Should cities, states, and counties be prohibited from addressing illegal immigration?
824290
It should be left to the federal government.\nImmigration issues (legal or otherwise) are a federal matter and should be left as such.
302834
First of all, let me say that by definition, illegal immigrants have broken American law - so there is no need to put illegal in quotes. As a nation of laws, residency status cannot be allowed to hinge upon an illegal act just to enter the country. We cannot pick and choose which laws we enforce and which ones we do not - ALL must be enforced. If someone doesn't like it, they should elect someone to try to change the law ... you know - the LEGAL way.\n\nSecond, for those of you who say illegal immigrants have no rights, you are dead wrong. Don't get me wrong - I am 100% dead against illegal immigration and think every last one of them should be deported. However, facts are facts.\n\nSection 1 of the 14th Amendment of the Constitution contains what is known as the Equal Protection Clause. It means that states are prohibited from denying any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. The actual text reads:\n\n"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; NOR DENY TO ANY PERSON WITHIN ITS JURISDICTION THE EQUAL PROTECTION OF THE LAWs." [Caps added]\n\nThis answer may not be popular, but it is the legal answer.\n\nEDIT: JD - I understand the frustration with the 14th Amendment. No one wants the illegals gone more than I do. However, I am not arguing that the 14th Amendment give illegal aliens all the rights of a citizen. It does, however, grant them certain rights.\n\nI don't believe that the authors of the 14th Amendment *intended* what has become of the 14th Amendment any more than I believe the authors of the Bill of Rights *intended* the so-called separation of church and state. However, sloppy wording has put us into this situtaion.\n\nPersonally, I believe they should have no rights under the Constitution, but I also realize that the 14th Amendment does grant them certain rights. They have every right that does not require you to be a citizen to have - and those are many. Rights that do not require you to be a citizen are far less.\n\nNone of those rights preclude them being detained, heard before a court and deported.\n\nBTW, I have recently been told of a blog in which you participate regarding immigration. I fully intend to become more knowledgeable in this area because I believe passionately that illegal immigrants should be deported, our borders should be shored up, have illegal immigration laws toughened and have them ENFORCED.
523874
I dont think either should be illegal. If people want to come to this country for a better life why try and stop them?
867365
I think that your city council is a GREAT place to take that concept. City planners are kind of the base level of government, as it were, and most representative, because they deal with US citizens everyday. If many cities across the nation come to similar conclusions on the issue, and pass to county, to state, and on up to Washington, then there'll be consensus and consequently better national policy. These people are our elected and appointed officials, and they should kind of be listening on this one, even if they think they're rich enough to just disregard all that, or have lots of friends in the oil business or whatever, illegal immigration is one example issue that's an integrity-tester, because it deals with, what else, Large Sums Of Money. \n\nExample: I work for company X. I have a Suitcase Containing A Large Sum Of Money. You'll be the county planning guy, for purposes of this argument. My company, company X, wants to build a chicken processing plant(insert name of enterprise here), and bring our army of guatemalan illegal aliens who work for 2 bucks an hour, and we want to set it up in your county. Would you take the money?\nWe make a billion a year, net profit, with our nationwide chain of illegal chicken processing houses. The suitcase has 10 million dollars in it. Would you take the money? Hmmmm.....like I said, this is an integrity-tester...
554958
NO! Because we cannot afford a huge flood of immigrants into this country, our social structure cant bear it.  Plus, then you are allowing everyone in- I dont know about you, but Id prefer Mexico keep their child molestors and murderers, we have enough up here already.  Are the schools in your area empty?  Are they complaining about having too much money?  I know mine are filled to the max, so an uncontrolled flood of illegals filling the place up faster than we can build new schools would not be a good thing.  Are the jails empty and your cops having nothing to do in your area?  Not the case where I live.  Are the roads empty where you live?  Not where I live, I dont know if they can bear thousands of new cars on the road, as you flood us with illegals.  Are your health care costs Low?  Is it easy to find a Dr. in your area?  By adding millions of uninsured illegals to our system, do you think your costs would go down or up (duh-up of course!)? Etc Etc.  Legal immigration allows for non-criminal, educated people, who actually want to be come productive citizens to come to the US in a controlled manner.  Legal immigration is great.  Illegal immigration is horrible for the US and for all the legal citizens (both immigrants and natural born).  Learn the facts of this problem before spouting off about how our government is "being mean".
848719
It's a very appealing idea, as long as it doesn't get out of hand.  There should be safeguards, and you did say, "convicted."  That's one.  We'd have to fight to keep it from being used indiscriminately, like every traffic stop or if you litter.  These are summary offenses, usually dealt with by issuing a ticket.  But the size of our population and ease of moving around almost makes this proposal inevitable.
898108
Fence is not the proper solution to curb immigration.  The US must give aid for development of its neighboring countries so that people will improve their standard of living in their home countries and will not come to America for greener pastures.
1103738
Nope. Illegal is Illegal. Deport them no matter where they come from.
1169600
1--Enforce the border, even if it means with troops.  This is an invasion.\n\n2--Sanction those who hire them.  I mean jail.  Even for little old ladies who hire them to mow the lawn.  If there is no work, they will not come.\n\n3--End birthright citizenship.  These women who come over to shell out a kid so it will be a US citizen are a problem.\n\n4--NO government benefits for illegals.  I mean no school, no health care no food stamps, no nothing.  That will also slow it down.  \n\n5--National Identity card for all, with biometrics.  I used to be against this, but desperate times call for desperate measures.\n\n6--Major jail time for the coyotes.  That is if we don't shoot them as invaders and leave their bones to bleach.
827243
This title grants state and local police the authority to enforce all federal immigration laws. This includes not only criminal violations, but also civil violations of U.S. immigration laws. If this bill becomes law, any state and local police officer would have the authority to investigate the immigration status of people who have not committed crimes, and to investigate private citizens and businesses they suspect have hired undocumented workers.\nThe title does not require police to report the immigration status of crime victims and witnesses to federal immigration agents. But it does not prohibit this either, nor address other concerns with state and local enforcement of federal immigration laws.
258319
Communities do not have the right to pick and choose who lives where.  This is America and people should live where they want.  As long as they are not disturbing the peace or doing anything illegal then you should be okay with your neighbors.
273009
Secure, not close.  Allow sane intelligent immigration and punish and deport offenders.  Do not allow children of foriegn parents to instantly become Americans.
485391
Undocumented immigration has never been "illegal" in the United States.  There is, and has never been, any criminal penalty for being in this country without proper documentation.  The only sanction is deportation.  The individual being deported has no criminal record because there is no crime.
993447
A highway is considered "state property," I can think of no reason why law enforcement agencies would be prohibited from doing so. If it is in their jurisdiction, they should have the authority.\n\nPresumably, they are responsible for enforcing the law everywhere in the county, including "state property" which is the same as "public property."
510051
Yes, illegal is a crime in America.
962229
It's not! As long as it is legal! \n Hey! Are you asking about the illegal alien criminals that violate America's immigration laws? Now there's a problem!
687664
Immigration laws affect everyone in america, either directly, or indirectly. If you like being able to speak english to do your daily business, or not having to install bars on your windows, or being able to walk down the street without carrying arms, it might behoove you to consider supporting the reform initiative on border security and illegal immigration. A lot of the countries these people are coming from are 'high-crime', meaning there's daily gun-play on their streets, in some cases. In others it means that their governments have become completely corrupt, and when all that boils over into america because we stood there and let it, then we'll have it on our streets too. Sounds like fun, eh? LOLOL