Are 12 - 20 million illegals going anywhere? Or are they in the US to stay?

Answer 1

Most have no reason to leave so they will most likely be staying. If they have children who are born here, they have even more reason to stay.

To people like cincinnati..... illegal immigrants aren't on welfare, they're not voting, etc.
Most illegal immigrants do not want to be found out and fear being deported. They often don't go to hospitals when sick, they certainly don't vote in elections. You need to be a citizen to vote and in order to vote you need to prove that. Illegals are not saying "screw you, we're coming to take over your country. We don't care about your laws, etc."

While it's wrong for them to break the law, they do go through a lot to get here. They really want to be here and will not come out of the darkness unless they have an incentive to do so. While I don't think they should automatically get residency, if you tell them that they can return home, pay fines, and get on a path to legal residency, which normally takes around 6 years, they may come out of hiding. With that we can have an immigration system that can help employers quickly verify the work status of immigrants. With a verifiable system, employers can be punished for hiring illegals.

We also have a trade agreement with Mexico that allows us to recognize a Mexican identity card here in the U.S. Illegal immigrants often use social security numbers of people from their country who have a legal right to be here in order for them to work. They also work jobs that don't require them to show proof of employment authorization.

Answer 2

You are right about the actual number of illegal immigrants
being closer to 20 million. We realize about 12 million are seeking to become legal, but the others have not filed for fear of being deported.

My belief is that we should legalize all immigrants based on their role in the economy. If they can find a job and become part of the society rather then becoming dependent on the government then the will contribute and not detour.

Answer 3

Most of them are here to stay. A lot of them have too many ties to the US way of life that it would be virtually impossible to remove them. The best that can be hoped is to reduce the influx of those that are not here yet.

Some laws that were passed after the 9/11 attack have made it difficult for some illegals to leave the US voluntarily. People who fail to make it in the US used to leave voluntarily and come back, but because the US has tightened the ruled for entering, those who enter are afraid to go back because they know it will be almost impossible to come back later.

I know a lot of people who would leave the US if they knew that they could come back later. But because of the tightening, who ever has a chance to come in never leaves

Answer 4

What reason would they have for leaving? There are more jobs here than in Mexico, everything is being labeled in Spanish now so they don't even have to really learn English, lax illegal immigration enforcement. Sounds like they're getting a pretty good deal to me.

Answer 5

After the election is over our next president is going to have to take "firm" action on the issue of "illegals" and revamping our policies on permanent immigration. It will be a main priority and it will be a "major" priority with the American people that whoever is president do as WE have already "mandated" with our massive overall rejection of the "amnesty bill" last summer. The American people will not settle for anything less this time, any sitting president or elected official who does not do the will of the people on this issue will be committing political suicide.

Answer 6

Hello d'ere; I'm not sure of the #'s, but I've heard ofttimes that a large % are back 'n forth as they are good family people and take $ to there third world families. I feel that we might do well to focus on our divine big corporations outsourcing as I feel that's just as anti-American as illegal immigration. I'm usually wrong so don't take it to the bank. Who's Ron Paul???

Answer 7

Not really. While I'm not going to roll out the welcome mat for them, the vast majority of those that are here will be staying. The cost of the war in Iraq is assuring that funds will not be available to round up, jail or deport all the illegals. I'm too old to worry about them so I guess I'll just get used to them. Couldn't we put one way gates, southbound only, in those fences we're building?

Answer 8

go where? why leave? would you? aren't they [the] tired, [the] poor, ...huddled masses, yearning to breathe free? the wretched refuse of [a] teeming shore; the homeless, the tempest-tost? what happened to that lamp beside the golden door?

look, living under the radar in the usa is a least as good as living on the heaps and rubble of the mexico city dump. and this is the land of opportunity. i can't blame someone for doing something i would readily do myself.

Answer 9

Many of them can be coaxed into leaving on their own. With the right incentives and penalties it can be turned into a manageable situation.

Also, dealing with the employers of illegals can be part of the solution. Fines and stripping them of their license to do business would work wonders.

When I saw my first radar system, I was overwhelmed with the never ending racks of electronic equipment. As I learned a bit at a time what seemed overwhelming in the beginning became a very manageable piece of equipment.

I think people see the shear numbers and tell themselves this is mission impossible. I think it is very possible and very doable to have illegals go back to their own countries.

Answer 10

They are here to stay and multiply. Their numbers will probably triple in a generation.
Note to "Silver": It's fascinating that you know the correct number of illegals when the federal government doesn't. Aren't you amazing?