During the day without immigrants, your news made a special effort to point out signs that said immigrants today, voters tomorrow. When will the news point out that illegal immigrants are not U.S. citizens and do not have the privilege to vote. Our government probably finds it easier to let anyone that wanders into this country the right to vote. If the immigrants are U.S. citizens then let them be heard as citizens. If they are non U.S. citizens living and using the privileges of citizens, then round them up as the law breakers they are. Immigrants, just as U.S. citizens must understand that they must obey the law of our nation or be treated as the criminals they are.

This is a simple issue. Either we are a country of laws or we aren't. Right now, our leaders are acting as if we get to pick and choose which laws matter and which ones don't. It infuriates me that illegal immigrants think that they should have the rights and responsibilities afforded to legal immigrants and citizens simply because they are here. Once again, those who follow the rules get slapped in the face for doing things the right way! Why should we reward illegal immigrants for cutting in line ahead of legal immigrants who've done everything properly? Illegal immigrants do not add to the fabric of our society the way legal immigrants do. They push down our wages by taking low skilled jobs away from the American worker and doing them for well under minimum wage. They can't survive on these wages so they use our social services and drive up our medical insurance premiums because they use our emergancy rooms as their primary medical care. To top it off, many of them refuse to learn English and instead isolate themselves in spanish speaking communities. The only way to solve this problem is for Americans, legal immigrants and natural born citizens, to stand up and let our voices be heard. I wonder what would happen if the citizens of this country decided to show our economic power by walking off our jobs and keeping our kids home from school. I think that our money would be dearly missed. I'm waiting for our leaders to hold illegal immigrants responsible for their actions and to deal with the companies that hire them thus creating this national fiasco in the first place. So, perhaps we should have a "American Citizens" Day to show our economic strength and that we are sick of our leaders not dealing with this issue.

In response to Greg C.'s comments, you hit it right on the head! I agree 100%. I just extricated myself from one of those conversations, unsolicited and accusatory I might add. This thread discussing illegal Mexican aliens has nothing to do with race, it has to do with nationality and the sovereignty of individual States. Sure, I feel for those illegal Mexican citizens and their plight. I also understand the impact that their illegal activities have on American citizens, and frankly I am more concerned for the American citizens since they are the innocent parties. More importantly, I am aware that Mexican citizens have done very little to advance their own country. I feel it is wrong to take from another, just because you or your family might have needs. In America, we call that theft. Mexican citizens could/should improve the lives of their families more by correcting the corruption in their own State, instead of inflicting harm and unsolicited costs on our society. Americans did not build America by encouraging its citizens to set up households in Canada, nor by seeking entitlements from other governments. It takes revolution, commitment, service, sacrifice, education, motivation, direction and hard work, amongst other things. If Mexican citizens are not willing to make the sacrifices to straighten out their own country, why should Americans be expected to sacrifice for them? I am all for legal immigration. Illegal immigration is a leech on our society. It is parasitic. It is criminal, and it damages our society.

In response to Tommy Lee Jenkins III's comments, there is a difference between racism and nationalism. When people have no viable argument for the immigration issue, they always resort to playing the race card. Opposition to illegal immigration doesn't make someone a racist. American is under attack in a non-shooting, subversive war. Our society is being infiltrated by non-Americans who siphon off our wealth, weakening our Country. Once they have infiltrated our society, they now feel they can dictate to us what our laws are or should be. Make no mistake, there is a strategy here and we are under a well coordinated attack. Having pride in my Country, wishing to keep it a sovereign state, and wanting to protect our borders and people do not make me a racist. It makes me an American.

To my dismay, I have read several threads whereby people have attempted to portray the plight and struggles of African Americans to that of the illegial immigrant. These two issues really are apples and oranges as far as comparisons would go.

First, the issues of African Americans was never about citizinship, but rather those inalienable rights which are afforded all citizens under our constitution. African Americans have only demanded the same rights that everyone else is entitled to - and righfully so. Nobody can argue that any citizen of this country should be afforded less rights than his neighbor simply because the color of his skin is different.

The illegal immigrant plight should not and is not about the color of ones skin or the land in which he came from. What it is about is the facilicy that one should be entitled to the same benefits and protections that a citizen would be entitled to.

I cannot envision a nation that bestowes the same rights and privelages to someone whom has choosen to disobey our laws by entering through the backdoor if you will.

Being able to work is one thing. However, demanding citizenship and other benefits that only a legal citizen should be entitled is not a concept that can pass the smell test. We have 10 million unemployed American Citizens who may very well be interested in doing many of the jobs that illegal immigrant advocates claim no American wants to do. Problem is, the illegal worker inevetably will drive down the wage so as to make it nearly impossible for an employer to hire an American Citizen because they do not or cannot pay the wage that a legal citizen would be worth.

