> I wonder, if we do make immigration easier and all one has to do to become legal is go down to the courthouse and sign up or something, how many people would do it? What are the tangible benefits? If you can come into this country, work without being taxed on your income, and still be able to benefit from many of our social programs, why would you choose otherwise?

You get some social programs but not others. It's difficult to get a driver's license, for instance, which is something I think a lot of immigrants want (at least judging from the hooplah we've had in CA over the last 4 years about whether we should allow illegal immigrants driver's licenses). That makes it easier to get bank accounts and credit cards. It makes it easier to get work, and a real Social Security number means you eventually get retirement benefits (considering how poorly thought-outthe Social Security system is, a lot of people are using fake numbers right now and paying Social Security taxes they'll never get to claim). In most states illegals don't have access to in-state rates for public colleges, even if they've been there paying taxes for years.

> In my experience, people are generally inclined toward an "I'll screw the system if it's better for me" attitude. I'm the only waitress at my restaurant (and one of two at the one before that) who actually claims all of her tips. Why doesn't everyone? Because they can get away with it.

I think being an illegal resident is a tremendous disadvantage. If you don't have any papers you're screwed from gaining access to many parts of society. If you have fake papers, you get to pay retirement taxes that you'll never reap anything from.

What is the downside of being a citizen? It's not like you all of a sudden have to stop working under the table because you're now legal.

> I tend to be of a "lawful neutral" alignment. If laws are stupid we have appropriate channels for changing them, and I have more respect for that than declaring that certain ones we don't like just don't apply.

But of course non-citizens don't actually have access to those channels, which is one more reason why people would want citizenship.

Stephen