Either that or the politicians think that if people knew what the real number was they would be demanding action NOW.

50 million would be a bit high. That would mean one in six people in this country is an illegal. This is the number I trust: http://www.immigrationcounters.com/

The reason the government keeps spouting that number is that it is probably close to accurate given that many of the illegals from years prior have been given legal status, ie amnesty. Maybe not citizenship, but legal status to work. I've been harping about this since my early days at SOS, and I know people don't want to hear it, but it's true. They are, and have been legalizing a big portion of the illegal entrants every year, but we have new ones that take their place. Now if you added the amnestied ones into the numbers since 2003 or 2004, you'd probably have 20 to 25 million illegals. I think RIM's estiate would be accurate if you added the sum of the illegals + the amnestied over 6 years + the generous work visas the government doles out + the tourist and other non work visas that work anyway or do not.

Interesting. How are those illegals who get amnesty or legal status able to do so?

The government just does it. I've relayed personally known cases in regards to that....my former employees...their relatives....some of their friends....they all got legal status despite illegal entry

Don't they at least have to apply for it?

At the time they were discovered to have been living and working here illegally, they did. some did after that. The point being, amnesty is already a reality and has been for years.

Palin shot a lone wolf from a helicopter, I could never vote for her just for that reason! And the whole "Going Rouge!" is kinda hokie too! But the lone wolf killed it for me!

Michelle Bachmann raised 5 kids of her own and 28 foster kids! She can definitely multi task! She's a tax attorney so she can stop all these tax exempt organizations from receiving federal and state funds. And she may have done a couple of stupid things, but come on our President now and many in the past are complete dumbasses! She has a B- at numbersUSA and I believe with your help we can bring her grade up!

I'd really like Herman Cain to win, for my own selfish reasons! Ron Paul is a good man he just lost me when he said "It's impossible to deport 12million illegal immigrants!" (jaw drop) it's not impossible! It's as easy to deport as it is easy for them to get in here!

No wonder they keep coming if they have so little to lose. I had no idea.