Los Actuadores (The Cheaters)

The President made it clear in his address tonight that he will not support the deportation of the millions of illegal aliens who are already in the country. Sure, the proposal to tighten up the border is welcome, if long overdue.

I disagree with Bush's characterization of these folks as "decent people". Besides the initial criminal act of sneaking into the country, they have been evading taxes since they got here, while consuming social services in numbers that have strained the resources of many states. Al Capone went to prison for income tax evasion. Was he a decent guy, too? Maybe the Capone comparison is a bit extreme; what about the guy who cuts ahead of you in line? Is he a decent guy...or an asshole?

So, they pay a fine, and their back taxes, and promise to learn English; then supposedly go to the back of the line for citizenship.

But what if they don't take the deal? We're talking, after all, about ignorant, unskilled people with faulty moral compasses who just may decide that it's better to stay in the shadows, especially since it's doubtful that many of them have the financial resources to come up with a few thousand dollars in back taxes.

What do we do if 8 or 10 million of los actuadores decide not to take the deal?

Cross-posted at The Jawa Report.