurance for him. he was making only $10 an hour tax free. I am sure the emergency room bill will be paid by you and i the next time we use our health insurance since the employee with the injury could not decide what his name was that day at the hospital he claimed he had no I.D. ....

Legal proof and more of it can help deter employers taking advantage of these illegals and of the legal american citizen. And it will help curve rising health cost and increased taxes. And give illegal immigrants the incentive to learn the language and do it legally.

I WONDER WHY FOLKS ARE SO UPSET OVER THE ILLEGAL IMMEGRANTS IN THIS COUNTRY, WHEN THE TWIN TOWERS WERE TAKEN DOWN BY THEM. JUST HOW ARE WE TO CONTROL TERRIOST IF WE DON'T FORCE THIS. YES YOU SAY YOU CAME FROM MEXICO OR S. AMERICAN COUNTRIES BUT HOW ARE WE TO BE SURE. YOU CAN'T PROVE THAT YOU'RE NOT A TERRIOST AND NEITHER CAN WE SO IF YOU'RE NOT WILLING TO BECOME LEGAL THEN STAY HOME. ANOTHER THING, WHY SHOULD YOU TAP INTO OUR SOCIAL SECURITY WHEN WE'RE TOLD ITS GOING TO RUN OUT IN A FEW YEARS AND OUR CHILDREN WILL NOT HAVE ANYTHING LEFT. 20 TO 30 YEARS AGO WE HAD SUCH A SURPLUS IN OUR SOCIAL SECURITY THAT OUR GOVERNMENT GAVE MILLIONS TO OTHER COUNTRIES, KNOWING THEY WOULD NOT AND COULD NOT REPAY THIS AND ITS HAPPENED OVER AND OVER AGAIN. THEN WE'RETOLD IT WILL RUN OUT BEFORE OUR CHILDREN WILL RECEIVE ANY OF IT. IF IT DOES I SAY OUR GOVERNMENT HAS GIVEN IT AWAY TOO MANY TIMES AND WE KEEP LETTING THEM DO IT. NOW THE ILLEGAL IMMERGANTS THINK THEY DESERVE SOME OF IT AND OUR GOVERNMENT AGREES WITH THEM. I THINK ITS TIME WE RAN THEM OUT OF OUR COUNTRY AND OUR CHILDREN GETS WHAT THEY PAY INTO ALL THEIR LIVES. WHAT DO YOU SAY AMERICA?

I see homeless people all the time on the streets asking for money, LEGAL PEOPLE that can very much work.

I say for the goverment to get their social and use them in ilegal people that really wants to work and make a decent living.

I think if business get caught even once with an illegal employee they should loose their business or at least shut down for one week, and a secound offence for one month, then they should have to close down for ever if it happens a third time, as well as be fined thousands of dollars for each and every time. when word gets around trust me they will all stop.

I also feel that all aid to illegals, food stamps,and all govement help should stop, and anyone applying for such help that are not citizens should be deported right away, if a baby from an illegal is born here it should say on his birth certifcate, not a citizen born of non citizen and if the child is still here when he reaches 18 then he to must apply for citizen ship, but he and his mother should be deported right away, no child should be able to go to our schools unless the parents can prove they are citizens or at least they are here legaly.
No business should be able to run without english speaking employees, no auto's should be sold unless you can prove you are legal, as well as houses sold, or loans taken out, the only help they should get is a free ride back to their country. I love people of all cultures I feel they all have something to offer to our country, but if they are her illegally what other laws are they breaking? There are a lot of people of other cultures who came here legally and with our goverment blessing. they work hard and help our country. The illegals, drain our goverment of money by sending it all home to there old country and not reinvesting it back into this country. They get welfar, have to many babies just so they can get more and more from us and we who work hard there is just not enough to go around, when we need it, its just not there, low income housing is going to them instead of citizens, they are given special treatment because of being a minority, so they get the job over the citizens. I can go on and on Darlene G. Moore

well, now we know how the Indians must have felt when the white man came to their town. Not a lot of difference with our friends south of the border.

I think it is a great idea. I am a business owner and have employed Mexicans. I always got a picture ID, Social Security Card and took a picture of them. We are not required to verify Social Security number and name. Resently I got a letter from the IRS stating they had a woman's name listed as working with us accourding to her Social Security #. I just recently went through all the Mexican's we hired and listed their name and number and put it in SS # order. I found that one of the Mexican's had used her SS #. What if they used your SS # and you had to get it straighten out. All the ones that worked for us always claimed married with 6 dependents, which ment they did not pay any taxes, just social security. If you could not prove it was not you, then the IRS could make you pay the taxes based on your dependants and charge you penility and interest.
Another side is if they are made legal then you are going to have all kind of law suits and worker's comp. claims. The lawyers will be glad to teach them how to use the system.
Social Security will also go broke because they will be able to get welfare and draw social security after working a short time.

Worried about the good old USA

I think it is absolutely great that you had to produce sufficient information to prove that you should have a valid drivers license, given that it is the default standard for legal proof of status in the U.S. Anything less than that is simply another open door for people to abuse the system.

I also think that it was a victory for Americans and the rule of law that the recent "Immigration" bill went down in defeat, given that it was nothing but a free-pass for illegal aliens, putting them ahead of legal immigrants on the path to green cards and citizenship.

I fully support all efforts to discourage the hiring of illegal aliens, and I hope that they will eventually all get deported.

You know, in other countries like Mexico, aliens who enter the country illegally are shot, especially from El Salvador. That we allow illegal aliens into this country so easily, to get free education, free health care in emergency rooms, and then to have anchor babies entitling them to additional welfare benefits is absolutely insane. No country can continue to survive with such suicidal tendencies.

Aren't you glad you asked the question?

Whatever it takes to stop American jobs going to illegal aliens is fine by me. Why should they be handed the silver platter when the taxpayers only get the wood platter and have to pay for the illegals to be served on the silver? It's time to take our country back and tell them to come here legally or stay home.

I live in Arizona, The Govenor is trying to get tough on Illegal hiring, which I am in favor of what she is trying to do.

Hiring sanctions draw fire
Business owners complain about penalty for employing migrants

Ryan Randazzo
The Arizona Republic
Jun. 22, 2007 12:00 AM

Some Arizona companies lashed out at the state Legislature on Thursday after lawmakers approved a bill that revokes the licenses of companies that continue to hire undocumented workers.

While some prominent business groups supported the proposal in place of an even stricter initiative proposed for the 2008 ballot, other businesses called the measure overbearing.

"This bill puts Arizona in a position of losing businesses. It affects the economy in a very sharp manner," said Julian Nabozny, who owns five McDonald's franchises in the Valley, adding that he does not speak for the corporation.

Nabozny and other business owners said threatening a company's license is a risk to state commerce.

"You are talking about major economic and legal chaos," he said.

The House and Senate both passed House Bill 2779 by wide margins on Wednesday, approving language that could repeal business licenses for companies caught twice employing undocumented workers.

Andre Perez, who owns a landscaping company based in Avondale, said, "I run everything like I'm supposed to. I check Social Security numbers and verify documents. I've always done it by law. But the fact of the matter is that you know that down the line, someone you hire could be illegal."

Gov. Janet Napolitano is expected to make a decision Monday or Tuesday on whether to sign the bill into law, said spokeswoman Jeanine L'Ecuyer.

"She believes employer sanctions are absolutely a part of a comprehensive immigration reform program," L'Ecuyer said of the governor.

The proposal would go into effect Jan. 1 and require businesses to participate in an online federal worker verification program already in operation. It will cost the state $2.6 million to implement.

The bill requires proof that violations are "knowing" or "intentional," which some experts said will be difficult for attorneys general or county attorneys to enforce.

"What happens is that now they've got such good fake documentation that we can't expect employers to know what is false and what is not," said Dawn McLaren, research economist at Arizona State University.

"The documents they produce these days are not that obvious."

Businesses that get caught would have a good defense if they used citizenship verification forms already provided by the Department of Homeland Security, she said.

Some business groups maintained the law's wording protects companies.

"Intentional is a very high legal standard," said Joan Koerber-Walker, chief executive of the Arizona Small Business Association, which supports the bill.

"We both know stories of people recruiting illegals or working with 'coyotes' to bring over illegals," she said. "There is no question of intent in that area. But there also will be a gray area."

While any sanctions against business are difficult to support, Koerber-Walker said the measure is better than a 2008 ballot proposal that would yank licenses after one offense.

"If it does go so far as to close a business, not only does the person who broke the law pay, but so does every other Arizonan that uses that business or works for that company, because they lose their jobs," she said. "It really is a shame we had to go to that extent, but the initiative filed for upcoming elections is draconian."

What exactly does this article have to do with HGTV? I don't look to HGTV for articles about immigration!

In Missouri, we have to produce our birth certificates and they must be certified to obtain a new or renew a license. It is a headache, but then again, they definitely need to do something about all of the illegals. there isn't a country on the planet that we could go to that would let us just breeze in and set up housekeeping and work and they sure wouldn't go out of their way to teach us their language and give us job priority. I realize that a lot of the problems stems from poultry plants and mushroom plants bring illegals in so they can pay them less and they should be punished in some manner for doing so, but it seemed once the influx started it's now way out of hand border patrol or not.

This country has laws for ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS . The fed's refused to enforce them till now. What we must do now is ENFORCE THESE RULES . DEPORT ALL ILLEGAL. immigrants they have broken our laws. Let them come in as all legal one's do .I can still cut my grass and wash and clean my home and i don't HAVE TO LEARN SPANISH..... JIM LONG

Hiring illegals is a crime. "Sneaking" into our country is a crime. Criminals should be sought, caught and prosecuted. The fines and jail terms for businesses who hire illegals should be so stiff so as to serve as a deterrent to illegal hiring practices.
If a person wants to come into our country, GET IN LINE LIKE EVERYONE ELSE and once you get documented , try to become an American instead of wanting us to become what we are not.
Secure the border, punish those who cross illegally, DEPORT those whe are already illegally here and above all punish businesses and landlords who hire and house those who break the law.
I realize that those "bleeding hearts" out there don't have the guts to do what it takes. We are a country of laws and I hope to God those of us who care can keep it that way.

It is about time that the local and state governments are starting to enforce the laws. These laws have been on the books for many years, but were never inforced. So far only citizens have had to pay the high cost of the overwhelming illegal population. Our own citizens pay daily in many ways...by having to wait 12 hours in emergency rooms that are dysfunctional because of the cost drain of medical care for non paying illegals who are overwhelming the system with births they cannot pay for, and children they cannot support; our own citizens are having their kids entire education compromised due to language problems created by non-English speaking students, and having their neighborhoods ruined by an imported culture of violence and poverty. There is very little effort by Hispanics to assimilate at all, or to accomplish even the basic elements of living in another country with another language;they do not want to take any responsibility to learn English or manage their breeding or their health.

It is about TIME !! America !!!!
The building industry in Texas will not hire American worker, but will hire illegal immigrates.
I have many friends who work in the building industry, But now work in other skilled trades.

I live in an area where there are 10 to 16 illegal workers living in one house. The majority of weekly reports of DWI's is unlicensed illegal aliens. But there are also ones who work hard and buy houses and run businesses, but many and most of them are illegal, and have forged documents.
They underprice most of the construction work that a legal person has bid on. People have very little recourse to take against them, and no one seems to do anything about it. Immigration is a joke, our laws give them free medical, schooling, and if they have a child here they get a monthly payment from Medicaid/Social Services, plus the free services I listed above.
The women clean houses off of the books for $20 to $25 an hour, and still collect all of the above.They frequent our food pantries, while driving rather new cars.
I could go on, but you get the drift. I live in the Hamptons

living and working in a pork plant town I see a lot of illegal immigration..stolen id's used for work and for driver's licences. Our plant, like many others does follow the law concerning hiring and does run all id's through the required government checks. Anything more than that is considered harrassment and discriminatioon. Check out any All you can eat Asian buffet, can you tell which employees are legal? More than you realize are not, coming from China by boat and smuggled into our ports where less than 5% of cargo containers are even checked. Check out the employees of huge cleaning companies, many of those are illegal...from people smuggled in to people who walked in to people who came with a visa and never left...in every state and in far more jobs and places than people realize.

I think this is great! I don't think Georgia has any rules against employers or landlords. An illegal can go to any flea market and get fake papers reported to me by an officer of the law. What is being done about that? Nothing! All 3 of my sons have been let go of their manual labor jobs so that illegals can work even though my sons showed up every day and worked hard. All the illegals don't work harder, they work cheaper and not all Americans have college degrees that keep them from doing manual labor. If I have to do more to prove I am a citizen of the USA to keep an illegal from taking over I say more power to it! Way to go Tenn.!

Let's face it. Illegals are here for the money they can make to have a better life. If the people who employ them were required to take out for social security, health insurance, taxes and the like, the money they receive would be far less and more on scale with what the average unskilled worker would make. How attractive can that be to come into this country illegally? It would also be very difficult to get through all the paperwork necessary to be gainfully employed. I don't have an answer to the problem; change immigration laws? more lax, more strict? Punish employers who hire people who are a burden to our schools and state systems? Punish slumlords who rent to them at exorbitant amounts? I don't know?

I agree it is irrating that valid Americans have to provide documentation. I am thankful that I am an American. Overkill? No! We have soldiers that have given the ultimate sacrifice for us to live in this great country. So, if I have to provide more documentation to obtain a drivers license to eliminate illegals abusing our system - or be searched at the airport to prevent terrorist from opportunity - oh well.

