Thanks for the fine thoughts Mr. Hanson.

What an interesting national debate on this issue could be undertaken if all the parameters of this discussion were utilized.

Sadly with the "tugging at your heartstrings, give everything away at whatever costs" liberal crowd and the "voices of the US people concerned about the real costs and impacts" at such odds with one another I fear such a reasoned debate is less than likely to take place.

The down side of this result is that we as a country of immigrants and natives .... collectively become the losers :>/

Hanson is obviously a pro-amnesty traitor, fully supportive of the subversion of our means of government. But since this fascist gone communist government refuses to enforce the law and instead intends to permanently aid and abet these invaders, the American public deserve to fall to the rule of this new mob. What you saw in Nevada with Reid's re-election will guarantee Barry Soetoro gets re-elected. Enjoy your foreign occupation, cowards.

The real immorality is allowing the illegals to believe that they can survive a dangerous border crossing in remote desert. Secure the border and remove the temptation.

Obama thinks we have too many nuclear weapons. Ok, let's turn some of them into land mines and seed them along our southern border. As the illegals come north they will assist in dissuading their fellow illegal invaders from following them as they assist us in depleting our nuclear stockpiles.

I have nothing but respect for those who choose to come to our country and respect our laws; especially if they don't agree with them. These individuals recognize the opportunity in our country and choose to live here.

Illegals are the blood sucking leech that complains and screams when you burn them off your skin. We need a bigger blow torch on our border.

As an American who is currently living in a foreign country, I have an obligation to adhere to the laws of the country. Full stop. Also, even though I am here legally, I am not entitled to any state benefits (nor do I want them, happy to buy private insurance, after all, I am not a citizen, but a guest). Have any of these liberals ever lived overseas? Most other countries take a less than kind view of illegal immigrants, yet we in the US are vilified around the world for being racist because some of us believe that illegal immigration should really be considered against the law and punished. Great article, the moral component is extremely important,yet totally lacking in any intelligent conversation about illegal immigration.

Last time I was in Mexico, I was talking with a wealthy Mexican businesswoman/heiress who was defending the Mexican masses immigrating to the US. When I mentioned that we have a real problem in the U.S. with voter fraud because many states do not require positive proof of citizenship to register and no ID to vote - she was astounded and said - "No wonder you are upset about the immigration!" It turns out that in Mexico they have very strict voter requirements and a special voter ID. That one realization completely changed her understanding of the issue.

Too bad the folks in the Mexican gov and in the Obama administration think illegal voting is a great thing.

There is no such thing as illegal immigration. Illegal aliens are NOT immigrating. They are criminals guilty of trespass and stealing our money, jobs, and identity.

The pro-amnesty forces within the US government are out for one thing: votes to secure and extend their power base. And, just as they have done repeatedly, they are selling American citizens, soil, and sovereignty to get it. They will not stop until there is nothing left of America to sell.

This is not a debate. The pro-amnesty subversives in government must be tried for aiding and abetting illegal alien invaders in their war against us. Under our Constitution the proper charge is TREASON.

Well said Bruce!

Too much discussion! Illegal immigration is Illegal. That means it violates the law of the land. That means those who participate in it are criminals. That means moral discussions relative to same, perpetuated mainly by liberal progressives, are absurd. Enforce the law. End of report.

Second the Merry Colin motion! Fences will not stop it. Climb, or just jump, over. Moats, with water, will not stop it. Wade, or swim. Or construct elaborate tunnels under the concrete. The only action that will stop this invasion of North America by South Americans is to penalize the exporting nations. Cut off grants and funding of ventures in those nations.

Require that the common languare of North America be English. No more bilingual sighn, press one for English, criminalize ANY support for these criminal invaders. Much of it provided by fifth and sixth generation Americans that still do not speak English, and communicate in the language of Mexico. Stop the accomodation of these criminals by removing the support system that has evolved in the name of 'diversity', 'equality, 'human rights' and other nonsens. Stop with the nonsense of NAU,north american union. Starve the snake, rather than feed it.

The solution to the entire mess is to annex Mexico. Make it an unincorpirated territory like Puerto Rico.

Victor Davis Hanson I came upon this page while doing reserch for an essay. I must say that I do not agree with your opinion. Illegal immigrants are afraid to go out adt do things that might put them in a risky situation thats why many dont report taxes. Also most illegal immigrants come here illegally because the process to come here takes too long while their family members are dying.It is wrong for them to do this but would you not do the same to save a member of your family?I also do not think that immigrants take jobs away from American citizens. Would you want to work out in the sun all day? American citizens have the opportunity to be employed in better jobs. Jobs in which they are sitted in a comfortable chair in a nice office. Do you think that illegal immigrants take those jobs too? Do you think that those illegal immigrants are smarter than an American Citizen(who has grown up with English)? Oh and let me tell you that illegal immigrants dont get help to pay for college and they do pay out of state tuition.

I forgot to mention that our ancestors came to this land with the same intentions that these illegal immigrants want. They just want to be free and live a happy peaceful life. With this in mind, is immigrating not a natural instinct?

Jane,

My wife was borne in Scotland and raised in the quasi-socialist state that we recognize as the UK. That would be the same place that Obama would like to model our health care -system after. In fact, Obama has appointed a CZAR to see to it that we model our newly approved Obama-care system after that very same UK system. Her parents work for the government run water system, and her brother, worked for the government run powdered milk factory until they they were finally closed down last month. She attended the public schools and was assigned to the job of grocery store clerk until she bailed out and fled to America. Her family all live in "Council" houses , which are government subsidized houses provided to pensioners ( that means retired social security beneficiaries- or people that worked at a government job all their lives). But now the government wants to tax those housing benefits and those health-care benefits because there is no new money being generated in the socialist country because of the government taxes on free enterprise. The UK is stagnant because of government taxation and regulation.

Welcome to America Jane. All those folks from Mexico want to take the government money that many of us have contributed for years into medicare and Social security. I have to pay "out of state" tuition for my daughtewr to attented college in Colorado--- why should an illegal Mexican be allowed to pay less. As a physician, I have been paid zero , zilch, nada for emergency care that I provide in the middle of the night for Mexicans over the last ten years. If you want them to come here and work to fulfill the American dream- please provide me with your PM and I will bill you ( or your parents) for the care that I provide to these illegals in the middle of the night in the ER in South Carolina.. Then you can feel as good about all this as I do. Until then, it is all wishful thinking by liberals-- and hard work and taxes by those who have always made America work - Conservatives.

BTW Jane, my wife spent eight years and about 7 thousand dollars to first get her Green Card, while working here legally on a Visa. She later became a U.S citizen. If you allow one person to enter illegally and harbor them so that you can feel good --- then you have stolen years from my wife and everyone else like her that has obeyed the rules, stood in line, paid their taxes and INS fees and deserves to be here because they want to be American and are willing to obey the law!

Jane, feel free to write to us again when you get a real job, pay taxes, and have a little "skin in the game" as Joe Biden suggests.