Illegal is illegal. I'll never call people "illegals", and I get this guy's point about the "dehumanizing" aspect...However, you cannot say that people should be calling these people "undocumented" instead and that by calling them "illegal immigrants" we are all dehumanizing others, because the bottom line is, they ARE "illegal immigrants". That, is a FACT. So get over it. You can argue all you want, but don't push it too far.

Oh, and I'm glad Patch didn't use "undocumented" in the headline instead and went with the correct factual term! That would have been a real problem!

You do know there are also LEGAL immigrants right? So what's wrong with calling the other ones "illegal"? Telling me what they've done right to break the law in order to come into our country...makes no sense at all. And try tell those people who are actually legally here that they should be called "documented" and see if they like it better? There are people who break the law, and there are those who don't and follow the rules and are really welcomed in this country. We have brains you know, don't make all of us who oppose illegal immigration sound like we're a bunch of morons, because you can't make something so wrong to look right. Human rights should only be argued for people who actually respect the order of our society, not for random people who wanted whatever they wanted for themselves.

Very well said Mr. Pelligrino.

Yes, factually they are "illegal" but his point is not to debate the correct factual terms but to offer a more human point of view. Arguing about correct meaning misses the point . I think that's what's missing in most of these discussions. For all we claim to be be a Christian nation, most of the time we forget about the doing good and kindness and compassion part of that responsibility.

Nothing new from Richard. Same old same old. I understand his passion, and in a good economy I would somewhat agree with him. But we have massive unemployment right now, and have you seen how many homes are being foreclosed on in Cobb County every month. We cannot just willy nilly "invite" more people into the country to make the situation even worse. We need to get down to the bare bones of this nation and get the citizens back to work and get all of the empty houses filled back up again by people who have lost the American Dream through no fault of their own. I am standing up for the United States of America and the American Dream, where we take care of the citizens first and everybody else second.

1. We HAVE a path to citizenship. There ARE punishments for being here ILLEGALLY. It is called deportation.
2. Most citizens NEVER invited anyone to come here Illegally.
3. "White Guilt" excuses are growing old when used to excuse others bad behavior.

Jeremy and Brad, completely agree. We are not arguing about "whether we should be compassionate of others" here, we're talking about ILLEGAL immigration. Like jeremy said, there ARE legal immigrants too! Path to citizenship is also available. Whether you meet those requirements to come to our country or become citizen, is YOUR responsibility. We respect those who respect our system and laws, and people who come here illegal for whatever reason, should be punished. Like Pellegrino himself said, if you break the law by speeding, you've done something illegal. So my point is, you have to accept whatever punishment that comes with it, and giving you a path to citizenship when you start with coming in illegally, that is NOT a punishment.

You can argue human rights all you want. But don't forget it's not just you illegal immigrants go through hardships (which they deserve because you broke the law), citizens and also legal immigrants even have to deal with the consequences brought by people entering this country illegally, talking about being unfair and human rights?! Give our rights back first!

Whenever this subject comes up, I think of my grandparents. One set came from Italy and the other from Hungary. Both sets left their native countries and came here legally to a new country that they knew nothing about and didn't speak the language. They landed in New York and lived amongst others that spoke their language. This is the reason we have areas in New York that are prominently Italian, Chinese, Jewish, Russian, Polish, Greek, etc. They spoke a common language and were able to function on a daily basis. The found work, my Italian grandfather dug out the paths for the subways and contracted black lung disease for his efforts. My Jewish grandfather used his talents and became a tailor. One thing they both had in common was that once they came here this was their country. They paid their taxes, spent the money the earned in this country here. They didn't send it back to their native land. They made a contribution in their newly adopted country. They raised their families here. They all became productive citizens, they paid taxes, they didn't sneak into this country. They followed the rules. Their children went to war and fought as American Citizens. Most of all, they were very grateful for what the United States of America offered them. They didn't just "come here for the money" as one Mexican citizen said on TV as he was being deported. We are spending too much money trying to illegals out. We need stronger rules not weaker ones.

Human problem, a problem has always two aspects.

