What is your opinion on the "Illegal Immigrant" situation going on?
436931
My wife is Philippina and we are trying to get her visa.  It is taking a long time.  I don't care what country you came from, if you are legal.  If you are illegal, you are breaking the law, end of story.  When My wife and I lived in Japan, we had trouble getting a visa for me.  So we both left.  Because If I had stayed I would have been deported if I had been caught, and so would my wife.  Regardless of the fact that she had a visa.  Breaking the law is breaking the law.  Don't complain when you are caught.
298480
Illegal immigrants don't steal jobs from Americans, they take the jobs that Americans tend to think are too menial to be worth the wage that the corporations are willing to pay (agriculture, hotels, and such mainly). Would you want to make sub-minimum wage for farm work? Or hotel room service work?\n\nI don't have a problem with people wanting to come here and make a living. Heck, that's how this country got started, how it grew, how it prospered. However, the way the world is now, I *DO* have a problem with illegal immigrants.\n\nI think that the borders should be strengthened. I think they should be walled, fenced, mined, guarded, patrolled by dogs, razor wired, electronically monitored, etc. I think anyone who tries to cross illegally should be consided a potential terrorist. I think those who try and sneak into this country should be punished. Those who come in legally, who want to work within the laws, who want to actually contribute... welcome to America. Come on in.
612938
I can't believe the drivel that comes out of some people's mouths (or, in this case, fingers).\n\nThere are clearly two distinct camps on both the issue of illegal immigration and the invasion on Iraq. However, I am of the opinion that both do not necessarily require the same answer.\n\nIllegal immigrants come to the United States seeking a better life. They frequently face numerous challenges just to get here, and then they face racism and intolerance when they get here. I think there are many problems with the current immigration laws, and I don't see an easy solution. However, I don't think the current laws are fair. The citizenship test is all but impossible, and the whole process is terribly expensive. Now think about it--most of the people who want to come here are looking for a better life. They don't have the financial or educational resources to do so through legal means. At the same time, I don't think we should allow everybody to immigrate to the U.S. We are already overpopulated! My class is already full, and a number of my students are illegal immigrants. It's a challenging dilemma, and the right and wrong of it are completely ambiguous.\n\nThe invasion on Iraq, on the other hand, was unnecessary and violated international policy. It was a means for Bush to garner support and rally the country after 9/11. It worked so well that he just wants to continue with it. Propaganda will influence a majority of the population a majority of the time. We don't need to be there. This war is about more than terrorism, or even oil. It's about making Bush look good.
719866
it is against the law and should be stopped. it's not the "immigrants" i have a problem with, it's the "illegal" part that bothers me. i'm cool with legal immigration.
273830
Those of you who sympathize with the illegal immigrants are thinking with your hearts. Do you think for one minute that I have no heart? I do, but I have to think with my brain. If I were them, I'd come here, too. But the fact of the matter is that these people are breaking the law by their mere presence.\n\nTo those of you who say that they are only here to do the jobs that no one else would do. THAT'S JUST NOT TRUE!!! My father was put out of business by them!!!! He was a private contractor/painter. They charge so little for their spray paint jobs on people's homes, and they are able to do that because they have no liscence to do contractor work and no insurance and pay no business or income taxes...their costs are lower because of these things. And do any of you know any high school students who would like a weekend/evening job but can't get one at McDonald's, etc? I do! And many other places that would have hired them in the past just don't, because they can hire undocumented ILLEGAL workers. And let's not forget that they don't come here alone...or if they do, they soon send for their family...wife and 4 or 5 or 6 kids...or maybe they just bring 2 and have the other 3 or 4 here on TAXPAYER MONEY!!!! And then we have to provide healthcare and education to them!!!!\n\nI don't think that these women who stay home with their kids are lazy. I TOO AM A STAY AT HOME MOM...and I do realize that many view it as a luxury. The problem is that they have babies at our expense. They file for MEDI-CAL (here in Calif. that's the publicly funded "insurance" for poor people...and my family doesn't make enough money to afford insurance, but we don't make little enough to qualify for this, but if someone with no papers walks into the office and says "I'm illegal and have no papers," they are not turned away, they are given a plastic card that entitles them to VISION, DENTAL, HEALTH, HOSPITALIZATION, and PRESCRIPTION BENEFITS that my family cannot even afford, and how is it being funded? MY HUSBAND'S PAYCHECK!! They get food stamps, section 8 (almost free housing) and crowd our Head Start (free preschool) and public schools.