Your argument is not fair JG. Who is going to counter you now when to do so implies talking down your mother?:)
You are making really good points of the true hazards of reckless handling of migrant worker but I must say your qouting her reminds me of the “last in shut the door” mentality that immigrants often have.
Another comparision people here have made is about how unfair it is that illegals are crossing the border whne other people are paying thousands of dollars and wading through years of scrutiny and red tape to have a chance at citizenship.The people who have the means to conduct that sort of effort are not coming here to pick strawberries. They want our jobs, and if the govenment didn’t limit their entry severely there really would be serious political consequences.
Conversely it is a matter of economy and efficiency to play this cat and mouse game with the Mexican nationals who want to swing a hammer or cook prime rib dinners for us up here.It is just cheaper to let them come in illegally at least up front and then there is always the possibility of throwing them out when things go bad and we actually want their jobs. Try that with someone who pays dearly to enter this country legally.
Another point, the children of illegals are in large numbers fighting your war in Iraq. What kind of respect do you think they deserve for that? Do you read the Sirnames of the Fallen?It is the same economy that allows them to die for you or for oil or how ever you look at it,as allows them to work and use public services.