Originally posted by Aristotle
What would you suggest as an alternative?

I don't see how checking passports is a bad idea or even an onerous idea.

I am generally an open borders kind of person, politically. I don't see any reason for us to prevent anyone from working here who wants to work. If they "take jobs" from other people, that usually means the complainers either didn't want the job or didn't want to work hard enough at it.

But as far as presenting identification when crossing a national border, that is something I do not see the harm in.

Perhaps I am missing something though, and would appreciate elucidation.
I remember some years back you were not happy with the Chinese government in that you thought it was improper for them to host the Olympics seeing as how they had a bad human rights record.

When you speak of people coming across the border to work in the sense that you say they are taking jobs that people simply are not wanting or are not wanting to work hard enough at, I wonder if you are aware of the situation in Mexico, or why it is that such people would be willing to work for pennies on the dollar, and not just at low skill jobs. I used to work in Rosharon, TX as a plumber, and worked with a number of Mexican laborer's many of whom were Master level plumbers in the sense that they knew enough about the job to qualify as such with any union had they been eligible. I got an hourly wage and overtime. They got to put an 'x' by their name any day they showed up for work, and worked well over 10 hours a day. Usually closer to 12.

If it came to your attention that the real reason people worked that cheap for that level of work was that they were being treated badly in their home country, would that change your attitude towards border policy and work? And, if so, how?