Some perspective on "immigration"?

Note the title of this GAO document "Illegal aliens: National net cost estimates vary widely" They can't even tell us the true cost.

HEARTLESS wrote: And at the end of the 70 page pdf file, what is the total and does it take into consideration all aspects of their impact here?

All you need to do, really, is read the executive summary which, BTW, is included on the .gov site.

I would also offer this from the Center for Immigration Studies (a conservative non-profit):

www.cis.org/High-Cost-of-Cheap-Labor

While there does appear to be a net deficit in costs to Federal, state, and local governments, that deficit is far less than put forward in the article you provided.

CIS also offers thoughts and recommendations on how they feel this net deficit might be addressed. It's long, and I admittedly haven't read the whole thing yet. But what I've seen so far is, in my opinion, something to take into consideration.

Whether it is 10 billion or 6 trillion is irrelevant, it is too much.

HEARTLESS wrote: Note the title of this GAO document "Illegal aliens: National net cost estimates vary widely" They can't even tell us the true cost.

Well, doggone it:

HEARTLESS wrote: If you want the government to prove it to you, search GAO cost of illegals and see if your calculator can go that high.

HEARTLESS wrote: Whether it is 10 billion or 6 trillion is irrelevant, it is too much.

So, apparently this discussion has come full circle back to the age old question of "what would you do about it"?

Secure the borders (plural for the ignorant), round up and send them home at their expense where ever possible.

HEARTLESS wrote: Secure the borders (plural for the ignorant), round up and send them home at their expense where ever possible.

The solutions you offer have been posed before. They beg the questions I've asked before, as well, that have, thus far, remained unanswered.

1. What does "securing the borders (plural for the ignorant)" entail?
2. How much will "securing the borders (plural for the ignorant)" cost?
3. Who pays for "securing the borders (plural for the ignorant)" because those borders encompass many states.
4. Who rounds them up?
5. At what cost?
6. What about the children born here of parents who are here illegally? What's to be done about them?

Ok, Z

What specifically would I do if I were the president and wanted to secure the border? Well first of all, since I no longer need to go through Congress (I've waited way too long for them to act), I would use my executive authority to create a multi layer virtual wall in conjunction with what we already have in place

Now I could go into long descriptions of each part, but I'll just summarize and you can pick it apart later... you may not like or agree with my answer, but you will have to convince me why my answers are not viable. The point of this is to just get straight answers instead of deflections.

1. Long range interconnected motion sensor towers. These would give a heads up to border guards long before the illegals reach the fence. Since Janet Incompetano cancelled the SBInet, I would fully fund that or something like that... using my pen and my phone of course.

2. Train our military along the border. Since we are likely to be fighting in the M.E. deserts for decades, train our soldiers in the same type of climate. We are paying these guys anyway, may as well get a twofer for our tax dollars. Our military could help and work with our border patrol using all the best technology available. This technology (heat/motion sensors, drones, etc) could be perfected on our soil and used overseas.

3. As president I would actually work with the most affected states and help them instead of hampering them... help them to enforce existing law which is not being done now.

4. Encourage and allow private investing for border security infrastructure

5. Overall, treat our border problem as if it was a national emergency instead of maintenance issue. We have our fair share of poor people in this country, we can't afford to keep importing more.

6. Yes, there is a cost... but the cost would be far less than the cost of allowing thousands and millions more poor people who will be competing for jobs with our citizens. The cost of affordable housing subsidies, the costs of educating, the cost of health care, and the ever growing cost of an ever growing dependent class.

There are plenty more things we can do to secure our southern border, which is the biggest problem, but that was just a few. Now before you rip these ideas apart, it's your turn. I gave you my answer to your question without deflection or any criticisms of your question.

President Obama has allowed every illegal immigrant who has been here for at least 5 years to stay, to work, and get a Social Security number. Other than assuming these illegal applicants will all tell the truth, how will we know which of the 1-12 million illegals (plus all that are making the trip as we speak), actually qualify for this presidential gift?.

After you answer my question, you may pick apart my answer to your question, then I will do the same to yours if I disagree. Fair?

Well said Rick. That covers the majority of my thoughts as well. I trained at Front Sight with a couple border patrol agents on a 4-day rifle course and was fortunate to speak with them at lunches. To not deal with the border security is an invitation to terrorists, let alone the criminal element that also arrives illegally.

HEARTLESS wrote: I trained at Front Sight with a couple border patrol agents on a 4-day rifle course and was fortunate to speak with them at lunches..

Care to share? How long ago and what did they say? There was a retired border patrol guy at a local picnic this summer. He is still in touch with working agents and said their moral sucks. He never did get around to saying why.