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.

"They [the government] are, and have been legalizing a big portion of the illegal entrants every year ..." I'd need to see more details on how this occurs before I believed that.

It is better to over estimate the number of illegals then it is underestimate. And let us not forget that illegal immigration could not exist if it were not for the efforts of those who are here legally and also for those who are naturalized citizens. So it is non-citizens in this country that are the basical problem and this number needs to go down. The number needs to be decreased through massive deportation through increasing criminalization of activities by both illegals and legals, that is the only way, and unless we stand for that, amnesty is the only other solution.

Roy Beck estimates the number around 36million which seems more realistic then 12million

ELECTION 2012
Bachmann surges far ahead of Republican contenders
Candidate races to 19-point lead over next closest GOP hopeful
Posted: July 05, 2011
6:10 pm Eastern
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By Joe Kovacs

Congresswoman Michele Bachmann is surging far ahead of her Republican rivals in the race for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination, according to a new Zogby poll.

The U.S. representative from Minnesota, who led among announced candidates in a June 21 poll, has now added 10 percentage points to her previous mark, and now stands at 34 percent.

That's a 19-point lead over second place Herman Cain, who stayed the same at 15 percent support.

Get ready for severe inflation that could destroy the value of the U.S. dollar! Read "Crashing the Dollar"

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney came in third place, but dropped a point to 14 percent, and U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas dropped two percentage points to 11 percent, coming in fourth place.

They were followed by Rick Santorum at 7 percent, Tim Pawlenty and Jon Huntsman at 4 percent, and Newt Gingrich at 2 percent.

While Bachmann's support is growing, she could face trouble if some other well-known names jump into the race.

Zogby also asked for whom would Republicans vote in a primary if Texas Gov. Rick Perry, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin were candidates.

In that hypothetical scenario, Perry finished first with 18 percent, Christie second with 17 percent, Bachmann third at 15 percent, Paul fourth at 10 percent, Palin fifth at 9 percent, and Cain and Romney tied for sixth with 8 percent each.

Four Republicans (Christie, Romney, Bachmann and Pawlenty) were each in a statistical tie with President Obama when matched up against him. All other GOP contenders trail Obama.

Zogby also asked for which candidates would you never vote, and Gingrich topped the list at 46 percent, followed by Huntsman at 43 percent and Paul at 38 percent, as voters could opt for more than one choice.

The poll also asked, "Regardless of whom you intend to vote for, who do you think will get the nomination?"

Romney led the pack at 37 percent, followed by Perry at 17 percent and Bachmann at 10 percent.

The online survey of 1,042 likely Republican primary voters was taken June 28-30, and has a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points.

Read more: Bachmann surges far ahead of Republican contenders http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=319217#ixzz1RO8YmSTZ

Do you have a link which shows that? I can't believe he would say it was that high.

I don't think Bachmann raised the kids on her own. I think she is married.
How do you think 'we' can help bring her grade up? That is something she needs to do.
When a politician gets in office they do what ever they can get away with.

I heard Ron Paul one day say, "We should legalize pot, cocaine" and so many other drugs than I cannot remember all of them. He wants to remove all restrictions on drugs.

I will never vote for anyone who wants to leaglize drugs. Next thing they will lower the age to use to maybe 16.

That's because you're in Southern California. There are parts of the country where it's less than one in fifty.

The Hill Report: Bachmann in the Driver Seat?
Jul 11, 2011
Debt talks and 2012 campaign get fired up!

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http://video.foxnews.com/#/v/1047839...ylist_id=87485