CG23Sailor - I have to say that your analysis on the immigration situation is spot-on. I am all for overhauling the immigration process, but first and formost, we have to secure the borders. Because of the times being the way that they are, the U.S. has to secure itself from those that wish to do harm. Most Mexican immigrants are hardworking people who want a better life, but there is no filter on the border to weed out those that are criminal and those that wish to do harm to the country. I'm all for hardworking immigrants coming to the U.S. to make a better life for themselves and their families, but it needs to be done legally for the good of our nation's security and economy as well. I get tired of advocacy groups like LASO and LULAC complaining whenever an illegal immigrant gets deported. They broke the law, plain and simple, but these groups just gripe and never give a strait answer when asked if they are pushing for an open border policy. They just say things like, we want comprehensive immigration reform, and we want to bring people out of the shadows. But what does this vision entail, that's the question. And the politicians don't help matters either because all that they do is ignore the problem because they don't want to tick off hispanic voters. They're willing to put the country in jeopardy just to garner a few votes. Despicable. Let's clean up the immigration process, but at the same time, let's protect our country. It can be done.

US Citizens are welcome to most of the Countries of the world. I Travel to many of them…

I was shocked.. In the UK you must have an address and a responsible person in the UK or you don’t get in. I was glad my Father-In-Law was in the lobby of the airport. He had to give the address.

The UAE, no questions asked. All of Europe, no issues. Russia you need a visa.. Afghanistan a visa. Egypt, visa stamps that are obtainable at the Airport for a few dollars.

The reason most of the world allows Americans easy access is, we offer economic opportunity. WWW II, It was America that saved the world. We are the most Generous of all Nations and yet criticized for all we do.

Illegal Aliens entering America do not bring with them the economic opportunities that Americans do. The cost of Illegals in America far outweighs any of their perceived benefits. So, The old saying “What is in it for me?” applies, and rightly so, when it comes to Nations and allowable entry.

If Illegal Aliens’ country of origin were not so screwed up they would not have to risk their lives to find work.

We Americans can travel to nearly all first world countries without visas, and most other countries will give us visas without too much trouble. But people from poorer countries have to fulfill stringent (and apparently often arbitrary) requirements to come to the US even as tourists. Mexican friends of mine tell me that they have to prove that they have big bucks in the bank and/or own property bigtime before they can get visas. I have tried to help some of those friends get visas, but got just frustrating run-arounds from the INS.
I have lived and traveled in more than eighty countries on all the continents except Antarctica, so I know what I am talking about.
There is one country which let me in for a protracted stay on a work visa many years ago, and I would dearly love to return there for a visit to see how it has progressed/regressed. I have tried repeatedly over the years to get a tourist or study visa, and have been turned down every time. I am talking about Saudi Arabia. (On the other hand, I traveled to Abu Dhabi and Dubai some two years ago with no problems at all.)
--Gabe Franks, Victoria, TX