Poll: 52% back visa or path to legal status for illegals

[ScottThuy 140]

sieze all assets of the employer including the business, and lock them up... if a drug dealer gets caught.. assets are history and they go to jail... fruit of the poison tree as has been said...

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Who could possibly pay $500,000 per day? Get real.

I think the point was to make the punishment so punitive that nobody in their right mind would even consider hiring people not eligible to work in this country. You know, not touching illegals with a 10 foot pole. That would be the best, most effective and fiscally responsible way to address the issue. I mean, the inflow has stopped from lack of economic opportunity due to the recession alone. Imagine if employers were faced with an assured wipe-out if illegal aliens are found working for them. Not a chance for those not eligible to work here and hence no incentive to make the trip across the Rio Grande.

[scandal 951]

I think the point was to make the punishment so punitive that nobody in their right mind would even consider hiring people not eligible to work in this country. You know, not touching illegals with a 10 foot pole. That would be the best, most effective and fiscally responsible way to address the issue. I mean, the inflow has stopped from lack of economic opportunity due to the recession alone. Imagine if employers were faced with an assured wipe-out if illegal aliens are found working for them. Not a chance for those not eligible to work here and hence no incentive to make the trip across the Rio Grande.

I have no problem with this in principle. I fully support eVerify and would want to see it expanded.

But -- what do you propose to do about enforcement? Let's say you put a fine - $50K, whatever, for every proven offense. You would still need to convict and get that sentence imposed in court. There are sanctions and enforcement already - limp wristed, perhaps, but they exist. Unless you beef up enforcement to the point that employers will fear getting caught, many just won't care. We have black markets already in other goods: pirated DVDs, drugs, unreported contractor labor - why would you think this will be any different?

We've got laws already that make it illegal to employ people without proper immigration status. You can increase the penalties, sure, but I would rather see us enforce the laws already on the books.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I have no problem with this in principle. I fully support eVerify and would want to see it expanded.

But -- what do you propose to do about enforcement? Let's say you put a fine - $50K, whatever, for every proven offense. You would still need to convict and get that sentence imposed in court. There are sanctions and enforcement already - limp wristed, perhaps, but they exist. Unless you beef up enforcement to the point that employers will fear getting caught, many just won't care. We have black markets already in other goods: pirated DVDs, drugs, unreported contractor labor - why would you think this will be any different?

We've got laws already that make it illegal to employ people without proper immigration status. You can increase the penalties, sure, but I would rather see us enforce the laws already on the books.

The punishment is too light. You need to set it so that one offense is all it takes to put a business out of business. You find a few with the existing enforcement and I think that once a few larger businesses go down, the message will be loud and clear. Loud enough that the slave drivers will think twice. If that doesn't do the trick, add some mandatory time for the business owner or executive. It'll work. Problem is, those that write - read: purchase - the laws oppose any such solution which is why it'll never happen.

[Bob g 11]

I had no idea how hard this process was until my wife and I tried to get her here legally. No one gets more angry than her when she sees stories about politicians wanting to give support to illegal immigrants.

I am sure there are plenty here at VJ that share the same thoughts as your wife. We do the Visa Process spend months, and often years, trips, money, stress, much effort to do the process in an honest and legal matter. We have a congressman here in Virginia that helps to create many jobs here. For every job he helps create, there is 2 illegals getting off the Interstate to take them. I think we need a survey of the 10% unemployed people, to see how they vote for the politicians wanting to give support to illegal immigrants....

[scandal 951]

The punishment is too light. You need to set it so that one offense is all it takes to put a business out of business. You find a few with the existing enforcement and I think that once a few larger businesses go down, the message will be loud and clear. Loud enough that the slave drivers will think twice. If that doesn't do the trick, add some mandatory time for the business owner or executive. It'll work. Problem is, those that write - read: purchase - the laws oppose any such solution which is why it'll never happen.

I would generally agree with what you've written. In particular the lobbyist influence preventing real change.

We have a congressman here in Virginia that helps to create many jobs here. For every job he helps create, there is 2 illegals getting off the Interstate to take them.

Cite? Or just coz "I said so".

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Mandatory e-verify would be a great place to start along with a stiff fine.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Mandatory e-verify would be a great place to start along with a stiff fine.

The fact that an existing and working program isn't made mandatory tells you all you need to know.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

The fact that an existing and working program isn't made mandatory tells you all you need to know.

It certainly does. And it's a damn shame that it isn't mandatory.

[Texanadian 10]

I don't believe this survey for a second. The majority of people support more toll roads? Hahahahaha. The only people who want more/higher toll roads are people who never use them. And even these people hate toll roads. They always bill them as temporary tolls to pay for the road.....and then over time the toll rate goes up. They've even said that toll road fees are used to build NEW toll roads somewhere else. Thus the cycle never ends.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Nothing wrong with toll roads - they're optional to use. If you're in a hurry, you have a faster alternative and if you're not, those that are aren't clogging up the freeway you're on. It's a win-win.

[Ali G. 37]

The punishment is too light. You need to set it so that one offense is all it takes to put a business out of business. You find a few with the existing enforcement and I think that once a few larger businesses go down, the message will be loud and clear. Loud enough that the slave drivers will think twice. If that doesn't do the trick, add some mandatory time for the business owner or executive. It'll work. Problem is, those that write - read: purchase - the laws oppose any such solution which is why it'll never happen.

That is exactly right. Countries like the UK and Australia have on-the-spot fines for businesses caught working the system and exploiting illegal aliens. No need to waste the courts time with BS excuses. Repeat offenders are the only people that see the courts, as they will be sent to prison. This shifts the punishment from the illegal aliens onto those that are hiring (exploiting) them.

Huge wipe-out fines will work and set the tone for other people thinking about doing the same. Ten or more such fines alone would more than pay for any further law enforcement efforts, without any cost to the tax payer. Furthermore, the word would quickly spread amongst illegal aliens, both here and abroad, that the US is a no-go for illegal employment.

Once the unemployment rate drops to about 5%, we can look into legally opening up immigration for skilled workers. Furthermore, equitably provide a visa option accessible to people from all over the world, rather than the status-quo of just Mexico.

Edited February 16, 2010 by Booyah

[trillium13 84]

Seems like we'd be encouraging bad behavior and getting the wrong kind of citizens (read, non-law abiding).

Sometimes I think this is the American way.

[Marzy 1]

The government should let the Americans know what are the consequences they'll pay if the illegal aliens get their citizenship.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I'm in India right now and out here they refer to illegal immigrants as 'infiltrators'. Hilarious stuff. Sit around a coffee table at a nice cafe dissing infiltrators while infiltrators take your order and clean your table. People are diсks everywhere.