I live in Alabama and insurnace is required. I can't tell you the times I am personally aware of that an illegal has caused an accident and (if they stayed at the scene) they were not even arrested or ticketed for no insurance. My son-in-law is in law enforcement and they are required to learn key words in spanish so they can communicate with illegals.

My point, if you want to live here follow the rules, learn the language and laws of the land - get legal and come on in! Otherwise, it is up to Americans to say ENOUGH!

I never respond to these but I just had too. Contractors sware by their cheep hardworking work force. What is there not to like, they are quiet, polite and have the virgin mary on the back of their T-shirts. Unfortunately, I have a house that was built by hard working thrid world mentality and it is costing my a fortune to correct many stupid errors. I had a pool built, same problem, and I watched it happened. They made my pool subdecking over 2" below the pool coping in spots (tiling nightmare). No, I did not make them do it over for fear of ruining the pool shell. Bottom line, Builders and Contracters are getting rich and passing the cost on to the suspecting buyer.

hi there. it is a shame you had to go through so much trouble to get your drivers license but you can blame the illegal aliens for that. if they were coming here legally YOU would not be checked out so thoroughly as you were. I am sick of people thinking they have a right to be here just because they want to be. come here like my great-grandparents did-legally.and i am sick of pictures of mexicans flying their flag over the american flag. and tired of bilingual signs. so, blame them, not the government, for all the crap you had to go through.

It is NOT over kill to produce paperwork to get a driver'sw license. Since you can get so many other important documents based on your license -that is why you must produce proven documentation to get that driver's license!

Once you have that driver's license you can then get medicaid, etc!

One thing that should be done is to have picture social security cards, just like drivers license.
Also there should be a back ground check on all employees through social security to be sure the numbers match the employee. I came to America in 1942 and was 5 1/2. I had to wait until I was 18 to get my papers and had to report in every year until I became a citizen. There should not be any benifits for illegal's and for sure not our social security as our so called wonderful government want to give them. once they have been rounded up they should be sent back imed.
This has nothing to do with our trade with mexico, it has to do with the law, sometimes we are to laxed in doing the right thing, other times we have over kill, like the two agents that were sent to prison for shooting an illegal while they were doing their job. I feel they did the right thing and he was a criminal.

The need for documentation is to ensure that "identity theft" is NOT occuring, whether by an "illegal alien" or a criminal. The Driver's license is used to gain entrance to a variety of locations, i.e. airplanes, government buildings, and is used to obtain rights of residence in a particular state. I live in Georgia, and we have stricter laws about ID theft than most, but, we are also one of the top 5 states in population of illegals. The key words in the case of these workers are they are federal criminals, thus the term "illegal aliens" and should not be allowed to continue to use somebody else's identity to work, and need to be prosecuted and deported back to where they came.

It doesn't get fixed overnight when a person who had their identity stolen to get their life back in order, and can cause a tremendous amount of frustration for the person and their family with lose of credit ratings, tax collection issues, inability to obtain services due to flag credit records.

We, citizens of the United States, are being forced to choose "1" for english on so many calls to conduct business. Why is it that so many people expect us to learn spanish? Do you know the added expense to translate all our forms into other languages? If they want to conduct business in spanish, then go back to where you came from!! This was not done for all the people who moved here "legally" from other countries, so why are we wasting tax dollars doing it for illegals? Tax forms, school documentation, medical forms, etc.

And don't get me started on the cost associated with providing educational benefits for a child of a person who doesn't pay taxes to put teachers in the classroom, books on the shelf, busses on the road, lunches on the table, and even adequate classrooms in the schools. Stop the madness and stop hiring them and force them to go home, or become legal and pay income tax along with a requirement for back taxes and reimbursement for services provided to them and their families.

I think profiling is a necessary thing. If you can't speak English, then you need extra paperwork, but as aggravating as it may be I would rather go through that than keep allowing illegials to stay in this country and work.

I am for complete deportation, and changing laws that allow people to come across the border, have children who then are granted Citizianship, and stay (like Canada did).

I am well traveled, and love other people in other countries, but this is war, and we are being invaded! Our own workers can fill our own needs for jobs.

I'd like to be completly honest with you. I was surprised that your article showed up in this website. I have felt that this was the one website that would be free of the politics I have gotten tired of reading about. HGTV was my little place where I didn't have read about the immigration problem that this country has had for over 100 years will continue to have only now you and I will have to pay the price by having to produce your family history for simple things like a drivers license just imagine what might happen if you ever lose your library card.

Thanks

Make it impossible for immigrants to work, and watch our economy die. We are so conditioned to think that we, as Americans, are "too good" to work certain jobs.. especially the ones that involve hard labor, that nobody is willing to do what the Mexican workers do every day, and willingly. If our government doesn't want them here, then they should help them obtain a country where they can work for a fair wage and manage to feed their families. How selfish can we be?

What the devil! I am looking at a DIY and info site about house, etc. and here you are in the middle of politics. I cannot get away from politics. I thought surely this would be a place where I would find some peace.

After serving for a year on a Federal Grand Jury, I am ready for a crack down on ALL illegal aliens. The majority IS NOT HERE to do good. And SHAME on employers that chose to use SLAVE LABOR to increase their profits. That IS THE KEY....it is all about profits. Get rich on the backs of the poor.

All I can say is: "THANK GOD." It's about time our government started to crack down on ILLEGAL ALIENS! Our sovereignty is at risk, people... don't you people understand that? Without check, not only will we be a haven for every nutjob who wants to blow us to smitherines, but we will shortly become Mexicana... that might be ok for some of you, but for true patriotic American Citizens... IT'S NOT OK! We must keep pushing our elected officials to "serve and protect" those who elected them in the first place -- AMERICAN CITIZENS. Otherwise, our education will continue to rot in the garbage, our healthcare system will continue to spoil, our social security and other social benefits will mean nothing, not to mention our safety and security. I say, "Wake up Americans."

It maybe hard to get a lot of things we take for granted.Jobs and other parts of our lifestyle because of years of illegals going unchecked are like a cancer.The cancer left untreated keeps growwing.The farmer needs real cheep labor,home builders use cheep labor,and factorys use cheep labor,to help keep prices down.We need to look at what is causing this to happen.We do not want to pay high prices,but also want money for doing nothing.We want more money,and do not want to work.Lazy and greedy people,how live off our tax dollers,and leaders of companies getting millions for nothing.Cut the pay of company leaders,ball players,and stars by 3/4 we would have billions to pay for lifes important things.We would lower prices on food,houses,and other things we need,not want.We also need to get people off welfare, and back to work helping the farmer,the builder,and factorys.Thank you,Madjack

Sorry for the small inconvenience but the nation's security is at stake here, as well as our "citizens" economic future. ie: JOBS. Are you not thinking about the bigger picture of how illegal immigration is a major threat to this country. I would recomend that you study this problem a bit deeper and not be so concerned as much for your own personal convenience. Joe B., Vermont

You know we work and pay taxes which entitle's us to the benefit's . If they want these things they need to pay taxes as we do and be legal. If they are illegal they should not be able to work, and contractors who hire illegal's should be fined to the max. You want to take jobs from American's then become American or leave.

Anyone who breaks the law SHOULD be punished, and the only reason employers are upset is because they will have to pay legal workers more. If they knowingly hire an illegal person then the company should be punished more than the illegal employee.

I agree that safety for our people and nation are invonvienient but I feel that any hastle that makes us safer and gives our goverment more ability to track down and stop terror is better for all of us. All security efforts always cause hindrences but most are not only valuable but necesary. The longer we let illeagals run around our country untracked the more insecure we become in an increasingly volitile world.
Baker

I totally agree with what they are doing. This should have been done along time ago. If you moved to New York even before all this you had to have alot of paperwork. I believe they should send all illegal immigrants home.

The bottom line is the American people. Unless your people are Native American, or Decendent from the Taino or Inuit. We are all immigrants, some legal some not...I worked at the U.S. border for the Customs department for years. I think we should make an effort to hire people from the legal population in the United States. To keep jobs in the United States and stop rewarding illegal behavior. I also think it would be less appealing to the companies to higher illegals if they where taxed more instead of less for their usage of these illegal immigrants. As for the illegal immigrants themselves, most of us come from somewhere else to the U.S. to create a better life...They should be responsible for thir actions, but not blamed for their desire to want more or better for thier families.

I wish Maryland would start a program like the one in Tennessee.Emergency funds were just given to the MVA to hire spanish speaking employees so the undocumented people do not have to wait too long.(Maryland is one of six states who give driver licences to undocumented people) I had to take drivers ed. forty years ago to get an licence now they give them to people who DO NOT KNOW how to drive and can not read or speak english.When are our law makers going to wake up and do whats necessary to make the changes.

No. It's not overkill. Cracking down on illegal immigration is protecting America WITHIN her borders. Taxpayers are told they can't get workers without illegals.NOT true! At best[in the construction & landscaping industy illegals top 25% of the workforce- it's lower for agriculture] That means 75% of the labor is-you guessed it--AMERICAN. We ALL pay in social costs & security ( terrorists are crossing the borders with Hispanics in calif. onver 100 hospitals have closed their doors due to the financial burden of illegal healthcare--- it's coming to OUR town- do you value the local hospital?} for illegals to work for lower wages. American is a melting pot for people who want to assimilate & become Americans. These people DO NOT. ( mexico's 2nd largest GDP [gross domestic product is monies coming in from the US] They are making us a stew pot of many cultures, at the expense and survival of our own! It's a dangerous tradeoff that threatens our security, economic viability and the very culture of America as we know it!

I think it's past time for the crackdown on illegal "aliens." First off, undocumented workers and illegal immigrants do not exist. A person is either a legal immigrant, one that has proper, legal documentation and a right to enter the USA or, you sneak across the border and "buy" or do without documentation. Illegal aliens that are hired for employment either work for wages under the table, and generally work for much less than a US citizen or a legal immigrant; or, for instance they are hired to work in a restaurant on a continual basis whereupon they fill out the tax info and claim "9" for their deductions. They already know that claiming "10" will trigger a probe, so they claim 9. These individuals will work for one to two dollars less per hour than a US citizen and/or a legal immigrant and, the employer isn't paying for any insurance. In addition, it takes an employers no more than five minutes to verify the status of a job applicant. How you ask? Employers have a code which permits them to access the Social Security Administration web-site, plug in the social security number in question, and receive immediate information. And that information would be: age of individual when the number was issued, where it was issued, race, and most importantly, status. What is status you ask? Is the person dead? Is the person currently drawing SS benefits? Is the person actually currently working in say, Mississippi and this number is being used to secure a job in say, Connecticut. Five minutes.

Illegal aliens are a severe slap in the face to any and all "legal immigrants" who have come here in past years. The illegal aliens here in our country today are militant; in that they are demanding rights, services, their own language, etc. Excuse me, just what other country puts up with this crap! Americans should not be responsible for supporting well over 12 million illegal aliens in this country, as we have been doing for a number of years. Increasing the taxes of honest working people leads to massive discontent and a tremendous amount of unrest in the average citizen. Illegals abound in our schools, depleting the funding for citizens; our police forces are understaffed because the number of officers in any force is determined by the number of residents in a specific area according to the census, and illegals do not want to be counted; hospitals have been forced to close their doors because of the number of illegals receiving, at many times extensive, services - that are never paid for.

The examples are extensive but what it boils down to is; if illegals are willing to "do the work that Americans won't do" it is simply because Americans know that benefits, i.e., health insurance and retirement plans are an absolute must, and for many, simple minimul wage signals the need for at least two jobs and Americans are not willing to work below minimum wage. If illegals were "outta here," employers would find it necessary to put up or shut up, and we would finally have the ability to put into law a minimum wage that is more in keeping with the true cost of living. Businesses do not want the illegal aliens eliminated. Americans do. If we cut off the services, the benefits, and the ability to obtain "legal" work to illegal aliens, we won't have to worry about sending them home, they will depart because they will not have any means to support themselves.

Too many illegal aliens here today are committing crimes and a great many are getting away with those crimes. Don't believe me? Check the public records for the number of illegal aliens in our prisons. That number is less than half of those who slip through the system. Obviously I could go on and on, but the first thing we need to do is clear up the terminology. As I said in the beginning: undocumented workers and illegal immigrants do not exist. A person is either a legal immigrant, one that has proper, legal documentation and a right to enter the USA or, you sneak across the border and "buy" or do without documentation. To make it even clearer, a "citizen" is an individual born in the USA or one who is naturalized. This is the United States of America and we have laws. Perhaps it's high time we began enforcing them. God bless the USA.

Even if takes a truck full of documents to fill out to obtain a driver's licence, security and safety of it's citizens are far more important than the file process. I think the government is doing absolutely the right thing to protect its people to ensure we live worry free of this as much as possible. I would prefer to enjoy outdoors, raise my family, go to work etc rather think and worry about that my SS is in jeopardy. I want to sleep at night.

In my opinion the government could track most of the illegal aliens by asking for immigration documentation on public schools and for obtaining driver's license. If you cannot leave your children at school to go to work and cannot drive there foreigners will think twice before trying to immigrate illegaly

If they can not fill out their own paperwork to get a job or license; they should not be here. The commom world language of choice is English. We treat these illeagels better than we do out own seniors, by the way 98% have paid their way and now can barely survive. I just want them to come here leagelly and us not bow down to their ways. You go to their country and they do not have to speak your language and laugh while you struggle to communicate. You try to get a job in their country!

