[godfrey n. glad]

Deporting all the immigrants right now would devastate our economy, pure and simple. It's not possible, and all the conservative, big-business and corporate farm owners would be the first to fight you, tooth and nail Why? Because illegal immigrants are the ones that get the foods from the fields to the warehouses, all for a coupla bucks a day. Illegals are the predominant workforce in CA (in the fields, I mean), the biggest agricultural state in the union (some will be surprised to know). Deporting all immigrants would force corporate farms to hire legal residents/citizens, whom they would have to pay, oh I don't know, about 10x as much, at least minimum wage. So, if you're ready to pay $20 for a gallon of milk, by all means, champion the cause of deporting all illegals. Otheriwse, kappaloo is right, there would need to be some MAJOR changes to the US economy, before we are prepared to take on the burden of paying more for food-related labor. So, not even looking at them as human beings and whether or not they deserve medical attention if they get a limb cut off when using a dangerous piece of farm machinery, tell me: would you rather pay $20 for a gallon of milk, or absorb the costs they put on our system, which we currently pay out? That's just an honest-to-goodness cost/benefit assessment.

I personally am thankful I don't have to pay that much for groceries, because I couldn't afford it if so, so I am not prepared to say all illegal immigrants need to be deported right now. I just don't think it is in our best interests, as US Citizens, trying to make ends meet.

IOW, the US has a vested interest in making sure we have a nice steady supply of illegals to work for us, and people's hatred of illegals, and fear of terrorism will have to butt heads with corporate interests. Ultimately, you can guess who I think will win.