RICHMOND, Calif., April 13, 2007

In U.S. Illegally, But Still Paying Taxes

Controversy Swirls Over IRS' Acceptance Of Illegal Immigrants' Tax Returns

  • Carlos Diaz, right, looks over his tax return that was prepared by Esteban Ramirez, left, at Esteban M. Ramirez and Associates in Richmond, Calif., Wednesday, April 4, 2007. Photo

    Carlos Diaz, right, looks over his tax return that was prepared by Esteban Ramirez, left, at Esteban M. Ramirez and Associates in Richmond, Calif., Wednesday, April 4, 2007.  (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

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(AP)  Carlos Diaz broke the law when he crossed the border and took a job as an office janitor. But he's not about to break another by failing to pay his income tax.

"I've been talking to other people who've done it, and I want to follow the law," said Diaz, an undocumented immigrant from Guatemala who squirmed in his seat at a neighborhood tax preparer's office.

Tuesday is Tax Day, when millions of illegal immigrants find themselves collaborating with one federal agency — the Internal Revenue Service — while trying to avoid another — Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

They hope a track record of on-time payments will aid their citizenship applications, but critics who favor tougher enforcement of federal immigration rules say it's absurd for the government to work with people it should be tracking down and deporting. It legitimizes the presence of immigrants who are here illegally, critics say, and sends a mixed message about the country's interest in enforcing its own rules.

"The word schizophrenic comes to mind," said Marti Dinerstein, president of Immigration Matters, a research firm that advocates tighter immigration enforcement. "There is something fundamentally wrong about this."

The IRS created a nine-digit Individual Tax Identification Number in 1996 for foreigners who don't have Social Security numbers but need to file taxes in the U.S. But it is increasingly used by undocumented workers to file taxes, apply for credit, get bank accounts or even buy a home.

The IRS issued 1.5 million ITINs in 2006 — a 30 percent increase from the previous year. To obtain one, a person needs to submit to the IRS an application and a document that serves as proof of identity, such as a visa or driver's license. All told, the tax liability of ITIN filers between 1996 and 2003 was $50 billion. The agency has no way to track how many were immigrants, but it's widely believed most people using ITINS are in the United States illegally.

One number hints at the number of illegal immigrants having income taxes deducted from their paychecks.

In 2004, the IRS got 7.9 million W-2s with names that didn't match a Social Security Number. More than half were from California, Texas, Florida and Illinois, states with large immigrant populations, leading experts to believe they likely represent the wages of illegal immigrants. Even immigrants who use ITINs to file taxes are forced to make up a Social Security Number when they get a job.

Critics like Dinerstein believe the process makes room for law violators, and in some cases, might endanger the country by allowing them to operate more freely.

"That's why people who are living here illegally rushed to get ITINS like they're chocolate candy," said Dinerstein. "It's a national security issue."

IRS spokeswoman Nancy Mathis said the ID numbers are issued strictly to track a tax return's progress through the system, noting the tax code says nothing about whether foreigners filing taxes are here legally or not.