The one hand, the problem is called “heart/soul”. All people are created by God. God created man in His own image. So we must respect everyone. When a person has an error behavior or the person has done a wrong thing, we must first understand, compassionate, forgive, and accept his/her heart by our good attitudes - our tongues or our other behaviors. We have no rights to judge anybody’s heart/soul. I believe this is what the Declaration of Independence states that all people are created equal and have “certain unalienable rights” means.

The second aspect is “the behavior or that thing regard”. All people have responsibilities to obey the laws. No one is above the laws. In other words, everyone has a responsibility to correct the wrong behavior and to bear the consequences of this error behavior.

Mr P is excellent at obfuscating the actual subject by pushing an agenda on the words Illegal, Amnesty & such. Instead of arguing the merits of letting Illegals remain in this country as opposed to deportation, he wants a pass...."some form of punishment" > really? I say deportation is a great form of punishment. Using the excuses that we invited them here, I say quite bluntly, I, personally, invited no illegal alien to enter this country. In fact, quite the contrary.

One point that these "feel gooders" ignore.....Why can't these Illegal Aliens remain in their own country & work toward the betterment of their personal & public conditions instead of creeping across this or any nation's border in the dead of night?

Mr P wants people to admit they are Illegal, that's pretty much like him wanting people to admit they are sinners. Okay, I admit it, I'm both a sinner & illegal.....but you cannot deport me for being either. Why? Because as the former I must face HaShem & the latter, I must answer for in a court of law & cannot be deported for. So calling someone an Illegal Alien is on-point & there is No dehumanizing effect. The Illegals KNOW they are Illegal, just ask them.

The Feds have played games with Immigration & Border Enforcement for the last 40+ years. INS offices around the USA never had resources to deport. Only the border states had those.

The Feds have engaged in a Dog & Pony Show for Immigration Enforcement for decades. You can recall over the years that the News Media in Georgia would report particular raids conducted by INS & ICE.

Here is the back story, the truth: INS & ICE in Atlanta never had the necessary funds to deport massive amounts of Illegal Aliens. The former criteria was that an Illegal MUST have been Convicted of 2 or more Felonies in order to even qualify for a Deportation Hearing.

Every year, INS (& now ICE) release Federal Funds to local offices & send Trained Officers from Washington D.C to assist the local Feds. They contact the US Marshal's Office and ALWAYS contact the Media (the AJC, WSB, WAGA, 11Alive & CBS46, to 'tag' along with the Vans & Vehicles.

They then chose one or two businesses (usually a chicken plant) & one or two apt. complexes to raid. The raids occur, the Media Films & Reports the Raids, the Feds (& whatever current Executive & Legislative people in power) boast & brag about how tough they are on Illegal Immigration.

My close association with the INS, US Marshals & some media types admitted to all of the above.

We've all been played & it's the politicians that have played us in order for them & their parties to remain in power. Now we have a fifth wheel of "do-gooders" that also want to ignore the Law & let the Illegals remain. Justifying their position by saying, the pols & business-types did it first. A wrong is wrong....always.

To "Old Timer" - My dad as well as his brothers did not finish high school because they all went to work and gave every penny less money for transportation and lunch to their parents to help with the bills. My father worked at the post office for 38 years. He encouraged all of his kids to get a college education because he didn't want us to have to "break our backs for a living like he did." We all have Master Degrees. My mother was a stay at home mom. We grew up in the housing projects in the Bronx. My father at one time worked three jobs and didn't have a day off in seven years. He didn't seek assistance from the government. He would purchase savings bonds and squirreled away enough money to move us out of the projects into a small house in Astoria, Queens. They only went on one vacation in their lifetime when their kids all chipped in and sent they on a cruise to the Bahamas for their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. Whenever there was a holiday their children got new clothes, we always had Buster Brown shoes, my parents went without. These are the children of legal immigrants. As I sit here I am in tears because they are both gone now. I was raised seeing grandparents and parents sacrificing for their families not look for handouts. Sorry I am not a bleeding heart. Come here legally or not at all. Our ancestors did. I am glad you all enjoyed my story. God Bless America!!!!