I think americans have priced themselves out of jobs. We all think we need millions,& a benefits package, etc. The reality is americans need to learn to work hard again and stop complaining.
I own a business and it is very difficult to find hard workers a the wages we can afford. I will say this: I will not hire an illegal.
These people need to go through the proper steps to become a citizen. Or even better, Why can't they fight their own government. Why are we the bad guys for not allowing them to have freedom illegally.

I work in the construction industry and have watched these illegals take it over, many legal residents have been forced out by them.The companys who use them don't care about you or me just how much profit they can make on these people.The government does not care because they get billions in tax money they don not have to return because most illegals do not file returns.It is past time to do something about this, maybe it's time we legal residents protested this anybody up for it?

My husband owns a vey small constuction company with only 2 other employees. He is constantly being out bid by people who have hired illegals, especially roofing. If it wasn't for the small number of referals he gets he would be out of business. Its very frustrating for him he has been doing this business for 17 yrs. and is now considering trying to find another career.

Round up all illegals and send them back. It can done. There are many of us that will gladly volunteer to help for free to preserve our country. Fine anyone that uses illegals. Enforce loitering laws to get them off the streets and out of parking lots where they loiter and make messes. Don't force businesses like Home Depot to build illegals a shelter like California does.

Once upon a time this was their land, and now they return for a reason. Economics. Honestly, does anyone think illegals come here because they want to be separated from their families and live 40 to an apartment? Can we say illegals are ambitious, hardworking, family oriented and willing to earn despite the hurdles? This is more than we can say about many Americans who some suggest we force to work.

As a country we want everything cheap or for the lowest bid so how can an honest business compete? Look at the recent boom in the housing industry and how you may have gained before you condemn these hard working people who have filled a niche when one was available. If anything give these people a reason to stay home, for the way our country spends money on the other end of the world it would probably be cheaper and more advantageous in the long run to spend in on our neighbors.

Another thought - think about the campaign Nazi Germany took against the Jews - suggesting they were dirty, lived too many to a household, were like rats - then think about what's been said by many on this site. Not exactly the all-American Norman Rockwell picture of understanding and compassion.

Although I understand the frustration people feel with illegal immigration... a bit of a reality check needs to be done......do you honestly think that this country would have so many illegals if Americans were willing to work the jobs that illegals take at the wages they take them, in the areas that the work(the middle of nowhere Arizona for instance).....ITS NOT AS IF WE hAVE A zERO WELFARE RATE AFTERALL - 2/3 of our welfare is AMERICAN citizens who won't leave their home area to find work, plan just don't want to work, or can't work. And be honest how often do you B****about the price of groceries and other labor intensive products when you go to the store ....the price in average would about double. So although I don't support illegal immigration maybe one of the best ways to deal with it is to fix our internal issues first

I too am against illegal aliens, I remember in school how we learned about ellis island, that is where immigrants came too become and apply for citizenship here. I am native american and feel that when I go to a public place and people speak spanish to me is a slap in the face. Go home and I won't have to deal wioth this sort of thing. My husband family came here and they came from Holland, they had to stay on ellis island. til they got permission to become americans. So no I think the Illegal Aliens are just that. Illegal means braeking the law, so how do why do we support these people??? why aren't they gathered up and sent home. All so they run here to have babies so they can stay. I don't believe in seperating families so send tho0se children home with their parents. think about this!!!!! when an american has a baby in another country they get to bring that child home, So what is the problem, they would have been born in Mexico, So really that is their home send them home. too many people need jobs.

I think the government needs to start sending the illegal immigration back to their country. If want to live here they need to do it legal by going thru;the right steps. And have the borders put a wall or something to help kept them getting in. 10 or 20 years ago they wouldn`t march or speak out for fear of being caught. and go back. I do live in Tennesse I am glad this state did something about the illegals getting their driving licence. We pay taxes and they don`t but they can get all the government help with welfare and S.S. and we have to go without the government help and we paid into and don`t the a dam thing/ Live here pay you have to pay the piper. God Bless

Yes, it is good and appropriate that your state requires documentation to get a driver's permit. Would that all states did the same for driver's permits and for auto registrations. Many illegals drive with no insurance and the problem would be less it they could not get plates. They have broken the law getting here and continue to break a raft of other laws by driving with no permit and no insurance.

I would dearly love to see a system of fines that heavily penalized employers of illegals. Also, make it illegal to rent to anybody who is not either a citizen or here legally. Absolutely no public services of any type should go to illegals. No more born here, stay here if Mother is illegal! Mother and child should be returned to their country of origin (not always Mexico).

America needs to make it impossible to live in this country if one is not here legally.

I have seen so many of my friend's sub-contractor businesses close when they employ LEGAL citizens and have to bid against those traitors who hire ILLegals and pay them low wages with no benefits. Jobs for legal citizens are vanising due to the greed of employers.

I say US jobs should be for US citizens. Keep the jobs in America and keep our money in America.

The illegals are costing us billions in "free" medical care, schooling for their children, using our benefits, social security fraud, stolen identities, and criminal activity.

I say to send them all home and all the people who are making money off of them. Employers should get severe punishment for hiring them. That is the current law even though it is NOT enforced.

Enough of this! Every morning I wake up and pass the Home Depot or Lowes and see illegal aliens lined up as contractors load them up to save a buck when there are enough unemployed legal Americans that need work. Possible criminals or Terrorists! Worse yet I understand that businesses like Home Depot and Lowes now must provide facilities for these squaters. Then they are getting benefits from the State and Federal government. Taking benefits, tax dollars and food away from legal Americans (Legal American Children and Families). Our overtaxed tax dollars! This is the reason our taxes are so high! Next thing you know the illegal alien is going to college taking on benefits that your legal American children could have used to go to college themselves - leaving your children destitute and the illegal laughing at you! Or they are so many having babies - creating a false generation of ungrateful Americans that suck the oxegen from our economy. There is a legal process. We are a country of laws for a reason! The government needs to do it's damn job, make laws to protect our rights and liberties and enforce the law with an iron fist! Enough of the valet - soft glove treatment for illegal aliens! We are over taxed and this is one of the biggest reasons....

Margie
You complain about your inconvienence of having to provide the necessary documentation for a drivers license,along with the statement and then type LOL. Stand before the families that have lost their livelihood to these businesses and the individual scabs that have taken their jobs. Let's all thank the illegal alien from El Salvador who helped the hirejackers from the Virginia area get licenses for $50. Complain about documentation to the families that lost their loved ones on Sept 11th. Does self centered arogant ring a bell?
You represent a corporate concern that supports the use of illegal labor. Home Depot provides pickup centers for these individuals not to mention the other services to make it easy for these people to hook up with contractors. You are a part of a well funded lobbying group that trolls the halls of Congress and the Senate so these practices will continue. HGTV should be held responsible for their continued support of this criminal behavior-aiding and abetting. I don't shop at Home depot,I encourage my family members to avoid the place all together. As for watching your channel,using your site for resources- I don't watch the HGTV network anymore.Their are many resources that provide tips and how to's without contributing in sales to your outlets. Shame on all of you. Legal immigration is great,illegal entry is and should be treated quickly with stiff penalties. The employers should be hit with fines so stiff they'd change their tunes about "No Americans will do this work"!Rubbish.

Marjie,

I am so glad you 'cleared' up my misconception of how HGTV and HGTVPRO are different.The problem with your answer is, it comes straight out of the daily talking points from Daily Kos, which explains why you would equate a home and garden show with the plight of the illegal immigrants and the problems they are causing in this country. THEY BROKE OUR LAWS BY CROSSING OUR BORDER AND DESERVE NO RIGHTS UNTIL THEY ARE LEGAL.

I think that when the illegal immigrants buy/rent a car, buy/rent a house, register their children for school they should be asked to produce all the necessary documents. We can not get anything free, but they come here and live tax free and like roaches. They pile up in a house and don't care about what their children do. They're bringing down the property value and I can't take this anymore. Now every companies phone system says, hit 1 for English and 2 for Spanish. I remeber when we didn't have to worry about pushing any # for a certain language. ENGLISH is what we speak and if you don't speak it, leave the country. We are too nice to everybody, but we can not go to their country and live for free and get all the perks they do.

The government has had over 2 decades to solve his problem and it never really intended to solve it. The government is the problem. it actually pays the illegls to come here wirth all of the benefits that it gives them for being here. It has cut benefits to our own people and the legal immigrants, so that it can give tot he illegals that are still coming. If every single benefit would stop cold turkey, you would not see as many illegals. How does an illegl start a business in our country and run it for 15 years? How does the illegals get on Section Eight, receive Food Stamps and W.I.C. for their children, while sending their earnings home to Mexico,while they are still driving around in not one but two new vans. Our government hasd lied to the Americans for decades. The problem will never go away until something is done about our government bribing the illegals to come here. Any county government that would treat the illegls better than its own people, then, the illegals will continue to comes.

The laws that were put into place in 1987, during the last Amnesty fiasco, are sufficient to rid the country of illegal aliens. It requires that all aliens report who they are and why they are here to the proper authorities. That they carry proper ID. That employers pay a $10,000.00 fine for every illegal they are caught hiring. Anyone who is here illegally will be deported, etc. Of course they never enforced the laws because the politicians Corporate buddies enjoy the increased profits of hiring illegals. So now we have 10-20 million illegals in the country who don't want to become citizens, they just want to take American jobs because they "need the money". (Like Americans don't need the money). The only way we can get them to return to their country is by attrition. To deny them access to our benefits and jobs. They will be forced to return to their own country. I'm sorry that Mexico is run by a handful of very wealthy people, and that everyone else is poor. But that is a problem they will have to deal with.

It is time for them to take control of their own government and to dispense the wealth in a fairer manner. I was surprised to find out that Mexico has as much or more valuable resources as America. But all of the money from these resources goes to the wealthy (and probably the President, somewhat like America has become) and the common man gets little or nothing. But the ability to have a great country is there and they need to return there and make their own country more democratic for their children, not drain the generosity of Americans.

I'm sorry but until we get rid of that "boy-who-would-be-king" called George Bush, we are in dire straits and cannot afford to give away any more jobs to foreigners. God knows, George is racing to put us all in the poor house and he still has a year left to do it.

Another little known fact is that we are welcoming into this country 3500 immagrants a day. Yes A DAY! So there is many "legal" means already available to immagrants to come here and work. The only reason they come over the border is because the employers encourage them. Because the employers want to work them under the table and not pay taxes or insurance or Social Security on them. Which means it is a lie that they are paying into our Social Security and should not be eligible for those funds in the future.

This is not what I expected to be commenting on when I signed up for this site! However...thank YOU for providing me a venue to express my views.

Isn't it nice that these small businesses are getting their labor for next to nothing while their destitute employees and their families flock to our emergency rooms, health departments and social services offices demanding (yes...demanding) that we as a county take care of them. They are sucking up our resources and and leaving nothing for OUR poor. And who benefits? Not the immigrant--he is being taken adventage of as well. No...the business owners are the only ones benefitting.
Another example of the rich get richer...

Be Legal or Be Gone.

That's what I have to say about the matter.

We have laws governing immigration. They need to be enforced. Don't make new laws to get around those we already have.

I think the illegals should be sent back and i think the mexican govt should be held accountable. The mexican govt has been getting away with not taking care of their people for years knowing we are to the north. If i was the mexican people i would put pressure on their govt to do something. I am have a wife from the philippines and we did everything legally and it took 18 months from the day we were married(in the philippines) for her to arrive in this country. Things need to be done legally.

Illegal immigrants are an issue on this site, small contractors employ them because they will work for very little. They can afford to do this unlike Americans, because they choose to live on top of each other. We have a huge problem in California. When they live the way the do, they destroy our quality of life. I have a house across the street from me that has four familys in it, they have nine cars, and 12 children. The city says they can do nothing about it because they can not say what a single family is. These are 3 bedroom tract homes. Our school district employs entire departments just for imigrants. Spanish translators, whos job it is to translate every form that is sent home to Spanish. The clerical staff now must be bilingual, which restricts job access from thousands of second income American born working class families.That also includes all state, city and federal jobs. Try to get one without speaking Spanish in California and you are out of luck.
I think it is also important to understand that people from over 140 different countries cross the border from Mexico illigaly every year, not just Mexicans.

People who come here to work are not the problem-it is the people who hire them to take advantage of them that should get in trouble.

I am a small business owner in the flooring industry and I appreciate this topic for the professional. I have a difficult time running my business legally because of all the other businesses who use illegal immigrants and take the risks which are huge. First of all, I am required to cover my employees with Worker's Comp insurance and I use a subcontractor they must carry workers comp. ins. I cannot accept workers comp. exemption from subcontractors because it only covers the one that owns the business...not all the illegal immigrants working for them and they do not seem to understand this. You can't cover an illegal immigrant if he is not documented. Finally, cracking down on bogus SSI numbers is not the solution because they are paying the illegal immigrants cash under the table for the most part which is also tax evasion and fraud. I don't have the best solution but I think they d running sting operations and show up on construction sites/job sites, resturants, hotels, etc. where these illegal immigrants are working.

You should all be calling ,faxing, and emailing your representatives,complaining to them. they
will listen if enough people are complaining you cannot wait for the 2008 elections because when democrats get in the white house ,they will make them all legal.

