If illegal immigration is demand-driven (and I happen to think that a lot of it is), then focusing on the supply (which is what we do when we talk about border-enforcement, deporting illegals, etc.) is not addressing the issue, IMO. Instead, we need to figure out what factors are causing the demand, decide which are "good" and which are "bad" then develop policies which encourage the good factors and discourage the bad ones. I know this sounds simplistic, but it is not what we're currently doing.

For example, there are employers who are hiring illegals because they can't find anyone else to do the work. We should probably allow foreign workers to come to the country legally to do these jobs.

There are other employers, however, who CAN find U.S. workers, but who hire illegals simply because they are so much cheaper. We need stronger/more effective enforcement measures to crack down on this type of employer.

The problem, of course, is separating the "good" employers from the "bad" employers and nobody seems very interested in doing that. Immigration protagonists think all employers who employ illegals are "good", while antagonists think all employers who employ illegals are "bad". Both sides are wrong, but neither is very likely to admit it.

And I haven't even mentioned family-based immigration yet.

It's a real political mess - and it's been that way for a very long time.

__________________
Frank

Current Ride:
'04 4.4i Carbon Black Met./Dove Grey
NAV, Sprt Pkg, Star Spoke 87's

Recently Sold (and still crying about it):
'95 Dinan M3 Avus Blue/Dove Grey
LTW Wheels and adjustable front splitter