>>But I've already conceded that it is not practical to deport all the one that are here already. The US gov't has an obligation to enforce the border.... I wish they would.
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>There is room here for everyone. Did you know the entire U.S. population could live uncramped in a space less than the size of Texas?

Take it one step further. There is room for the whole world in the state of Texas.

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>I do agree with the anti-immigrants on one point: we should not bear a cost to accommodate them. Most benefits should be denied to illegal residents other than in the case of life-or-death medical emergencies. We should not spend extra money to provide bilingual education (as though there are only two native languages in this country, but we all know who we're talking about). If you want to come here, learn the language! Some adults can't do it but kids can and I see them do it all the time. Don't cost us. But come on in. The entire history of this country is a history of immigration (including slavery, which was forced immigration). "Bring us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses...." -- do those words now mean nothing? They mean something to me. I believe with absolute conviction that immigration is the strength of our country, not our weakness.

I, and no one else that I know, are against immigration, just those that sneak in illegally or won't leave when their time is up.

Do you let strangers sneak int your home and demand things from you?


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>Given your personal family history I am surprised we disagree. (Not being condescending, just saying I'm surprised). Don't you think your parents wanted the exact same thing Mexican "illegals" (I hate that word more every day) want? -- a better life for themselves and their children?

Why do you hate the word? It's just a word that describe those that come here by breaking our immigration law. What other words do you hate?

My familiy came here legally, went through all the legal channels.


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>Sigh. It's also part of our national history that every immigrant group goes through the same pattern -- first ostracized and discriminated against, then accepted, then they want to pull up the drawbridge behind them. I predict 20 years from now Americans with Hispanic blood in their family tree will be b******g about those darned Nepalese (picking a random example), swanning in here without a care in the world, costing us money, their weird customs....

If they did it legally they would not be "ostracized", as you put it.
Don't you think that the US gov't should, and have the obligation, to know who is here, especially after 911? Or should they just open up the border and let everybody in?

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>I am an ambivalent guy by nature, a lover of ambiguity, but on this issue I am neither ambivalent nor ambiguous. Let them join us, WITH CONDITIONS, the more the merrier. Then we really will be the shining example we pretend to be now.

Pretend? It is the best shining example, thats why they all want to come here. I just wish they do it legally.