Continued



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Add a Comment See all 53 Comments
by duhrer April 13, 2007 9:38 AM PDT
But let's keep blaming illegal immigrants for making the attempt to come here. If so much in our government system makes allowances like this for illegal immigrants, how can we blame people for trying? Put your own house in order before you accuse others of sloppy housekeeping.
Reply to this comment
by theusa1st April 13, 2007 9:52 AM PDT
once again the federal government proves itself as being incompetent !!!!
Reply to this comment
by rafterman1 April 13, 2007 10:04 AM PDT
It's hilarious that illegals are paying their taxes, yet so many natural born rich people do their best to not pay. Kind of tells you who the real patriots are.
Reply to this comment
by abbe7 April 13, 2007 10:38 AM PDT
Yet another proof that if you want to fight illegal
immigration, that's the businesses hiring them that you have to target, not the immigrants themselves but the people exploiting cheap labour.
For some reason, this administration is unwilling to go that way.
Reply to this comment
by cntrygrllst April 13, 2007 11:11 AM PDT
All you ever hear about this is blah blah blah yack yack... no one will ever do anything about it. This is no longer our country we are now be minority.
Reply to this comment
by cathaleen April 13, 2007 11:28 AM PDT
What part of the word illegal doesn't the IRS understand. How can they process tax returns for illegals. Isn' that illegal? What hippocrisy.
Reply to this comment
by lauraboo6 April 13, 2007 11:49 AM PDT
I couldn't have said it more clearly and succinctly than cathaleen: What part of the word "illegal" doesn't our government understand? Are we supposed to be impressed by criminals paying their taxes?
Reply to this comment
by extremophil April 13, 2007 12:04 PM PDT
I think we should deport them all, and then they can mail their tax payments from home.
Reply to this comment
by sallmaras April 13, 2007 12:11 PM PDT
I read this story and all that comes to mind is greedy little b*****ds, the Internal Revenue Service. Ok, lets really describe the Internal Revenue Service, just spell it as it is abreviated, The IRS....THEIRS, what does that say, just like it is. Our goverment does not care if you are an illegal, only if you pay taxes. I believe that we are fighting a losing battle with the illegals as long as they are willing to make a financial contribution to our government. In the meantime, those who choose not to pay taxes and send all of their hard earned monies back to Mexico still get free medical, dental, housing and food assistance. Those illegals who do pay taxes still qualify for the exact same benefits. BUT, God forbid if you or I, legal American taxpaying citizens need any type of financial assistance it is not available to us. You know why, because our government is overtaxed financially making provisions to the illegals instead of taking care of its own.

Angry, you betcha. It is news like this that makes my blood boil.

Oh Lord, I need to end this and get off my soap box before I get banned from this site.
Reply to this comment
by krotec54 April 13, 2007 12:32 PM PDT
Angry, you betcha. It is news like this that makes my blood boil.

Oh Lord, I need to end this and get off my soap box before I get banned from this site.
Posted by sallmaras at 12:11 PM : Apr 13,

I'm with you.
Why should we respect a group of people that has no education and can not follow the rules in their own country and expect them to follow our rules to be a citizen of this country. They should go back to their country and start the respectable way to be accepted as a true citizen that any country would want as a productive and law abiding citizen.
Reply to this comment
by gunnerv1 April 13, 2007 12:32 PM PDT
Why is the IRS accepting payment for a person who does not have and legeally can not obtain an SSN.
Reply to this comment
by kennergirl April 13, 2007 12:43 PM PDT
Now that suprises me that an illegal immigrant would WANT to pay taxes. That's a first I've ever heard of that!LOL!

I think its great that they want to pay taxes. In fact they should make them all pay taxes! Do you realize the revenue that the country would make on illegal immigant taxes. They are here anyway. And if you deport they'll be back next week so why not? If you can't beat em tax em?

We have a big problem down here with them getting injured working on all the flood work and needing medical care. The hospitals have to eat it because the goverment won't reimburse a hospital if they treat an illegal immigrant (only if the admit that they are illegal while at the hospital...like that will ever happen). So hospital fills up with immigrants without insurance or public help of any kind. The hospital has to cut back on staff because of the shortfall of funds and we have to wait 8 hours in the emergency room because of it. Wonderful!

I bet if all those Mexicans had money so they could enroll in college they would have given them VIsa's with no problem. But you won't find a poor Mexican enrolling in college or hijacking planes. They just want to work at jobs that no one else wants. Let them pay taxes! Why not?


