Is crossing the border really crossing the line?

The only future awaiting María and Juan Gomez in their tiny village in Mexico was working the fields from sunup to sundown, living mostly on tortillas and beans. So 10 years ago, when they were both 17, they crossed into the United States illegally, near San Diego. Now ensconced in the large Latino community outside Washington, D.C., they are working hard at building a life for themselves and their young son.
Juan and María (not their real names) follow a simple strategy — staying out of trouble and undercutting competitors. Juan does landscaping, charging about $600 for major yard work — about $400 less than the typical legal contractor. María cleans houses for $70; house-cleaning services normally charge $85 or more.
They aren't complaining, but María and Juan know they offer bargain-basement prices. “You walk down the street, and every house being built, Hispanics are building it,” María says in Spanish. “This country is getting more work for less money.”

Are these individuals really hurting our economy and the culture of the United States? Are they causing problems by being in the United States and striving for a better standard of living? Should we send them back, or let them stay? Why?

Hopefully this blog has provided you with information that will help you formulate your opinion on this issue and enable you to answer these questions and use supporting evidence to validate your stance on illegal immigration.