You are absolutely right.

If the likes of Trump can win elections against Democrats, this is the issue - "Illegal Immigration".

The majority of voters support merit based immigration, they support even instant citizenship for very high skilled workers, students, academics in science, math, AI and other sectors and support skilled people from all over the world into our societies but do not support illegal immigration.

I waited for 3 years to get my student visa and produce tons of papers again and again to prove I had good school admissions in the US. My wife then had to wait for 4 years after marriage. This was all for just following the law and obeying the rules. Once I arrived I met people in Queens, NY who do not speak English for generations and met some in Texas who told me they just walked over a river from Mexico.

We should be compassionate, accepting but voters do not support taxpayer money for handouts and amnesty to lawbreakers and to the special interest immigration industry. During Reagan, we gave amnesty to 3.5 million illegal immigrants and Regan said.. "Never again. Now we would gain control over our borders." Now the illegal immigrant number is 11 million as of 2017. This keeps happening every 4 to 8 years under the Democrats and this is losing issue unless they do it sensibly.

Granting amnesty to illegal immigrants en-masse is just abhorrent and disrespectful to immigrants who respected and followed the law. That is why we saw immigrants from Iraq, Syria, India at the Southern border with Mexico. An Indian underage girl died of starvation.

Indeed that is the conundrum. How do we absorb those that would be impossible to find, process, deport for a reasonable cost to our government? They pay taxes, often never applying for the refund, have kids that are Americanized & in school, employed doing much work that are scorned by the American, have no criminal record. Steven Colbert gave a challenge to pick farm produce. He lasted an hour perhaps. So what do we do?

@Mooolah We don't absorb illegals, just as we don't absorb murderers. The only differece between the two is the severity of the crime.

All you are doing is rationalizing why breaking a law is OK.

@Alienbeing We absorb murders right into prison. The murderers are more comfortable than our children are in schools. We absorb them all right. Yes I will rationalize because I am rational. You propose no solution. Only condemnation. And, the undocumented here send millions back to Mexico preventing more from coming north. Now that Mexico is poised to legalize cannabis there will be jobs taxes, drug cartels losing power, less people in prison for cannabis. We can not deport 11million people to Ireland, Phillipines, Jamaica, Mexico, PRC. What is the solution that is best for us? A bitter pill often has beneficial results. Be not strident but flexible.

@Mooolah Indeed we absord (or at least try to absord) murderers into prison. That is because they broke a law. Accordingly we should absord illegals by returning them to their country of origin.

The term rationalize does NOT imply one is a rational person (quite the opposite). Your feeble attempt at twisting is noted.

I never said or implied we should deport the 11 million current illegals in the US anywhere. I do say we need to stop illegl immigration immediatly. No person or group has the right to demand entry.

@Alienbeing I am often accused of twisting. I see things differently. It isn't a twisting. It is another argument in the debate sense of the word. The prosecution may call it twisting. To the defense it is a valid point of view. So how do we prevent? We stop telling the world just how great we are? We install mine fields? We demand to see proof of citizenship, on the basis of what? A free country does not require anyone to show papers. I am just grasping for a solution. We bit the bullet a & amnestied the Vietnam war evaders. It is once again as to the solution to the issue. Why are their so many Spanish names in the west,. Because it was part of Mexico, sold for a song to the USA. Many believe unjustly & still think of that purchase as undemocratic. Perhaps as an alien you would be the target of deportation. But you would have waited to enter legally. So would I. But we are not desperate people. Perhaps we wouldn't let you in because you are an alien. Have you seen the movie District 9?

@Mooolah No, it was twisting, and that happens when one redefines a word or phrase to suit one's purpose.

Your next "point" regarding prosecution and defense is invalid. I am a retired layer. It is the job of the defense to provide the most robust defense possible. As such twisting is expected as it can create doubt. So, by citine that as an example, you are really agreeing with me.

The remainder of your reply rambles without making a point.

The obvious fact remains illegal aliens are illegal, and as such should be deported.

@Alienbeing Never mind. [quotemaster.org]

@Mooolah I never minded your post because it contained nothing to mind.

You are correct.

The funny thing is you value green card highly as a must have prize and almost would do anything to get it but it does not actually do much once you have it. I was there once.

The green card is re-newed every 10 years.

@DenoPenno The permanent visa is permanent. The "green card" is an euphemism for some kind of visa. Decades ago it was green. Now it resembles a drivers license.

@Mooolah OK, I did not know this. My ex-wife is now a citizen but when she had a green card it was like the 10 years type.

@Mooolah

In addition to @DenoPenno's comment of green card renewal, there are other differences between a green card and a US passport:

~ Green carders cannot stay outside the US for more than a year
~ US Passport can give you no visa entries to more countries if you have passports from 3rd world countries
~ US passport can apply for more federal jobs
~ US passport can allow running for public office
~ US passport qualifies to appear for a jury duty
~ US passports can get citizenship for children born abroad
~ US passport - faster visa for relatives
~ US passports receive the full might of US consulates/embassies help if in trouble overseas
~ US passports command respect in many countries more than citizens of that country
~ US passports - some countries are unsafe to travel to - like Iraq, Syria, Iran, Afghanistan while China, India can travel rather safely

@Mooolah, @DenoPenno

The current style of U.S. green card (also known as an I-551 or permanent resident card) expires every ten years, before which time it must be renewed

[alllaw.com].

@St-Sinner This is exactly what I said the first time around.

@DenoPenno

Right, I gave a link

@St-Sinner Well thank you. This explains a lot of things. I stand corrected again. That is why I enjoy this site.