City in Texas ...to keep out illegal immigrants,

Originally Posted by Sundae Girl

Again, I can only see it in simplistic terms - if they are illegal (regardless of race, colour, background) they should not be living and working in the country.

If America needs them, it will learn pretty fast and can increase the number allowed to enter legally.

I do understand it is difficult to police the borders and monitor the situation, but I can't see why anyone would have a problem with a country that upheld its own laws - I certainly do not see that as racist.

It is not racist...
I also do not see how this is "too far" when it is just asking cops to do their job, enforcing existing laws. Just ignorant.
I can see the day where people say, "I wonder if we should let those cops arrest those buglers or not, hmmmmmm?"
There is no need to pass any new, more strict laws, perform illegal search and seizures, break anyone's civil rights (they are not citizens), or anything like that... just enforce current law as it exists. If people don't like it, they need to lobby for change, just like I do through NORMAL for change to marijuana law. I don't advocate circumventing the law to achieve those goals, I advocate changing them. The illegal market and culture for it harms this nation, just like illegal immigrants harm this nation.

MASS. REPUBLICAN GOV. SIGNS AGREEMENT REGARDING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
It helps to be conservative if youre going after conservative voters. But some people think Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney might be going too far. Romney has recently been highly critical of the U.S. immigration policy, staunchly supporting the building of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border to stop illegal immigrants from coming in. Today he signed an agreement that will allow Massachusetts state troopers to detain illegal aliens they come across during their daily duties. Problem is, Romney will no longer be governor come January 4. And his successor, Democratic Governor-elect Deval Patrick, is not in favor of the plan. So some suspect that the Republican presidential prospect is making this move to burnish his conservative bona fides as he weighs a White House run. And then theres this: the Boston Globe recently reported that the landscaper who works on Romneys house employs illegal aliens. The Globe reported that Romneys office said the governor did not know the status of the landscaping workers and that the matter would be investigated.

Originally Posted by bluecuracao

Yes, there have been times in our history when there was less fear of foreigners, but overall, it runs in cycles.

For a perspective "from the other side," I highly recommend to everyone the documentary Wetback. Gives a painfully clear idea of how complicated and far-reaching the issue really is.

I don't think it is about "fear" I think it is about wanting those who are in this nation to be here legally and to comply with this wishes of this government.
As for myself, I grew-up in the citrus industry, have been the foreman for many crews of those some would call "wetbacks". So, I have intimate knowledge of that culture... no ignorance, or fear, here and I still feel the way I do. All in this nation need to comply with immigration laws or leave. It is not personal, some are even members of my family now, some I call friend, I don't look at it on an individual basis, this is a legal issue and NOTHING else. Those that try to make it something else are just trying to confuse the issue to try to keep their side alive because the lobby is not as strong as they would like, IMO.

It is a great red herring to show how terrible it is to come here "so many die, the wages are so much lower, they get robbed, they don't see their families when they want because they can't cross back and forth, etc, etc, etc...". Then we get the whole American Guilt about how we pay them less when they are here, even though that harms us and our market by driving American wages down, so it actually is them harming us.
The truth of it is, if they came here legally they would not deal with all the terrible things they went through, they would be paid American salaries (good for them, good for us) and they could visit their families as they wished, and my final point (get your flame keyboard ready) is that if things are so damn bad in their nation they should stay there and make it better for everyone like Americans did in the depression and other hard times. Corruption? Run for office or start a revolution. Behind, become a scientist... though I believe Mexico is not behind in that respect. You get the picture. As I have stated elsewhere, there is not a nation anywhere where the people cannot remove the government if they deem.
Finally, those from Central America are not the only illegal immigrants and it does not matter who they are... if they are breaking the law. Here in FL we have a real problem with illegal Canadians, lot of taxes lost, they need to comply with the law. No hate, no racism, no xenophobia, just law. Why is this such a difficult thing to accept?