When bush says we cannot send them all back , i say he is wrong, they can be sent back slowly
just like they came herE for

I think the govt.is manipulating the unemployment numbers to make us think it is low, when i read in the same paper that unemployment among legals is low , but at the same time unemployment on indian reservations is 75%, young black men is 40%, it does not add up. i think that instead of giving our jobs to illegals we should be relocating manufacturing jobs to remote reservations (not all indians have casinos)and inner cities, where they can be reached by public transportation.

When i first started working for the fed govt
in1978 if you went to a construction site in
dc or md. there were a lot of workers from west virginia where unemployment is high, now no one speaks english on these same federal govt. jobs.

Our hospitals are having to cut services to the poor, its first come first served every month, illegals know this and suck up all of these services right after the first of the month.

The american dream, that we are led to believe they are after, is not all the free handouts you can get

If an american citizen breaks they law they will serve time. if an illegal breaks the law they will be deported only to reenter and commit another crime under a different name.

Call the presidents office, call your senators and representatives they work for us. i know most people are afraid to go out in public and protest, we are understandably afraid of gang retaliation. live to vote in 08 is my motto.

As for illegals paying taxes, they dont, most are paid under the table, the ones who do ,claim the children they have in mexico as well as the family they have started here.

When they dont pay taxes at work they go to the centers opened by irs , get a tax id # pay a few dollars so that they can file for earned income credit and get back 10 times what they paid.

they are scabs and scammers, sucking money out of us.

BITCH TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE, THE GOVT, DO IT OFTEN

I wanted to post my comment. I was born in the US I am of Hispanic origin-legal parents, uncles aunts. Been here for 2 generations my kids third generation. I speak English and Spanish, so do my kids but when I am out in public, i.e. mall, I speak to them in English. I need some advice.

Although I am an American, I been profiled by my color as an illegal. People, I just wanted to let you know that not every Hispanic is an illegal. I been offered jobs that require bilingual skills, and the pay is extremely low-I am a college graduate with great computer skills and because of my stupid color people see me inferior. My father was offered a job at $7 an hour, my father told the manager, "I don't deserve that pay I have all my legal documents, why do you want to pay me like an illegal??" my father refused the job.

Businesses have to stop offering jobs to illegals, they are blowing it for the legal Hispanics in the country, another thing I wanted to mention so that all you know is about Government Grants. I hope I don't get in trouble. I have worked with grants in the past, for hospitals especially. Have you notice that there are now medical interpreters out there? These interpreters are been grant funded by our government. And it gets worst, medication is also funded by the makers of the medication; how? well they use paystubs with fake social security number or income tax returns with a TIN (tax identification number, provided to people who don't have a ss#). I can get a medication for less because according to my ss# I am over budget!!?. I might as well keep hurting because I can't even afford health insurance.

I love the Hispanic community that wants to strive for a better future in this country LEGALLY and wants to learn ENGLISH. I am tired of working at a place that requires an employee to be bilingual; they take advantage of me. I think they should send everyone back to their country every illegal Chinese, Russian, Indian, Mexican, Cuban I don't care. I want respect and great life for my children without prejudice.

It is easy to find out who is an illegal do you want to know how---check social security number if it comes back as no hit-stop by the house p/u and send them to the border-to were they started.

I think fingerprints should be put on social security cards, drivers license, ect. Illegals are selling their kids S.S.# so thieves can break our social security system. I don't wonder why illegals are breaking their necks to get to the U.S., there are free food places, free clinics, free ins, even making it easy for non illegals to take their money, to buy drugs and acohol, so they can get a handout, from good ole U.S. citizens. I live under the poverty level, eat bolagna, buy day old bread, and standing in line seeing buggies piled high, watching them pay with food stamps, leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. What am I doing about it, nothing, as long as our hands are tied, nothing will be done, but spouting off, and relieveing the tension. Thanks

My name is Jose Angel Gomez. I am a U.S. Citizen. I am also a Viet Nam Veteran. I served the USA, my country, honorably for the 1st Amendment Right to express my opinion. Therefore, I submit the following:
I want to express my thoughts concerning the issue that is in the forefront of many American minds. I do this because America's enemies may use the pro-legalization marches and anti-illegal immigrant demonstrations as a diversionary tactic. This could be used to keep America off guard concerning the Al Qaeda agenda. Al Qaeda can easily infiltrate the masses involved and create havoc with riots, looting and other deadly mayhems. I pray that this will not happen.
Although I was born in this country I am still a Mexican. I have studied, worked, played, fought, and ministered side-by-side with my fellow Anglo compatriots for over 60 years and they still consider me a Mexican. I guess it is true, we cannot call biscuit, a kitten that are born in an oven. This opinion will seem to many as a biased opinion because I am a Mexican. However, I open my heart because as an American, I care about this country and I care about the "Love Your Neighbor" mandate that we all have to be accountable for.
The issue before us is one of fear and uncertainty. We are reacting fearfully because of what happened on 9/11. We are afraid that terrorists may use the Mexican Border to enter the United States. What we are failing to realize is that our enemies are already here. Whether we want to accept it or not, we are in a "holy" war. Al Qaeda has already declared war on us.

Al Qaeda wants us to focus on the Mexican border and not consider the coasts Northern border. We cannot fall into their trap. We must focus all our resources and energy on identifying and correcting our internal vulnerabilities, including, but not limited to: easy access to our drinking water; easy natural gas bomb making; easy access to electrical plants and transformers; unlimited access to our food supplies, and an unguarded land and rail transportation system. Al Qaeda combatants have their eyes on all of the above and more.
Homeland security must start at home, internally. Although we must love all mankind, we do not have to love their hateful ways. Any Muslim, (Black, White, or Brown) that does not denounce the anti-Christian, anti-Israel and anti-American rhetoric of militant Islam should be given a one-way ticket to any country outside the United States. Al Qaeda will undoubtedly not come forward and denounce their anti-Christian beliefs. They believe that we must all become like them or die. However, the rest of the Muslims that live in and love this country must come forward and be willing to denounce the Al Qaeda hate crimes and die if necessary for this country. Also, any "American" that embraces the Al Qaeda rhetoric should also be given a one-way ticket out.
Now back to the undocumented Mexican issue. Al Qaeda is using the undocumented worker issue, to keep our vigilance away from them and their activities. Our freedom has made us vulnerable. The United States, being the free country that it is, does not have the money or capability to secure both coasts, and both borders. Which brings up the question about Canada. What about the northern border, why aren't my Anglo brothers raising hell about its vulnerability.
Is it because most Canadians look Anglo and assimilate better, by not bringing their language and cultural differences with them? To be honest about it, it is easier for a Terrorist to gain access to the U.S. through Canada than it is through Mexico.
I, like most American do not condone any kind of lawbreaking. Lawbreakers should be tagged when at the time they break the law. The fact is that the U.S. for years has been very easy to get into. Our lackadaisical attitude has made this kind of lawbreaking, like California stops, a non-issue. It is already too late to penalize a driver for breaking the law by making a California stop at a stop sign, sixteen days or sixteen years after the fact.
In other words the floodgates have been opened for decades and no one has done anything about it. It is already too late to close the floodgates. We must face reality about this issue. No fence, no army, no vigilante group, no anti-Immigrant laws are going to keep a good and decent Dad, Mexican or otherwise, from making sure that his kids have food and shelter. Personally, I would die for my children.
If the economic tables were turned around, with Mexico being prosperous and the United States being poor, no American in his right mind would stay in the U.S. That being the case, if I could make $70/day ($7X10hrs.) in Mexico vs. $3 to $4 a day in the United States, I would definitely go to Mexico and work. I would even take my family with me. I would want the best for my family and I would not want anyone, even the Mexican government, to interfere with my ability to work there legal or otherwise. If this is the way most Americans feel, why don?t we apply "God's Golden Rule" and treat others as we would want them to treat us?

The other aspect to the anti-undocumented issue is this: Will the person who, without a doubt, is a person who has never broken a law of the United States, please identify yourself. I dare to say that nobody will raise their hand. If you broke the U. S. law at least once and got away with it without any kind of penalty, please stand up and be counted. I believe that all of us will stand. This occurs, when we litter the highway, drive one mile over the speed limit, follow too close, do not stop or just make California stops at a stop sign, or when we run a red traffic light or even speed up for a yellow light. This also occurs when we are not completely honest with our income tax, and campaign finance reporting, not letting a clerk know that you were undercharged for goods bought, or when taking two newspapers for the price of one, and the list goes on. If there is someone, that has never broken any of the laws of the land or any of the laws of God, as written in the Holy Bible, I dare you to be the one who casts the first stone.
I hereby challenge the purveyors of anti-undocumented alien sentiments to take a close look inside their hearts to address the following questions:
Will Jesus be counted as an illegal alien when He comes again? Will there be border disputes when His kingdom is established? Is hell worth not loving the Lord your God, because you could not find it in your heart to love your neighbor as yourself?

Signed:
A Brother in Christ.

i think if some aliens of this country work like immigrants the employees doesn't have to hired people with out papers so immigrant take the job because they need money not because they want that much so dont just talk because you got mouth think smart about it if you were in the same situation. and i tought that this site doesn't have nothing to do with political thing so jusst have to go to other site!!!!!

It is about time we crack down. It should have been done right after 911. Close the borders, round them up, and ship them out. If you are an illegal alien then you don't belong. We have plenty of wonderful immigrants that have come here and did it the right way.American jobs should be held by our own people and the business should be penalized big time.I agree Mexico should be made accountable for their own people. I wonder how much foreign aid we are sending them..Maybe we need to discontinue that.
That goes same with China imports, we need to bring back the industry and manufacturing that was once here back to the USA.The fair tax would give incentive to businesses to return to our soil again.It was great to read the comments from all if we could get this kind of response to our senators and congress maybe our voices could make a difference.Everything is not the President's fault like so many think.This has been going on for awhile.

Judy

Brother in christ, just to point out a few things, I do aggree with a lot of what you say but i also disagree with some of it, its not an anglo vs mexican fight, it is a legal vs illegal fight, Illegal Immigration into this country is mainly from the south as opposed to the northern border, this country needs immigrant labour that is why we have the legal immigration system, why should those who break the law and come in illegaly be accepted before those who have applied to do it the legal way, they have taken the time to fill out the paper work that shows they are wanted/ needed or entitiled to come into the US, as opposed to those who sneak accross the border at night time hoping to get a job that he/she is not entitiled to, the Problem must be faced head on and all efforts to stop it must be used even if that means state Police, Sherrif's, city police and county Jails being used to Identify illegals and then deporting them, changing the laws as they have done in a lot of european countries that have an illegal problem with citizens from the eastern block countries, to say that a child must be born to a citizen or legal resident of that country or his Birth cert will not make the child a naturalized citizen because he wa born there, he will be a citizen of the country of his parents, this would stop a large amount of cross border birthsin US hospitals leaving the Tax payer to cover all the Hospital expences.

I am not against immigration, just come in the right way. Mexico is not as lienient with its illegalsas the US is also try buying a house on the beach (not leasing it) or when the Mexican Government decides that you aree not intitled to stay in mexico, see how well treated you are by their immigration services as compared to the officers in the US, compare what the mexican Government will do for Americans, or other non Mexican citizens in Mexico, will it pay their Medical Costs, Education Costs, Give them Licences made in English, will it give the use of interpertators or tell them they have a right to one at the Mexican Governments expence, will it supply you with an attorney if you go to court and can not afford one, before we start saying look on one another and turn a blind eye to what they do, see what you would get in their position
if you wenty to mexico then decide how hard we are on illegals.we need to stop the flow north just as mexico trys to stop the flow of immigrants into mexico

BOTTOMLINE: We have laws on our books. If we had been enforcing the law - we would not have this problem. Since we cannot look back - then we need to enforce the law and figure out a way to make it work NOW. Interestingly enough, Palestinians go thru a checkpoint everyday so they can work in Israel - PERIOD. If you pass a law - it does no good if you do not enforce it.

I belive anyone that enters the USA illegally should be sent back to where they came from. I agree they should go through the proper channels to gain legal status in the USA. If they want to become a citizen of the USA they should learn our language,pay taxes, go by the same rules as all US citizens.Two years ago my cousin was hit headon by a illegal imagrant he was killed instantly. He left behind a 10year old son and a daughter in college. The illegal imagrant had no insurance or drivers license. He was arrested, drug tested he was found to be sober.He was released set a court date & never heard from again.He had three differant names he went by.Why was he ever released and not sent back to Mexico? Who knows. I am very gratful that Tennesee has tough driver license laws. We all need to stick together on tougher laws against entering this country. God Bless America and wanting our country to abide by what our countryman have fought for our freedom.

dear Mr. Gomez: I'm sorry you feel your a mexican when you were born in the USA. Most everyone here has roots in another country. I am a first generation American, my father spoke 9 diferent languages he only spoke english to me. the same was with my grandfather,and all 5 of his sons. they forsake their country and their culture ro become Americans. I don't see this with the majority of the people coming across our border to the south. the people who come across legaly and want to stay and become citizens are more than welcome and we are happy to help, but the people who break the law when there are legal means to enter should be deported and restrained from entering again. By the way I an dark skined and get the full treatment when I fly. I'm sometimes irratated but for the most part feel alot safer in flight, your part of America, be proud.

I don't understand why our govenment has allowed this problem to continue for so long without doing something about it. The word "illegal" says it all. If something is illegal it should be stopped. People who are here in this country illegally should be deported - no questions asked. We should not be spending American's money to provide medical, schooling, etc. to someone who is not a legal citizen of this country. It's a slap in the face to someone who comes into our country leagally and goes thru all the steps necessary to be here to allow others to come here and take jobs that a legal citizen and still receive all the benefits of a legal resident.

