This immigration compromise looks unworkable to me...

[SaveElmer]

My understanding is that it requires those illegals that may be eligible to stay - those here at least 2 years and less than 5 years, to "briefly" return to their home countries and be processed that way. And of course they have to find some way to prove they have been here for the requisite amount of time.

First, I really don't see too many of them actually doing this. I think they will view it as a trap by the government. Also, though this may be feasible for undocumented latinos, exactly how are illegal Asians gonna get back to Vietnam or Cambodia or wherever they are from to be processed.

Second, how does a person who has been living under the table for that long prove their residency here?

[Neil Lisst]

1. totally unworkable!! Should call it THE BILL TO HELP INCUMBENTS

It should be called

THE BILL TO HELP INCUMBENTS
CLAIM THEY'VE DONE SOMETHING
ABOUT ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

[endarkenment]

Fine with me. There is no problem and this solves that completely.

[bluedog]

2. they don't............they are Illegals

there will no records to prove how long they have been here or how much money they owe on taxes...this is going to be a pure sham..........its to pacify the American voter........

[Inland]

3. Well, they could get their employers to vouch for them......

Just kidding!

[HereSince1628]

4. Frankly I see guest worker programs as a poor solution to illegal

immigration.
First let me say I do see value in guest worker programs...if the guest are in small numbers and if the nature of the guests work experience is to take back to their homelands knowledge and experience that will help both themselves and their nations. For example...

I see guest worker programs as good for students and those who need to go on to do internships.

Guest worker programs seem reasonable to me for people displaced by nature, or violence.

But opening up the country to immigration from all over the world will IMHO--

1) invite trained high tech/professional labor into America to depress middleclass wages...not only undermining American technicians and professionals, but also discouraging children of the middleclass from bothering to go into debt they can't pay back for educations because they can't find work profitable labor in those fields.

2) the maintenance of large numbers of low skill guest workers will force wages for working class and working poor downward.

3) guest workers programs have a reputation (I'm not sure if the available data is trustworthy, so I'll just say this is the reputation it may or may not be warranted) of turning guests into citizens. So, the guest worker program may really be just a bridge to citizenship.

4) If we want to increase guest worker numbers from some country (say Mexico) we should do it as a bilateral legislation, not a general guest worker program. A worldwide guest worker program will invite people from everywhere and make it HARDER for Mexicans to come in legally.

5) Guest workers are a poor substitute for US policies that would more directly help Mexico move closer to being a developed first world country with social values and protections found in nations of the G8.

6) And since 9/11 changed everything, the Congress had better realize that background checking of tens of millions of guest worker applications from all over the world will overwhelm government and create an opening which terrorists could relatively easily exploit. Just think of how successfully Homeland Security does on its own employees' backgrounds and ponder the problem.

[Disturbed]

6. Rethugs and Dems are both complicit in...

screwing over American workers. InSourcing and OutSourcing are scams pushed by American Corps. for the cheapest labor available without any Worker's rights and a scheme to nueter all Unions.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

5. Wow! The politicians solved a non-problem.

Amazing what they can do when the people take to the streets in the face of naked racism/fascism.