Wow... A totally agree with what you said about immigration. I think that USA should consider some kind of path for residency then citizenship if all requirements are met. Could you only imagine if the USA government would allow all "undocumented" immigrants to be processed to a path to legal status after paying fines and meeting all requirements

Well first of all it's a Problem Everybody's not just the Feds. States Towns Counties city's its Everybody's and more has to be done there's Laws Already most no about Especially if their trying to do Somerhing Worthwhile and Know the Conesquences I am Tired of Paying Consequences for Illegals Decisions I do Prefer Legal Immigrants but the Bottom Line it's Their Decision to Be Illegal Period I Do Blame Our Government and Employers for it Going on as long as it has but it's Time to Curb the Problem Illegal Immigration And You Don't get to Hevan Illegally I wish Preachers would say More about that Problem

Pam, I apologize. I had a long career that required detailed & thorough reports & even tho' I'm retired, I can't pull myself from continuing doing so.

Trying, your comment is on-point. We were taught in all our American Government & History & Civics classes growing up that We the People are THE Government. Mr P's attempt at suggesting a "Let George Do It" attitude continues to put the onus of the problem on some faceless, nameless 'thing' away from the front lines. Likewise his continued rant about all of us being Illegals shows that he knows his position is weak & that he can only attack & label people that disagrees with him. His hypocritical approach only makes him intransigent, close-minded & a zealot for those who have no legal basis to defend themselves. They know they were wrong in crossing our borders illegally, know they were wrong to take jobs & money away from the Citizens & Legal residents, know they are wrong in living in homes that legals could occupy, know they are wrong in using Government Services designed to help the needy in our communities. It is an unfortunate thing that Mr P has been given this forum to push his agenda, when there is no Voice to counter it, except we who choose to stand up to his obfuscations in the Comments Sections.

Dadburn it Pellegrino, IF YOU HAVE PROOF>>> PROVIDE IT !!! Plenty of room on these Comments Pages to produce "your proof".

Put up or Shut UP !!!

In a debate, one must put up the proof when he or she says they have it. Obviously, you never had debate skills taught in school to know when & where to use them. But I will agree, that tho' I have an Open Mind about many things, my education, experience & common sense allow me to discern & know when so-called facts can be skewed to one way or the other. Not prejudging, but given your previous statements & condemnations against anyone who opposes illegal immigration that they are 'closet' bigots, members of the KKK & other white supremacist groups or just plain stupid...I will not accept ANYTHING you post as gospel. I am schooled in statistical analysis, polling & such & recognize the ability of the poster or poller to condition the questions, facts, test subjects & results to fit whatever desired result. You are a blatant example of just such a thing. Since you do not know me, you still infer that I am a bigot, a Klan member or maybe a neo-Nazi. Since I have Jewish heritage & am proud of such, being a Klan or Nazi just doesn't compute. My paternal grandfather was born in Jerusalem during the time of the Ottoman Empire. My ancestors were slaves.....in Babylon, in Egypt, by the Romans.....& more recently, the Nazis. Even Italians were anti-Semites under Mussolini....so your ancestor's hands are very dirty as well.

People need to stop acting as if they are not benefiting from the cheap labor the immigrants provide us. Yes ALL of us. If you eat at a restaurant, you benefit, When you drive by a nice Bank and upscale homes and enjoy the scenery of landscaped lawns, you benefit, when buy a home that's been built in the last 30 years, you benefit. OK Let's do it the Republican way....Let's send all those who immigrated here back home.. That would include, the Jews from Israel, The Polish, The Italians, The Irish, The Sweds, The... Well HELL, that would include everyone who isn't NATIVE AMERICAN. Looks like the boat back home would be pretty full if everyone went back who weren't
originally documented.

@Pam
WE are the ones who crossed the borders and caused this massive unemployment when the bill was passed that allowed NAFTA and sent hundreds of thousand of jobs overseas. OUR JOBS are in Thailand, Pakistan, Asia. When you dial customer assistance at a major company, who answers the phone? Not your fellow American who speaks clear English. If the major companies were forced to bring the jobs back to American soil, we would not have ANY problems with unemployment. It is computers and NAFTA that has us competing for the few jobs left in America, not immigrants that crossed the borders, they are the scapegoats that allow you to focus your attention on the smokescreen instead of hold government fat cats accountable for sending our jobs AWAY (across the borders).