We have a town here in Texas that the citizens actually voted a law in that it is illegal to rent to a illegal and our courts actually told them they could not implement the law. It's pretty bad when our courts actually prevent it's citizens from upholding laws that are actually on the books for the entire country in trying to enforce them in their town when the govenment refuses to do so.

It's a shame we can't seem to vote these politicians out of office and get someone elected to office that will actually uphold the laws of our country. Until we get some laws governing how much these people can spend on elections and get lobbying outlawed we will continue to have these problems. Maybe it's time the little people rise up and make themselves heard and not just sit by and let things go on the way they are thinking that they can't change anything.

I am for sending back any and all illegals that are found in the USA. Let them apply for citizenship and legal status just like they have never been here before. If you are here illegally, then go back where you are from and do things the right way.

I agree totally with the law. I want to know how you got a house? Illegal immigration is a serious problem for this country. My husband and son lost their jobs because of it. They are two of the hardest working people I have ever known. They work in the heat and the cold, and they are legal. I hope that our country will wake up and realize what needs to be done. There is a legal way and an illegal way, and I have always been for the legal way. If as an American, I do something illegal, then I have to pay the price. The illegal immigrants need to pay the price. Go back to your own country and do it legally if you want to really be a part of this country. I'm not against anyone who wants to come here, but I am 100% in favor of doing it legally. To say that illegals only take the jobs Americans don't want is the biggest myth ever perpetuated on this nation. It is sad to think that a lot of politicians have bought into this ridiculous myth. We would not be in this sorry state if the leaders of this country had been doing their job. What's wrong with going back to Mexico and using your efforts to make that country a good place to live and work.

As a Welfare Case Manager for 7 years, I have seen children born to illegals in this country receive food stamps, medical, and cash benefits. Some families get $900+ Food Stamps a month for children because the parents are not citizens and such their illegal income does not count. All medical cost are paid by tax payers for the pre natal and birth of a new baby born to an illegal mother. Family income of illegal parents does not count in public housing. Therefor rents paid by illegals are between $3 to $100 per month including utilities. Many US citizens such as elderly, disabled, and US Single mothers seeking refuge from domestic violence or low income because they do not get child support are on the housing waiting list for up to 3 or more years. If one person in the house is a US citizen, including one child (even if the family has 8 members) or one legal parent, the whole family is eligible for public housing. Illegals who do not receive public housing are sueing Cities and Land Lords on discrimination laws. The Cities and Land Lords are loosing their cases to those above the LAW and do not get to face their accusers. The accuser wants to "keep breaking the law in "fear that they would be deported". US citizens are required to appear. California has the right idea by sending the illegal family members back to Mexico. One family unit had 4 children born in the US after the family was to be deported 12 years ago. The 4 children are crying to keep their parents in the states. The parents were trying to beat the imigration rules by having US children and felt no fear or risk. But the The children may need to learn a new culture or be separeted from family members. The US is not doing this to the family the parents did it by making the choices they made. (The parent is still Illegal. We as US Citizens must be reposnsible for our choices and abide by US laws. We are making it to easy by providing a free ride through housing, food stamps, cash and free medical. If the mother can travel send her back to Mexico befor the child is born. Send the father back immediately. If the mother cannot travel,deport the mother and her new baby "from the hosipital". The new baby will be a US citizen living in Mexico not the illegal mother and her other children living on public assistance in the US with all the TAX Payers money supporting her. NOTE: An elderly in this country receiving $650 Social Security is only eligible for $12 in food stamps per month. Give more to the legal elderly who worked all their life and paid taxes and remove the illegals and children born to illegals from the welfare roles. The parents would need to make different choices. The children "would not go hungry" the parents would be forced to make better choices instead of being rewarded for breaking the law. Do not give aministy. The US has forgotten this was done in late 70's early 80's and it did not solve the problem. No matter how long the person has been in the US illegally he or she should be deported. (time played a factor in the aministy given 30 years ago). It did not work. We now have a much bigger problem.

Wake up everyone. Keep in mind that allowing illegals to continue to reside in the United States is costing billions in tax payor dollars. They contribute very, very little yet cost you and I billions of dollars in medical care, they take up space in prisons, etc. They are a drain on the US and I do not care if they have housing, medical care, food, good schools, etc. That problem is Mexico's and one which they need to address and quite depending on the US to take their scum off their hands. No, I am sick of supporting them and I want them all deported post haste. Further, where is the fence we were promised to keep them out?

The problem is ECONOMICS and EDUCATION, and the solution is the same - ECONOMICS and EDUCATION.

What I'm wondering is how many of the respondents actually are contractors or business owners. How many of you shop at discount stores like Walmart? How many do not spend money on upgrading your homes and definitely would not hire a contractor to accomplish the job? Or if you do remodel would you hire the lowest bid rather than automatically hiring the higher priced union shop? How many of you never took a college economics class? How many of you profess to be Christian? How many would pass by an opportunity to improve the lives of your family if you were poor and starving? How many of you depend upon Fox News? How many of you voted for Bush?

If you can answer affirmatively to the majority of these questions then you are contributing to the problem more than you realize. By thinking the immigration issue will simply go away by building the proverbial "bigger fence on the border" you've bought into the extremist mentality. Instead the problem grows when we only see the color of a person's skin and react as if we are being invaded.

If we as a country can spend to reinforce the economy in the Middle East, why can't we do the same with our neighbors? Then just possibly the immigration problem would cease to exist. Instead it seems that most of the predictable knee jerk responses noted on this site are from those types who think that everything can be solved through extremist measures, which in the end makes them no different than Al Qaeda or the Taliban. Education and solving, rather than contributing to, the economic problem is the answer. If you knew how our government really spends our tax dollars you wouldn't be so consumed with trashing immigrants or obvious decedents of immigrants, instead you'd be in favor of issues where you could affect change. Those issues that truly affect your lives and future generations of your family.

Of course it's annoying to track down a bucketload of documents just to get permission to drive. However, since State DL's are the de-facto identification card in this country, you have to protect the process by which they are issued.

California is completely hosed in this regard. I have friends who are hispanic. They show me fake drivers licenses that essentially are real. They get these fake ID's not from forgers, they get them from a state agency that is so penetrated with employees sympathetic to illegal immigration that it probably goes on in every branch. the CA DMV is corrupt with people who want to issue fake ID's for a price.

Wow! so much response! I say let's take care of our LEGAL people and TRUE AMERICANS:LET'S TAKE AMERICA BACK!!!!!! I was born and bred in the USA but if I get to live to be retired (I am 52),
I will die penniless because the illegal aliens are taking all our benefits away and the wimps we have in political offices are letting it happen!!!!

Let me rephrase my note. After reading brother in Christ and Tom's letters, I have to say I am not against people coming into this country; just make them pay taxes, work for same pay scale as legals, and abide by the rules and quit taking away our jobs. Also, brother in Christ, you served in Vietnam and I have great respect for the military, so why not train the illegals to defend our country too!

I agree, take away their benefits and they will just stop coming.
No papers no benefits!

AND for heck sake cut out that press one for English. If you don't speak English you can't get work or you can't get free stuff!
Learn English it's a must and the first law to enforce!

On the other hand though I don't see Americans picking food in the baking hot summer in California or any other state that grows food in hot sticky climates I just think that the people born of that heat and hard working background are far more suited for that manual back breaking work
Plus I can't afford to pay more than I do already for food. It's going up every time I shop. If the illegals don't pick the food then the price of it will go up at least twice if not more. As it is it is going up all the time but my income doesn't go up to match it.

Another point is my niece came here for the summer with many other students from Ireland. They came legally 800 of them I'm told. I never though she would find summer work but much to my surprise she did. In a well known store. I wont mention the clothing company's name. But they told her that they were paying the Irish more than the Americans!!!!!!!!!! I know she is smart, one of the top 10% in Ireland. They said they prefer the Irish as they are better workers. Her and her friends are paid $9.50 an hour and the Americans are paid minimum pay!!!!!!!!!!
So what do you make of that?

I think so many Americans don't know much of anything and don't like hard work.

However, on the other hand I am baffled as to why the government takes care of all outsider as opposed to their won. It is a well know fact.

I agree with the person that says stop giving them all the benefits and stop having to provide Spanish paper and phone messages for them and they will just slowly stop coming.

I don't agree that companies should be shut don't or heavily fines if they employ them because it just come back on us.

On another note though I think the south of the border people are mostly very nice and very hard working people that are just looking for a better life. As are most of us.
I think if their government encouraged then to stay in their own country then they would be more encouraged to do so and the American Government did more to help that and NOT ENCOURAGe them to come here and give then free this, that and the other the problem would just shrink.

No I don't think you can just round them up and send them back because as another pointed out it is no better than Hitler did to the Jews or The Americans did to the Native Indian or they did to the Japanese in the war. They rounded them up took their homes and land and put them in camp.
I would like to think we have learned something from our past and are more humanitarian than that!

Just stop about being the best and giving free schooling and food stamps etc and they will just stop coming.

I am also for deporting the ILLEGAL aliens when found and should also be "hunted" down and deported. They are taking away from the legal aliens and residents of this country and being given a free ride at the expense of taxed americans. The employers that hire them should be punished. We need to remember that not only take jobs from everyone but they also increase your car insurance throughout the country because when they crash a car they run and the family that is hit has no one to go after and they run from the scene..... This is a huge problem not just taking jobs and free ride in healthcare. Your hospitals that have huge illegals also cost more for the rest of us.

Mr Kasha,
AMEN!!!!

I agree with many of the issues, BUT tha law has been in place for years about the hiring of illegals and never was applied that I konw. Now days these illegals demand Citizenship? I worked for a Gov. agency and many of the cases were illegals and their children US Citizens, if illegal parents they should report the new born to their Embassy; as US Citizens do in a foreing Country . Solution since we are recruiting for the Armed Forces and we are hitting poor Territories like Guam and others we should do the same with illegas with the promise of permanent residence as it was done in WWII.

While true, illegal immigration is a problem. Why is illegal immigration issue blamed on only people South of our Border? I see many illegal immigrants, from many different countries using up the very same resources that immigrants South of the Border use. And what of the Outsourcing of jobs to India? Our American Companies won't do business here without the loophole of a tax break. Now for a very important question, would any of you be willing to work for $3.00 a day or for that matter be willing to pay $20.00 for a head of lettuce. If within yourself you answer "No" then quite simply, you are contributing to the same problem of which you speak about. The truth of the matter is that immigrants are needed. True,there has to be some control, but you simply can't use them all as scapegoats. After they are all gone, who will be next to be blamed for the problems of our country? The Homeless??? And for those of you that are in fear of terrorism. Let's remember where those terrorists came in through back in 2001.

Bravo Oklahoma!!!
Every State needs to [do] this !!!!
Oklahoma's Governor Brad Henry has signed a sweeping immigration Reform bill: House Bill 1804, that its sponsor believes will go a long way in dealing with the illegal alien problem in the state.

House Bill 1804 was passed by overwhelming majorities in both the House and Senate of the Oklahoma Legislature. The measure's sponsor, State Representative Randy Terrill, says the bill has four main topical areas: it deals with identity theft; it terminates public assistance benefits to illegal; it empowers state and local police to enforce federal immigration laws; and it punishes employers who
knowingly hire illegal aliens.

Oklahoma is no longer "O.K." for illegal aliens, Terrill observes. "When you put everything together in context," he contends, "the bottom line is illegal aliens will not come here if there are no jobs waiting for them, they will not stay here if there is no government subsidy, and they certainly won't stay here if they know that if they ever encounter our state and local law enforcement officers, they will be physically detained until they're deported. And that's exactly what House Bill 1804 does."

The Oklahoma legislator is pleased the bill he sponsored into law was signed by Governor Henry and believes it will go a long way to curb the illegal immigration problem in the state. "I would remind people that states are separate sovereigns in our federal system," Terrill points out. "Anyone who doesn't understand that needs to go back and take an American federal government class in college," he says.

As a result of that sovereignty, the Oklahoma lawmaker insists, "we have as much right - in fact, I would argue, a responsibility - to protect our tax payers against that sort of egregious waste, fraud and abuse as the federal government should have a responsibility to protect that international border, but doesn't do that."

Terrill says as long as the federal government refuses to do its job of protecting the international borders of the United States, states like Oklahoma must take action to deal with the problem that is costing taxpayers in the state $200 million a year in public benefits, law enforcement costs, and other resources.

Subject: 14 GOOD REASONS TO DEPORT ILLEGAL ALIENS
I hope these 14 reasons are forwarded over and over again until they are read by the majority of Americans. Then they will have something to yell at their U.S. Congress members.

