"everyones family was in that line to get in here at one point or another, would you tell your great grandparents to go away? "

That's the point: everyone was in line to "get in here!" They had to register, be documented, screened for health conditions and communicable diseases, THEN be admitted or sent back home.

That process still exists, but the fact that it takes a long time to come and live and work here legally is no excuse for circumventing that process. And then to reward those who choose the break the law, while very hard-working, educated and self-supporting individuals remain in line? That's unfair to the thousands of people across the world who would love to live and work here as legal immigrants and choose to play by the rules.

I agree with ED-PA I don't care what kind of PC name they come up with for Illegal immigrants the first
thing any illegal immigrant "regardless of what race or country they came" from was to commit a crime and a serious one at that! Just how do you determine how much back taxes they owe when companies deny that they even hire them or they are paid in cash? I am not saying that everyone of them should be sent home. This whole issue is very complex and complicated and has been ignored buy our government or lack there of for decades. Don't expect any "real deep serious discussion" until long after
the election because the candidates don't dare offend the illegals who will be voting in the election in November. I immigrated legally and paid taxes on every dime of income and could not vote until I became a citizen. I also stood in long lines at 5am in rotten weather waiting for the immigration office to open. I don't regret any of it.

what about illegal don't you understand?

Arizona and other states made them go away.

My grandparents and mother had to come through Ellis Island. They got naturalization papers and had to learn english, get jobs, pay taxes, and take a test to become American citizens. Just because some borders can be entered through much easier doesn't make it right or legal for them to be made citizens. Do it the legal way and all are welcome. Just because you are born in the US should not make you an automatic citizen of the US. THIS LAW NEEDS TO BE CHANGED IMMEDIATELY. You need to be legal or no citizenship is given. Our country has gone soft and is too concerned with not offending anyone. People coming to this country today are being given tax shelters and incentives to start their own businesses that long time Americans do not qualify for. My grandparents on my fathers side have a long American family lineage and my father wasn't given any minority status to help him raise 5 children.

Strongly agree. This has always been a no-brainer. We need the labor force, we need the tax revenue (remember? We're bust), and we need there to be individual accountability for each person who resides in this country. For this to be possible, the 12 million plus who are here (who we have no way of deporting no matter how tough some law-makers and their consitituents like to talk) must be identified, accounted for and assimilated into society. The benefits far outweigh the costs. Sure, if you've enterred illegally, you should be put into a process that lands you at the back of the line for citizenship. If you commit a crime as an pending citizen, you should be deported. No brainer. We need to stop targeting the weak and vulnerable and look to our law-makers' sellouts to the rich and powerful who've reaped specifically at the expense of the majority of Americans - what was once known as the Middle Class. People need to wise up and stop buying into the distractions and deal with reality. Business is good. Profit is essential. Anyone who's lost a job knows this all too painfully well. At the same time, this 400:1 executive:employee pay ratio; multi-million dollar exit bonuses for failed executives; rampant job-outsourcing with no employee job retraining nor replacement; historic oil company profits when there's supposed to be a supply/demand crisis (if there's not enough to sell, where do these RECORD profits come from? and why aren't they drilling on land already leased for it??), while American's fill tanks instead of bellies to survive ... these are the real problems.
We must to refit our 19th century immigration policy and processes to 21st century needs. No brainer.

They come here working at jobs for low pay and willingly perform those jobs that our own country people don't want to do. They should be granted citizenship so that they can start paying taxes and hopefully be paid better as a result.

My problem with the "illegal" aliens, other than the fact that they are breaking the law (their first offense) is that our hospitals are bogged down in delivering their babies who automatically become citizens, and then as they grow up our schools become bogged down in catering to their language problems, which in turn puts a drag on the school system as the teachers try and accommodate them because they get extra income for ESL students (English as a second language). If there are problems with these kids the teachers have to get someone to interpret because the parents CAN'T SPEAK ENGLISH! It's a vicious cycle.
I don't know the solution, I just know it makes me angry.

I would like to point out that AZ is one of the worst records of illegal immigration in the US. (Hear that McCain). We, the taxpayers, are footing the bill for the social system for the illegal immigrants. We, the taxpayers, cannot get decent social services because we have to wait in line for the illegal immigrants to get theirs. What part of illegal doesn't the federal government and bleeding hearts understand? To those who state that all our forefathers came to the US as immigrants, you are correct, however 98% of them came as legal immigrants.

This is such a bad polling question as there are too many things to agree or disagree with:
A. I strongly agree that they should be able to apply for citizenship
B. I strongly disagree "as long as they learn English" - what is this country, a dictatorship where everyone has to do the same thing. It is about time the US realizes it woudl be beneficial for us to be a nation of several languages.
C. I am not sure how I feel about "as long as they pay back taxes and fines"
Honestly, MSNBC, come up with a better statement

Most of the people I work with broke no laws coming to this country. Their parents were the ones that broke the law, they were all children when they came here. I don't feel they should be punished because their parents took them over the border.