Reply to this comment
by krotec54 April 13, 2007 1:02 PM PDT
Gunnerv1,
It starts with a form to get an EIN on;

Line 7. Enter the first name, middle initial, last name, and SSN of a
principal officer if the business is a corporation; of a general partner if a
partnership; of the owner of a single member entity that is disregarded as
an entity separate from its owner; or of a grantor, owner, or trustor if a
trust. If the person in question is an alien individual with a previously
assigned individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN), enter the ITIN in
the space provided, instead of an SSN. You are not required to enter an
SSN or ITIN if the reason you are applying for an EIN is to make an entity
classification election (see Regulations section 301.7701-1 through
301.7701-3), and you are a nonresident alien with no effectively
connected income from sources within the United States.
But there is an effectively
connected income sources from within the United States to substain the entity, which should void the application if an illegal used the EIN.
Reply to this comment
by bwessels April 13, 2007 1:15 PM PDT
You can rant about immigration one way or another. Just picture this headline instead: "Here Illegally, AND Tax-Free."

I think you'd just as soon take the $50 Billion. Calm down and move on...
Reply to this comment
by tucano2 April 13, 2007 1:16 PM PDT
Just another bit of proof of the Bush Administration Schizophrenia. The dollars collected are but a fraction of what it
costs to fund the Border Patrol.

The only cost-effective way to habdle
this whole thing is to enforce current laws
covering illegal aliens. We do NOT need any new laws - what we need and want is LAW ENFORCEMENT!
Reply to this comment
by tucano2 April 13, 2007 1:19 PM PDT
Are we supposed to feel good about a
100 million dollar bank robber paying
back one cent on the dollar?
Reply to this comment
by krotec54 April 13, 2007 1:28 PM PDT
kennergirl

I'm sick of hearing "They just want to work at jobs that no one else wants" - for the low pay that employers offer.
You can get two Mexicans for $6 hr., now, what employer could pass up a deal like that?
Reply to this comment
by diplomacy3 April 13, 2007 1:29 PM PDT
We don't want to do hard work like cleaning/moping restaurants, farming, landscaping, loading/unloading etc. and don't let someone do it for us. Someone has to do it. They should be treated as economic refugees. If they are illegal in this country, they should pay a one-time fine to get themselves legalized. A legal fee should be enough to cover up the expenses of border-fencing and recruiting more agents for this purpose. Their deportation would cost too much. I am sure each one, out of 12 million, would be ready to pay upto $10,000 for legalization and obtaining a Green Card. We should let them pay taxes out of their hard-earned income. There is no harm in trying this recipe.
Reply to this comment
by diplomacy3 April 13, 2007 1:41 PM PDT
I think those are high-tech computer jobs for H-1 visas holders. Cos. like Microsoft,Dell, Orcle, Cisco etc. have sent these positions overseas - India and China.
Reply to this comment
by drivelphobe April 13, 2007 1:45 PM PDT
How is it posssible, I ask, that an illegal alien can pay taxes? If they try, they should be deported. What's going on ? The government wants the money so badly they approve the tax-paying status of these invaders and criminals? I have a friend, a CPA, who hired a Mexican just to process tax returns for illegals. His decision has altered my opinion of him. He's no better than the employers who hire these illegals. I asked him why he would do that and he said he doesn't care who files a return if he can make more money. This shouldn't even be legal. We have to put a stop to this kind of baloney. Deport, jail, fine and speak English. Get rid of these illegals now.
Reply to this comment
by olebd April 13, 2007 2:02 PM PDT
They should pay taxes and then some! Like $500 for every month that they have lived off our country's teet since hoping over the border. I don't understand why there are laws fr some that aren't enforced.
Reply to this comment
by bourbon83 April 13, 2007 2:21 PM PDT
[Anyone "half educated" knows that immigration, whether legal or illegal, are big contributors to the economy of this country. Legal & illegal immigrants built this country! It's history. Whether you like it or not.]

