Round 'Em Up?

There seems to be only two options offered on what to do about the 12 to 20 million illegal immigrants that are here. Either round them all up and ship them home, or give them amnesty.

To me neither one is feasible. We are not going to pick up that number of people and transport them, I agree, it would be impossible. Do we reward them with a fast track to citizenship, basically just ignore that they thumbed their nose at the law because they wanted to come here and weren't willing to apply.

What if we just did something in the middle. Put their future in their hands. They can go home and apply, give them a grace period to leave, say six months, no penalty. After the grace period expires, if you are involved with government in any way, speeding ticket, drugs, after the use of medical facilities, you will be deported, and there will be no chance of citizenship or residency at all, ever.

At first there will probably be little change, but if enforced fully, after a few hundred get a ride back home, word will spread and those that are serious about wanting to make a life here will start heading home on their own.

Of course the only way this will work is if we seriously apply the deporting, "we warned you and you didn't listen, so hasta la vista, baby". Plus the borders must be controlled. Access only through regulated points. Anyone crossing in other places, free trip back across the line and your future chances for living here out the window. No debate, no excuses, no exceptions.