Get your affairs in order and get in line

[Omphalos]

I honestly believe that this is just a bunch of uptight Easterners who are finally seeing lots of Asians and Central/South Americans in their communities and are now having a knee-jerk reaction. IOW, As long as the Mexicans were out picking fruit in California, they didn't give a damn. Now that they have to see foreigners "taking jobs," like lawn mowing and such, they get all bent out of shape, and actually start caring about things like "rule of law" in the context of immigration. I find that very funny because until immigrant populations started following the laws of thermodynamics, they pretty much ignored those exact same rules. But whatever they have to say about it, it sounds like hey think its now in our nation's best interest to institute draconian laws and tactics that just 20 years ago we were fighting at Checkpoint Charlie. Now the Western way of life has to change just because they have a bug up their bum. That is stupid, and draconian laws will hurt or nation and our economy. What we need is a more measured approach to immigration that allows for some. Not only does it help the nation in some respects, but we avoid all those astronomical costs of detection and removal.

[The Ace]

Nice one Oomphalos. The UK has always been a haven for the persecuted (Ask the Jews who came here to escape Hitler, or the Ugandan Asians (British Nationals) fleeing Idi Amin) but these days everyone seems to be up in arms about Eastern European immigration (the latest in a long line). I remember, when recently renewing my passport, being astounded to discover that being born in Scotland didn't guarantee my British citizenship. Of course, four generations ago, my ancestors were immigrants fleeing the Irish potato famine.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by andrew.v.spencer

So are people here saying the Americans shouldn't attempt to stop the flow of illegal immigrants?

No, but I'd say that America's current economic problems have little to do with it, and using it as an excuse is a typical response by the right, straight after calling for trade tariffs and a restriction on free trade.

[Urien]

"No, but I'd say that America's current economic problems have little to do with it, and using it as an excuse is a typical response by the right, straight after calling for trade tariffs and a restriction on free trade." Dave.

It's possible you're mixing debates here.

Taken in isolation, it seems valid for a nation to examine the rates of illegal immigration.

[Parson]

In one sense the problem with illegal immigration, whether its to the US, or Western Europe can be compared to a rule of physics: "The law of entropy." On the worldwide scale of things (much as I hate to admit this) the Western Democracies have a life style so much in advance of the rest of the world that as opportunities present themselves there are going to be a small but significant percentage of the population of the 2/3's world who will be willing to take some risks for the sake of their children. So that sooner or later the differences between the countries will be minimal. The only really effective way to change the end point of this exodus is to try to bring the set point of the rest of the world up a few notches.

I think Jesus said it best: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Or perhaps from Exodus "Do not mistreat or oppress an alien..."

Well, what did you expect a Parson to say?