Quote:I don't think waiting 13 years, having to pay back taxes, learn english and having to keep out of jail is really all that much of a 'leg up'


I used to be pretty far right. Back then I'd have probably gotten along with everyone here a lot better except probably boudreaux. I thought we should send all the illegals packing.


The problem is... we say "Come here legally!" except... many of them can't. It's not like they think "I don't want to go to the US legally, because I can avoid paying taxes if I just go there illegally and live off the American's dime!" They want to provide a better life for themselves. They see America as an opportunity, and if they could come here legally they certainly would. Their options are incredibly limited. They either stay in poverty, or come to America to try to get out of it. A path to citizenship with those caveats listed above is, imo, totally fair. And I don't see why anyone would think otherwise.

Because those caveats are never enforced. And saying illegal immigration is the only way is crap we offer more work visas, student visas and refuge status then most of the world. We have embassy's in near every corner of the world for anyone that wants to start the process. Yes it's hard for low skill workers to legally migrate that's by design we don't have a need for them. The idea that someone in poverty in the third world just has to get over here and they won't be in poverty is exacatlly the problem they are in poverty because they are lacking in market skills that pay. Engineers doctors lawyers skilled labor they have no problem coming here. Farmers day laborers and ditch diggers are not going to get legal status we don't need them. That's how immigration works.

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