The I word.

Most citizens of "developed"/ "first world" nations shudder when they hear the word Immigration...especially when its preceded by the word illegal.
Most recently I came across a college students blog here in Maryland and she was bemoaning a lack of support from the new Governor O'malley for wanting to sign a bill that will permit undocumented aliens (that have completed high school in the state of maryland)to get in-state tuition. Now I personally don't see wnything wrong with this because these are kids have probably lived here their whole lives and their parents brought them here. They graduate from high school and need a fair chance at college. In order for them to pay out of state tuition, they probably need to get on a student visa or something...which would mean returning to the country of their birth...which would probbly mean not being able to get a visa back here so screw that option!
The other thing I saw today was on the BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6507535.stm Now this is an interesting story because if you think about it from a business perspective, I do not agree as others that President Dabya should make all illegals legal, for that really wont fix the problem as more will come in and do the exact thing. It will help for the moment. My proposal is...make a new visa category for south America. With this new visa, the goverment can make a cap as to how many people enter from that region and require them to pay whatever coyotes charge them to come across deadly ground. They would also need to reduce most of the questions they ask at the visa check point. Now I am not saying blindly let Ahmed in from Mexico... do a background check and ask only minimal questions regarding their plans.
If you are well accustomed to getting visas to developed nations you somewhat know what they ask...they have key phrases that they want you to say and standard things that they want to see...sometimes there are things that are too complicated for one to explain to visa officials...such as you have relatives that will allow you to stay with them for free and you can't show that you have the finaces to live in a certain country. There are a few other minor issues that you know will be okay when you get where you're going, but visa officials want you to show proof of things you can't produce...its crazy!
Many people that don't deal with immigration and have never had to get a visa in their lives think its the easiest thing to do..."why don't they just get citizenship or a legal visa?" they ask...well its not that easy....simple as that!