[sQL_inject]

"critical of people for defending the city from ICE stormtroopers. I see people justifying paper-checking, something I'm sure we roundly mocked the Soviets for doing - I thought gestapo agents checking the papers of people in the streets was commie shit?"

Truly curious, what methods are you suggesting we use to keep our immigrant population tracked and controlled? If the immigrants aren't leaving after being asked nicely, what steps can we use other than force to remove them? Surely you don't believe unchecked immigration in our modern Nation is good? If you do, then how much is too much, at what number, and what if those immigrants still collected benefits of your tax dollars while not themselves paying into the system? What if they voted for someone you don't like?

[pjc50]

> what methods are you suggesting we use to keep our immigrant population tracked and controlled?

You can't track and control only immigrants. Any such system would include tracking and controls of citizens, simply in order to sort them into the "not immigrant" category.

Hence all the "papers please".

(Not to mention the false positive problem!)

[AnimalMuppet]

That is true, but it doesn't answer sQL_inject's point. You can't track and control only immigrants, therefore... what? Don't control immigrants at all, once they're here? Make it across the border and you're good forever? Or all, citizens or not, have to show papers to prove who they are?

I don't like either of those alternatives, but those seem to be the only options that are being advocated at the moment. Is there a better option?

And if not, are you really content to advocate for one of those two options? (Either of those two options? Because personally, no, I am not willing to advocate for either one.)

[alex43578]

Surprise, you’re already tracked in a dozen harmless ways that enable modern life: drivers license, Social Security number, birth certificate, etc; even before you get into quasi-public records like credit reporting, bank accounts, and insurance.

Acting like showing ID to an immigration official is some unprecedented intrusion is absurd. Fly domestically, shop at Costco, or buy a 6 pack of beer and you’ll end up showing more “papers” than a typical interaction with Customs/ICE, assuming you’re not illegal.

[sethammons]

the solution is trivial. It is easy. We've whitnessed it several times. Illegal immigration follows jobs. When the economy does poorly, less people come across. I recall a few years ago, they said it was negative immigration! More people were leaving because jobs were hard to get.

Instead of letting the economy do the work, simply enforce the laws we already have on the books. Don't let employers employ non-verified citizens.

The problem is that a common sense solution solves the problem and removes a platform for politicians to yell about and continue to do nothing over.

Step one: enforce labor laws. Step two, watch the system drain itself. Step three, look to naturalize and or remove those left behind.

[techpineapple]

“Whay if they voted for someone you don't like?”

Not really a theoretical, but either way, I would love it if the current admins were making an impassioned plea to answer the questions your asking, and working with Congress to get the laws changed. I think we desperately need to have that discussion. As it stands they’re not, they’re just appealing to emotion with arguments like “they’re eating your cats and dogs”, and forcefully bypassing due process.