The first time an illegal is caught the US it’s consider a misdemeanor civil offense.
After the first offense, being caught a second time is a felony.
a illegal alien is not a undocumented immigrant!
A illegal alien is breaking the law to be here and many of those caught and deported come right back across the border making them a felon. So where does it stop?

Not by giving them any kind of amnesty!!!!

You do love to try and twist words around to your way of thinking,I'll give you that.
If you read my comment above (as you love to say)
I am commenting on the fact that any illegal deported and then returns to the US is then a felon. That makes them a criminal and should be treated as such.Speak for yourself but I do nothing to 'conspire' to have them come work here. I do not hire anyone if I feel in any way they could be here illegaly. There are many needy Americans that I would put to work first. I agree,we cannot deport them all but the more they (illegals) demand we give them everything the more I will resist accepting them and the harder I will fight to stop them.

How about this - they came into this country illegally. No papers, passport, or visa. In essence, they came to this country illegally. My nephew, when he was 17, broke into someone's home, for what was a good reason, but it didn't matter because he was arrested. And he spent nine months in jail. He now has a record. What is being suggested here is that if you illegally came into this country, no problem. We are going to bend over backwards to make sure you get what you need. Go ahead and fine them all you want. The ones that do work get cash, they live in houses with several other people who help pay the bills. Making them pay money won't matter to them. And since when were you able to pay lots of money just to get out of going to jail?

Pracilla (1) Undocumentated, illegal, spanish speaking...It's all the same old thing with different wording. Mr. P is only pointing out the obvious, if you learn from the past - you can make better decisions for the future. I have a Masters Degree, took economic courses and all the sort. I read through all of these posts. Although I may disagree with many of you, I would like put my two cent, tax paying, american spanish accent, updated educational point-of-view. Those that have pointed out that Mr. P's information is outdated. You can easily get the same result from a larger sample, as the situation has only grown, that you can get from a smaller sample, which is what is being called as outdated. The fact that we have "minimum wage" is the reason the opportunity exists to begin with. Let me explain, when you set a minimum of what a particular job is worth, when there are many people who would be more then happy to do it for less, well guess what we call them? Spanish speaking, job hogging, illegals. Why not do away with the minimum wage and see who will be willing to work just as hard for less money? This is the all American GREED and SELFISHNESS that creates openings for immigrates. It's all our fault! Stop letting the world believe that our streets are made out of gold, and that we are just as eager to build as our ancestors, then maybe they will be more encouraged to stay home. No, we don't want our hands dirty! An American man of our times are NOT working hard.

They are NOT standing on the corner, waiting to be picked up for work to feed their families. They did NOT go to college to have hands that feel like sandpaper. American's have their children thinking they're too good for this kind of work. Again, giving immigrants the OPPORTUNITY to come in, we create the gap. Now you want to close it because of hard times? Hard times come and go. Working hard, providing for your family, remaining the head of household, keeping your family together, my goodness I can seriously write a book on how Americans lack this. People from other countries haven't lost their sense of self. When all the computers break down, we will not be able to rebuild without these beautiful, highly ethical, family oriented, hard working people. WE will collapse. So instead of blaming them for taking jobs no one wants their kids to take, because we're so busy trying to facilitate their children's careers and failing at that, maybe...just maybe....we should rip a page out of their book and start teaching our children the basics...like hmmm 1. When we get married we STAY married. 2. Back in the days families actually BUILT their own homes! 3. Instead of paying $150 on a toy box why don't we BUILD one together. 4. Lets talk about your place and responsibilities in the HOME. 5. Let me teach you how to ROLLER SKATE, JUMP ROPE, FISH!

Honestly, it's not about the undocumented - it must really embarrass American's to have immigrants here. I'm surely embarrassed by these comments, by our lack of strengthening family, and by the stupidity of intellectuals that use that same intellect to justify bigotry all to ignore self-reflecting.