Tim wrote on Aug 16, 2007 12:36 AM:"On the verge of finding out just what the reality of a secure border really is"? Jim, are you high? When you block a few holes in a sieve, less water may get through, but you're still gonna get pretty wet standing underneath it. If apprehensions are down by a third, it still means probably tens of thousands of illegals are still getting through this year -- and, as you mention parenthetically, San Diego has actually seen an increase. We aren't on the verge of anything different than the usurpation of our sovereignty that is currently occurring.

English wrote on Aug 16, 2007 12:39 AM:Ever heard of the H-2A visa? The one visa category that authorizes aliens to work as seasonal farm workers in the US is the H-2A non-immigrant category. This category authorizes the temporary admission of foreign agricultural workers to perform work that is itself temporary in nature, provided U.S. workers are not available. There is no numerical limitation on the number of these visas that may be issued each year, but a limited form of labor certification is required. The H-2A visa requires employers to provide a number of benefits to their temporary workers, including minimum rates of pay at least at the prevailing wage level, transportation to and from their temporary residence as well as to new worksites, housing meeting federal standards, meals and workers compensation insurance. These farmers are operating an illegal business. If they can't operated here within the laws then they should relocate on the other side of the U.S. border. Farmers are not above the law.

Howiek wrote on Aug 16, 2007 4:51 AM:Yep! I figure milk will get to be at least $6 to $8 a gallon and lettuce will get to maybe $5 a head—maybe then someone will figure out that we do need these migrants, there are no Americans that will do this work now or anytime in the future. Hey! Maybe we can just import all our food from China!

Madam Patriot wrote on Aug 16, 2007 8:23 AM:Again and again we have people telling us that there aren’t enough workers for the agriculture industry. What most people don’t know is that the government issues plenty of visas to people who are supposed to work the fields, but many of these workers leave and go into other trades such as construction which pay better. Don’t be fooled by the politicians and the immigration activists who will say there are not enough workers and we must have more. We have to hold these workers accountable and ensure that they only do the job in which they committed to doing. If not, pull their visas and send them home. Another option is to require the state prison system provide a sufficient labor pool with most the money provided by the growers to go to prisoner upkeep and a portion set aside for the inmate themselves upon their release. As someone who worked for the Bureau of Prisons I know most inmates would welcome the opportunity to get ‘outside the walls.’ Obviously this would only apply to non-violent, low to medium risk inmates who have less than half their time remaining on their sentence.

Reardon wrote on Aug 16, 2007 8:35 AM:Along with sealing the border, we should increase interior enforcement, establish an unaccompanied Bracero Program, and double the number of legal immigrants fro Central and South America. Doubling th enumber of legal immigrants will put a lie to those who call enforcement "racist."

The farmers need to mechanize wrote on Aug 16, 2007 8:42 AM:the picking of produce. It is done other places, but it will cost them initially. I will pay more. Send the illegals home.

Mark wrote on Aug 16, 2007 9:36 AM:Jim, you and President Bush must have been drinking together again. You sound just like him. Nothing has changed and nothing is going to change. The wall is not really being built as promised. National Guard members don't have weapons at the border, etc... So Jim, don't sit there and tell us how bad life is going to be here without illegals because they aren't going anywhere.

We need, wrote on Aug 16, 2007 3:42 PM:some immigrants to do the farm work. We don't need or want illegal alien lawbreakers.

To Howiek wrote on Aug 16, 2007 4:02 PM:Californian's are already spending $10.5 billion on illegals - that's us taxpayers.... $5 lettuce is cheap in comparison!

To We need wrote on Aug 16, 2007 7:26 PM:YES, we do need immigrants to do this work!!! Like it or not even if you do not want them here we need them. Start saving your pennies, honey because you will need them to buy your hot house tomatoes, organic cucumbers, and oh lets not forget that nice bottle of Zinfendel. Ah, the pleasure of life provided by those damn illegal criminal lawbreaking aliens, like it or not we need them.

To Howiek from Redneck wrote on Aug 16, 2007 7:27 PM:That is not true!!!! I think you should open your mind and expand your reading and research because you are incorrect!

