Go back to Mexico... or not?

I've decided that the illegal immigrant issue is quite a bit more complicated than it might seem. I've always been of the opinion that we should close our borders to illegals, and send all of the current ones home. Stupid bills like the one Elliot Spitzer tried to pass that would give drivers licenses to illegals in NY make my blood boil. Don't get me wrong... legal immigration I have no problems with. Most of us wouldn't be here if it wasn't for that. My great-grandparents came over on the boat, just like most other's did. I just don't like the ones that are here illegally, and I sure as hell don't want to see them getting any kind of special rights or pardons. We don't need to encourage it!

So, round them all up and send them back, right? Well... maybe not. Unfortunately, our economy might depend on them. There are jobs that they are willing to do at pay levels that no American can do. These illegals cost employers far less money than even a minimum-wage employee would cost. These employers include many farmers with large crops to harvest, construction companies, builders, and many service industries. so what happens if we send all the illegals back? Vegetable prices skyrocket. Construction costs increase. Hotel prices go up. So on and so on and so on. I can't help but wonder just how much of an impact losing 11 million illegals would have on our economy.

Something tells me that the money we saved on police, courts, INS, healthcare, uninsured accidents and all of the other problems they cause would more than offset the higher prices of lettuce.