1. $11 Billion to $22 billion is spent on welfare to illegal aliens each year.
http://tinyurl.com/zob77

2. $2.2 Billion dollars a year is spent on food assistance programs such as food stamps, WIC, and free school lunches for illegal aliens.
http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html

3. $2.5 Billion dollars a year is spent on Medicaid for illegal aliens.
http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html

4. $12 Billion dollars a year is spent on primary and secondary school education for children here illegally and they cannot speak a word of English!
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.0.html

5. $17 Billion dollars a year is spent for education for the American-born children of illegal aliens, known as anchor babies. http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

6. $3 Million Dollars a DAY is spent to incarcerate illegal aliens. http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

7. 30% percent of all Federal Prison inmates are illegal aliens.
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

8. $90 Billion Dollars a year is spent on illegal aliens for Welfare & social services by the American taxpayers.
http://premium.cnn.com/TRANSCIPTS/0610/29/ldt.01.html

9. $200 Billion Dollars a year in suppressed American wages are caused by the illegal aliens. http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

10. The illegal aliens in the United States have a crime rate that's two and a half times that of white non-illegal aliens. In particular, their children, are going to make a huge additional crime problem in the United States.
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0606/12/ldt.01.html

11. During the year of 2005 there were 4 to 10 MILLION illegal aliens that crossed our Southern Border also, as many as 19,500 illegal aliens from Terrorist Countries. Millions of pounds of drugs,cocaine, meth, heroine and marijuana, crossed into the U. S. from the Southern border. Homeland Security Report: http://tinyurl.com/t9sht

12. The National Policy Institute, "estimated that the total cost of mass deportation would be between $206 and $230 billion or an average cost of between $41 and $46 billion annually over a five year period." http://www.nationalpolicyinstitute.org/pdf/deportation.pdf

13. In 2006 illegal aliens sent home $45 BILLION in remittances back to their countries of origin.
http://www.rense.com/general75/niht.htm

14. "The Dark Side of Illegal Immigration: Nearly One Million Sex Crimes Committed by Illegal Immigrants In The United States ".
http://www.drdsk.com/articleshtml

So using the LOWEST estimates, the annual cost OF ILLEGAL ALIENS is $338.3 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR!

So if deporting them costs between $206 and $230 BILLION DOLLARS,Start getting rid of em'. We'll be ahead after the 1st year!!!

Immigrants without medical insurance DO NOT automatically recieve free medical care. They have to pay their bills. After personally donating to help an immigrant with a green card who had a massive heart attack, I know for a fact that he had to leave the hospital only three days after open heart surgery and the government did not foot the bill. Perhaps the majority of you who comment should actually research FACTS before spewing misinformation. Additionally, immigrants with green cards, or without, who are hurt on the job do not necessarily receive workers compensation, disability or any other medical benefits. That is why employers hire them, to save money and increase their profits.

Employers should have to verify SSN# and documentation for legal status. Legal immigration should be better regulated and illegal immigration does need to be curbed--both to better protect citizen's wages and human rights. That does mean higher costs for employers and higher labor costs for Americans. Are citizens willing to pay more for services and goods?

The constitution states that if you are born on US soil, you are a citizen. If you start denying citizenship to those born on US soil because their parents were born elsewhere, then truelly only Native Americans have the right to be here. Most Mexicans have Native American blood, especially as many tribal members fled to Mexico to avoid being placed on reservations. So, who really has the right to be on this soil?

Shall we begin taking DNA samples and allowing only those with Native American genetic markers to remain on United States soil?

Under the guise of curbing illegal immigration, hatred and misinformation is being spread by racists, misinformed and maleducated malcreants--which unfortunately may never be eradicated.

We won't have to worry about it in construction for long. Due the past greed in the lending institutions, loans are coming to a halt. When people can't buy houses, builders can't build them. Without new homes there will be only occasional need for washers, dryers, stoves, microwaves, carpeting, tile, etc., etc., Thanks Bush for CAFTA and Clinton for NAFTA. Our whole economy has been destroyed by greed. Better learn Chinese because they own us.

Sorry this hurts some contractors who are looking to cheap out and pay some illegal $8 bucks an hour and put the rest in his pocket. Jobs need to go to Americans first. Construction is the job of choice for those legal Americans who weren't fond of school but do want to work and make a decent wage, to give it away to someone who doesn't respect our laws is criminal.
Wake up Contractors....the illegal you hire today, will be your competition in a year or so. My brother in law is a contractor who hired a few Mexican workers of questionable documentation in California. A year later they were in business for themselves under cutting his prices by twenty five percent or more.

I get upset when I go to a store and everything is in spanish and english. If they are here legally then let them learn english and speak english. Why are we catering to them? When I go to a foreign country you don't see everything in english, as well as their native language.

The thing that really gets me about the building industry is that all of these contractors want to put more money in their pockets, so they hire illegals to do the work.
These people rarely speak even a word of English so someone has to translate what needs to be done, meaning an intermediary. If this middle person is not around and the non-English speaking immigrant does not understand something, things are literally stopped because of the language barrier.
My husband and I had a house built and, as with anyone who builds a house these days, our contractor hired immigrants (I can't say "illigal" because, technically, I dont' know if they were or not, but since the housing industry thrives on paying so low a wage, I'd be willing to bet they were) to do the work so he could put more money in his pocket.
I am not making this up - his wife, who works with him basically said that's why they were hired - because they worked so cheap.
Of course, you do get what you pay for. The loudest rational you hear from those people wanting to grant amnesty to the illegals in this country already is that they work so much harder than the rest of us. That's a crock.
I can't tell you the number of times we came out to check the progress on our house and found no one here. If the contractor wasn't around, there were no workers. Or, if the contractor had come out at the beginning of the day, left instructions, and then left, guess what? The workers didn't stick around either.
As a matter of fact, they were supposed to glaze our entertainment center one weekend. When the painter showed up, he could not function because he had gone out and gotten drunk the night before, so my husband ended up sending him home rather than letting him mess up the work on our entertainment center.
This is just one of many examples I have run across concerning these so-called "hardworking" individuals and I am sure there are others out there with similar stories.
Another rational for allowing illegals to stay in this country is that they do work that "we" wouldn't do because "we" don't want to get our hands dirty and that is just plain BS.
I've never been afraid to get my hands dirty or do what I needed to do to support my family and neither has my husband. I just expect to be paid a decent wage for the work and these employers who hire these illegals are not worried about me or my family - they only care about how much money ends up in their pockets.
I'm tired of paying taxes for these people who sneak into this country so they can have free medical care, education, food, housing and everything else that we, as citizens, are turned down for. If they want to be in this country, they really have a funny way of showing it. They don't want to learn English - in some parts of the country, especially in south Texas, if you've ever lived there (I have), you'd think you were in Mexico. They make no effort to speak English as a general rule, the dropout rate is astonomical, even though they don't pay a cent for it, and talk about corrupt.
They've found a way into our system and our government is to blame. Legal citizens, whether native or who have come here legally are cheated because our government is more interested in catering to those who enter illegally, and it's time for it to stop.
It's not a matter of not wanting anyone to have a better life, but if you are rewarding someone who breaks the rules and punishing those of us who abide by the rules, how fair is that? Something needs to be done. These politicians need to pull their heads out of the sand and get this problem taken care of.
Of course, that's a dream that will more than likely never come to fruition because they gain more from the illegals than just about anybody. Again, it puts more money in their pockets.

To add to my other posting, as mentioned by another poster, Palistinians show their work permits every day before entering Israel, they are stopped and their papers checked at will and we in the states justify their treatment as Israels right to protect themselfs, here we hear its profiling, yet Latinos are treated a lot better than any one of Israels working Arabs, they are treated in an in humane way most of the time but we again justify this treatment as Israels right to protect them selfs, here we treat people of middle eastern backgrounds worse than we treat any other nationals as we believe that any Arab could be an Al Qaeda member waiting to kill us, again we as a population are ok with checking on their where abouts, so why not use the same idea to check the status of any latinos that police and other Government agencies come accross yet those people who want to protect the rights of illegals say its ok to check the Arabs but not the latinos, I carried my Green Card for the first 10 yrs before becoming a citizen, so if asked by any Governmental agencie I could prove that I was here leagelly, I did not take any offence when asked at customs and immigration to show my Green Card to allow me back into the country when ever I went over seas, I was happy to show proof, any way it goes back to if you have a problem showing a drivers licence when asked to by a police officer because you are driving a car, then dont drive, If you have a problem showing proof that you are legaly here then go back to what ever country you came from and make room for those that have no problem being proud to be legal.
Tom

I am so glad to see the response that this has generated here on HGTV, who would of thought that Americans actually cared about the wages that their brethren "me" and my brethren are going to have to fight for. You know this illegal immigration issue hits hard with me because I tried to get into construction at one point, I am now 23 and that was four years or so ago and I was turned away for the following reasons:

1) I was not bi-lingual(spanish speaking)
2) The wage that I was asking for was too much for them, $10/Hr.

I have had construction training and at that point had been involved in the construction of three homes so I had the necessary experience.

I am so disheartened at the way my parents, and the generation before them have sold this country down the river, mainly by ignoring politics or just by voting on emotional whims and pushing a socialist type of government on us, the so called "generation Y". You know we are almost at the end of the alphabet, I guess our next generation will be last generation of Americans, may they live long and prosper, I pray for the generation Z.

Brother in Christ-(Jose Angel Gomez)

I read your post and noticed some flaws in your rhetoric.

1) You were born in America, thus you are not a Mexican.
2) It is not the color of the skin, it is the laws that the "illegals" break that put them in the limelight.

The problem with Mexico is that their is MILLIONS of people coming here and expecting Americans to speak to them in Spanish, expecting our hospitals to treat them for free, deliver their babies for free, and then they ask for "food stamps" all the while breaking more laws by using false identification and fake social security numbers to secure the freebies.

If these people want to come here they need to learn english and ASSIMILATE NOW, just as most of the rest of the Americans have done. Denounce Mexico, or whatever country you came from because in all truth one man cannot serve two masters. One man cannot fight for two countries and be wholeheartedly devoted to either.

It is America all the way, or not at all.

yup the minute the boarder jumpers get here they are pregnant i see them every day here,and taking advantage of charity care thats for the american people and now there is one less american person getting help, if they have no medical insurance its sad and im one all american girl who has no medical insurance now because they dropped me because i made 12 hour and thats too much money to the government, and gave my spot to some other person they are not taking in any more new people in nj family care

I'm self employed painter, get all my work through references, I lose 40% of my jobs to people that employ illegals. I'm told that I also charge about 15% less than other regular painters in my area, I'm registered with the state of NJ but most people dont care. I'll bid 1,000 on a job and lose to someone that hires illegals for 800, they have no insurance and pay no taxes, which I do but the home owner wants to save 200, what are we suppose to do?

5

I believe our Goverment has let our Country down for many years, In my town we are over run with Mexicans. to the point that when my wife takes my son to the health deparment for a checkup, she has to have an appontment, the mexicans get to just walk on in. My Son is just starting middle School, I received a letter today saying that if I wanted to change him to another Middle School I had to fill out a form for the change, because the School that is near my home, is not State accredited because of mexicans had lowered the scale down. A mexican business close to my home is very small, but has alot of traffic because of the drugs that they are selling. If they break the laws here, Our Police and Court systems just let them pay cash bonds and just let them go, no time to serve because the jail can't collect state money for holding them. I HOPE here in Tennessee, that DHS does do something, before just like me and so many others start to take things in our on hands and deal with it. If you really want to know how the mexicans feel about us Americans, go to www.wehategringos.com and come to your own conclusions. nuff said

What a bunch of idiots, If I wanted to read about racism I would have bought Mein Kampf.
I will never come to this web site again, HGTV.COM or HGTVPRO.COm

It is about time that we crack down and enforce the laws that we already have on the books. That amnesty law proposed by the President was just crazy.... and I am a Republican!

Just this past two weeks, there was a young lady visiting the great northwest from texas.The day she was suspose to go back, her sister discovered her in an apartment, dead. she was only 16 years of age. Two illegals were found to have the done this horrible deed. After the trials, and jail time,(it is said that they will serve thirty years), and then be deported. why must we pay for their upkeep, for thirty years? I live in the northwest, and it seems like daily, we hear on our scanner, about some illegals have been stoped , and drugs have been found in their car, you name it , it has been found.why do these people keep getting their hands slaped, and we get our butts kicked? i don't mind some one trying to better themselves, but do it the right way!

I am a small cntractor and I have a problem with other companies that feel they have to pay low wages to compete. Arizona was made a "Right to work" State so that contractors could hire illegal immigrants (thank you republicans)and now Illegal immigration is being sought after by unions and democrats to increase the size of their support. The work force in Arizona used to be knowledgable and competent, no longer.
Thanks to illegal immigrants and contractors that want to exploit them the average "jouneyman" has only 3 years experience.
contrast that with me, 38 years

I am so glad there are so many others that agree with me. Canadians don't try to change our language and our culture, etc. My ex is 1st generation born here in his family from Canada. His parents only spoke English to their kids and changed the spelling of their last name to be more American. (They spoke French to each other when they didn't want the kids to know what they were saying). They were proud to be Americans and assimilated to American ways of life.
It's different from the south. They want to change our language, customs, etc. and use all our rights to do so. They want us to conform to them, not they conform to America. If they don't like the English language, etc. stay south. They are eligible for more welfare programs than a citizen born here.
My grandparents were Cherokee. We go back several generations in east Texas. I do have a lot of friends that are Hispanic. However, there is a difference between being legal and illegal. Their mindset is different and many of them feel the same way most of those writing here do. I have heard complaints form co-workers here legally from other non-Spanish, non-English countries. They were not catered to in their home language. Their children were not catered to in school. They did not receive paperwork in their language as well as English.

