1.  How has the realtionship between illegal immigrants and ranchers changed in the past 20 years?  Why is this so?

2.  Describe some of the damage inflicted by illegal immigrants as they trespass across private property on their way north.

3.  What is the purpose of the Minuteman volunteers?  Why have they taken on this task?  Define "vigilante."  The ACLU and President Bush have described these volunteers as vigilantes.  Is this a fair label?  Explain your answer.

4.  How many illegal immigrants were caught by U.S. Border Patrol agents in south Texas in 2005?  How many smugglers were arrested?

5.  What section of Article IV of the U.S. Constitution ensures that "The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against invasion...?"

6.  Which, if any, of the following problems of not enforcing current immigration laws (allowing people to come to the U.S. illegally) is the most serious to you?  Explain your answer.
-compromises homeland security efforts
-takes away from the time Border Patrol should spend catching terrorists, smugglers and criminals
-encourages more people to do the same, thereby flooding the system
-unfair to immigrants who enter the U.S. legally
-illegal workers are not paid fair wages and are often the victims of crime
-unfair tax burden on law-abiding citizens and legal immigrants who pay taxes, while illegal workers do not pay taxes, yet make use of government funded programs such as public education
-damage to private property of U.S. citizens on the borders
-dangerous to citizens living in border areas

7.  Who benefits from illegal immigration?

8.  How does illegal immigration affect you personally?

9.  Many people have made suggestions on how to solve the illegal immigration problem.  President Bush would like to implement a 'guest worker' program.  Some call for amnesty.  In their article "Rule of Law at Stake in Immigration Debate" Edwin Meese III and James Jay Carafano (heritage.org) state:

"The key to an intelligent immigration policy is to remember one central truth: Immigrants who unlawfully enter and remain in the country are violating the law. An amnesty program that ignores this criminal behavior will only contribute to a general disrespect for the law. This is the wrong message to send. We want immigrants to follow the laws of the United States and take them seriously." 
Do you agree?  Explain your answer.
What should be done to solve the problem of illegal immigration?

10.  Write to your representatives in Congress to express your opinion about illegal immigration.  Click here for a link.