I think its a myth to say that legal Americans won't do the work (i.e. manual labor, picking fruit, making beds, etc) that illegals do. Americans use to do these jobs. They could do them again. What would happen if illegals were deported? Well: American unemployment would obviously go down. Wages for low skilled workers would stop the secular decline they've been in, for the last few decades. The gap between the rich and the poor would start to gradually improve. Employers would have to pay more in wages. But that doesn't lead to inflation. Greenspan printing too much money leads to inflation. There's also a difference between mexican immigration and other immigration (i.e. from Europe, from asia, etc) from the past. Immigrants from past generations lost ties to their homeland. We don't celebrate scottish holidays even though many of us are scottish. The Chinese New Year is not a big event. We became americanized. With Mexico being a hop skip and a jump away from California, it is virtually impossible for illegal immigrants to develop this same kind of identity. If you polled Mexican americans, both legal and illegal, I think the vast majority of them would say, "Yeah, I love america, I can't get this opportunity in Mexico". Yet at the same time, their identity is still of being Mexican. How else can you explain wild enthusiasm for Mexican soccer teams in Cali, for Cinco De Mayo, for a push towards billingual education. Cali's Latino majority won't push succession to join Mexico. In 10-20 years, Mexico will still be too much of a 3rd world country that is in a tailspin. They'll probably push for an independent state and claim historical ties to the southwest.
Sounds good , but i disagreein regards to Americans doing the work immagrants do with the same enthusiasm as you say they will....remember these jobs you speak of are a step up for them and a step down for Americans...aint no gringo going to pick strawberries in the sun all day for home and shelter.....peace