Taking jobs Americans don't want is a myth. My kids had a hard time finding work when they were in high school and college as well as their friends. My step dad and my mom moved from state to state because he was in construction and had a hard time finding work. When they did find work, they had to learn Spanish so that they could talk to co-workers when needed for their job. I was laid off, and my pay is now half what I used to make, because I now compete with people from other countries, not just Mexico, for a job that they will take a lot less money for. I have an electronics degree.
I filed for my tax refund this year and still haven't gotten it because someone else used my ss#. I was sent papers from the IRS that I had to sign with my signature and told it would be another 6 to 8 weeks. I may have to prove I didn't earn the income that the other person worked and pay taxes on the income they received. This is a nightmare that is just getting started. I filed my tax return in April and still haven't received it. Another problem of illegals.

A way that we can help, especially since we are on this website, when we hire a company to put on a new roof, tile our bathroom, pour that concrete for that new driveway, have our lawns professionally done, our houses cleaned, a new pool installed, foundation leveled: insist that the company use only legal Americans on the job. Be there when they arrive. If all the employees that arrive to do the job, do not speak English, tell them to go home and you are going to hire another company. This will help the small American business man compete in this market and not be outbid. This includes when Home Depot, Lowe's etc. send people over to do work on your home, such as installing doors and windows, kitchens, etc. If we all insist on only Americans doing the work, then this will go a long way to make contractors hire Americans, not illegals. It's not just the large companies. We need to look at who we let them hire and do the work for us. We do have a big voice if everyone refuses to do business with companies that hire illegals. This kind of boycott can go a very long way. It should be a prerequisite when we call for quotes and costs for a job or product. Insist on American workers. Help our American families.
My brother is in the U.S. Army, in Iraq. Freedom isn't free. A lot of Americans have fought for our freedom. I don't think it is asking too much to require people to come here legally. It is also to protect us from terrorist.
We need to enforce our laws and penalize employers that hire illigals.

Simply put, allow the hard-working underpaid workers who are here keep working! Shut off the border and keep more illegal immigrants from entering.

HEAR ME NOW, BELIEVE ME LATER. There are many wonderful workers here now that may have over-extended their visas. Can you blame some of these people in not wanting to return to countries of COMPLETELY CORRUPT GOVERNMENTS? These are hard-working people who are underpaid, doing jobs others won't do!

AGAIN, HEAR ME NOW, KNOW IT TO BE TRUE LATER: IF THE GOVERNMENT CONTINUES ON THE PATH OF MAKING WORK HARD FOR THOSE WHO ARE ALREADY HERE...IT IS EASY TO SEE THEY WILL STOP WORKING IN HONEST JOBS AND TAKE ON POSITIONS OF CRIME...The $20,000 DOLLAR FEE TO BE HERE LEGALLY IS SO UNREAL IT IS RIDICULOUS! MAKE IT MORE REALISTIC, maybe a $1,000 fine and keep the hard-working people from being left with the ULTIMATUM OF A LIFE OF CRIME. If they are paying their taxes, not working the system for free healthcare...THEY SHOULD BE GOOD TO GO!

Can't it be seen what an unrealistic price and hard government practices are going to lead to? I prefer a society in which I don't feel threatened to walk the downtown streets, let's be real here and handle this situation with kid gloves.

Take each case as close to one by one as is possible.

Wow.....What a mess our government has gotten us into by not enforcing the laws at hand. How corrupt have our elected officials gotten.
I think it is so unfair to those who want to come to America the right way and do all the legal things necessary.....I too agree with the morjority....send the illegals back.....and better yet vote out those Senators and Congressman who will not listen to the American people. I was taken aback when I saw Mexican citazens picket our Nation's Capitol demanding rights.....and lets remember those Senators and Congressman who kissed up to them...who marched with them.....who elected them in the first place? We need to make our voices heard at the voting polls....and we need to scream if necessary at our state and local levels as well. I have friends who have a Mexican background, their parents and their parents before them came into this country legally, no one gave them priviledge or cottered to them...they are upstanding American citazens now....send the illegals back with cash in their pockets and tell them to fight for their country like our forefathers have for us . Demand Mexico provide for their citazens opportunities and not hold them down.
Greedy American companies have sold out Amercica and should be held accountable to the very end of the law....And I agree with the person who said we should enforce the laws we have and don't try and change laws to fit the needs of greedy companies.
People...let us fight together to keep our Country as we have always known and loved her. My dad is now deceased...he served in the Navy and Army and fought for our freedoms....this issue threatens our freedoms our parents fought for....let us not be so lazy as not to keep our elected officials accountble....they answer to us not to illegal imigrants. We pay their wages...have they so quickly forgotten this? They represent us.....they need to do their job ! ! ! !

I've had experience with the Hispanic community for over 20 yrs. now...and let me tell you, the INS raids of old didn't deter the flow of illegals coming into this country. No more than the idea of requiring an arm load of documents for a DL will deter illegals from driving! As for the illegals taking the Americans jobs...TALK TO YOUR FELLOW AMERICANS! CAUSE THEIR THE ONES EMPLOYING THEM!! I personally know a gentleman that supposedly has issues with illegals being in this country and wanting to have certain rights...BUT, HE HAS NO PROBLEM WHAT-SO-EVER EMPLOYING THEM!! SO THAT HE CAN LINE HIS POCKET!! Paying them practically nothing for the job. One of his guys got injured on the job once...the guy needed to stay in the hospital overnight, and his boss told them to send him home THAT SAME DAY!!!...CAUSE HE DIDN'T WANT TO PAY THE BILL FOR AN OVERNIGHT STAY!!
I'd be interested to see one thing though, round all of them up and deport them...and let's see how many legals line up to take their places in the work place!
I don't have s suggestion for a resolution...but I can tell you this much, I'm just as annoyed at the idea of my tax dollars paying the bills for some of our legal residents as I am paying for illegals.
And my higher medical bills are a result of the many mal-practice law suites that are filed in this country more than they are a result of illegals using the services that they don't pay for. AND NOT BECAUSE THEY CAN'T!! HOW MANY OF US THAT ARE BORN AND RAISED HERE ARE WORKING FOR POCKET CHANGE JUST LIKE THEY ARE. AND WE STILL HAVE TO PAY OUR BILLS!
THINK ABOUT IT...IF THEY DISRESPECT THE LAWS TO COME INTO THIS COUNTRY ILLEGALLY...DO YOU THINK THEIR WORRIED ABOUT PAYING A HOSPITAL BILL??

If you can't speak english and/or you do not have a green card than I would say that person would have a 99% chance of being illegal and I believe a jury would understand that reasoning.

I live in South Florida where we are inundated with illegals living off "the system", and frankly I am sick and tired of having to support them.

It's kind of ironic - I lost my home during the '04 hurricanes, and qualified for an SBA loan to rebuild. Part of the documents require that the contractor hire minority subcontractors on the job where they are available. While I admire what SBA is trying to accomplish (giving LEGAL minority companies a piece of the pie, so to speak), this also can lead to an increase in hiring of ILlegal aliens so easily. Yes, there were two subcontractors on the job site which were minority companies, however one company had only ONE English speaking person on the job and that was the superintendent. The other fifteen under his company spoke only a foreigh language. I could not say whether or not they are here legally or illegally, but tho I tried to communicate with them all they could do was smile pleasantly, nod their heads and go on with the job.

It is the DHS's job to secure our borders and enforce the laws in place. Anyone who is here illegally should be deported - and that should include any of their children born in this country. This should not be the responsibility of the individual States to enforce - doing so will only further over-crowd our jails, since I edo not believe the States have any deportation jurisdiction. All they probably can do would be to put the guilty - read that "illegal" - ones in our jails for us to care fore - read that $$$$.

Unfortunately, I live in what is considered a
sanctuary city and more or less State (Texas).
The first thing that needs to be changed is the 14th Amendment. If the parents are here illegally, then the child/children should not be able to become U.S. citizens just because they were born on U.S. soil.
Illegal aliens claim that they do not receive free housing, medical or food. Yes, they do. They are able to receive these things through their U.S. born child/children.
These children are then put into the U.S. school system with little or no English which takes away from legal U.S. children. Schools that are paid for by legal U.S. tax payers.
Our government claims we can't deport these people. I say, YES we can. Take away their incentives and they will leave on their own.
Fine these employers and shut down their businesses for hiring illegal aliens.
Change the 14th amendment. Both parents must be of legal status.
No one should be able to receive housing, medical or food unless they can prove they are legal U.S. citizens. If the parent or parents cannot provide proof that they are U.S. citizens, they should not be able receive it on behalf of their children.
If the child/children cannot speak English, then they should not be allowed to be enrolled in school.
This is an English speaking country. NOTHING should be printed in ANY language other than English. You can't go to any other country and expect them to conform to your way of life or language. Why should the United States of America be any different.
The United States government needs to quit catering to illegal aliens and their origin of Country. Go to another country and demand all that the illegal aliens are demanding, march in their streets, refuse to assimilate and see what and where it get you. Jail, a one way ticket back home or even death.
The one thing that really bothers me is that our Border Patrol agents are put into prison for doing their job, securing our U.S. Borders. Yet the illegal aliens are allowed to be set free and sue the United States, knowing, that they are drug smugglers or worse.
WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?????

It's about time our government did the will of the majority of the citizens of this country. Good for them. They need to do more!

OK, If we are ALL in agreement and this has been going on for at least 30 years, why can't we the AMERICAN PEOPLE, Tell Our representatives in Washington to MAKE IT RIGHT BY US. FIX this Immigration Nightmare you have all closed your eyes upon and Get rid of the Illegals, Put our Country back to being productive and GIVE US BACK OUR USA. Stop Laying out the Red Carpet for Illegals, No Jobs, No Free Health Care, No Housing, NOTHING - Stop The Feeding Frenzie and Make them All Go Back Home - so Americans can start seeing a light at the end of the dark tunnel you have created for us. You keep us going in these circles and we can't get out - Washington - You do have the POWER TO STOP THE ILLEGALS FROM INVADING OUR USA - You must united, think as ONE MIND and you CAN DO WHATERVER IT TAKES - Only if you want to. It is obvious AMERICAN'S NEEDS HAVE COME LAST IN YOUR EYES. AMERICA is depending on you - our representatives in Washington to Put Up or SHUT UP. DO it NOW before our country is overrun and You DID NOT DO A THING TO PREVENT IT. If states and local governments have to step in - then Lets do that too. ALL STATES NEED TO GET INVOLVED - ALL ONE AND ONE FOR ALL!! We are after all the majority - the legal citizens of this great nation - obviously our representatives need to hear what we are ALL SAYING. The politicians read the blogs on campaigning - lets all give them HELL and see what they are made of.

If you want to see how fast they are populating OUR country,spend a day in one of our labor and delivery units at any hospital.I work in labor and delivery in metro atlanta.Half of our babies every day are from illegal mothers,not only from mexico but nigeria,guatemala,brazil.they don't speak a word of english but they all can say "how do i get emergency medicaid",yes they are entitled to it because our goverment lets it happen and because if the goverment didn't pay it our hospitals would go broke!We deliver 6500 babies a yr.just in our hospital.STOP MAKING THESE BABIES AUTOMATIC CITIZENS AND GO AFTER THE EMPLOYERS OF ILLEGALS.

When I have to pay prevailing wage to workers and sub-trades, and get underbid due to illegals hired by others, it hurts me and all those I hire. No one should be against fair competition. Greed is the byword for those hiring illegals. Just plain greed.

AS A LICSENED CONTRACTOR ON LONG ISLAND,
ITS BAD ENOUGH COMPANIES HIRE ILLEGALS.
THE ILLEGALS THEM SELVES FORMED THERE OWN BUSSINESSES ILLEGAL, AND NOBODY WHANTS TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.LOCAL GOVERNMENT STATES ITS OUT OF THERE DEPARTMENT AND PASSES THE BLAME ON SOMEONE ELSE.AS FOR THE CONTRACTORS WHO HIRE THEM THEY SHOULD LOOSE THEY LICSENCE AND BE FINED.
HIRING HALLS DONT WORK HERE BECAUSE THE ILLEGAL
FEELS HES BEEN CHEATED OUT OF MONEY.THEY WONT MAKE ANY EFFORT TO BECOME LEGAL,THEY WANT ALL THE CASH THEY CAN GET AND GO BACK HOME.THEY SET A 3 YEAR PLAN.

What is it some people do not understand about "Illegal"?
So what if citizens are inconvenienced to make America safer and free from over population, over taxation, protecting our hospitals from closing.

I noticed in Central California farmers and building contractors are NOT using classified ads to hire workers. What goes there??? Ever wonder how they are they getting their workers? This is the reason I feel they KNOW THE WORKERS ARE ILLEGAL BEFORE THEY HIRED THEM. Come on guys, who do you think you are fooling? Invest just a few of your big profit dollars to place an ad in your local newspaper. You may be surprised how many American ciitizens will respond.

I'M VERY MUCH "LEGAL" IN THIS COUNTRY, BUT STILL BOTHERS ME TO SEE HOW SO MANY PEOPLE CAN BE SO RACIST AND CLOSEMINDED.

MOST AMERICANS TODAY SOUND LIKE ARCHIE BUNKER.
PLEASE, REMENBER 9/11 AND REALLY FIND HOW MANY HISPANICS WERE INVOLVED IN THE "TERRORIST" ACT THAT DESTROYED AND KILLED SO MANY. YOU'LL FIND ONLY ONE. THE REST CAME FROM THE AL QUAEDA MUSLIN TERRITORY, AND THEY CAME IN "LEGALLY". THEY HAD A VISA GIVEN BY THE US GOVERMENT.THEY LEARNED TO FLY A PLANE HERE, THEY LIVED AND WORKED HERE. AND THEN THEY ATTACKED.