\nYou say that they improve the economy? The only people benefiting are business owners, the rich moviestars and CEO's who can afford them as nannies and gardeners and can afford to go to the car wash and out to dinner, and the rest of us have to suffer living among them and sending our kids to overcrowded failing schools!\n\nThat's the reality of it.\n\nHey, abbby23 (BELOW): I don't suck, and I'm not ignorant of history, but Mexico's ownership of California and other South Western States is just that: HISTORY! Does Mexico want it back? For what? It can't even take care of the states it has, that's why you guys are all coming here! You think I don't know that I am from immigrants? Of course I do! But don't pretend that you (I'm assuming you're Mexican, because of something you say, but if not, no harm intended) aren't half immigrant in your blood...yep, read your history, girl, your daddy came to this continent and raped yo mamma!! don't like to think of it that way, do you? The point, anyway is that this is NOW, CURRENTLY, and FOREVER a LAND OF LAWS. IF YOU WANT TO COME HERE, WHY NOT FOLLOW THE LAWS. I will admit that I feel a little bit guilty, seeing that I know and love quite a few Illegal Immigrants...but the opinion I'm voicing here is from the point of view of what is best for the U.S.A. not for the people I know. Naturally, I don't want my husband's uncle - who is here illegally (not to mention his wife and two of his daughters, and several of my husband's cousins, etc.) I don't really want them deported. They're great, hardworking people. But the citizens of this country need to draw the line and get people to follow the laws. If I blatantly broke laws like Illegal
308789
Come on do you really think it's Bush's doing? I swear the Democrates are hypocrite especially Hilary Clinton. Sean Hannity had a tape of her actually 2 one from months earlier slamming the illegal aliens and a recent one talking about how great they are. My whole problem with all of this is that they are here illegally, why aren't we out arresting them and sticking them on buses and taking them back across the boarder. They are out of control and if we allow them to stay we are just setting ourselves up for future problems. Riots because Gee if we throw a fit and protest then we get our way. What about all the ones over on the other side who are trying to follow our laws and filling out the paper work, is it fair to them. What are we teaching these people? I'll tell you, we are teaching them that it's OK to break our laws, it's OK to protest, well I don't agree, they need to be dealt with and taught that there is no tolerance to those who would break our laws and not follow our rules. I am all for allowing people into our great country, I love my country and I understand why they want to come here but it needs to be done the right way. If it isn't then it will set a president that we won't like and will not be able to live with in the long run. I want people who will follow our laws and respect them. So me that you will do the right thing then I'm all for you coming here.
992998
I think immigration's out-of-control. I think that a lot of our politicians have some bright ideas about 'one world' etc., and some of those don't quite work out the way they planned, and then there's those gosh-darn unintended consequences etc.\nIf people keep it civil, immigration's no problem, but we're well beyond 'civil' in some cases, and policies need to be improved and amended to slow this stuff down quite a bit....bum's rush doesn't cut it...
527469
I am a real liberal rather than the usual anti-conservative and I am completely against illegal immigration.\n\nPeople are coming across the border (not just from Mexico and Latin America, but from Asia and Eastern Europe; not just in sweat shops but in sex industry as well) illegally because they are being recruited by unscrupulous employers to circumvent the idea of free market economics. If the demand for workers is greater than the willingness of the indigenous labor supply to settle for the money offered then wages are supposed to go up. Instead, a black market worker is smuggled into the country, often at great physical peril, and then is kept at a job which would be illegal because the hours are too long and the environment is too unsafe by the threat of deportation or physical intimidation and the worker cannot seek redress because he must remain secretive. This is BAD for America.\n\nHowever, and I am sure you will not like this, I fear that if the War in Iraq were going better we would not be debating this issue right now. The economy has been in the tank for almost five years, and illegal immigration has been a non-issue until six months before a major election when the party in power is seen as being weak. Maybe that is a smoke screen, maybe it's just a coincidence.
493029
I just got a email from a friend regarding Australia. They are having some immigrant Muslim problems. The radicals are getting out of hand. The government and citizen are dealing with it. One signs said" if you don't like our language, culture and laws get the hell out". \nA few years back they had a real Chinese illegal problem ships dumping of them. They dealt with it rather fast.They cut out chain immigration better now as family unification.\n\nThat is as much as I know on this new immigration anti terrorist issue, but I think that is about as much information that one will get. Most will probably be opinion depending on their side. I have no agenda.
