Idea for illegal immigrants
 

I've never heard this, but here's an idea: offer buy-out packages to illegal immigrants.

We pay them to leave. By agreeing to voluntarily leave, they get money, but they also get to be on the legal immigration list (whether that is a lottery thing or what, but it is the normal immigration channels).

If they return illegally after accepting this buy-out, there would be penalties of one kind or another. I.e. the disincentive would be quite high.

Deporting people all across the country is not practical, nor cost efficient.

the current idea is to heave pensions waiting for them in Mexico.

Instead of that why not make them an offer that they can be an American citizen if they serve two years in the Army?

We kinda already do that. You can accelerate your naturalization that way.

Seriously? I really did not know that.

sorta. tell a military recruiter you are not a citizen and he/she will tell you you can expedite it by enlisting.

looks like this idea is being tried right now in Spain. problem: no takers.

http://borjas.typepad.com/the_borjas...migration.html

Are they rounding up illegals and deporting them? Are they prosecuting businesses who hire illegals?

Carrot and stick, my friend, carrot and stick.

read the article.

The slow economy has forced many to leave anyway. I read the other day that they estimate the level of illegal immigration to be lower today than it has been for decades. I say let the economy decide what the appropriate amount of immigration is. Any time the government tries to centrally plan an aspect of the economy it usually fails. Ask the Soviet Union about that. Funny how republicans pretend to be pro-free market when they really are anti-market when it comes to certain things like immigration.