Big contributors. BS. As I drive around I see far too many with 4 or 5 kids in tow, and 1 in the oven. Big smile on thier faces because they don't have to work to get by. All the while trashing up our nieghbor hoods, with loud carnival music, and hating those who say anything about it. Our forefather built this country and shed the blood,sweat, and tears to build this place into a better nation for their offspring. Not so others can come and reap the fruits of America by bypassing the hard work, blood,sweat, and tears that come with starting at the bottom and working your way up. None of them should have access to our welfare,medical, or educational services. To avoid this burden is why we have immigration laws. They should be followed and enforced. We were an open land, with room to inhabit in history, we are not now, and do not have the room to take care of other countries refuse. As far as stating they do work others don't. Well that's are fault, if we'd end welfare, and student grants, we'd have plenty to do that work. Starvation is a big motivator.
Reply to this comment
by gunnerone2 April 13, 2007 3:03 PM PDT
If its ok for people to ignore our immigration law then it should be ok to ignore theirs. I wonder what would happen if some of the supporters of illegal immigrants went to Mexico illegally and applied for a job and benefits. Then told the Mexican government to give them amnisty? Good luck.
If its ok to come here illegally, then why should anyone apply to come here legally? Why don't the supporters of these illegal aliens go and tell the folks who are here legally how dumb they were.
Anyone working in the United States should pay taxes. That does not give them the right to break our laws.
Reply to this comment
by redhoffer April 13, 2007 3:09 PM PDT
So many racists, shocking that it has become acceptable to degrade people in this nation.

Illiegal immigrants are more likely to have jobs and less likely to commit crimes when they are in the US than us "regular" citizens.

O'reilly tells you otherwise, if you want to know the truth than just open your eyes and stop hating.

Reply to this comment
by olebd April 13, 2007 3:24 PM PDT
Illiegal immigrants are more likely to have jobs and less likely to commit crimes when they are in the US than us "regular" citizens.Posted by redhoffer at 03:09 PM : Apr 13, 2007

Hate to have to inform you genius but coming into the country illegally IS A CRIME!!! They have ready broken the law before they even start their "jobs"
Get back under your rock.
Reply to this comment
by olebd April 13, 2007 3:28 PM PDT
Just read a statistic in the news that since the crackdown of meth labs and the ingredients to make meth in this country, 80% of meth now comes out of Mexico. TRANSPORTED BY ILLEGAL ALIENS!!!!
Reply to this comment
by gunnerv1 April 13, 2007 3:49 PM PDT
Redhoffer All I have to do is read the Sunday paper, that's when the "Crime Satistics/Arrest" for the week are printed. Per capita in our city, the Illegals commiting crimes are way out of proportion (the city is Lafayette and West Lafayette, In., both are Democrat led)
Reply to this comment
by cdegolier April 13, 2007 3:55 PM PDT
This guy wants to stay on the right side of the law by filing his taxes. Maybe he should of thought of the law before he got here and done things the right way. Most filing taxes are getting refunds.
It is bad enough that the Legal American tax payers have to pay for these people but no the greedy *** want to collect a tax refund. They don't pay for their childrens education, medical, insurance of any kind, many collect welfare and other public assistance, they cause lower wages for everyone, they do infact take away jobs from Americans and Legal immigrants. They protest our government, they have no respect for American, they send billions to Mexico every year, they cost American billions every year and THEY WON'T EVEN LEARN ENGLISH.

Ship them all home, I am so tired of the stinking FREE LOADERS.
Reply to this comment
by jjreding-2009 April 13, 2007 4:16 PM PDT
I have to agree with redhoffer. Seems to me that, regardless of immigration status, if they're paying taxes they're entitled to refunds. If they're paying taxes it would be unfair to send them back to their native countries and then charge them a $10,000 *penalty* to apply for citizenship. In the meantime, produce prices go up even more than they have already, buildings and hotel rooms won't get cleaned and the Untied States gets one more nail hammered into its coffin.
Reply to this comment
by nativewoman April 13, 2007 4:48 PM PDT
Isn't this the anti-immigration groups' big complaint? Boo hoo hoo! They don't pay taxes!

