If one is NOT a legal citizen then yes they should be deported.  I feel the same way if Americans go over seas and want to live in another country illegally.  Just need to treat each other equally now.

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.....I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'.........

kayakrn7 says ...

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.....I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'.........

Thank you, kayakrn7.  It appears I'm not the only one who notices that the people who are so vehemently opposed to illegal immigrants ("strangers"), the homeless, the mentally ill and drug-addicted.... the least amongst us also happen to call themselves Christian.  They also are quick to stand in judgment of others... something I was taught in the church not to do.  (Not that I'm perfectly non-judgmental, for sure... but, I also don't wear my Christianity on my sleeve.)

Jill_A says ...

Those are my thoughts exactly.  I live in Arizona where there are great many "illegal immigrants".  you know the funny thing about immigrants.  THEY ARE PEOPLE!  just like you and I and they are struggling to take care of their families just like you and I.  Most of them go to work everyday just like you and I but the difference is that we have a deranged sheriff here who harrasses anyone who even looks like they might be Hispanic and they don't have health insurance, and they don't have access to jobs that provide benefits or even a living wage.  They are just the latest in a long line of "boogie men" designed to give the faithful someone else new to hate and to blame for everything.

If it wasn't for the Hispanics these religious pious people would have to find someone else to unleash their venom on.  We don't want "them" around our children, when "them" is anyone who is different, anyone of a different race, language or mentally ill or homeless.

Please save me from the christian do-gooders who have ancouraged hate as a religion unless it's someone that they are sitting next to in the pew on Sundays.

I wouldn't even trust them if I was sitting next to them in a pew on Sunday!

By the way, there are plenty of people, like me, who are Christian and belong to  progressive churches... churches where people work on their own spiritual journey, not somebody else's!

http://www.brentwoodchristianchurch.com/BrentwoodChristianChurch/TheAwakening.htm

Namaste

Then lizbaby, what do we do about the freeloaders who have been born and raised in this country?  Most of the illegal immigrants I've encountered are farm workers, who work long, back breaking hours harvesting our produce, because no one else will work for such poor wages.

lizbaby75tn says ...

Jill_A says ...

Those are my thoughts exactly.  I live in Arizona where there are great many "illegal immigrants".  you know the funny thing about immigrants.  THEY ARE PEOPLE!  just like you and I and they are struggling to take care of their families just like you and I.  Most of them go to work everyday just like you and I but the difference is that we have a deranged sheriff here who harrasses anyone who even looks like they might be Hispanic and they don't have health insurance, and they don't have access to jobs that provide benefits or even a living wage.  They are just the latest in a long line of "boogie men" designed to give the faithful someone else new to hate and to blame for everything.

If it wasn't for the Hispanics these religious pious people would have to find someone else to unleash their venom on.  We don't want "them" around our children, when "them" is anyone who is different, anyone of a different race, language or mentally ill or homeless.

Please save me from the christian do-gooders who have ancouraged hate as a religion unless it's someone that they are sitting next to in the pew on Sundays.

You know, I don't have a problem with other races.  I don't have a problem with people that come into this country looking for freedom either.  I think that they deserve it as much as we do.  My problem is that some come into this country looking for a free ride.  If they pulled their own weight in this country than that is great "come on in".  Unfortunately there are quite a few that just want to freeload off of us.  That is what I am against. 

Perhaps my experiences have been different.  As I drove past field after field of strawberries, I saw Hispanics and Latinos doing a bulk of the work.  If I listen to what was being said in Republicanville Orange County, CA, they were all illegal.  Even if only a few of them were, I never did see caucasians doing that back-breaking work.  Same thing for the brick layers... the construction workers....  I seriously just don't see immigrants hanging around looking for a free-ride.  Its an assumption that we can make, but I have no proof.  Perhaps its just because I choose to see the best in people.  And, frankly, in the back of my mind, I know that I could very well end up being the one doing that back-breaking work... for next to no pay.  Economic insecurity is a reality in this country and, like the immigrants I see, I'll do whatever job it takes to survive and it will most likely be the job that nobody else wants.  So, I can't stand in judgment of them.

rusty97015 says ...

lizbaby75tn says ...

