Fair question. Most of my close friends are like me. I am not hooked into a particular ideology though so that makes me rather eclectic to start with. My outer circle of friends include people of other races, ages, religions, educational levels, professions, etc.

I think it is natural for people to seek out others with whom they have the most in common.

Why don’t you recognize who really is at fault for the separation of families? The illegals have nobody to blame but themselves if they are separated from their families. Stop trying to say that it is caused by someone else, because that simply is not the case.

I too see traffic, taxes, and education as issues. I also realize that without the estimated 250,000 illegals who live in Virginia, we would have less traffic, pay less in taxes, and have a much lower student to teacher ratio. Now, add in the illegals that are in DC and Maryland, and now we are talking about a lot of people.

Getting rid of all the illegals, and I do mean all of them, would really have a huge impact on all of the major issues we face.

My friends and associates most likely are representative of what this area is like.

January 2007
http://www.fairfaxtimes.com/news/2007/jan/20/new-day-labor-site-seen/

and here:

February 2007
http://www.timescommunity.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=17913972&BRD=2553&PAG=461&dept_id=576934&rfi=8

and here:

August 2007
http://www.fairfaxtimes.com/news/2007/aug/09/residents-concerned-about-day-laborers/

Nothing was done. You know, starting in late 2006 my wife and I no longer felt it was safe to take the kids to our own library (a library I might add that was new in 1992 and built at taxpayer expense to the tune of 4.3 million). I wouldn’t let my wife go there after dark. People thought I was paranoid. Turns out I just had common sense…

Correct!!! We are dealing with people who have emotions. In addition to emotions, however, they possess brains! Surely, if someone climbs a fence (terrible cliche, but I’m getting to it) they don’t assume that the fence was meant to be climbed, or that the obstruction was placed there by nefarious random fence erecting martians to test thier climbing skills. It was a decision that required thought and the assessment of risk. However unfortunate for them, those that broke the law are now seeing what the risk was…and what it could become.

That’s a perfectly fair question! I have friends and acquaintances of many races, socio-economic groups, religion and ideologies…to not have any of that in Northern Virginia, I’d need to be a hermit or completely lacking of social skills. Difference of opinion does not (should not) determine with whom I form friendships or associate. You, perhaps, want to know if I have any friends that are not of the legal immigrant persuation? I’m not authorized to obtain that information, nor is it any of my business. Thats not to say I would agree with them if it were found that they were illegal immigrants, nor would I defend thier well meant poor decision.

Just interested….

That’s silly. I’ll glad point out anyone who is committing such a vile crime; however, this is not an immigrant issue, this is a individual person who is sick and needs to be sent away, legal citizen or not.

Americans who break the law should of course not get off easy, but I don’t consider someone who snuck into the U.S. for whatever purpose equivalent to a thug who abuses women, robs banks, or has committed murder. I just think someone who is trying to improve “his” or “her” situation is not analogous to someone who commits a harmful crime towards society.

My point is that there’s a human side to this, and although we all maybe or agree on not with the ideology of the blog, the emotions evoked show how powerful this issue is. Personally, I consider traffic, education, and taxes the biggest issues to me, but we all differ in what is important to us.

Illegal Immigration is problem, yes; however, what is the best solution? For example, let’s say PWC rids themselves of the issue, should this be another county or state’s problem? Do you feel the need to split up a family to make a point? What would be the consequence — it would make things unbearable for the kids and no doubt create another burden.

My point is, not everything is black and white; nor is this issue. The is legal vs. illegal citizens is at the crux of the argument, yes; but we are dealing with people who have emotions, not inanimate objects.

Posting something more substantial and without baseless allegations might net you more positive feedback. Furthermore, to be sure I state this clearly, I DO support HSM, its followers and its policies. Prior to HSM absolutely nothing was being done in this area to shed a broad and bright light on illegal immigration and the undesirable results thereof. Thus far I’ve seen no reason not to support HSM, and several reasons, however, to continue. FHL, either provide the pudding in which your proof resides or don’t post things like this.

Who is defending those Americans who are child molesters? You seem to have a problem with people pointing out what illegals do, but have no problem doing the same to Americans.