Immigrants from all lands is what makes our country unique. However, celebrating the fact that one commited a crime is offensive to me. This protest seems to be doing just that. I would be more incline to accept their position if their attitude was one of "I'm sorry I broke the law, but please forgive me and let me stay". And even though we are a nation full of diversity, we need to be unified in some forms to survive. Language is one of the most important. To risk one's life to enter a country and not make the effort to learn the language doesn't help one's cause. They've chosen this country. America's chosen language is English. If they wish to prove that they truly want to belong here, show the respect this country deserves.

I find it remarkably disturbing that we have forgotten 911. The issues i.e. Immigration and Border security are two separate issues. There currently are laws on immigration. I support those laws and I am inclined to think that they should be enforced before writing news laws. The cost of illegal imigration not only hurts U.S. citizens but it also hurts ALL imigrants legal as well illegal. It denies equal opportunity for all. The employment of illegal imigrants hurts our country and economy in many ways. Lack of taxes paid by employers as well as employees is an injustice to all American citizens and legal imigrants. The burden put on social services costs all Americans in many ways. The U.S. has the largest unsecured border in the world with Canada and if I am not mistaken some of the 911 terrorists came across that border to do us harm. Secure all borders North and South by what ever means necessary. Grow a backbone and stop confusing and using the issue for anything other than the security of this fine and great country and the advancement of legal citizenship. Legal immigrants have been, are and will be our greatest assests as long as we don't use them as Big Business and most politcians would like to be able to use them.

The illegal immigration is a very complex problem that will require a complex solution. But I wonder why after five years of doing nothing about this problem, this administration has brought this to the forefront now. I just find it disingenuous that the administration has ratcheted up this debate now.

Could this be just another Rove-created distration? Would this administration benefit from seeing the American people divided and fighting over this problem instead of looking at Iraq, the government's inept recovery efforts from the Katrina & Rita disasters, price gouging at the pumps, CIA leaks, Abramoff/Cunningham & others' criminal trials, and the other messes this administration has either created or failed to address.

Almost without exception, I have heard today's boycott and protest march referred to as an "Immigration boycott/protest". This is NOT an immigration issue. The question of the day for MSNBC-TV is titled "Immigration Protests". These protests are for and by people whe are or support illegal aliens. I resent the fact that no one in the press seems to have the guts to call this what it is. Look at John Seigenthaler's headline. It is bad enough we have such a pandering, gutless government. We count on the press keeping us informed.
The other night Brian referred to 9/11 being the reason we went to war including Afghanistan and Iraq. That is a LIE! We went to Afghanistan because of 9/11. We went to Iraq because Bush and friends wanted to go to Iraq. Let's tell it like it is.

THERE ARE TO MANY IMMIGRANTS IN OUR COUNTRY!! THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE PAYING FOR THERE WAY OF LIFE WHILE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE GOING DOWN HILL. I AM AMERICAN AND I FOR ONE AM TIRED OF IT. THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO PROTECT THEIR AMERICAN PEOPLE INSTEAD OF WORRING ABOUT OTHER COUNTRIES. I THINK THEY NEED TO LOAD THEM UP AND SEND THEM BACK TO WERE THEY CAME FROM. NO PASS NO NOTHING!!! WHY DON'T THEY GO TO THERE OWN COUNTRIES AND MARCH!!! WHY ARE THEY BEING ALOUD TO PROTEST IN OUR COUNTRY?? WE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE GETTING FEED UP. THE NEW LAWS NEED TO PASS LIKE NOW BEFORE THIS GETS OUT OF HAND!!!

YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T TOO LONG AGO WHEN BLACK AMERICANS DIDN'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE IN AMERICA. I REMEMBER TO THIS DAY WE STILL HAVE OUR OWN NATIONAL ANTHEM CALLED THE BLACK NATIONAL ANTHEM. THINGS HAVE GOTTEN SO BAD IN THIS EUROCENTRIC COUNTRY THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE OUR OWN STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS BECAUSE WE'RE IGNORED IN THE "REAL" STATE OF THE UNION. TODAY WE FIND OURSELVES IN A SITUATION WHERE INSTEAD OF THERE BEING A STORY OF TWO AMERICAS, THERE WILL BE FROM NOW ON A STORY OF THREE AMERICAS. I CAN'T BELIEVE PEOPLE ARE MORE RACIST NOW THAN THEY WERE BACK IN THE FIFTIES AND SIXTIES. ITS JUST BLOWING MY MIND.

Dear Immigranat
assimilate or go home. a nation can not long stand if divided by language, religion, culture or economic inequities

Amazing. We now have illegal immigrants thast want to be REWARDED for breaking the law. Living in Arizona, I have many friends who have gone through the process of becoming a "legal" resident alien. What these illegals are doing is a slap in the face of every person who fought to get their green card for a better life.