Jill_A says ...

Those are my thoughts exactly.  I live in Arizona where there are great many "illegal immigrants".  you know the funny thing about immigrants.  THEY ARE PEOPLE!  just like you and I and they are struggling to take care of their families just like you and I.  Most of them go to work everyday just like you and I but the difference is that we have a deranged sheriff here who harrasses anyone who even looks like they might be Hispanic and they don't have health insurance, and they don't have access to jobs that provide benefits or even a living wage.  They are just the latest in a long line of "boogie men" designed to give the faithful someone else new to hate and to blame for everything.

If it wasn't for the Hispanics these religious pious people would have to find someone else to unleash their venom on.  We don't want "them" around our children, when "them" is anyone who is different, anyone of a different race, language or mentally ill or homeless.

Please save me from the christian do-gooders who have ancouraged hate as a religion unless it's someone that they are sitting next to in the pew on Sundays.

You know, I don't have a problem with other races.  I don't have a problem with people that come into this country looking for freedom either.  I think that they deserve it as much as we do.  My problem is that some come into this country looking for a free ride.  If they pulled their own weight in this country than that is great "come on in".  Unfortunately there are quite a few that just want to freeload off of us.  That is what I am against. 

Perhaps my experiences have been different.  As I drove past field after field of strawberries, I saw Hispanics and Latinos doing a bulk of the work.  If I listen to what was being said in Republicanville Orange County, CA, they were all illegal.  Even if only a few of them were, I never did see caucasians doing that back-breaking work.  Same thing for the brick layers... the construction workers....  I seriously just don't see immigrants hanging around looking for a free-ride.  Its an assumption that we can make, but I have no proof.  Perhaps its just because I choose to see the best in people.  And, frankly, in the back of my mind, I know that I could very well end up being the one doing that back-breaking work... for next to no pay.  Economic insecurity is a reality in this country and, like the immigrants I see, I'll do whatever job it takes to survive and it will most likely be the job that nobody else wants.  So, I can't stand in judgment of them.

Yes, Rusty, there are alot of illegal immigrants that work very hard for little money.  I am not talking about these people.  When I worked in an urgent care in Irvine, CA I saw many illegal immigrants come in.  On their forms they have no job listed with welfare checks and health care from the state and about 5 kids or more.  I had a friend that worked, but his girlfriend (they wouldn't get married so she could get benefits) didn't work and collected welfare and healthcare  for herself and her 3 kids.  And they were illegal.  He worked, but for little money.  She didn't work.  Now, that is great to be able to stay home and care for the kids, but alot of citizens can't afford to stay at home with their kids.  We can't get benefits like this.  Why can they?

Lisa42, you are so right, their use of hospital and emergency services instead of preventative care.  My mother had to wait in the waiting room with a broken knee while these immigrants are getting their kids with colds to be seen.  That is just wrong.  We have seen a few TB cases with them as well.  That is scary.  When we thought we got rid of these diseases, here they come to bring them back. 

Lisa42 says ...

Because illegal immigrants, unlike those who are legally admitted for permanent residence, undergo no medical screening to assure that they are not bearing contagious diseases, illegal aliens in our country has also set off a resurgence of contagious diseases that had been totally or nearly eradicated by our public health system.  The pork tapeworm, resulting in cysticercosis, typhoid, malaria, and even TB are recent examples.  To make it worse 43% of noncitizens under 65 have no health insurance. That means there are over 9 million uninsured immigrants, a majority of whom are in the country illegally, constituting 15 percent of the total here in the U.S,

Another problem is immigrants’ use of hospital and emergency services rather than preventative medical care. For example, utilization rate of hospitals and clinics by illegal aliens (29 percent) is more than twice the rate of the overall U.S. population (11 percent). 

As a result, the costs of medical care for immigrants are staggering. The estimated cost of unreimbursed medical care in 2004 in California was about $1.4 billion per year, and in Arizona the comparable estimate was $.4 billion per year.  Here in Texas, the estimated cost was about $.85 billion

Hey, Lisa... when you get the chance, can you get me a link for your information.... I'm curious about the source of the numbers.

rusty97015 says ...

