Good news or bad?

I read this CSM article in lower illegal alien numbers this morning, and got to thinking...

If the states hardest hit by the recession are the ones where either illegals are leaving (as in CA and AZ) or are being caught by authorities who are enforcing existing laws... finally... (as in AZ and NJ), what does that mean for states where neither is true?

Texas and Louisiana are both riding the recession a little bit better than the national average, with neither losing even close to the national average in jobs or seeing new construction numbers fall as low as most areas of the country, which means construction and agricultural jobs remain viable ways for illegals to support themselves. Are the numbers of illegals in these states climbing? States like Washington and Idaho have both been criticized for a real lack of zeal in making sure illegals are not working for local companies and farmers, and while economic indicators in these states are closer to national averages, there are still low-wage and under-the-table jobs available to those that want them (and I assume illegals leaving FL, AZ, or NJ want them).

I'm encouraged by the thought that we have stopped from entering or deported more than a million illegals since the recession started... but the reduction in numbers in select states by the CSM article's author doesn't mean those illegals aren't still in this country, especially when so many states have declared themselves opposed to tougher immigration enforcement, with many almost declaring themselves "sanctuary" states the same way San Francisco has declared itself a sanctuary city.

I also wanted to add this here, while I was on the topic...

A few days ago I said my biggest change in position over the last 10 years had been on Second Amendment rights... but I think another would be illegal immigration into the country. I'm still in favor of reducing the regulations required for entry into this country as a legal immigrant, because history shows that immigration is GOOD and that restrictions on immigration almost NEVER work the way they were intended... but I cannot argue with the position that those who have already entered the country illegally and have worked for years within our society illegally have committed a crime and should not be rewarded for having done so. So, I can't, in good conscience, support amnesty for the (very roughly) 11+ million illegals already residing in the US.

Perhaps one possible answer lies in how to punish those that committed the crime.

In nine border states, and according to Federal statutes, over-staying a temporary visa date is a misdemeanor crime, punishable by a fine and revocation of visa previlages for seven years. The minimum Federal fine for such a crime is $2,500 (and associated cost of prosecution, but that is almost never assessed anyway... even for legal law-breakers).

If each of these illegals were caught, tried and deported out of the country, the cost to the American taxpayer would be roughly $20,000 per individual caught. If each of these illegals were given the opportunity to voluntarily pay the fine associated with their illegally entering the country, for the added opportunity of once agian being considered for legal status, would that "lesson" be enough to stem the problem?

If each of the roughly 11 million illegals WOULD pay the (I'm guessing here) $7,500 "blanket" fine for entering and remaining within the US illegally, we would be talking about an additional $82.5 billion in revenue to defray other costs... such as increased security and enforcement AT the borders to stop future illegal entry, and we would be putting 11 million MORE taxpayers on the rolls for future revenues, as well as increasing economic stimulus by pumping 11 million more potential "legal" spenders into the economic machine. More car sales, more home sales, more big-ticket items moving from the shelves to the consumers.

Is that still amnesty? Is that working against the principles of traditional American values? I'm asking in all honesty... is there a flaw in this thought process?