To Mark wrote on Aug 16, 2007 7:31 PM:Very true!! Very intelligent!! "So Jim, don't sit there and tell us how bad life is going to be here without illegals because they aren't going anywhere. " Very true. They aren't going anywhere. After all our very own U.S. Constitution provides them with Life, Liberty, Property and lets not forget my favorite equal protection under the law. Soon very soon, Amnesty will be awarded to them and then who will you all pick on? Free speech rocks!!!!!!

We need, wrote on Aug 16, 2007 9:15 PM:What is you point? I just said we need immigrants to do the farm work, maybe you did not understand because I left out the word LEGAL. We need Legal immigrants! We don't need or want ILLEGAL alien lawbreakers. We want honest, good people who wait in line, do their paperwork and get medical checks before entering our Country. And, sweetie pie, I don't drink zinfandel. Believe me we won't starve without ILLEGAL ALIENS.

anotherview wrote on Aug 16, 2007 9:21 PM:Driven by the profit motive, unscrupulous farmers and other employers want to continue the unlawful employment of illegal aliens to avoid the costs of temporary worker visas. The unscrupulous employers also want to avoid their having to employ citizens at a higher wage. Instead, the unscrupulous employers want to hire illegal aliens because they will work for coolie wages. This unlawful practice now shifts the costs of illegal alien workers and their families to the public sector. The taxpayer has to pick up the bill for the costs associated with the presence of 12 million illegal aliens. Like most journalists, however, Mr. Trageser illuminates only one side of this matter. After all, illegal aliens have no right to live an work in America. Yes, the recent decision of the Bush II administration to enforce existing federal law prohibiting the hiring of illegal aliens will bring numerous consequences, many unforeseen. With no job, however, the illegal aliens will self-deport (at their own expense) -- no national roundup needed. Minus the lure of a job, the foreign nationals will not illegally migrate to America -- reducing the necessity of an expensive U. S.-Mexico border fortification. The Associated Press news report (Illegal Immigration Drops Sharply Along U. S.-Mexico Border. 16 Aug. 2007) notes the positive trend of less illegal inflow of foreign nationals. The AP writer, however, presents the deportation of illegal aliens as if a dislocation instead of a due consequence for the lawbreaking by foreign nationals. The social bias of the AP writer shows itself in this comment: “Migrants also say they feel Americans are increasingly hostile toward immigrants.” In fact, citizens object to illegal aliens and illegal immigration, for sound reasons. Bush II has it wrong when he speculates people later saying, “Man, we’re running out of workers.” In fact, the economic axiom of supply and demand will apply, and so will the capitalistic dynamic of competition. Employers will adjust, by mechanizing and introducing efficiencies. Some labor-intensive industries may re-locate to another country, like Mexico. Employers may have to offer higher wages, improved benefits, and better working conditions to attract citizens to do the jobs illegal aliens now do. Mexican President Felipe Calderon also has it partly wrong when he says that “the American economy could not move forward without the labor of Mexicans.” In truth, America has grown reliant on a foreign labor force, while Mexico has become dependent on the annual $23 billion that the illegal alien Mexicans send back to Mexico. The wrong part has to do with his failing to accept responsibility for his countrymen illegally migrating to America, and the burden 12 million illegal aliens set on this country. It also has to do with Mexico’s unwillingness to restructure its economy to reduce the inequality among its people. Mexico receives big revenue from its oil exports and its foreign tourism, yet any visitor to Mexico will observe the good, humble people of that country suffering from grinding poverty. Without the relief of millions of Mexicans illegally migrating to America, Mexico may at last have to look inward, to devise ways and means to spread its riches to its people. Meanwhile, the farmers and other employers here desiring to hire foreign nationals from Mexico may still do so, but under the law via a temporary worker visa, which will grant better conditions to these workers. All concerned will adjust.

Rose D, wrote on Aug 16, 2007 9:21 PM:The American People are awake now and they don't want amnesty. So there will be no amnesty. So illegals start your trip back to your own Country. If you want a better life you will have to work for it from within your Country.

Daren wrote on Aug 16, 2007 9:39 PM:Machines can harvest our crops. It will be more expensive and the yield will be reduced, but it will cost our country less in the long run. I'm perfectly happy paying more for fruit and produce if it means 12-20 million criminal illegals out of this country.