Re: LETS SAY I BREAK INTO YOUR HOUSE

Another way to frame the immigration issue: it's not about numbers, it's about values. In other words, assimilating large numbers of people with similar values is relatively easy, and does not radically change the society. On the other hand, relatively small numbers of people with vastly different values can radicalize or disrupt even the most stable of societies.

 Examples: millions of Mexicans have immigrated and none of them have been "terrorists". Yes, some of them have been criminals, and that is an important issue. But most of them have integrated into society for reasons Nick listed.

Relatively few (10's of thousands) Muslims have immigrated into London, but some of their children blew up a train. A large number of muslims in france last year set large numbers of cars on fire.

It is a capital offense in most Islamic countries to proselytize any faith other than Islam and it is a capital offense to convert from Islam.
The 1st Amendment doesn't exist in half the world and is not a core belief of many cultures.

An important difference is the level of assimilation into a society and ultimately the motivation for immigration. If it is to join the culture and adopt its values, that's relatively easy. If it is to import a different culture and maintain it as a "country within a country" then that it is more difficult because, the "target" country may lose its identity: its common values and beliefs. In this country, those are represented mostly by the Bill of rights. But that Bill is NOT universally agreed. The huge immigration of last century worked because the vast majority of immigrants came here because of our values; they came here to adapt them, not destroy them.

So... I think we should have much more open legal channels of immigration with societies with very similar core values, but we should restrict  immigration from countries that do not share our core beliefs and close off illegal immigration. This is the way to grow our country without losing the freedom, liberty and system of justice that our ancestors and predecessors have built over many difficult centuries while providing an incentive for other nations to adapt our values.

Its interesting to note that what the protesters in brazil were asking for was ... more immigration into this country. Perhaps if we had Treaties that say that the way to increase immigration to here is to adapt the Bill of Rights there first, we'll make both places better - and reduce the need for immigration, as well.

Mark