Paul, welcome to the wild side of FF. There's more here than just Snowcats.
Folks, look around. I'm not going to defend illegal activity, that's indefensible. But there's a reason why government isn't moving to round up and deport the aliens. Our economy would collapse. No more vegetables. No more fruit. No more lodging industry. Gone. Nobody will do those jobs. Likewise roofing, cement, and the entire less-skilled half of the construction industry. Gone. I think some of you look at an alien and think leech but that's not the reality. The reality is that native born Americans won't do field work or make other peoples beds.
Bush knows this. That's why he tries to talk a hard line for political reasons while doing nothing to the employers, which would be the logical point to attack the problem. Different politicians may promise to 'get tough', to stay a jump ahead of the talk radio patriots. It's not going to happen. I haven't paid much attention to the amnesty proposals that recently fell apart, but I don't think we will see a compromise soon. I predict the status quo, ie continuing illegal immigration to fill needed jobs and a 'don't ask don't tell' position by the federal government, will continue indefinitely. There's no alternative.