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This site does not necessarily agree with comments posted below — responsibility lies with the relevant reader alone.

Posted by lance on June 06, 2008 The Author, like most pro-immigrant authors, combines half truths and sad stories of poor people who’s lives are disrupted by being deported to criticize the status quo without offering any real alternative. The logical end result of stopping “heavy-handed enforcement” is not to enforce the immigration laws, which is another way of saying open the border and let anyone who wishes to immigrate to the U.S. do so. Of course most Americans, including those who truly feel for those affected by deportation, would never support unfettered immigration- so that argument is hidden in the condemnation of immigration enforcement. Our current immigration “system” of self selection (wide spread illegal entry) simply does not work, and from a human rights and fairness point of view disadvantages those poor ethnic minorities that are not fortunate enough to live within walking distance of a U.S. border. If your policy position is that anyone who wishes to walk across a border should be allowed to do so, how can you then say someone who wishes to immigrate to the U.S. by plane or boat should not be allowed access? If your stance is open borders, then the mode of transport or country of origin should not matter. There are literally tens-of-millions of people living below the international poverty line who would borrow airfare for a one-way ticket to the U.S. if we would only allow them to stay. Each of these people has a sad story about a lack of education or employment, and many probably have little or no healthcare or even access to clean drinking water- but the answer to the question of world poverty is not to let them all move to the U.S. Sorry, but there are a few things that we simply must accept as givens; 1. We simply can’t allow everyone from Mexico, South America, China, and Africa who wants to immigrate to the U.S. to do so. 2. Since we can’t have totally open borders we need a set of laws to determine who can and who can’t immigrate to our Country. 3. If this new set of laws is to be followed and fairly implemented it must be enforced. 4. No mater what legal system we establish to govern immigration there will be those who opt out of that system and enter illegally. 5. The only way to limit the number of people who opt out of the legal immigration system is to de-incentivise illegal entry into the U.S. and the effective enforcement of penalties for illegal entry. The Author is right when she says the current immigration system is broken, but she is dead wrong by implying the solution is not enforcing immigration laws. Whatever new immigration policy is developed, if it does not de-incentivise illegal entry and is not rigorously enforced it will be no better than the current system for the United States OR for intending immigrants.
Posted by bill bishop on June 06, 2008 americans still have the freedom to voice thier opinions on many of the news articles on the internet. so do the british. as a concerned canadian I wonder why we do not enjoy the same opportunity ? I think they like to pretend we do not care.
Posted by Stephen on June 05, 2008 What we need is a ZERO tolerance for ALL illegal immigration. Thank God for ICE! We need many more raids like the one in Iowa. We have millions of illegal aliens to arrest, jail and deport. Wake up America!
Posted by JohnQConcerned on June 05, 2008 I will give the author a nod that the immigration system needs to be reformed. However, our immigration laws are in place to protect our welfare. Any persons coming into this country illegally are breaking the laws of the country they would like to call home - we don\'t want law breakers to become citizens of the U.S. - we have enough of our own. These criminals need to be identified, arrested and deported. I find it odd that the author sympathizes with identity thieves. We the people can play our part - stop patronizing businesses that hire illegal employees. If they don\'t have the LegalEmployer.com seal - take your business elsewhere or ask them where their seal and their loyalties lie. Wake up America - Stop Hiring Illegal Workers and patronizing the businesses that do.
Posted by Hazel on June 05, 2008 Ordinarily, use of a false not a stolen Social Security number, is not pursued as a criminal offense if the use of the number is for lawful purposes, like getting a job. It\'s a shame that there is so much anger misdirected.
Posted by Aztlan Buster on June 05, 2008 Is this woman out of her mind? It\'s a frickin\' felony to steal someone\'s ID and use it for ones own gain. Just ask those who have had some Pablo steal their Social Security number and ask them if they\'re not victims. Illegal aliens are all criminals and they need to be arrested and deported. God save the legal system if this Aldana wretch is actually a professor. The pig sounds more like a cheap mouthpiece for the National Council of La Raza (The Race) to me.

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