I don't understand why so many Mexicans sneak into this country and then not pay any taxes; What is the by-the-book alternative?  I am just curious.  If they choose to live in the US, raise a family, use our services, and be peaceful while contributing to society, they should pay taxes and obtain legal status / citizenship.
214247
One must be sponsored in by a relative who is a US citizen and that person must show sufficient income to support you.  Then you must spend five years before taking a test to become a US citizen.\n\nBut, mostly, the economic answer is that the work available to illegal immigrants is not available to lawful citizens.  It is low-paying, without benefits, long hours and frequently dangerous to your health.  It is illegal to use and pay workers in the manner than illegal aliens are used.  And that's why they're used - they have no other options and they can't complain to the government.  You can curtail illegal imigration if you'd like, but you can't get your produce picked, your slaughterhouses cleaned or your drywall installed for four times the price you pay now.
165927
This country was built on immigrants and this will continue.  I believe that it is important for those who come here to be legal pay taxes and truly yearn to be an American.\n\nThis includes learning english and becoming part of the American Culture and not forcing the culture that you come from down our throughts.  \n\nThe problem with a majority of Mexican immigration right now is that there is a large percentage of those who come here who:\n\n1.  Refuse to learn English\n2.  Get here and learn how to use the system to get free social services\n3.  Do not pay taxes because they earn money under the table\n4.  Celebrate the country that they come from rather than the one that they ran to.\n\nI think that the Mexican Immigrants who are out there waving the Mexican Flag are proving that they do not deserve to be here because they are embracing where they came from rather than where they choose to now live.\n\n****  Hint to Mexicans living in the US if you want to become citizens it would be a good idea to wave the American flag if you want to stay  ******\n\nThe families that came through Ellis Island in the past centrury did so with nothing but a promise of freedom there was no guarentee of a job, place to live, welfare, or other social program.  They were given nothing but oppurtunity and Freedom and if they did not make it they starved to death.\n\nThey had to learn english and you should to and they did not try and live seperate from us they wanted to become us and that is a major difference.\n\nThat said many, if not most of the immigrants from Mexico are hard working people who we owe a debt of gratitude to for taking the very hard jobs that most of us would never do.  I want you to stay but I want you to become an American.
385115
Exactly...but to here pro-illegals talk:  "They are not a burden."  LOL\n\nBlah...you are blah.  Americans citizens and in most cases their ancestors have been paying into taxes for years and years and years.  Part of being a citizen who pays taxes is being able to take advantage of governmental services.  Yes...believe it or not our government believes in giving back to its taxpayers by offering them sometimes needed welfare, food stamps and medical benefits.  They were not, however, designed to support individuals who are not "putting anything back into the pool."  Those individuals happen to be illegal aliens.
205613
I am amazed by the ignorance in the responses in this thread.\n\nThe only taxes illegals pay is sales tax, assuming they purchase goods here.  Some of them pay an income tax with a fake social security number, but you should research their reasoning behind doing that before giving them a pat on the back.  If it cost them anything by using a fake SSN, they wouldn't do it.  Chew on that. \n\nThe lower price I might pay for strawberries and a trimmed lawn is peanuts compared to the taxes I pay to put illegals' kids through school, provide them meals, pay their hospital bills, and paying to keep a large majority of them in prison.  This is causing my state (California) to go bankrupt.  The burden illegals place on the economy is FAR greater than anything they may provide to aid the economy.\n\nThe government needs to ENFORCE its laws in an effort to alleviate the problem.
648794
I agree and I do not support freebies for illegals.  Maybe one day when I can use the government services that 33% of my income is taken for I'll have a different opinion.  Until then they need to stand in line like everyone else and wait their turn.  I wonder why so many people feel that Mexicans have the right to ignore our laws while Africans who are living in far worse conditions have to wait.  I'd rather have someone here who actually respects this country and its laws.  The Mexicans have proved that they do neither.
136409
From what I've heard, a lot of illegal immigrants are law-abiding, tax-paying citizens.  Law-abiding except for the illegal immigration, of course.
213420
I agree with you.  I think illegal immigrants will be a strain on our society in the long run.  I don't think it's fair that we have to pay taxes and social security while they don't.  It's also unfair to the legal immigrants who have a right to be in this country.  Basically, the illegal immigrants are getting a better life here in America at OUR expense.
368672
Mexican foreign nationals who work in this country ARE paying for Social Security and other "taxes".  The American employers who criminally invite and hire undocumented foreign nationals withhold those taxes and Social Security from their pay and keep it for themselves.
372415
Go home until you can become citizens and pay taxes like the rest of us. I am all for LEGAL IMMIGRATION. I want all to be able to better their lives. Just not without making others have to pay for it.!
310125
My wife and i are legal immigrants.\nIt amazes us that the non legal immigrants are potesting for full immigration rights.\nThat is like demanding for the rights for the goods that a thief has stolen.\nHow is that fair to the millions that wait inline legaly for years to be a US immigrant.\nI know husbands that has waited for years for their new wife from oversea, just to be in line legally.\nIt was a big mistake in the past to give citizenship to the non legal immigrants in the past, lets not do it again.\nAllowing them to come over to work legally is a good idea, at least they will be paying taxes like the rest of us.\nWE CAN NOT AFFORT TO SUPPORT NO TAX PAIDING NON LEGALS FOR MUCH LONGER, OUR PUBLIC SERVICE ARE FOR TAX PAIDING LEGALS.\nThis is really making us legal immigrants mad as hell, we wait inline, work hard, paid taxes, and end up supporting non legal with our hard work and taxes. Please stop it.
