Ok spine donors to the GOP. Please tell me how this much federal dinero going to aliens who break the law to enter this country has anything to do with American conservatism. Anyone ? Anyone ? Looks to me that once again the Bush adminstration is putting big government and non American nationals ahead of the average American once again.

But we're already paying! At least those of us in the border states.

The federal government has got to do a lot better than this...

$1 billion is a drop in the bucket.

In California, we shell out $10.5 billion a year keeping illegal aliens healthy, educated and incarcerated.

It's only fair that all U.S. citizens pay for the failure of our federal government to enforce our laws, not just those of us in the border states.

I presume--or at least hope--we'll get more people's attention and have a better shot at reform after this...

But these same illegals are worth tens of billions to the Californian economy. When Mr and Mrs White are off out making $100k each, they employ Ms Hispano at $5/hr to look after Master White.

Monjo, you're totally wrong. In California, the illegal immigrants use services but pay no taxes. They cost the state a ton. Actually, NY has the best situation in terms of illegal immigration. Our illegal immigrants don't use the services and do pay taxes. That's just not the case for nearly every other state.

There are more ways to contribute to the economy than paying income tax.

Plus you cant have your cake and eat it. You are a right wing freemarketer. You shouldn't believe in government spending and therefore should question the validity of income tax. According to your economic principles these immigrants shouldnt be an issue.
But you don't see that.

There will always be government spending. You can't simply turn off the faucet, though you can dial it down to a trickle.

Of course. But Shawn the US Govt loses hundreds of billions in tax dodges by companies and private individuals. Why not target these people?

Anyway they pay sales tax in Cal. They pay hefty taxes on their gasoline/petrol. If they go to a restaurant they fund other jobs. If they go to the cinema they're funding jobs. If they put money into a bank account that money is used for investors to fund new businesses. In the UK income tax accounts to about 25pc of government revenue (iirc) - assuming Im correct and it's similar in the US, then illegals are contributing towards the other 75pc of gvt revenue AND they're working, keeping the wages for service industries lower, which makes everyone else richer as you all end up paying less for services.

If the US is so worried about illegals, it should make it easier to be legals. Anyone whose made the effort to get in illegally clearly has the right pioneer attitude that America has always championed, the one which has made the US rich.

Look I am not pretending you benefit initially 100pc from every illegal. But that when you add it all up, ultimatly it is a gain.

I would wager that 75pc of Americans are or have at least one ancestor (upto great-grandparent) who wasn't born in the US. And probably less than 5pc can state pure American born and bred ancestry beyond five generations (150 years or so). In the last 60 years the US population has lept up 50%, and it will probably grow another 50pc over the next 60 years! This is by high birthrates amongst immigrants and more immigrants.

In state taxes we pay approx. $1400 a year for services for illegals. That doesn't even cover the cost of services obtained fraudelently. It also doesn't cover the cost of our own insurance premiums sky rocketing. Get in a bad accident -- you may be out of luck because the closest trauma center has closed because they could no longer afford to stay open and treat half of Mexico. If you do get into an ER and need to see a specialist, like a surgeon, you may still be out of luck. They will not take on call because they do not get paid. Then there is the cost of lack of peace of mind. The crime. The gangs. The dirt. Illegal immigrants are not exactly "Greens." There is the crowding of the infrastructure. There is a big difference between a single family -- mother, father, children living in a two bedroom house as opposed to 25 illegal aliens living in a two bedroom house next to you. Our schools are terribly overcrowded because we educate half of Mexico, too. We've had to build more prisons because 20% of those in prison for violent crimes are illegal aliens. The Mexican prison gangs are always fighting each other. And those who doen't work under the table and pay no taxes, claim 20 dependents and pay no taxes. They do not spend there money here, they send it to Mexico. Even if there was a guest worker program, they would not be able to pay for their own service. The average person does not have a mexican housekeeper or gardner. We do not benefit in any way except to pay out more and more and receive less and less in return. This once beautiful state looks like crap. There is no benefit.

http://www.lnstar.com/mall/texasinfo/mexicow.htm
An Arizonan friend of mine commented quite nicely that the Mexicans are now reclaiming what was once theirs anyway.