So long as people can come to this country and get everything they want/need, they will continue to escape worse places and come here.

I think the answer lies in what we offer to them. For those who also benefit the country with honest labor, abiding by our laws and attempting to educate their children and simply having a better life, why not let them stay? We need to overhaul the antiquated and burdensome immigration process to allow for this.

For those who offer nothing to us...who increase the crime rate, endanger our citizens, leech off the system, and fail to even attempt to work within the laws, then we need to be firm and direct and take away all the advantages they might get here. How do we do that?

Make registration as an immigrant a much easier process, and make at least the initial parts free. Then stop allowing unregistered aliens to use our public schools for their children. Stop giving them food stamps. Don't place free clinics all over the cities and invite them in (although I still say human compassion dictates that you offer emergency medical care to anyone in need.) Remove that stupid law that says if your child is born on American soil that the baby is given automatic citizenship. If an unregistered alien is caught driving, impound the vehicle and put them in jail for a while before you deport them. If they are caught stealing, double the criminal penalties and then deport them when they get out of jail. Crack down on employers who use unregistered employees. Crack down on day laborers.

If coming here illegally were not so PROFITABLE, people wouldn't come over so much. If those who are fleeing truly terrible poverty or seeking refuge from harsh governments want to be here so bad, and the process for them to stay is reasonable, then we'll gain the people who make great Americans while discouraging those who do not.