Arizona to Deploy Guard Troops to Border?

They should put troops on our border,for national security,and to stop the flow of law breaking invadors sent with the help Mexico

What I can't understand is why they don't make it illegal to hire illegals That is of course if they actually want to stop illegal immigration. My guess is that there is more lip service than real intent on that regard. Cripe, some of Bush's friends might have to actually pay their gardners a living wage if illegals were stopped.

Well, it actually is illegal to hire illegal immigrants. The enforcement is rather lacking.

A sane immigration policy would secure the border, crack down on scofflaw employers, and streamline the visa application process. There's no magic bullet here, there must be a multi-faceted approach taken.

Seth,
I have no problem with the enforcement of laws. Frequently I do have a problem with the laws themselves. This is one of those times. The US has developed a reliance on the "cheap waged" illegal immigrants. Rather than recognizing this issue the INS maintains a posture where entry into the country for work requires a much more conventional job than the ones being filed by the illegals.

In order to make this work the INS must develop a policy that reflect the realities of the current environment. Wish I know how to do that. Formalizing a policy like that would be threatening to several segments of society.

I am in complete agreement with you on this one, Seth.

We need to encourage legal immigration from Mexico and Central America and stop illegal immigration. The point you made with Dan is the key to the issue. We need strong enforcement with employers and the only way to do this is to have a national ID system based on bio-metrics.

There are so many things that hinge on being able to correctly identify oneself, from proof of citizenship to protection from identity fraud.

What vexes me are those, like the ex-governor of California, who actually worked to make it more difficult to prove identity by issuing drivers licenses to people who had were not required to identify themselves.

This was done to encourage voter fraud and no other reason.

Policy, policy, policy. That is what we so badly need. Not one of us, including me can explain what the purpose or intent of our immigration policies are. We all including Seth believe that the right immigration is good for this country. Unfortunately, we do not have any leadership on this issue from the current administration. And, by the way, Seth, I think those troops are going to be needed in Iraq next month.

I'll bite---why will they be needed in Iraq next month?

Kudos to Arizona for actually doing something about a problem, whether or not its the right choice (which is just might be).

Good piece from you and good move from Arizona. At last; I welcome the sanity of a move like this.

Seth -

Nice article and I love the application of good ole common-sense with this:

"Illegal immigration affects us all, it takes jobs out of the market and taxes out of the coffers. It denigrates the laws of our land and threatens our national security. We need immigration--but of the legal sort."

Bravo - Bravo!

Hey Seth, I was born in Texas and migrated to Washington, my parents were born in Mexico and did go about it legally to obtain working visas. Now as for the fact that most now days are not Mexican as they are from Honduras and other Central American countries. I was just talking to one who came from San Salvador and he said that it is so easy to get here that they flew here. Makes you wonder who is mining the Airports? Well, the fact is I had the idea that America should make that land all across the deserts that are unpopulated military installtions and practice their war games and do thier training across there and there would be no need for border patrol to be stretched so thinnly, would there?
The fact is I am Mexican American but the fact is I have lost $32 an hour jobs to them who migrate here illegally and take our jobs. Our companies would rather pay for cheap labor than to keep our own hired and pocket the difference and make a few thousand in the process but once done they are let go. Here is another one for you, the Illegal Russians, Chinese,Croatians also have taken American jobs from me as well...I lost $18,$26, and $30 an hour jobs to them based on the same thing. Legal or not, the fact is immigration does nothing but look the other way and the police do not enforce the laws and yes they do break the laws, they get on welfare (their wives) girlfriends and then claim everything that is not entitled to them and then take the place of our kids in school which puts ours in danger of no room...mine have had to sit on the floor while the illegals sit in my kids chairs...hmm too much to talk about. Nice Article but I too want this immigration to work so we do not have the over population of cities going on and the over crowding of schools.

Seth, grand election year pandering! Why didn't Congress and the President do anything constructive about immigration the day after 911? It's a Federal Issue! It's a Humanitarian Issue! It's a Foreign Policy Issue with Mexico. And yes, the States have a Right to protect their citizens, with the National Guard! Good alarmist article to maneuver with in an election year!

Christopher, this might come as a shock to you, but I'm not running for office. So how is it that I'm pandering? Nice way to dismiss anything I have to say out of hand.

Immigration has been and is a long-time concern of mine, and it has ramifications in my own personal life. I'm married to a legal immigrant, and it's upsetting to us that people get off so easily in flouting the law that we went through such time and expense to follow. What's more, I believe having laws that we don't particularly enforce creates a culture of lawlessness that has an effect on our society as a whole.

The US has developed a reliance on the "cheap waged" illegal immigrants.

Peter has said it all.

Salud,

Mariana--yes, the US has. I believe that dependence to be exploitive and unsustainable over the long run. Like an addict, weaning our nation of this dependence will be costly and painful, yet necessary.