What's your take on illegal immigrants?
464228
ILLEGAL ALIENS  Of ANY RACE/Nationality Are A Tremendous Burden On The Hardworking , Taxpaying CITIZENS  Of Our Nation \n\nThey MAY/MIGHT Work.. But Many Do Not And Contribute To The Already High Crime In Our CountryAnd IF They Are CriminallyProsecuted, It Is YOU The TAXPAYER That Supports The Heavily Burdened Judicial System And YOU The TAXPAYER That Supports The Criminal In A Prison \n\nILLEGAL ALIENS OF ANY RACE/Nationality Also Contribute To The High Cost Of HEALTH CARE Because They Have No INSURANCE And Its YOU The TAXPAYER That Supports The System That Governs The Health And WELFARE That Many ILLEGAL ALIENS Take Advantage Of Through Their(Possibly)Legal COUSINS Who MAY Or May NOT Be Citizens Of The US   (ILLEGAL ALIENS Forge Documents Too,NoBody Said These People Are STUPID) But They ARE NOT CITIZENS And WE THE PEOPLE Should NOT Be Made To SUPPORT \n(This Is A MAJOR CONTRIBUTION To YOUR EXTREMELY HIGH HEALTH INSURANCE RATES Folks) \n\nILLEGAL ALIENS Of ANY RACE/Nationality Are A Burden To OUR (AMERICAN)Education System By OVERCROWDING Classrooms,And Making It Virtually Impossible For(Underpaid) Teachers To Give The Neccessary Time And Attention To The Individual Students \n\nMillions of LAW ABIDING US CITIZENS understand what is at stake, and wonder what our response should be to sedition, intimidation and acts of defiance against our republic and our ordered liberty. \n\n ILLEGAL ALIENS in America are here only because they are GUILTY of CRIMINAL VIOLATION  of our FEDERAL LAWS, Jumping our borders and living in a shadowy underground economy. They are morally culpable for shoving aside those who adhere to the law and enter these United States in orderly and Legal Fashion. Since when do criminals and cheaters receive pride of place for the blessings of liberty, over those honestly, earnestly and faithfully seeking to become American citizens? \n\nPresident Bush has called for a reasonable and civil debate over the issues of border security and immigration reform. But the American people understand there can be no responsible immigration reform UNTIL OUR BORDERS ARE SECURE. “Guest worker” amnesty programs ARE NOT a part of border security. Amnesty is not the answer. To grant amnesty to these trespassers is to say "You crossed our borders ILLEGALLY, You BROKE OUR LAWS and now we are REWARDING you with U.S. Citizenship -- Congratulations!" \n\nThis is unacceptable. \n\nTo illustrate the absurdity of a "comprehensive" approach to ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS , and the more radical of the ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT  advocates who are proponents of an "open borders" policy. \nWe don't take a comprehensive, humane approach with drug dealers because they are breaking our laws and causing great damage to this country by poisoning our children. Similarly, ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS  violate our laws and Poison our system of Economics by TAKING JOBS  from American Workers, Keeping WAGES ARTIFICIALLY LOW, and Sucking MILLIONS of Dollars of TAXPAYERS MONEY out of our Welfare and Medical Systems. \nNot To Mention The Fact That A Majority Of ILLEGAL ALIENS Live And Work In This Country And Then Send Their Money Back Home To Their Families (Whatever Nation Their Families Live In) Therefore DRAINING The Economy Even Further. \nWhen The US Dollar Leaves The US... Its GONE From The American Economy.
309241
racist want white supremacy, the people you and I encounter with want illegals out because they think they are avoiding the law, which might be true, but still they don't know of any hardships these people go through when risking their lives to cross the border. I am not making excuses for them but realistically how are they going to point out all illegals? Hard workers who are illegals come here to do what their little prissy hands won't, and they say illegals are taking their jobs. i highly doubt they and their ancesstors sprung from US soil, literally.
1011282
Legal Immigrants, yes they should be here.\nIllegal Aliens should not be here, and they have criminalized themselves, by their own actions.\nIf you do something wrong, don't you have to face the consequences?  In America, we do.
