I'd like to see a thread designated solely to the discussion of reasonable solutions to this problem. We can all see that the problem exists, but by and large, there isn't much discussion about how to fix the mess we have on our hands. I made a list of a few things when I first arrived here, one of which included amnesty and was immediately shot down. A couple weeks later, looking back, I can see why. I may be slow, but I try to do my homework.

Still, until there are viable suggestions there *can* be no advancement toward a solution. We may write our Senators, our Congressmen, and the President, but I am certain the solutions needed elude even them. No one living has had to deal with this problem at the scale we are facing. History tells us that those nations who didn't address the issue at all eventually fold to become something other than the nations they were before.

I came up through the Army system and on more than one occasion heard the expression "If you have a complaint, but don't have a suggestion to fix it, you're not moving forward, you're just spinning all our wheels."

I think we can all agree that the first thing that must be done is adopting a policy that every other sovreign nation understands (except when it is applied to the US) and that is that entry into the country must be done orderly, and legally. Any other entry into the nation is a criminal act and results appropriate actions towards criminal activity. We need to empower, or re-empower, those agencies whose purpose is to conduct this mission of protecting and controlling our nations borders. Closing the border to all but legal traffic is essential, but THIS IS ONLY THE FIRST STEP.

As much as some of you might like to 'round 'em up and send 'em packin'", I just don't see that gaining much support from any sector of our nation. Instead, I think we must offer an incentive to encourage foreign nationals here illegally repatriate by some set date with their home nation. If the borders are controlled, entry and departure can be documented, would it be an incentive to suggest legal re-entry in the future might be available depending on agreements with their home nation?

Those illegal immigrants who do not depart by the date set in the measure above lose any and all possibility of re-entry if they are caught inside our borders after the established date of repatriation.

Those are just the tip of the iceberg.....please add suggestions and let us have a thread just for more ways to fix what ails us. Let's keep it civil, sound, and rational.

Let's offer our leaders help, not just bend their ears with complaints.