We did nothing to make them illegal! them took that upon themselves when they chose to sneak across the border. They clearly know what they are doing is wrong and yet they choose to do so!
Hence they voluntarily broke US law!

Quote Originally Posted by MMI View Post
Yes, they should all be treated with equal respect.

They are only "illegal" because you make them so, but there is no advantage to you in doing that. You might not accept the British experience is valid for America. but look at it this way: If a person works, he creates wealth - most for his master, but some for himself. That wealth is then used to buy other goods and services which in turn generates more wealth ... I'm sure you've all covered this basic economic theory at some time or other, so I'll leave it there and come to the point. If, as you suppose (I doubt you know), illegal immigration is costing America more than the additional wealth created by those migrants, it's no-one's fault but those who prevent them from working (legitimately) so they can pay taxes and make worthwhile contributions to the country they want to become part of. Let them work legally and they'll pay as much tax as you do. They'll take out their own medical insurance, and they'll buy their own food. They might even start businesses that will grow into American-controlled multi-national conglomerates. And America will grow richer as a result.

Sure, one or two might try to cheat the system, but are you going to tell me no WASP would ever stoop to that level? You just implement checks and controls to prevent it from happening too much.

The alternative will be to send them back - and although this is the solution you advocate, it is a lose-lose solution. The "illegal" suffers a life-time set-back, and the nation misses a cast iron opportunity for growth, and meanwhile has to pay the cost of policing the borders and the cost of repatriation. You might want to save a few cents in taxes, but such petty meanness will have an adverse and, for some, devastating effect on real lives - at home and abroad.