Immigration. Should illegals be offered a path to citizenship?

There is a path for citizenship.

Why should those who have ignored the path and entered the country illegally (or have stayed past their legal status) be granted citizenship ahead of those who are trying to enter the country legally?

If you have kids do you reward the one misbehaving and punish the one who is not?

I have a strong opinion on this, but I am wanting to hear what others think on the subject. I married a woman from the Philippines. We crossed every T, dotted every I, paid every fee, filed every form and waited....and waited and waited. It took a year, but I finally got her and my son here, legally. We just went through the process again (x2) to get her parents here. Legitimately met all criteria and forms, fees, etc. etc....

I feel all immigrants should have to meet all the criteria as well BEFORE they are allowed to come here as permanent residents. This issue gets clouded in the case where a family may have three children (born here in the US) and have been here for years, but are still illegal. I feel a program should be in place to handle this situation, but only in the cases where the parents have been productive members of society and have not broken any laws.

I could go on...but I would like to see what others think. Thanks in advance, for responding.

SSG Red Hoffman - Only if they become legal and fulfill whatever requirements that would entail (fine, back taxes, etc.). The only thing they should get, if they are illegal, is jail or deportation.

I would like to see this country take care of our own before we take care of everyone else. To be truthful. The only accelerated path I see is serving this country, because lord knows we need to build our military up again.

The same chance as everyone else. First step out of the country and then get in line like everyone else. Submit the proper requests, perform the required actions and become a citizen.

No they shouldn't. Their very presence is a security risk, and shows awillingness to disregard the law.

It's interesting that when you talk to hispanics who have become naturalized citizens through the legal process, they have a lot of resentment for those who are "border crossers". or are granted amnesty. They feel like they have worked for the right to be here but yet the US gives every benefit to those who have not earned it.

I think there is no one blanket rule to cover everyone. Using my own personal experience as an example.

My wife (who is now a legal permanent resident after years of fighting the system and lots of legal fees) was brought here illegally at a very young age. She grew up here, went to school here, speaks English...this country is all she knows.

By some people's reckoning, when she turned 18, she should have had to return to Mexico and "get in line" to do it the right way. My question is, why should she be forced to return to a country that she knows nothing of and has no real tangible ties to when she did not make the decision to come here in the first place. How is it fair or just to send someone who spent thier entire childhood in the US back to a country that they know nothing about. Pathways to citizenship should absolutely be provided to children of illegals that wish to become US citizens when they turn 18. This comes with the stipulation that they should immediately seek this out upon turning 18 and not continue to try and live here as an illegal gaining benefits while not contributing. I met my wife at age 18 and we immediately began working with an immigration lawyer to try and rectify her situation.

Now...should her mom, who actually made the decision to come here illegally, be given any kind of special treatment? Absolutely not, and neither should any other person who willfully crosses the border illegally, but I don't think that children should be punished for the sins of thier parents.

Sure, a successful 20 year career in the US Military should suffice.

Let us think about this a minute. If someone was to illegally enter your home when you were gone, eat your food and watch pay per view on your TV (a lot of pay per view shows and movies) running you bill way up, wear your cloths and take a butch of them with them when they moved on to someone else's home, sell your electronics (TV, Stereo, Blue Ray player, take your wife or husband's jewelry and yours, kill your dog, cat and fish and then burn your home down. Would you consider that a crime? Well then isn't illegally entering our country, receiving welfare, free medical, food stamps and other charity of which much is paid for by the taxes that you pay to the state and federal government, etc... for your entire adult life. And then you see American citizens that for cause of their own have lost their job and because of the Presidents bad economy cannot get a new job and their unemployment (which is just a small pittance, much less than they earned when working or the illegals get from welfare) runs out and they and their family cannot get any help or a job, but the illegal gets help, even free college or discounted college in many states. Now is this a crime. YES IT IS! Because it all started with them illegally entering the country which makes all the government aid they get there after actually fraud. This is like you drive a guy to the store knowing he plans to steal some crab, but he gets caught and kills the store manager. Not only does he get charged with attempted theft or theft if he gets away and murder, but so do you get charged as an accessory to each of his crimes even if you had no intent for any of it past the stealing the crab to happen.