How about reporting on the number of illegal immigrants from Europe, Asia and Russia. The immigration issue involves more than just Mexicans, and if the government wants to round up illegal immigrants then illegals from all countries need to be rounded up. Not just the uneducated and poor.

In response to Andi's comments, yes they are people too. Specifically, Mexican citizens is what they are, not Americans. More specifically, they are criminals who took it upon themselves to determine their resident status in our country, bypassing our processes and laws for their own personal benefit, not unlike shoplifters who steal food in order to live. Out here in California, they have placed huge burdens on our schools, hospitals, welfare systems and other public services, without paying into these systems, taking food and services out of the mouths of needy Americans who have actually contributed to these systems through their taxes. I am all in favor of a guest worker program. I am not in favor of automatic citzenship for Mexican children born to illegal immigrants here in the US; this needs to stop. I am also not in favor of a new amnesty program every 10-15 years. If Mexicans want to improve their lives, they should get their own corrupt government under control and bring their country into the 21st century. Why do people think it is America's responsibility to give everyone else in this world a handout? They have their own country. They made their own country what it is today. They also have the power to change their own country. They choose to not change it and live in mud shacks in the middle of Mexico city. Freedom from Choice is what they want, to quote DEVO.

Martin Savidges' reporting out of New Orleans has been great!

I appreciated his story the other night on how work on the levees seems to be progressing--I hope those who say they'll be O.K. turn out to be right, but still have my doubts. I'm still afraid of what will happen should New Orleans be hit again this hurricane season--the levees still will be flawed according to a Times-Picayune report I read recently, and won't be up to a Category 5 storm.

In last night's report on Jazzfest, the music I heard bits and pieces of was wonderful--wish I could have been there! It was sad to see the fact that so many small businesses on Bourbon St. are having trouble because of the lack of tourists and going out of business. Will there be a Jazzfest--or even a Mardi Gras--next year?

Louisiana's levees must be rebuilt stronger than they were before Katrina, because only then will New Orleans' displaced inhabitants feel confident enough to return and rebuild their homes and businesses, and tourists will want to visit.

Otherwise, one of America's most beautiful cities will just disappear, and President Bush's legacy will be the fact that he lost New Orleans.

Bush is pushing for a "Guest Worker Program", which appears to have sparked these demonstrations for amnesty. The movement appears to be driven by the Spanish radio stations.

I am not sure how waving a Mexican flag, shouting in Spanish and creating a Spanish version (although slightly altered) of the U.S. National Anthem is expected to gain my support of your movement.

If you would like to get your education; learn to speak English; enter America legally; work; pay taxes; get a drivers' license; get car insurance; get medical insurance and practice reasonable birth control until you can afford your own apartment or home, then I am on your side. Because these are the same challenges American citizens face everyday.

But, if you want to enter America illegally; live surrounded by only Spanish speaking low-paid workers; try to subsist on little or no education; assume that all medical and other social services are an entitlement, then count me out.

I have worked all my life to pay for the rights and privileges of being an American Citizen. I am tired of paying for yours too.

SEEM'S TO ME THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT'S ARE DECLAREING WAR ON AMERICN'S.WILL THE LEGAL ONE'S FALL IN? LIKE FAMILY.

How sad that a usually (relatively) trustworthy news organization like NBC would devote only a few seconds of mention to the hundreds of thousands of people who marched for peace in NYC today and no mention on this blog. Shame on you!

Not just 15 minutes ago, I caught a Mexican male attempting to steal gas from my truck. I live in Northern California. I have lived in San Diego most of my life and am familiar with immigration issues, having many friends who live very close to the border. We have immigration LAWS in this country which provide immigrants a way to become citizens. Instead, these criminals break our laws, enter our country without permission, drive without licenses, and commit more crimes, with little fear of being caught or prosecuted. Even worse, they drive without licenses or insurance and leave a body count of victims in their wake. If these people want to become legal American citizens, they should follow the legal path. Otherwise, they should be rounded up and bused by the truckload back to Mexico where they belong. I am tired of being a victim and seeing friends hurt.

Last week Bush said that he wouldn't add more oil to the Strategic Reserves and calls for suspending the Clean Air Act, the price of crude oil dropped.

The price at the pump did not drop. Each time the price of crude oil goes up the price at the pump goes up the next day. It's been 3 days and the price has gone up instead of going down.

Price gouging? Bush said he has not seen any evidence of price gouging the other day. What about the price of gas going up when the price of crude is going down?

Suspending the Clean Air Act may or may not bring the cost of production down but if it does I'll bet that the price at the pump will not go down. This is another example of the Bush Administration's support for big oil at the expense - and this time at the health - of the American people.

I think that it will be wrong for the goverment to put a "crackdown" on immigrants. I mean, yes, they take jobs from people that live here, but they are people, too. We say that we're a free country, but truely are we?