Proof of what I have said all along. They DO pay taxes. Just like the rest of us. Well, the 99% of us who don't hold all the wealth pay taxes any way.

And they buy food and clothing and gasoline. Just like the rest of us.

They want a better life for them and their children. Just like the rest of us.
Reply to this comment
by slim1h2o April 13, 2007 4:49 PM PDT
Redhoffer you couldn't be more wrong,
Mexicans, legal or otherwise commit more crimes than anybody, per capita. Just read the news, its all there.
Every time I to the food store I'm always behind a illeagal with kids a cart full & paying with a state check, NICE, thats BS
Reply to this comment
by slim1h2o April 13, 2007 4:49 PM PDT
Redhoffer you couldn't be more wrong,
Mexicans, legal or otherwise commit more crimes than anybody, per capita. Just read the news, its all there.
Every time I to the food store I'm always behind a illeagal with kids a cart full & paying with a state check, NICE, thats BS
Reply to this comment
by nativewoman April 13, 2007 4:56 PM PDT
Posted by redhoffer at 03:09 PM : Apr 13, 2007

Absolutely right, redhoffer.

My very red state recently finished a study of who is committing all the crime in our state.

Surprise! Whites were committing more crime in relation to their proportion of the total population than any other group.

Latinos were found to be committing less crime in relation to their proportion of the total population.

Considering that profiling is very much alive and well in my state, I would imagine the Latino crime statistics might even be skewed to the higher side than what they really are.

As for the "carnival music" someone was whining about, the Latino community often includes music in their family-oriented celebrations. I think it is a delight!
Reply to this comment
by me4prezz April 13, 2007 5:13 PM PDT
Redhoffer you couldn't be more wrong,
Mexicans, legal or otherwise commit more crimes than anybody, per capita. Just read the news, its all there.
Every time I to the food store I'm always behind a illeagal with kids a cart full & paying with a state check, NICE, thats BS
Posted by Slim1H2O at 04:49 PM : Apr 13, 2007

And you stereotype to the Nth degree, which is even worse. You cannot assume that because what is being flashed all over the news as news (which would you choose as an editor of a news show or newspaper...the *** that people will read and eat up like candy or stories that people don't want to hear equating into less money in sales???) is truth.

Walk around and open your eyes and really look...do not just see. The most blind people in the world are those that can see, but never really look. Perhaps that child you see has parents that are working hard, but just can't make ends meet...like the millions of other human beings around the world. That is true whether you are Caucasian, African American, Latino, or a two-toed purple buck-toothed sloth.

At least these people are paying their taxes...more than we can so for millions of legal Americans.
Reply to this comment
by me4prezz April 13, 2007 5:24 PM PDT
Here are the stats I found, as much as I hate to put them out there...these are all I could find. But I do believe there are individuals truly trying to improve their life, but the ones that are giving a bad name are the drug smugglers and prostitution ring leaders, etc.

INS/FBI Statistical Report on Undocumented Immigrants

2006 (First Quarter) INS/FBI Statistical Report on Undocumented Immigrants

CRIME STATISTICS 95% of warrants for murder in Los Angeles are for illegal aliens.

83% of warrants for murder in Phoenix are for illegal aliens.

86% of warrants for murder in Albuquerque are for illegal aliens.

Reply to this comment
by slim1h2o April 13, 2007 5:25 PM PDT
Hey me4prezz
I see it all the time with my own eyes
not the news & no not sterotyping.
You should heed your own advice
Reply to this comment
by me4prezz April 13, 2007 5:28 PM PDT

75% of those on the most wanted list in Los Angeles, Phoenix and Albuquerque are illegal aliens.

24.9% of all inmates in California detention centers are Mexican nationals here illegally

40.1% of all inmates in Arizona detention centers are Mexican nationals here illegally

48.2% of all inmates in New Mexico detention centers are Mexican nationals here illegally

29% (630,000) convicted illegal alien felons fill our state and federal prisons at a cost of $1.6 billion annually

53% plus of all investigated burglaries reported in California, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona and Texas are perpetrated by illegal aliens.

