[PrairieMule]

Somehow I don't think the Real ID act of 2008 will change anything.

Identity on the border states is a real problem. I share with you one example I deal with several times a day. At my job I fix problems on credit reports. Say a legal US citizen named Jose Garcia is appyling for a home loan in California. Well, I can't really say just how many Jose Garcias there are in California but what happens is the legal citizen has his credit mistakenly merged with one of thousands of other Jose Garcias. Thus the legal Mr.Garcia is surpised to find out he has $80K in unpaid hospital bills on his credit report.

Also the joke that is OFAC and homeland security will flag any name that has been associated with money laundering for drugs or terrorism. This means virtually all Jose Garcias as well as other hispanics are flagged as drug dealers if in fact a Jose Garcia was ever busted for drugs. I just wonder whats going to happen when the real ID act and homeland security merges with all levels of law enforcement. When legal Jose Garcia is pulled over for speeding OFAC will light up his name like Christmas tree as a drug runner.

As EJ pointed out the problem with stolen identities this can only get worse.

[EnergyUnlimited]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', ' ')Illegal Immigrants Buying Stolen Identities

[Kylon]

Make sure you have an interesting and unusual name and that won't happen.

Like Casitoiallo Beurntoro

I don't think it means anything, but it sounds interesting and I don't think there are that many people with that name.

[rogerhb]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ElijahJones', '[')url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16185966/]Illegal immigrants buying stolen identities!![/url]

I'm disgusted by it.

[Daculling]

You just wait until Mexico is no longer an exporter. We haven't seen anything yet...

[Jack]

Let us play policy wonk for a bit.

The roundup of illegals at Swift is lovely theater; it satisfies some of the more naive opponents of illegal immigration and creates an impression that something is being done. Those who are less naive might note that 8 times that many illegals surge across the borders each and every day. (By some estimates. Here's one LINK )

What does illegal immigration do? If we are to believe anything of supply/demand theory, then an increase in supply should drive down the price. Increasing unskilled labor via lax enforcement of the law must, then, reduce the price of labor. This will tend to keep prices for consumers lower. Also, it will tend to increase the profit margin for those companies that hire illegal aliens while maintaining technical compliance with the law, as Swift appears to have done.

Finally, it gives Mexico a safety valve for their excess population. Perhaps they quietly reciprocate by giving us preferred access to their oil and natural gas resources.

So - first issue - does government truly wish to eliminate or substantially reduce illegal immigration? I think it does not.

Keep in mind, illegal immigration could be stopped easily.

Simply pass legislation that authorizes seizure of all assets tainted by proceeds from the illicit transaction. Notice this is presently done in drug cases.

Authorize payment of proceeds to informants - used by the U.S. treasury to reward drug informants right now. The legal limit is 25% of the proceeds, up to a maximum of $200,000 per case (as I recall). The practical limit in most instances is 20%. So - tell the illegals that if they turn in the fellow(s) who hired them, they get 20% of the boss-man's assets instantly. They return to Mexico, or elsewhere, rich. The federal government would keep the rest of the proceeds.

Notice that there is precedent for all of this - but it is not being done. It isn't even being discussed.

Conclusion: The rulers of the U.S. do not wish to stop or reduce illegal immigration.

Further conclusion: Poverty and crime outside the wealthy enclaves will become far worse.

Think of this as my little ray of sunshine for the day.