Brett, DDelle 338. First ,let me state again, There is likely no one here that is anymore opposed to illegal immigration than I am. I slipped by writing that "we need a certain number of them." What I intended to say was, "we need additional workers."
Our economy is currently geared to function with the additional work force, remove it and the economy of America would go down the tubes fast!. Our total processed food industry is running primarily on the sweat of illegals, without them you may play hell finding a chicken, pork, or beef products in the market. Just about all of the produce is provided by the illegals.
I strongly support a "guest worker" program where immigration is controlled, and I do not support the use of illegals, but how many Americans are willing to go the market today and find the shelves bare because we do not have the workers to meet our need in processing the food we eat? What would the absence of immigrant workers do to the construction industry, the service industry, etc.? My point is, we have pampered ourselves to the point, and our growing economy almost dictates the necessity for immigrant workers. It is a pipe dream to believe that immigrant workers can be replaced by welfare recipients, the majority of those receiving benefits are incapable of working, and few have the skills necessary to do the jobs immigrants are hired to do.
At this critical time in history, our survival depends on the ability of congress to provide a workable guest worker program, taxing the workers, and making them pay for their own medical care. Background checks are necessary to weed out the undesirable elements that slip in. A national ID card, to identify those here legally, and authority of LEO at all levels to detain and turn over to ICE any person not in possession of proper ID. Employer's found to hire illegals without proper worker documents should be heavily fined, this, coupled with revised procedures to eliminate assistance in legal assistance, and swift action on the part of the courts should eliminate the ILLEGAL problem. But as the American economy continues to grow, we will continue to need additional workers............you don't have top be a rocket scientist to figure this one out.