294791
I am a young adult & I'm not angry at illegal immigrants at all. I think that as long as they want to be here & they don't do anything illegal (other than actually being here illegally), then they should be. They have just as much right to happiness, freedom, & economic security as my ancestors did hundreds of years ago. Personally, if I lived in another country & I knew that my life would be better in America, then I would do anything I could to get here. So, no I don't fault them, but I do believe that immigrants should try to "Americanize" themselves at least a little. They should learn to fit in with our society & at least learn English.\n\nBTW, on my maternal grandmother's side I am Irish, Welsh, & Cherokee (The Irish & Welsh sides of the family arrived here in the mid 1800s). On my paternal grandfather's side I am Scottish, English, Scandinavian, & French (My 18x great grandfather arrived here in the early 1700s from England & fought in the French & Indian War. He was a Quaker & he married a French Huguenot after the war. His family had moved to Eng (his mother was English) from Scotland several gens before & it was said that some of their ancestors were Vikings). I don't know as much about my father's family, but I do know that they have some Choctaw in them.
359824
I don't hate illegals.  I am sure they are wonderful people.  What I dislike is that they are criminals, just like any other criminal in the U.S.  I know people who have gone the legal route to become a U.S. citizan.  Some have had to wait for fifteen years.  They appreicate their citizanship and understand what it is to be here.  They learned the language and have adjusted to being American.  How many other countries would allow this sort of crap?  I can imagine Italians moving illegally into Austria and making them speak Italian, or Mexicans into Canada or Russians into India or China.  Yeah right...\n\nAs far as them doing jobs that no one wants to do, that is total BS.  An American was doing that job before Gorge, Jesus or whoever came along.  Now, that American is unemployed because what they are qualified to do pays nothing anymore because the companies only want to hire illegals for $3.00 per hour or whatever.  So, that American gets on welfare because they can't make it, and I end up paying for them.    \n\nThere is no reason for us to let these people in here.  It is not good for our country.  We may be the Land of The Free, but we are not a Free For All.  If you want to be here, then learn our language so I don't have to learn yours just to become employed  (Your ILLEGAL), make a dammed effort to become an American and do it the legal way.  Otherwise get deported back to your country and stay there.  We don't need imported criminals.  We have enough of them already.\n\nI care about the other issues, too, but illegals being here is a cancer eating our society alive and it needs to be taken care of.  It is a serious issue that affects all of us right now.  It affects employment, welfare, taxes, culture, crime, among other things.  Why wouldn't it be a topic in the news?
1175886
I do.\n\nI understand people who come fleeing political, religious and other types of repression - and seeking asylum.\n\nBut what it boils down to with the *illegals* is this:\n\nThe moment you get a job, you're stealing.  You've either stolen someone's social security number to get hired "legally" or you're getting paid under the table (yes, I know, Americans do this too, but they go to friggin' JAIL when they're caught).  \n\nWhen I hear that they send $20 BILLION a year back to Mexico, it boils my blood.  They're draining our Medicaid/Welfare/Food Stamp resources, stealing the MOMENT they begin "work" here and then they PROTEST because people don't want to become a country of people who break the law the moment they step across the border?\n\nMy grandmother and my mother emigrated from Germany in 1958.  They had a host family, my grandmother and grandfather had jobs lined up, they had enough money to live on for a couple of months AND they knew English.   They began working the week after they arrived.  \n\nIt just BURNS me that it CAN be done right.  If there's a wait to get in, then WAIT.  What kind of character does it show to just go, "Oh, well, you have laws, I really want to come over now, so I'll just come ANYWAY."  America's going down the tubes with regard to education, manners and work ethic.  I'm not real big on people whose regard for themselves is greater than their regard for how their presence can negatively impact others becoming a large part of this society.\n\nSend the illegals back where they came from.
