>Sorry, I just can't buy into the issue as a distraction ploy. Gay marriage - now that was a silly debate. But illegal immigration is a real problem that needs to be addressed.

Seems to be the fake problems don't really work as distractions anymore, so it's about time real but less important problems be brought to spotlight. The spotlight has a nice feature - the rest of the scene is getting out of sight.

>If not now, when would be better?

Twenty years ago, when they became an issue, and when there weren't 11 millions of them. But since nothing much was done since, then solve the long list of more pressing issues first.

>>While illegals may be good for the businesses that hire them, they actually cost everybody else. Since it's impossible to make them vanish from the system, then it's better to have them regularly within it.
>
>Surprise, surprise - I agree with you.

Heh, even I make sense sometimes :)

Update: just remembered one more thing. These illegals may want to travel home sometimes, for any reason. Their job here may be seasonal, they may have family issues (just count births, deaths and weddings), they may want to start a business back home - and they can't go, because they'd have to pay traffickers and risk their lives again, just to return to work. I know many of our gastarbeiter in Germany and elsewhere were coming home from time to time, building their homes and businesses, preparing for return. These illegals can't do that.