Hi Tyler, Thank you for your thoughtful comments. Actually, you misunderstood what I was saying (and now when I read it again I see I was not a clear as I should have been). The harsh punishment I referenced was intended for American enablers (businesses, landlords, etc) who hire or otherwise enable people who are not here legally. As for what I consider harsh --- that could be fines, loss of permits, jail time, or whatever the legislature thinks is reasonable. The point is that once we have a good system, the enablers would be the big cause of any illegal activity. We have to make it impossible to live in the US without a legal status. I would simply deport any illegal immigrants. I completely agree with trying to fix the problems (including the US drug addiction) that have led to the sad state of affairs where millions of desperate people are trying to come here. I just read the terrific book, "American Dirt". This book cronicles the fictional journey of a woman and her son trying to escape the cartels to come to the US.