Thanks pookie. I know it's not a popular plan with a lot of people, but I really do think that folks who come here to work hard and get ahead, and are willing to do the really dirty jobs, should get some sort of recognition, and should be legalized, even though I also think that there should be some "punishment" (can't think of the right word for that right now - swiss cheese head in the mornings) for coming in illegally, such as a longer green-card period and an agreement that the person would not contest deportation if s/he was arrested for a violent misdemeanor or any sort of felony, and the evidence, when weighed by an administrative judge, indicates that it is more likely than not the case that the person committed the crime in question - in other words, as part of your penance for coming in illegally, you agree that you are not entitled to the "beyond a reasonable doubt" standard that otherwise applies to criminal prosecutions until you've shown that you're trustworthy by keeping your nose clean for an extended period of time while you were a green-card holder.