50% plus of all gang members in Los Angeles are illegal aliens from south of the border.

71% plus of all apprehended cars stolen in 2005 in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and California were stolen by Illegal aliens or %u201Ctransport coyotes".

47% of cited/stopped drivers in California have no license, no insurance and no registration for the vehicle. Of that 47%, 92% are illegal aliens.

63% of cited/stopped drivers in Arizona have no license, no insurance and no registration for the vehicle. Of that 63%, 97% are illegal aliens

66% of cited/stopped drivers in New Mexico have no license, no insurance and no registration for the vehicle. Of that 66% 98% are illegal aliens.
Reply to this comment
by slim1h2o April 13, 2007 5:31 PM PDT
Thanks for posting those stats,
to paraphrase a great American........
And thats the way it is, this april 13 07
Reply to this comment
by me4prezz April 13, 2007 5:32 PM PDT

BIRTH STATISTICS 380,000 plus %u201Canchor babies%u201D were born in the U.S. in 2005 to illegal alien parents, making 380,000 babies automatically U.S.citizens.

97.2% of all costs incurred from those births were paid by the American taxpayers.

66% plus of all births in California are to illegal alien Mexicans on Medi-Cal whose births were paid for by taxpayers

Reply to this comment
by me4prezz April 13, 2007 5:36 PM PDT
Hey me4prezz
I see it all the time with my own eyes
not the news & no not sterotyping.
You should heed your own advice
Posted by Slim1H2O at 05:25 PM : Apr 13, 2007

I do and I see the hard-working single mothers who use their food stamps to put food on the table for their children while working 2 or 3 jobs and going to school at night. I see the mother at the corner holding a sign asking for work to feed her family and I took her shopping for food and I saw, with my own eyes, what had happened and listened to her story.

I agree there are bad people illegally entering the US, but there are bad people already in the US who are legal. What makes Americans so superior to the rest of the world? What makes Americans so sure that we are right and the rest are wrong? What makes you so special that you can automatically assume the worst of a child because you see food stamps in their hands? Have you ever gone hungry because you couldn't afford food? Have you ever been homeless? Have you ever tried your hardest to make a better world for your children, if you even have them, and fall flat on your face because the people in this world keep taking and taking and taking and that leaves the ones who are poor even worse off while the rich rake in their millions?!

I didn't think so. Shut up.
Reply to this comment
by besscannon-2009 April 13, 2007 5:37 PM PDT
I see all this as figuring if you put a bandaid on a festering sore it will make it okay. It is still going to fester until you do something to heal the infection. What is wrong with everybody thay can't see the problem here? No wonder Bush wants to give them amnesty. They are helping fund his folly, the Iraq war. This president is so evil and law-breaking, I cannot understand why the Congress will not impeach him.
They did Clinton for telling ONE lie, Bush has a whole, overstuffed bag of them he has told us to screw this country up. Clinton just embarrassed himself and his family, he didn;t endanger the country or told us a whole slew of bold faced lies with a fiendish grin. Have we lost our guts and sense of right? We are governed by crooks and wimps. Someone better do something soon or USA is going down the drain and our Democracy will just be a memory.
Reply to this comment
by slim1h2o April 13, 2007 5:38 PM PDT
Yet I can't get workmans comp,
Go figure
Reply to this comment
by slim1h2o April 13, 2007 5:50 PM PDT
Yes me4prezz I've been homeless
yes been hungry, just trying to pay these taxes
{income} I am disabled & no I don't get *** for help. So you shut up.
Reply to this comment
by krotec54 April 13, 2007 6:17 PM PDT
This is Mexico's fault that is causing the problem. They cannot find jobs for their own citizens. Mexico should be training their citizens for jobs that the world market wants, not untrained and unable to communicate to.
Reply to this comment
by me4prezz April 13, 2007 6:23 PM PDT
I believe that we should take in the illegal immigrants and bill the countries from whence they came for shelter, health care, food, education, etc. A form of foster care if you will. If the countries they are leaving are so bad that they cannot continue to live there, then we will take the money the country would have paid for them and use it to help there here.

