Wednesday’s Problem and Solution dealt with the immigration issue before Congress. We said the proposal passed early this week by the U.S. Senate would do little to solve the problem, and we proposed that a national ID card and enforcement of existing laws would be a better approach.

We invited you to express your views and suggest alternate solutions. Here are some excerpts from the discussion on the Web at www.sunjournal.com. To read the complete comments, or to join in, go to www.sunjournal.com, look for “blogs” along the left-hand side of the home page and click “editorials.”

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This country was founded by immigrants, individuals who worked hard and learned the English language and customs of this country. In any other country in the world, if you are an illegal alien, you will be arrested, and thrown into prison. …

A National ID would work until the ACLU or some bleeding-heart judge takes pity on the illegal alien and we are back to square one. Why does the United States continue to make laws then refuse to enforce them? – Herb

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Your editorial suggested “penalties for hiring workers. … Collect a few of those fines and the flood of illegal immigrants across our borders would slow to a trickle.” This sounds far too good to be true. Does Sun Journal have any credible projections of compliance rates and enforcement costs?

“This is a problem that must be tackled on the demand and supply side of the equation,” your editorial said.

So where’s the discussion about the supply side of the equation? Your editorial advocates suppressing demand, but that’s not the same as reducing supply, which would require that the U. S. use a carrot-and-stick approach to reform the hidebound Mexican economy. – Mike

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As with any other problem in this fine country, instead of enforcing laws already in place, our legislators make new laws to justify their paychecks. Then one bleeding-heart judge strikes the law down and nothing is gained. Wake up, people, we are being governed by a few judges and their willing accomplices, the ACLU. – Ernest

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“Why does the United States continue to make laws, then refuse to enforce them?” Herb asked. In part, politics, and, in part, the lack of the tools and manpower to deal with what has become an overwhelming problem.

The U.S. Senate is currently pandering to the illegals, especially the Hispanic illegals because they are a significant voting bloc that usually supports the Ds two-to-one. The Hispanic illegals are demonstrating in large numbers as though they have a right to be here and a right to be left alone. And the Senate has heard them and is afraid of them.

Shame on all of them. This is not a partisan issue. It is a matter of national security and safety. – The Old Philosopher

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We have blurred the lines between legal and illegal immigrants, something our Democratic leadership loves to do, as more illegals means more free services for them and more poverty for everyone.

By the way, anyone want to guess what happened the last time Congress passed true immigration reform acts in the 1960s?

Suddenly all those agricultural colleges were funding programs for agricultural engineering and new processes were developed to harvest some crops that were previously hand picked by the illegals. Given a way, the U.S. will find a way to keep costs down, legally! – Robert

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Last night on “The Factor” TV show, I heard a caller say: “This country was founded by illegal immigrants.” Wrong! There was no government here when the Pilgrims landed. They were refugees from political and religious persecution. Anyone who supports the protests or the Senate legislation is my enemy. – John

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Folks, illegal immigrants enter the U. S. because they want to work! One might well wish that immigration laws were enforced, and one can regret that the current system is unfair, but it’s beyond dispute that illegal immigrants create a net gain for the U. S. economy.

Let’s assume that illegals crowd out native-born high school dropouts. Economists estimate that if all illegal immigrants were deported, the average wage of a high-school dropout would rise by 8 percent. Is a massive, expensive enforcement effort justified to protect English-speaking U.S. citizens from competing for work? – Mike