Regardless of what one thinks about illegal immigration, it is foolish to cut off one’s nose to spite one’s face. Sending back tens of millions of undocumented residents, many of whom received a taxpayer-funded education or who are parents of American children, is not in our national interest at all.

Most of our economic growth in the 90s was spurred by immigration, both legal and illegal. If immigrant-origin population growth (immigrants and their US-born children) is factored out, US economic growth is actually lower than that of Japan during its moribund lost decade. Moreover, most OECD countries are facing the daunting prospect of aging populations with fewer workers to support the elderly. The US has a higher worker-to-retiree ratio than most of Western Europe, Japan, and Korea, thanks largely to legal and illegal immigrants and their children.

Even if undocumented immigrant parents do not pay enough in taxes to cover the cost of their children’s education or welfare benefits in the case of American citizens, their presence here is still a net benefit. Undocumented immigrants are productive, and raising children, though unpaid, has great economic and social value.

This young woman and others like her are living in the US illegally. A law granting conditional amnesty can change that.

Nineteen-year-old Julio Martinez was released from immigration detention on Thursday after two weeks of intensive organizing on his behalf by supporters in Kentucky and Chicago. As in other cases of Dream Act-eligible youth around the country, Julio’…

I understand where you’re coming from, but you have to realize a bit that it is not Herta’s fault. I know she is no better than any other illegal person living in the US. But I also see her as a victim of her parents sins; They knew what they were doing all along. They figuered somehow America owed them something for being here. I bet her mother never cared to legalize their status anyway. If they love America so much then all they have to do is to go back to Albania and enter the United States legally. It wont be so bad. I say this: if you love America then abide by its laws, very simple.

She is here now illegally, yes, but not of her own volition. She was brought here as a youth and this is now the only country she knows.

I don’t think it’s a matter of being “proud of her country,” it’s a matter of where her home really is now. And to her, that’s the U.S.

I know Albania — there is no conflict there, it is an amazing country, beautiful, non-secular, and there are so many opportunities there. In fact, I know many students that studied in the states and couldn’t wait to return to their homes in Tirana, Vlora, Shkoder, etc. where they all have jobs today.

She shoudl be proud of her country and go back to apply the education she gained here to make Albanian a better place. Also, her father is there, its not like she has no one there.

I want to thank Eric Baerren and Richard Hellinga of Michigan Liberal for front paging my post on Herta Llusho.  It seems to have shamed traditional media into giving a little bit of coverage to Herta’s case.  Detroit Public Radio,the……

CONTINUALLY UPDATEDFollowing is a list of blogs media outlets that have covered Herta’s story since it was first published by dreamactivist.org on August 11, 2009…….