1.  Assume you didn't think deporting 12 million (or more) was feasible and neither was building a barrier and spending possibly billions of dollars to thwart illegal immigration.  Further assume that dams and levees built to resist the forces of nature do not always work and that new weak points in illegal immigration will follow

2.  Assume you didn't think amnesty, in any form was a good idea.  (See 1986 Amnesty and 1994 reforms to the reforms of 1986..ha, it's just the nature of government)  Assume that Congress is good at writing checks they have no intention of cashing, i.e. passing complicated laws that are impossible to enforce.

3.  Assume you were against a secure form of national ID which is one of the proposals that might cure the paperwork and identity problems that have harassed employers over the last 2 decades, at least the honest ones.

I know it sounds crazy but at this point there is one idea that has a snowball's chance in hell of working and that is


Raising the Minimum Wage Nationally and then, as needed by State to account for cost of living differences.  I don't think you can deny that most of the jobs held by the newest illegal immigrants are low-paying and possibly sub-minimum wage jobs with benefits (education for your kids, healthcare for your pregnant g/f, or spouse, and other social programs) that are subsidized by you, THE TAXPAYER, not the business owner.  My proposal would force higher wages and mandatory health insurance for illegal immigrant workers.  Of course employers would have to pay these higher wages to legal workers also but I would make the health care for legal workers optional.  If you are a citizen, you get the choice, company health care or buy your own.  I know this runs counter to the thinking of a conservative mind but I'm seeing it as a rational alternative to all the other proposals that will be proposed and never fully realized.  I think it is simpler to police the job (and the wage for the job) than it is to police the 12 million people (or less, after we raise the minimum wage).  Raiding a business to check their payroll would not threaten anyone but the owner.  Owners already are under plenty of scrutiny by the government.  Compliance with minimum wage is a lot easier than filling out the forms required by previous immigration law reforms (that in fact were never really overseen).

I know I may be missing something here so....

I'm also assuming that a lot of the jobs of illegal immigrants, the very first ones, are service jobs.  Restaurants and fast food jobs are not jobs that will ever go overseas or even out of town.  Jobs in landscape and construction, likewise are not threatened by overseas competition.  Childcare and care for the elderly, likewise, not subject to foreign competition.  Agricultural jobs could easily pay more without causing upheaval and besides, Americans are over-eaters of need some incentive to eat less.  Agriculture has also shown the ability to mechanize if they are motivated.  In sum, jobs that illegals do are not critical infrastructure jobs by and large.  If they are jobs we won't do it's mostly because the wage is so low and the work is not clean.  But, we're seeing now that getting these jobs done by illegals for low wages is a bargain with consequences.  Schools in the past that only had a couple of kids that spoke no English now have majorities that speak no English and these kids are treading water academically.

"higher wages and mandatory health insurance for illegal immigrant workers. "

But if the government could verify that illegal immigrant workers were being paid the wage and had the health insurance... why wouldn't they deport them as well?   Willfully ignoring the illegal immigrant would be a defacto amnesty, would it not?

I think one of the employer's attractions of illegal labor is the reticence of the workers to complain about lack of worker's comp coverage, no benefits, and lower than scale pay.  By raising the costs to employ legal workers, it might actually backfire and encourage the hiring of more illegal labor.

Immigration Reform starts here

I wonder if employers are saving more than we think by hiring illegals...do they really pay taxes on these workers such as SS and Work comp ?  It is a known fact that many illegals of the same name, have the same SSN; such as 100-200 Gozolas's all having one number...so, does the employer pay just once into that account and then get away without paying further?  

Illegals already go into hospitals and doctors to get free services...they also get legal services and food stamps.  imagine how much more they'll get when we welcome them in.  

Many unemployment lines are white folk layed off who can't find work...if there were no illegals working for minimum wage, the employer would be forced to pay better wages for the American citizen.

Quoted: Immigration Reform starts here

Have to admit, your solution seems simpler than mine.  You just have to find some fingers...