What do these facts tell you?

PBS Newshour

April 7th 2007

RAY SUAREZ: In fact, apprehensions at the border during the last six months were down about 30 percent from the same period a year earlier.

Slow economy behind immigration decline
PHOENIX, May 9 (UPI) -- Economic experts have alleged the recent decline of illegal immigrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border is due to the United States' slowing economy.

While 6,000 National Guard soldiers were recently deployed along the border, The Arizona Republic reported Wednesday that a weakening U.S. economy is likely behind the 27 percent drop in the past year in illegal immigrant apprehensions.

Specifically, experts said, the drop occurred because the United States' construction industry has struggled. Economists said that industry is a regular employer of undocumented immigrants.

(snip)

"If I were President Bush, I would be much more cautious about touting the success of the increase in enforcement because there are other factors that could account for the decrease, including the softening of the U.S. economy, especially in the housing sector," Center on Pacific Economies Director Gordon Hanson said.

So, in the spirit of Patriotism, I offer up to any lawmaker who wishes to steal erm, utilize my plan....

Paddy's Comprehensive Immigration Bill**

Triple the number of INS officers, institute a fine to ALL Businesses/Employers of $250,000 FOR EACH INSTANCE OF HIRING AN ILLEGAL ALIEN, wait 6 months and whomever is still in the country undocumented follow thru with the current immigration bill standards.

But that might piss off the Chamber of Commerce.

The only way to curb illegal immigration is to either make more jobs in Mexico, or less in the U.S. They're not here because we're so nice to them, or our soap operas are better than theirs... they are here to make a living.

**I'm not a political scientist or graduate of an Ivy League school, and my foreign language skills are also suspect. This is just one crazy woman in Indiana's idea.