All I know is that the social services in border states is shredded. We are expected to provide health, education and welfare. Our resources and infrastructure networks are at the breaking points. And frankly, people who live three or four families to a residence and who get paid under the table are NOT paying their fair share of the taxes. Mexico has their army posted along their southern border to prevent illegal incursions, yet people can walk across the border at El Paso or Brownsville and within an hour have illegal documentation. Does anyone stop to think of the harm this causes to widows who can't get benefits or to workers whose benefits are held up because someone else is using their social security numbers? And while we are at it, let's talk about kid who were born here, who graduate from school and can't get entry level jobs because they are taken by those who work for less illegally. The businesses are to blame, but we continue to get this apologist rhetoric from churches, schools and politicians. At some point, taxpayers who are already strapped for funds are simply going to say "enough". Revolutions have been created with less.

I don't have a problem with illegal aliens getting citizenship. My biggest concern is all the legal internationals we have in this country who are trying to stay under legal means (work visas, green cards, etc.) and failing miserably because the immigration laws are written against them instead of in favor of them. We shouldn't be giving legal immigration status to illegals when people trying to immigrate through legal channels are turned away. It's simply not fair to those who are following the rules.

people need to understand that there are many people here who are illegal and others that came here and may have overstay there VISA. but they are illegals here if you look at it objectively.

the United States need to give the people who are already here the opportunity to become citizen. We in the United States talk about making America safer and protecting our country from terrorism. Well, giving the people who are here already a path to citizenship will help that cause.

by doing this the US will have the opportunity of screen the people who are called the "UNSEEN"(Illegals). which will make us safer because at least we know who is in the country......

I fully support that people who are here illegally and have a criminal record here and there country of origin. should be sent back. but there people here who want the opportunity to support there family legal and pay taxes like regular American.

Imagine the surplus in the US economy based on the decisions of making the illegals here in the US citizens. money earned from taxes would increase.

look at 2006 when America started to build That Fence across the US Mexico Boarder. there was decrease in boarder crossings. the effect of that was an Increase in the Price of Agricultural products- Grapes, Orange, Corn, Potatoes, etc .

Immigrants Build America and Now That We Feel Like We Don't Need Them No More. We Want To Deport Them. America is Gonna Pay For There Mistake Somehow, Because The One's Who Call Themselves- Irish, English, Polish, etc Were Immigrant Once Themselves .............

Laws and rules that govern this great country must be upheld and that includes all immigration laws. I hate the seat belt laws but it is law! If i break the seat belt law i will be fined, therefore, i wear my seat belt all the time. Why should an illegal immigrant get a pass on our laws? They shouldnt!

I marked this as a disagree simply because this is only a starting point.

The line begins in the back. Priority and first preference should go to those who have suffered our broken immigration system, made application for residency in earnest and participate in the process. Not to those who ignore the fact that we have a border, have a system and actually do have an established process. Those in our country illegally have made the process so much more painful and difficult for those who try to follow the law. The strain on the system by those who have never even made application have complicated the rules for residing with valid visa, that it is all encompassing just to stay in this marathon of epic proportion.

I can see saying:

Pay your debts (taxes as well as any debts that may have been accrued on your behalf from medical services to credit cards)
Register any and all aliases that have been used on your behalf while in the US.
Return to your home country.
Make application
Follow the process
Subject to the background checks both in the US and in the home country.
Wait your turn.

In short don't be so selfish of your own desires as to create a hardship on others who want to be in America.

The pilgrims were the first illegal Immigrants in America ......... we need border security and stop illegal Immigration for security... there are 2 ways of doing it deporting them or An Immigration reform, the illegal Immigrant population tend to be poor people in need who is looking for a better future as you would if you were poor, well still need to enforce the law, we can do it in a more compressive way for america and the humans who risk their life coming here!!!!! ask what would Jesus choose? deporting them will cost millions and cause a deficit but with an immigration reform they will pay millions, the citizenship will not be giving free so is not an amnesty any question read the Dictionary....Thre many kids who are gonna pay for something that they didn't have a choice like coming... jajajajaj that's not the america that I know am pro-life because babies are being hurt and have no choice am pro-Inmigration reform because Kids are Being Hurt and have no choice.... the family is a gods gift any family... so i dont believe in gays marriage a traditional family... so this thing of separating families through deportation is ashamed... you don't believe listen to the church stand on this, or you are nor conservative as i am go to the democratic the majority of them support an Immigration reform...... "lets be the difference that we wanna See in the world", and this mass deportation of people suffering is not the difference that i wanna see in the world.... Abraham Lincoln once say There are what we would be under similar Circumstances""........ Judge any stupid can do it try to comprehensive someone only a wise man

Our unemployment stand at 5.6% or thereabout, which is still lower than in years before. If you send back all illegal immigrants our unemployment will be close to 1 or 2%. Illegal immigrants have lowered salaries, dirtied neighborhoods, and ruined schools. GET THEM OUT.....The decent ones come in the legal way

The pilgrim were the first illegal Immigrants in America

Why do Innocent Kids have to pay is like abortion they did't do anything wrong.... what would Jesus do?

Supporters of an Inmigration reform Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, texas, new mexico, arizona and california Governators, Jhon Mc cain just a few of them also Miami, san Antonio, New York, Los angeles, MC callen, mayors, The border of Education, the military, southern poverty, American Liberties, and others....