Tracy,
I just skimmed your post, so excuse me if what I ask is already in your links, but... I only see you analizing one part of the equation, that is the costs incurred to educate, give healthcare etc to the illegal inmigrants, but, what about the savings they introduce into the economy (Hey, I am not judging where it is wrong or right). For the other part of the equation, You need to compare what is the cost of not having the illegal inmigrants, for example, if the main job of illegal inmigrants is picking up oranges and for that they are paid x an hour, but if the job is done by legal inmigrants and/or citizens (throw in the Union in the equation too), raising the hourly pay to 10x, this also raising the price of the orange etc. I did not see that you are taking this into account
"The five senses obstruct or deform the apprehension of reality."
Jorge L. Borges?
"Premature optimization is the root of all evil in programming."
Donald Knuth, repeating C. A. R. Hoare
"To die for a religion is easier than to live it absolutely"
Jorge L. Borges