Reply to this comment
by me4prezz April 13, 2007 6:27 PM PDT
Yes me4prezz I've been homeless
yes been hungry, just trying to pay these taxes
{income} I am disabled & no I don't get *** for help. So you shut up.
Posted by Slim1H2O at 05:50 PM : Apr 13, 2007

Then I apologize. However, there are genuinely people who are on the system who need it. They are just overshadowed by the ones who abuse it. That makes it difficult to know who the ones that are really trying to change are and the ones who just don't want to work and are using it as a free ride are. That was my point and I got too hot-headed to make it clearly. I apologize for that.
Reply to this comment
by bourbon83 April 13, 2007 8:49 PM PDT
[IS THAT WHAT YOU HATERS ARE OS PROUD OF?

You know if we say we don't tolerate serial killers, you would call us haters! That's all your ilk knows how to spew. Haters! Liars! Nazi's! Do they publish that in the "Liberal Guide to Anarchy"? I've never enslaved anybody, and I haven't slaughtered any Native Americans. So stuff the ***. Maybe if the Native Americans would have stopped the first ship from landing they would not of been overrun. We should learn from that lesson, and not allow it to happen to us. One hand you libs hate America, then on the other claim we should be the savior to all. You must spend a lot of time in conflict with yourself, always kicking your own ***. I have mex freinds here legally, who have worked, and earned their way without handouts. They feel the same way about the wave of illegals pouring in here. I respect them. I do not respect the illegals who laugh at and mock our country, all the while raping it. I see new cars setting in their driveway, dirtbikes in the yard, as their kids march by my window all summer long to get a free breakfast from our school. At the taxpayer expense. While some work in ag, they get cash, they buy with cash and pay no taxes! The few that do will never pay enough to begin covering the large debt they've created. They commit serious crimes then run back to their country. At least when they enter legally, they know their rights will be pulled if they commit a felony. That is good incentive to be nice.
Reply to this comment
by bourbon83 April 13, 2007 9:03 PM PDT
[They are helping fund his folly, the Iraq war. This president is so evil and law-breaking, I cannot understand why the Congress will not impeach him.]

That's a huge laughable liberal leap! You're only repeating what the liberal yuppie bobble head dolls tell you to think. He cannot be impeached until he actually breaks the law. If he actually did break the law, don't you think the liberal congress would be all over it. Instead of just running their mouths with spins, and empty rhetoric trying to misguide you gullable sheep? I don't agree with Bush on this issue either so save the neocon comments. Maybe we should draft all the illegals, make them kick butt in Iran, Syria, and Iraq. Then the ones that make it back give them citizenship. 2 problems solved.
Reply to this comment
by abbe7 April 14, 2007 9:16 AM PDT
Yet another proof that if you want to fight illegal
immigration, that's the businesses hiring them that you have to target, not the immigrants themselves but the people exploiting cheap labour.
For some reason, this administration is unwilling to go that way.
Reply to this comment
by realpatriot1 April 14, 2007 10:04 AM PDT
The truth is there are illegal aliens who fit the profile of loving this country and wanting to contribute to it and there are others that fit the profile described by bourbon83.

we need a system that will allow guest workers to be here while their labor is needed and allow them to seek citizenship, to make sure that they and their employers are paying into the system, and to assure that American citizens and legal immigrants go to the front of the hiring line.

The ability to do something about this problem begins with the practices of the employers. We need to be able to bring in labor that's needed in a process that's legal and to be sure that the people being hired are part of that process.
The answer isn't to say that you can't work while seeking to obtain citizenship.
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