297966
I personally have no issues with anyone living in America as long as they are pulling their weight.  I DO have issues with illegals coming into this country, having kids and getting government checks out of my pocket for housing and food while not having their income taxed like everyone else here.  I have issues with anyone living in this country and not learning the language.  That's just rude.  I don't expect someone to be as fluent as a natural born citizen, but damn, at least try.  I couldn't go to any other country i nthe world and expect them to cater to me like that.\nIt is not fair for the legal citizens of the USA to pay to support illegals.  That is nothing more than freeloading.  The government needs to find some way to get everyone legal so they can pay taxes into the system like the rest of us.\nOr maybe go with that Fair Tax that will make a national sales tax to replace the federal income tax.  Then everyone would pay into the system everytime they bought stuff even if they are reporting all of their income.\nEverybody pays -- problem solved
120791
*Retrieving part of an earlier post of this nature*\n\nKK First I'd like to cut to the chase here, it is a wolf thing you know...\n\nI wanna say I have no prob with immigrants, after all most of the people we concider American's ancestors (and some of mine) were immigrants who came here by legal means. There is no problem there.\n\nThat said, let us define then the real problem...\nIllegal Immigration and what is wrong with that can be summed up in one word...\nILLEGAL!!!\nNothing more is needed to define that, but for those who need a definition between immigrants who apply to the US through proper channels and are here by set rules and permissions and those here by illegal means...\n\nOK, they are here not by following proper applicants and permissions, gaining entry by just crossing over into this country or outstaying visa's and never leaving.\n\nI do have a problem with the huge amount of money being shelled out by us tax payers to pay for welfare, education, medical ect to someone here illegally.\n\nNot only that, it is evident here in states on the borders that businesses are using low wage/under the table pay Illigals as their workers. And we are not just talking picking fruit in fields. All sectors are now affected by it, from construction, to manufacturing, to high tech trade jobs. Often using falsefied documents to obtain those positions.\nIt is wrong that Americans who wish to work cannot find work at a reasonable wage and must resort to accepting near minimum for positions that took years of educational expenses and experience to be able to do or to go on unemployment as they cannot find the work that pays a reasonable wage to meet living expenses or to move to areas not as affected by the situation...\n\nIt is past time our government here in the US starts representing the US people and stop accepting big business money to ignore the problem.
370467
The key word here is "illegal". I have no problem with people coming over here to try and make a better life for themselves, but they need to do so legally. Any other way makes them criminals and as such they should be deported.
245471
I am a legal immigrant from Australia.\n\nI haven't been able to work for years due to immigration law, but i don't whine and moan about it, i deal with it and wait in line until i have the money to pay for most of the process.\n\nGive illegals a break? You have to be shittin me.\n\nInstead... oh we will just give them amnesty and reward illegal activity. For fuck sake ILLEGAL IS ILLEGAL.\n\nWhy should i who did everything legal wait for years and let these bastards just get a free ride? FAIR..I think not.\n\nFlame me you wankers, like a i really care.
1068201
I do not support illegal IMMIGRATION.\nI support AMNESTY for the illegals in the country right now.\nI want illegal immigration stopped for good.I can not believe they left the friggin borders open.
1080927
The Illegals are going home. The Illegals are going home.   More and more everyday.  Now maybe they can come the right way.  And To those with sob stories--we have plenty here-who have been waiting longer,\n\nLooks like some-are afraid so they won't address this.
771666
I'm against; but i do realize that a small portion should be given amnesty,(Speaking of only thousands, not millions) The rest should be deported back to their native land and some should be given a temporary VISA on probation to see if it would work for them to be citizens, If not, they go back too, But only people who honestly turn themselves in should be given such opportunities.\n\nAn idealist view would be to say " they're all illegal. GET THEM OUT". But in reality, that wouldn't happen.\nI just think we should stop anymore from coming but deal with the people we already have.\n\nSometimes you just have to meet in the middle.
328881
I can't comprehend why any illegal immigrant couldn't have just came here legally. I don't have a problem with people coming to the United States that way. However, I do have a problem when [insert nationality] sneaks by our borders and settles down. It's not fair to those who already live here.\n\nWhich brings me to my next point: immigrants taking American jobs. The fact is, yes, they do take our jobs; IF they aren't legal, that is. Furthermore, illegals take up living space, use up American food and drink, ride our public transportation, and take advantage of our welfare and/or other government aid programs. I don't have a problem with legal Americans using the above. I DO have a problem with illegal [insert nationality] doing so.\n\nBy now, it should make a whole lot of sense. You don't deserve to be in America unless you're legal. Otherwise, you need to be kicked in the teeth and sent back until you're ready to earn your way in like everyone else.\n\nOne last thing: I HATE, beyond explanation, immigrants who come to this country and wave their flag before ours. I HATE immigrants who come to this country and refuse to speak English; it's uncomfortable to hear a different language in public. What if they are talking about setting up a bomb? It's only proper to know and have a complete understanding of the English language in this country. Finally, I HATE that our government is being so lenient on illegal immigration.\n\nThere's no excuse. If you're illegal, get out! We don't want you draining our resources!