Let's be honest, though... people.  Americans are so hypocritical.  Many don't want to pay the increased costs of goods and services when we get rid of illegal immigrants.  Most don't want to pay the real cost of gas (there should be an environmental tax, for sure).  And, we get up in arms about  sweat shops in foreign countries, but flock to the $10 shoes at Payless.  We're all talk, no action.  Or, at least our actions do not reflect what we say.

I agree with you Rusty about Americans being hypocritical.  I am not saying to get rid of them.  There are alot of hard working immigrants out there taking jobs that we don't want.  That is great.  I can't blame them for wanting a better life.  For some this is a better life (working for little wages and living in the (what we would call) slums).  I saw the program "30 days" where a legal cuban immigrant (who was now a minuteman) went to live with an illegal immigrant family for 30 days. He went to see where they lived in Mexico and it had no roof, bad water, etc.  This was a hard working family.  Their daughter wanted to go to college, etc.  The family of 4 or 5 lived in a 1 bedroom apartment.  This was much better than what they lived in Mexico.  Now, that I don't have any problem with.  They are trying.  More power to them. 

ther are many illegals in this country. first we are all illegal. most of our ancestors came to the us from other countries. but i will admit many illegals take the jobs many of us dont want to do. the only problem i have with that is if an illegal and a citizen apply for the same job many employers will hire the illegal because can pay them much less than a skilled us citizen. they know the illegal will take any job no questions asked regardless the risk. i am an lpn with no healthcare, when i apply im told i do not qualify . yet an illegal and their family can get healthcare and childcare services. i am a us citizen but have no rights to good quality healthcare. i pay taxes live paycheck to paycheck with no savings left and no  prospect of retiring any time soon, the illegals need to pay taxes like we do and try to get their greencard. ther are many good hardworking illegals in this country to deport them seems unfair. deport all the ones that are commiting crimes dealing gang affiliated and not being productive. people need to stop dicriminating against hispanics or african or othetrs because of their origen. we have a great deal of arabs iranians indians , russians and other foreiners in this country how did they manage to get visas or in this country without a problem. notice who own and run many of our businesses curious isnt it we focuse on hispanics but not the others. look to see who work in the fine restaurants and businesses before you make judgement.       ebourdony

rusty97015 says ...

kayakrn7 says ...

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.....I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'.........

Thank you, kayakrn7.  It appears I'm not the only one who notices that the people who are so vehemently opposed to illegal immigrants ("strangers"), the homeless, the mentally ill and drug-addicted.... the least amongst us also happen to call themselves Christian.  They also are quick to stand in judgment of others... something I was taught in the church not to do.  (Not that I'm perfectly non-judgmental, for sure... but, I also don't wear my Christianity on my sleeve.)

I agree. Also, our profession in healthcare is based on wanting to help care for people in need of medical attention. I do, however, think that this country focuses on helping other countries when this country has its own troubles that need attention. We ought to care for us first in order to help others.

 I am sure that there are a few cases of abuse and neglect of injured illegal aliens showing up in ERs throughout the nation and I'm sure it happens to legals as well from time to time.  It happens even to rich and poor and all ethnic groups again, from time to time.  It shouldn't.  We all make mistakes of omission and commission.  Without a doubt all illegals should be medically stabilized and then returned to their country of origin or jailed until that is possible.  There are ten's of millions of illegal aliens in this country that are draining it of the resources that should be going to legal citizens.  The problem is only growing.  Up until recently I was in private practice anesthesia and took care of dozens upon dozens of illegals (in the OR, ER, and OB) for which I was never compensated and extremely rarely ever thanked.  I travel extensively and also do some mission work in number of countries and on two occasions either I or a family member had to receive emergency medical care and it was cash up front in both Mexico and France.  I'm sure the many illegal Africans and Middle Eastern folks in Europe get free care too.  Some of them are also shipped back to their native lands.  These are difficult issues and difficult times.  The question to be answered soon is who do we pick to lead us.  www.MeetBarackObama.com may help you make up your mind.