Submitted by Damon McDaniel, Aug 17, 2007 13:21

I'm one of those red state repubs that runs counter to the view expressed in the article about our feelings on immigrants and immigration. i DO believe we need to secure our borders to prevent entry of Islamofascists and others that would attempt horrible acts against us. I DO understand we are using technology and should increase its use for border crossings. I DON'T believe we should kick out all that are already here.

Even though they came in illegally - what are you to do. If someone escaped from an oppresive regime and made it to our shores and cried "asylum" - we always would accept them before. Why should now be different. We should grant them acceptance, get them identified and into a path to earn citizenship. Not sure what "earning it" should include, but it definitely should include learning to speak & read English. From a security standpoint - all we want is to identify them and screen against various criminal and/or terror databases.

As for people that still make it here by crossing the border illegally - treat them the same way. If their identity is bogus or questionable - send them back. If they prove legit - put them on the path to becoming a US citizen. Sometimes people want to treat these issues as one, but they really are separate things. We can expanded immigration and still have security - however, without security you can't have expanded immigration. You have non-compliance and non-enforcement which is what our policy has been the last 25 years.

Regards.

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