It would take a long time to truly explain my position but I will try for the basics.in a nutshell:
1. For the vast majority of those who come to our southern border and cross over illegally, there are no legal process for them to follow, no rules that would allow them to come here legally, no line for them to get into. That option is simply not available for most of them. The immigration process in most of Latin America is extremely corrupt, not by our design but by the design of the governments down there: in order to get on the extremely limited quota you need to have money, and know somebody. That is not an option for most of these folks. They are not cutting in line because there is no line.
2. That being said, I don’t like that they come over here illegally any more than you do. That is why I am for giving them refugee status, and for widening our legal immigration system to let them all in the way we did in the days of Ellis Island, excepting criminals and health risks. But let most of them in. We have plenty of room. And furthermore it’s our moral duty- not to these poor people but to our ancestors who set up this greatest nation ever as a refuge, a “New World” where all are welcome to come and start a new life in freedom: this is our whole purpose for being a nation in the first place.
3. As for those already here without papers, I say they should be given a fine and then be allowed to stay with legal status. But they should never be allowed to vote throughout their lives. If there are some Democrats who want to bring these folks in to vote Democrat, I’m not interested in that sort of game.