If anyone is responsible for the splitting of families it is the illegals. In many cases a father, mother, or both will come here and leave their children behind in their native Country, but will send money back. They also know full well they are breaking the law, and therefore subject to deportation even if their children are U.S. citizens by birth. So, I think your anger and concern should be directed at those that are most responsible for the separation of families—illegals.

Would you allow an American who had gone decades with breaking the law off so easily? Or do you just apply that standard to illegals?

Doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to go about it any other way!

I can certainly agree with you that there are many many many people here illegally that just want to go quietly about thier lives and continue to work hard and support thier family. So what to do, then….forgive them? I understand too that many have children who are now perfectly legal, its not thier fault and they are via law garaunteed rights. So, too, are the children of many legal citizens who’s parents break the law and are faced with jail.

Mass deportation won’t work, absolutely agree there. I feel, however, that by discontinuing services (the ones in the resolution though are a bit light) to those individuals who cannot be proven to be here legally those individuals may be prone to self-deport.

Yes, we should deport criminals found to be illegally here. Latinos will likely be of the overwhelming vast majority of the population to be hit directly by having to prove citizenship. However, if I should break the law, I would expect that my citizenship be verified. If agents of the law should come across any illegal Canadians, I should expect them to be sent back as well. There can be no two ways to view this.

I think we share a common belief; the issue of illegal immigration is out control.

Personally, I think the mass deportation of people in this case, the illegals (sans the felons, career criminals) isn’t exactly an approach I’d take, just my opinion. I’m looking at this from the human condition, is breaking up families, and in some cases, people who have been here for generations and have children who citizens be uprooted from a life they have here. How do you deport millions of people without having a large backlash?

This is where the majority of my logic comes from. I believe in punishment and cupability for misdeeds; however, how far does it have to go? Should we punish the real criminal element, the molesters, sexual deviants, the drug dealers, gang members and mix them in with those who go about their every day business; albeit, as an illegal immigrant?

Are Latinos going to be the target? Is the potential legislation going to go after Canadians who overstay their visas, or international college students who do the same?

Or do we clump them in all together to wipe out the problem completely?

Anyhow, I don’t think there’s an easy solution in whatever is decided, and is far more complicated than most think.

1. Illegal alien

2. Convicted of shoplifting

3. Suspended sentence

4. Out walking the streets

Now he is charged with child molestation. What a justice system!

Don’t you realize that the point being made is that these crimes being cited are being comitted by illegal aliens who should not be in the country in the first place. If they were not here, the cited crimes would not have been comitted. What’s so hard about that?

In regards to your reply to me (thanks, btw!), it was not a single incident…there were several. Yes, this was a deplorable act and yes, it happened to be an illegal immigrant…you’ll forgive me for lumping the two together.

Referencing the above quote, that is a logical and meaningful approach that we can all appreciate. The real piece of logic that I happen to be clinging to is the fact that illegal is illegal and should be handled as such. If you shouldn’t be here…you shouldn’t be here…you shouldn’t be allowed access to the American dream by scamming and stealing. No matter how good your intentions were. There are tons of people awaiting entrance to this country via legal chanells, why should people entering the country illegaly be dealt with in any other fashion than deportation?

The uneducated underclass carries a lot of baggage as you mentioned. They sneak in here and continue their antisocial behavior. That’s why we see so much violent crime whereever you see illegals. Laws are meaningless to them. You do the immigrants who came here legally a disservice by saying criminality is not related to illegality.

It makes me think about the struggles my parents had to go through the bureaucracy and time that they had go through in order to be an American. But, I am not going to advocate breaking up families and other items that have been brought up because it is unrealistic (at least to me)

However, I may not be fervent and angry as most when it comes to this issue, or at least I try to see from both sides and try to come to a conclusion.

The crime problem as you allude to is more than looks - it’s about the family structure, edcuation (as you say), accultluration, and simply a basic human values mindset. I don’t think it is because they are immigrants; however, it is due to lack or complete ignorance basic social values, it is due to the person just being a bad person to begin with not looks.

It starts at home, and how you are raised, no matter where you from; not because you may be legal or not.

I suspect that the reason the illegal aliens commit so many violent crimes is their age group. They look like they’re 15-25 years old. This is prime crime-committing years. In addition to the fact that they are uneducated and illiterate and from the bottom of their respective societies.