The Immigration Protests

It's already been said, but how can people that have illegally entered the country perform truly honest work? The Department of Immigration exists for a reason, and to enter the country without running the risk of deportation you must undergo the legal process of entering the country, regardless of how long it might take you (and the length itself is indicative of the level of importance the government places on immigrants' credentials).

Granting amnesty to illegal immigrants only encourages further illegal border crossings by showing that the government will not take these matters seriously or make any strong attempt to enforce borders.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

How exactly are open borders supposed to make the U.S. more secure?

Originally Posted by Watts

Diversity is a strength, not a weakness.

Since when were flowery slogans part of debate?

I don't see any problem with requiring immigrants to learn the language of the country they're immigrating to. English has been the de facto official language of the States since it was established, with English today being spoken as a first language by some 225 + million residents. And having an official language is important because it encourages national unity. When you have two official languages, or one side refusing to speak the dominant language, it fosters this "us vs. them" mentality that splits nations apart. Since the very word nation implies cohesion, it's in the best interests of the nation and everyone involved that immigrants be required to learn the language of the country they're entering.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I don't think your question answered mine, but I'll be glad to indulge the rest of your post, since you refuse to debate with me honestly.

The security problem isn't illegal immigration, obviously, but it's a symptom of the more important problem. Illegal immigration happens because the borders are porous, and porous borders is a security problem because we have no way of knowing who is entering the country. And although it's impossible to expect to catch every single illegal entering the country, it's hard to justify an illegal population of around 22 million people without thinking some changes are needed.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Coastal patrol is important, but it isn't the cause of the 22 million illegal Mexican immigrants living in the country. This is, as the news reports say, attributable to porous borders, and it wouldn't be out of line to suggest something should be done to correct it.

As far people like me being paranoid, something like this, illegal immigration, could probably be more justifiable in a pre-911 world than today. But considering the security risks the U.S. faces today, open borders are simply not an option.

Now, about ethanol production, even without examining your premises, your argument is still very short-sighted. Despite what ever benefits we might derive from illegal immigration in the field of ethanol, which, by the way, can just as easily be gained through a legal guest worker program, it's largely offset by the risk of a terrorist entering through the southern border, and possibly blowing up either an important building, population zone, major city, etc.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?