507997
Why should legal Americans be penalized for the actions of illegals?  That isn't fair.  A portion of our tax monies SHOULD be used to take care of our own people.  \n\nMost of the time, people are on assistance a short while until they can get back on their feet.\n\nWhy not demand proper documentation proving citizenship...and allow ONLY citizens to participate in social service programs.\n\nNow,  THAT'S FAIR!
194518
80% of the illegals that are coming across the border are not even Mexicans. They are from Guatamala and El Salvador , Panama, China and so on. Its not the Mexicans that are crossing over the border except for maybe a few. Now 1000's cross everyday with a Visa to go shopping in San Diego and in doing so are paying mega cash into state tax which who is benifiting from? They arent because they are go back home.  Yeah the government in Mexico sucks but things are changing slowly and thats because who ever tries to change things to fast and are noticed those people disappear. A few years back Colossio who was running for President came to Tijuana to speak and since he was wanting to change things for the people he was shot. In your question you said " it will take some Blood , sweat and tears . and thats how we made this country what it is.  Now I ask you Whos blood sweat and tears  made this country? Yours?  Whos blood and sweat do you think made The US?  AMericans?   American is not a race, it is a name given to a country in which every race of the world came together to build the country.
327602
If you can come here LEGALLY, we would not have a problem, then you could be an American/Mexican, You would have to pay taxes, I know you don't want to pay, cause then you would have no money to send to Mexico.....So if you want to BREAK AMERICAN IMMIGRATION LAW'S by coming here illegaly, we should put you in jail for 6 month's & then deport you.....If the immigrant's that came here legally read this: Good Luck, God Bless, Hope all your dream's come true.....My only problem with illegal people is they broke our law, WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE OUT SIDE THE COUNTRY, DOING IT THE LEGAL WAY? THE ILLEGAL PEOPLE ARE MAKING IT HARDER FOR THEM & THEY ARE NOT BREAKING OUR LAW'S
178462
Given the fact that I have worked as a manager over some illegals, the social security numbers they have are valid, just stolen. They buy them mostly in Chicago along with birth certificate and identification. They usually claim about 12 exemptions on their taxes, that way no taxes are taken out and most of them do not try to file at the end of the year. A few of my hubby's close friends have filed even though they are illegals, but it was because their children had valid US social security numbers. They got a little back. Don't always just assume they don't have valid SSN, because like I said, most do they are just stolen and resold. Sometimes, I would have three or four of them using the same SSN and had to turn them away. Most DO NOT work under the table, as stated before. They work jobs most of us Americans don't want to do. My hubby is hispanic, but still believes they should pay taxes. I think it's ok they are here, they just need to pay taxes like the rest of us and not be allowed state insurance, food stamps, or TANF.
184729
Mexican illegals are almost in mayority poor people without education. People like these are always being taken advantage of by U.S. business owners getting the low paying jobs no american would accept, and by the Mexican goverment allowing them to travel in most cases risking their lives to the U.S. so that they earn some dollars and send them to their families. And sooner or later, directly or inderectly, mexican polititians get the money. Now that few dollars multiplied by millions of mexican workers becomes Mexico politiians´third largest income. \nThe illigal immigration is wrong, but it has been this way everywhere ever since there are borders; all rich countries have a poor neighbor, and they allways permit a number of "illegal immigrants" to cover all the unwanted jobs but when the immigrants become too many, then it becomes a problem. There is a price to pay if one wants a cheep labour force and the U.S. is paying it. White americans have not learned from the past, when they bought africans to be their cheap labour force once, and now they have had to learn to live with african americans, and that was the price. This time they permitted the Mexicans for cheap labour and now they they will have to learn to live with a large number of latin american immigrants. Now, remember that americans were illigal immigrants in the northern part of Mexico but with the help of a corrupt Mexican president payed a small sum, managed to keep all that territory that became California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. How much has the U.S. really gained from those states that were once Mexico??? Did Mexico not lose??\nNow, that is the way it is, and borders are the way they are,  but at least some U.S. citizens should not be so cruel when they talk about "illegal immigrants". These are just poor desperate people trying to survive economicaly since they have no posibility in their "pueblitos". A "funny" thing is that the cruelest comments I´ve read seem to be from descendants of poor immigrants.
125551
Hello Vince, I do not (Support Illegal Immigration) because I would be supporting something that is against the laws of the United States. I do though Support Legal Immigrants. If I went to your Country they would probably arrest me & have me De-ported. I cannot & will not (Support An Illegal Act)this should not be mis-understood! The United states Tax Paying Citizen has to pay for the Authorities to House Illegals in our Jails& the Jails have been overcrowded for many years now. I have not heard anyone saying that they won't Support a Legal Immigrant. The American Citizen worked the Fields before the Mexicans did here in america, & now they do not want to pay what the American is really worth. I Love Mexico & it's (Sweet & Innocent People over there. If the Illegals just waited it out to become Citizens than what is the Big Problem.  Good Luck & Take Good Care.
667795
ilegal imigrants PAY 99 % OF EVERY TAX THERE IS and get nothing back come tax time, all that money from every single check they took from them.. GONE. \nall they get back is a bunch of racist people calling them names, because they work their asses off to feed their families, and risk alot in doing so, including being killed by armed civillians,militia style.\nso much for the land of the free.\nimmigrants do hundreds of jobs that the average american take for granted, if they didnt, your life as it is would change drastically.