Around the Water Cooler: What do you think about illegal immigrants working in the U.S.?

Question of the week: What best characterizes your view about illegal immigrants working in the U.S. 1) Allow them to stay in their jobs and apply for U.S. citizenship, or 2) Stay in their jobs, but only as temporary guest workers and not be allowed to apply for U.S. citizenship, or 3) They should be required to leave their jobs and leave the U.S.
n David Cohen: Allow them to stay in the U.S. with a path to citizenship, just as my grandparents were allowed to do in 1907.

• Jeff Nunes: None of the above. I think the problem with illegal immigration is too complex to slot into one of the three choices here. There has to be respect for our laws, which in some cases should mean deportation, but there may be cases where that is just not practical or even humane.        
• Dennis Kennedy: I support Option 1. Undocumented aliens should be allowed to stay in their jobs and It is important that they be given a path to citizenship, but with as many of the same requirements that other immigrants must meet, to the maximum extent possible.
• Jeff Smith: This is a tough one, and there is no easy answer, but I think #3 best characterizes my view. We have a lot of American citizens out of work, and we have many illegals taking jobs that these Americans could fill. Also, the illegals take a great toll on our health care system, welfare system, legal system, and many others. They cost our system tons of money, and my guess is that most of them are not paying taxes.
• Hank Miller: The best characterization of my view is option 1, with reservations. And those reservations include applying the one strike law; i.e. commit a felony, belong to a gang, ignore family obligations, DUI conviction, use drugs, and a whole bunch more. One time and you’re out of here!
• Bert Berson: We have about 11 million illegal immigrants in this country. This number is not expected to grow. These people not are a monolithic block. For example, we have the educated youth who for all outward appearance are Americans.We should pass the Dream Act now. That leaves about 9.5 million workers and families not eligible for the Dream ACT. They are providing a solution to the low cost labor needs of this country. For this block. the proposals are simply undoable. We must create new categories for these 9.5 M people that offer legal protection and paths forward. In the present political environment, I doubt that this will happen.
• Chris Bryant: Allow them to stay in their jobs and apply for U.S. Citizenship. But only those that have no criminal record. Streamline guest worker program so those who don’t want citizenship, can easily and legally get work for a temporary period. Also eliminate automatic citizenship if born in U.S. unless at least one parent is a U.S. citizen.
• Julian Mancias: Option 2. I think that being allowed to stay in the U.S. and work but not given citizenship rights is fair as long as the immigrants are not discriminated against or taken advantage off. For example, a worker should be able to protest poor working conditions without having to fear deportation.
• Dave Appling: No single answer works here. #1 for valued employees with long-term employment potential and/or US-citizen dependents, and with willing sponsors. Green cards now; possible citizenship later. #2 where the need is temporary or seasonal; revive/update the old bracero program. #3 for ne’er-do-wells — if applied across the board, this choice would devastate California’s economy.
• Lisa Pampuch: 1. As a practical matter, we are not going to deport 12 to 20 million people. Any undocumented immigrant, regardless of age, who was brought here as a minor should be given amnesty and a path to citizenship assuming they are law-abiding residents. Undocumented immigrants who came here as adults, and who are law-abiding residents, should be required to pay a reasonable fine and given a path to citizenship. At the same time, we must reform our badly broken immigration system.
• Rene Spring: 1)! The U.S. government should create a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants with priority given to their kids, and as long as they did not commit any crimes here. Most of these people live amongst us as hard working folks and do jobs most of us, let’s admit it, would not do. Let’s give them a chance and let’s integrate them! The wonderful country is a nation of immigrants, myself – a Swiss-American – included. It is the right thing to do, so let’s do it!