101937
What exactly is "handed off" to illegal immigrants?\nThe general assumption that illegal immigrants are here to take what's rightfully yours is as racist as it is ignorant.\nImmigrants (legal or not) come here looking for better opportunities and quality of life.\nIllegal immigrants are faced with hardships you couldn't understand unless you became one.  They are forced to work two and three different jobs making less than minimum wage and are taken advantage of because of their legal status.\nWhat's ironic is that they pay taxes just like you and me.\nSo... they work harder for less money and on top of that pay taxes that pay the salaries of those politicians so thirsty to kick them out of the country.\n\nGoing back to the original question; those that don't want illegal mexicans in this country are not racists.  They just find it hypocritical that a group of people braking the law (a federal one at that) are protected by some politicians just to gain popular acceptance.\n\nTo those of you that share the asker's opinion that illegal immigrants are a threat to "this country and its economy and security", I ask - how has illegal immigration affected you directly?  Did anybody get your dream job because they would do it for less money?  Did anybody get the low rent apartment you wanted?\n\n\n******  stoop_fer_lyfe ******\nI DO KNOW what I'm talking about.  I also live in a community riddled with illegal immigrants and am very close to many of them.\nWhat you fail to understand is that they buy new cars, buy houses or apartments and have credit cards - all things that need a credit report.  Banks have changed credit requirements to accommodate them because financial institutions are not immigration officers, they are in business to make money and are not braking any law by lending money to someone that can provide Income Tax Returns.  It may also be hard for you to believe that the government - regardless of the red flags it raises - accepts those Tax Returns and turns a blind eye to the migration legality of the issuer; again, the IRS is not responsible for policing immigration laws.\nMaybe you have never filed a tax return, but you don't need an employer to report and pay taxes for you.  You are then 'Self-Employed', and you don't necessarily need to report all your income since it can't be proved.\nIllegal immigrants know they can live very 'normal' lives as long as they don't break any laws other than immigration laws.\nIt seems to me you are the one that DOES NOT KNOW what you are talking about and are merely commenting on what is fed to you by alarmist media.\n\n**************\n\nI actually enjoy these friendly exchanges.\nI realized why we are talking about two different illegal immigrants.  You are talking about those that cross over illegally (sneak in the country) and I'm talking about those that came here on a visa (any kind) and overstayed.\nThe Social Security Administration used to provide SSN cards/numbers to people on temporary visas; they were stamped with a big 'Not for employment use'.  I don't have to tell you how easy those cards were to duplicate.  I even saw a used car salesman photocopy one, remove those words and photocopy again until he ended with a 'clean' copy before submitting the loan.\nOn the subject of taxes... during my college years I worked as a computer consultant, doing odd jobs that payed under $550 at a time, that way my 'employer' did not have to submit a 1099 for professional services.  I stayed under the radar and expensed every pencil, calculator, computer part, tool, etc. that I bought during those years.  Completely legal.\n\n**************\nDude... you had me at Hello.\nWell said.  I actually liked your latest update better; it didn't show a lingering anger.\nIn the words of Judge Chamberlain Haller (the late Fred Gwynne) in My Cousin Vinny; “that is a lucid, intelligent,
414601
They are illegal immigrants.
1031601
Why don't we just call them illegal migrants as President Fox calls them migrants?\n\nWe call them colonizers and for a good reason, for La Reconquista.\n\nNo matter what you call them it doesn't change the fact that my country expects and demands that I follow the law and pay taxes for those who are illegal citizens who don't have to do any of that.
494160
On one hand, I feel compassion for the undocumented immigrants who are really just trying to make their lives better by coming to America.  Many of them are not bad people.\n\nOn the other hand, I also feel that they must face the consequences of staying in the US illegally.  They must get punished for that, but such punishment must be done in a humane manner.
584220
H-LL NO, They broke the law coming here illegally....If they came here legal I would offer help...\nThe illegals work, don't pay taxes, or support the country, their money goes back to Mexico....some FAMILIES I am already supporting on welfare, (so they can send the money they make back to Mexico)... I don't want them in my house too....If they are here legal, I would offer to help them get on their feet......Some people say we need them, that is an excuse, we have to many homeless, jobless people here that are AMERICAN, most would do any kind of work to improve their lives & get food in their bellies....I would not help any ILLEGAL people, I have & will help the hungry & donate to homeless shelters...people say this country was founded by immigrants, LEGAL ONE'S.......Peace & God Bless
470675
well, foreingers are okay, illegal aliens aren't.  and seeing as how they themselves are illegal, everything they do is illegal from that point on.  Illegal shopping.  Illegal eating. Illegal sleeping.
1178507
never could've said it better.\n\nmy family and i are immigrants, too, but we all came here with appropriate visas - we didn't cross borders, climb fences, or swim across channels...we worked here with appropriate documentation/work permits, paid taxes, and did not misuse the benefits system...that's why i take the same stance and feel very strongly against illegal immigration.
722452
I think some illegals are illegal because they hate America, but they are not thinking it through because they are IN America.  I do think, however, that if given the chance, most illegals would happily embrace American citizenship, and do not hate America.
667561
I agree with you.  Everyone who agrees with the ILLEGALS obviously over look the word ("Illegal")  Immigrant.  It is againt the law!!!!!!
915141
If they are here illegally, they should have NO rights other than to be treated in a humane manner when they are ushered out.  They need to get the hell back where they came from, and if they wish to enter our country do so legally, just like thousands do every year.  I have no sympathy for those who enter our country illegally.  I welcome those who follow our laws and enter legally, no problem with those people at all.  If someone has no compunction about entering our country illegally, what other types of illegal conduct are they going to display once here?
1022342
Are you talking about immigrants or trespassers?   (That answers your question, I believe.)