http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/10/18/congress.immigration.ap/index.html

Maybe I'm missing something, or I'm just grumpy because Chertoff's name is in the article. If I was an illegal worker, I see two choice. The first would be to keep working as I do now, get jobs where I can, and if I get caught get sent home. OR, according to the article, I can come forward, pay a fine, get issued a card, and work for a set amount of time before being sent home. So, ah, which should I pick? Tough choice. Is Washington really that out of touch with the situation in the southern United States?

My favorite part, emphasis mine:
"Those who come forward will not be offered an automatic pass to citizenship and should be expected to pay a substantial fine or penalty to participate in the temporary program," she said.

Are they aware that most of the illegal immegrants are working below minimum wage jobs to support families? Why not target companies that hire them in the first place (namely, at least around here, private contractors). I agree that the problem is massive and needs to be addressed in a realistic situation, but this isn't it.

Why not target companies that hire them in the first place (namely, at least around here, private contractors).

That made me laugh so hard i spilled my coffee. really you cant be that naive.

Care to elaborate, or do you think Bush's plan will play out better? 'Cause I'm basing that statement off what I see every day.Make it so it's not worthwhile to hire illegals and see if that makes a difference. So long as someone can cross the boarder and find easy, unregulated work they'll just keep coming.

As you pointed out why would any Illegal even consider taking this deal? I'm sure the administration knows this as well. this is something that lets them call a press conference and show the public they are working hard to solve this "problem" while doing nothing to jeapordize the pool of cheap that allows companies to maximize the profit margines.

case in point. several years ago the state of washington initiated investigations into the poor living quarters that were reported to be provided for farm workers in the apple orchards.
the result of this was big deal creating a department(at tax payers expense of course) that would monitor these apple camps and insure proper living conditions were maintained and issue fines to any growers who where not keeping these facilities up. of course the growers complained and whined a bit. but no one dared question the fact that these workers where ILLEGAL.
Even worse they glossed over the fact that loop holes exisist in the minimum wage laws that allow agriculture business to pay wages that fall far short of the state mandated minimum.
Politicians will never do anything about the problem as long as the busines,s that exploit these people continue to fill the chests of the respective parties.

Sadly, we're at the point where screwing with the balance is dangerous anyway. Outside of the white collar sector, how much of our current economy is predicated on dirt cheap labor from illegals?

Man think about that $10 a head for lettuce!