FOR ALMOST A DECADE BIG COMPANIES HAVE BEEN CLOSING THEIR OFFICE LOCATIONS HERE AND SENDING (OUTSOURCING)THE WORK TO INDIA BECAUSE THE LABOR IS CHEAPER THERE.
EVEN BEFORE, FARMERS AND FACTORIES WORKERS LOST THEIR JOB BECAUSE OF THE SAME, THE RICH WANTS TO GET RICHER AND SINCE PEOPLE HERE IN THE US WERE ASKING FOR TOO MUCH MONEY THEY LOOKED FOR CHEAPER LABOR.

AMERICANS GET UPSET BECAUSE THEY HEAR SPANISH SPOKEN OR A HISPANIC ACCENT. BUT HOW IS IT THAT NOBODY COMPLAINTS WHEN OTHER LANGUAGES ARE SPOKEN OR THE ACCENT IS ASIAN, HINDU, RUSSIAN, EVEN MUSLIN,ETC?
WHEN AMERICANS GO TO OTHER COUNTRIES THEY EXPECT TO BE SPOKEN IN ENGLISH AND MOST COUNTIRES DO.

AMERICANS SAY THAT THE HISPANICS DON'T WANT TO ASSIMILATE THE AMERICAN WAY.
IT'S NOT TRUE. THEY WANT TO KEEP THEIR ROOTS, THEIR TRADITIONS, THEIR MEMORIES OF THEIR FAMILY ELDERS.
UNLIKE MOST "AMERICANS" WHO EVEN THOU THEY ARE OF GERMAN, ITALIAN, FRENCH, AND SO MANY OTHER COUNTRIES DESCEND, AND STILL THEY ARE ASHAMED OF WHERE THEY CAME FROM. EVEN WORSE IT WAS THEIR GRANDPARENTS WHO DENIED WHO AND WHERE THEY CAME FROM.
WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE AFRICAN AMERICANS. THEY, JUST LIKE THE HISPANICS ARE PROUD OF THEIR ROOTS, THEIR HERITAGE AND FAMILY TRADITIONS.
ONLY THE "REAL NATIVE AMERICANS", CAN SAY THEY'RE AMERICANS. THE REST ARE ONLY BORN AMERICANS AND FOR THAT MATTER MOST HISPANICS
ARE AMERICANS...LOOK AT A MAP AND YOU WILL SEE THAT THIS CONTINENT IS FORMED BY THREE AREAS: NORTH, CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA.
SO YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY AMERICANS, JUST NORTH AMERICANS.

Well i guess my first try didn't get there. so try again. i live in the northwest. A while back there was a young lady that was assaulted and had her life taken. She was only 16 years of age. She came to this area to visit her sister, and the night before, two men broke into where she was staying, raped, beat her and took her life. The men that the police arrested were"illegals". If our goverment would do their jobs like they are being paid to do, i don't think we would have the problems we have now. And in the part of the state that in live in, one of the main hiways is known as "Coke Ally". And guess what, the majority of arrests are, you quessed it, "illegals". So you tell me. zimm zimm

Whoever wrote to us "maleducated" people and so called "racists" ... just because a hospital sends an illegal a bill for its services, does not mean the bill will be paid. That is the reason so many hospitals went bankrupt!!! (I think the number has exceeded 70)

I Would like to who would put the vegetables on your tables and who would make your clothes, who would do the farming so that we all our fruits and vegetables. I do not find it right for the goverment to deport them and then go to their country to exploy them it, Does that sound right to you.

To the Illegal Alien Apologists:

We were able to clothe, feed and build our homes long before the masses scurried over the borders in the dark of night. It is called market forces and most would gladly pay $.10 more for a head of lettus picked by an American if they did not have to fund the social services leached by illegals and their litter of kids who are incorrectly given citizenship under the 14th ammendment.

Also, anyone who claime that a Mexican is an "original American" is a moron.
1.Mexico was formed long after the USA was
2.they are decendants from Europeans aka the Spanish unless they are 100% Aztec.
3.They do not want to assimilate as claimed. If they did, they would legally come to this country instead of hiding like rats while stealing jobs and services from the REAL AMERICANS. They would also not be sending all the money out of the country while not paying taxes.

Archie Bunker was right...

Anyone coming across the BORDER ILLEGALLY IS
is breaking the law!THROW THEM IN JAIL & DEPORT. If EMPLOYERS were fined for hiring ILLEGALS,LANDLORDS fined for providing housing, STATEPOLICEl Reported those ARRESTED for ANY
CRIME TO ICE,IF JUDGES KEPT ILLEGALS IN JAIL OR DENIED THEM BAIL: ALL AMERICANS,would be SAFER. COUNTY & STATE HOSPITALS wouldnt be bankrupt.If the ACLU protected REAL AMERICANS,the middle class working,tax paying people,instead of the Illegals,some violent,CHILD MOLESTERS,KILLERS, AMERICA would be a SAFER PLACE.IF OUR Senators & Congressmen,that we the average person voted for,
& believed in, HONESTLY WORKED FOR US,THE PEOPLE, NOT SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS & LOBBISTS ...WE wouldn't have Sanction cities with Illegals hanging ON Street cornings,getting Social Svcs,FREE hospital svcs,free LEGAL ATTY'S fighting IN OUR COURTS FOR THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF ILLEGALS, NON CITIZENS, NOT AMERICANS BUT ILLEGALS. WHERE ARE THE HUMAN RIGTHS OF HARD WORKING,LEGAL CITIZENS? WE THE PEOPLE HAVE TO FIGHT BACK NOW!!! OUR SENATORS HAVE ALREADY VOTED TO GIVE ILLEGALS OUR SOCIAL SECURITY MONEY.BANK OF AMERICA GIVES ILLEGALS CREDIT CARDS & MORTGAGES. SENATOR.HILLARY CLINTON,SENATOR TED KENNEDY,SEN.OBAMER VOTED DOWN, ENGLISH AS THE UNIVERSAL LANGAUGE OF THE U.S. WHY? FEDERAL FUNDING FOR ILLEGALS WOULD BE STOPPED. WHEN DID WE THE PEOPLE VOTE TO HAVE SANCTION STATES? OR FEDERAL FUNDING FOR ILLEGALS, NON AMERICANS.,IF SENATORS,CONGRESSPEOPLE,STATE,COUNTY PEOPLE, ACTUALLY WORKED FOR THE AMERICANS THAT PUT THEM IN OFC, THIS WOULD TRUELY BE AN AMERICAN GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE BY THE PEOPLE FOR THE PEOPLE.DONT REWARD LAW BREAKING ILLEGALS!!!FIGHT FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO BECOME AMERICAN CITIZENS & AMERICANS! SEND A MSG TO PRES.BUSH: GET THE BORDER FENCE COMPLETE IMMEDIATELY. STOP SENDING OUR BORDER PATROL COPS TO PRISON FOR DOING THEIR JOB!! GET OUT OF BED WITH THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT.
DONT LET AMERICA BE GIVEN TO ILLEGALS BY THE CROOKED GOVERNMENT PEOPLE IN OFC FOR THEIR OWN AGENDA.
STOP THE POLITICAL CORRECTNESS OF THE EXTREMEISTS!
NO WONDER AMERICANS APPEAR TO OTHER COUNTRIES AS WEAK PUSHOVERS, FIGHTING AMOUNG OURSELVES.
TAKE AMERICA BACK OUR FOREFATHERS & VETERANS FOUGHT TO KEEP US FREE..... WE HAVE TO GET A GRIP
& FACE THE FUTURE BY ACTING NOW!! OUR GOVERNMENT
HAS TO STOP GIVING OUR COUNTRY TO ILLEGALS & THE HIGHEST BIDDERS,SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS FOR THEIR OWN INTERESTS. MOST OF OUR POLITIANS ARE OUT OF TOUCH WITH THE AVERAGE PEOPLE OF OUR COUNTRY!!!
ILLEGALS GO BACK FROM WHERE YOU CAME!
STOP LOITERING IN CITIES OR COUNTIES THAT WANT TO FOLLOW THE LAW. LET THE GOVERNMENT PEOPLE THAT DECIDED TO GIVE AMERICAN RIGHTS TO ILLEGALS,AS WELL AS FEDERAL FUNDING, TAKE THEM INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD THEY RESIDE IN.

The illegal alien issue has become huge, I work with a lot of them ant their arrogance is amazing, they will call an ambulance to take the whole family to the hospital for a cold because they know they can and that REAL Americans will pay for it. The y dont want to be Americans as the liberals claim. They want our money and our health care. And guess what, many middle class Americans are or will be out of good paying jobs as long as employers keep hiring them.
I will no longer subscribe to this site or support the sponsers of this or any other site that support lieing liberal politics or that give advise to felons.

whats all this bout deporting them all? Why are we making this harder than it really needs to be. i mean c'mon yall. If yall are tring to get rid of crime and trying to stop the gov't spending unnecessary money, this wont fix the preoblem! the problem will still be here even if u deported every single immigrant in the USA! because the problem is here. Im certainly not racist. But i do speak my mind. What race is accountable for the most crimes??? African Americans. And no matter what u do to Mexicans, or where you throw them to, u will still have all that crime. Because most crime comes from AMERICAN CITIZENS!!! Why doesnt anybody understand that? And about the healthcare and public schools funding for illegal immigrants, i know many illegal families that work hard and do not depend on the government like many citizens do. its a disgrace that we blame them for everything. Go to New York!ask around if they get financial help from the gov't. you will see that the majority of them dont work and depend on gov/t aid.We Americans take everything for granted. Education for instance. And illegal immigrants wish they could go to school in the USA. And to those who can, we tell them "go back!!!"? NO! And i also see many citizens in the freeways exits asking for money. They have 2 eyes. 2 arms. 2 feet. LEGAL STATUS. And wat do they do? ask for money. Easy way out huh? Well Illegal immigrants have no legal status and are willing to work hard and provide for their families! Is that a crime? Just please put urself in their position and see from their point of view and realize that you would do the same thing if u had a family to support and ur country does not have the opportunities that the US does. u would migrate here too........ and work illegaly to provide for ur loved ones.

WTH! why are people so ignorant? If Mexicans could come legally to the U.S, wouldnt you think that they would come legally? The person who said that Mexicans hide like rats and steal jobs is plain ignorant. They dont know how hard it is to get a visa from most countries. They have no option. They either migrate (even if it means illegaly) and work to support their families. Americans have a really wrong idea of foreign countries. They think that getting a visa or a green card is as easy as 1-2-3. Its very very hard to get one. Yes, deport the people with a criminal record. All of them. But let the hardworking immigrants work. Thats all theyre asking for. All they want to do is work peacefully. Legalizing them is beneficial to both sides. The gov't would know about who is in this country, as opposed to guessing how many undocumented immigrants are here. And the immigrants would have a safer tomorrow. Legalize the hard working people (place requirements such as *must have lived here for more than 5 or ten years and *must know atleast a bit of english if not fluently, and have filed taxes for atleast 5 years), deport the malicious people with a criminal record to their original country, and go on with our lives.

First of all if you have read your history books the Mexican were here with the Native Americans. Mexicans had California, Utah, Colorado, Texas, Arzonia. They were taken to war right before the Sioux Indian and lost so this land is there land too. The only people who should have any say to Immigration are the Native Americans. Plus they help rebuild Florida after Hurricane Ivan without there help it still be another 5 years but they worked in the heat and were abused and treated like animals and deserve to have papers handed to them there still alot of people here that do not fill the jobs for construction because lets face it Americans are lazy. We want to cry and moan and say bad things about people instead of trying to think of solution that will help everyone one in the long run. We have Americans that do not work and can but they collect of the system or sue every one to get a buck. What happen to people and remember if you have nothing nice to say keep it to your self. We have alot of Hispanic's in the Military who have family still in Mexico. So before making jokes and complaints go out there and see people do not want to work hard so that why people get away with hiring Mexican and abusing them and not paying them what there worth cause they can not find a Legal person to fill them jobs. We need to make a law to protect them so they can be paid for there hard work. I truely appreciate everything they did for me after the hurricane I went 2 months with no lights or power due to the damages and no help from the government or insurance company that we pay monthly to cover these expenses. So before you judge another Human being judge your self and start trying to make a difference instead of being so judgemental. People have to stop and think God made us he did not send us with papers or anything and we leave this world with nothing. I was born and raised and I am American but after what I have seen I am very disappointed in the American people. Where your hearts? Just remember no one would be here if it was not for God. I believe let them work and get fair wages for the Mexicans who are here and maybe some day they will get back what was theirs. For the people who hire Mexican's and pay them correctly more power to you. bye.

well i look at it like this...us native americans are the only ones who belong here..the rest of you should go back to your countrys..there are so many people who are legal and live on the streets and do drugs so deport them..people who come here want the american dream..just to work..americans are lazy and dont want to work just collect unemployment..my friend is here legally but here family cant come here they have been trying for years..her brother has tried 6 times and has got denied..200 dollars each time..that is one month of his work..just cause your relatives came here when it was all good you think you can sit and complain about someone who actually wants to work..when you go to the supermarket and get your fruit who do you think picks that..im positive its not you!!

The answer is so simple-when it comes to enforceing our immgration laws at the work sight! By showing a legal Social Security number! Yet we find some employers telling us they just don't have the time to comply with the law. I say put them in jail so they will have all the time they need! I guess they just might be a little more simple then the answer to this problem!