Illegal Immigrants, Positive or Negative?

In recent news, there was a follow up story on the New Bedford raid. This time last year,
federal agents raided a factory in this old whaling town, arresting hundreds of illegal immigrants as they sewed vests and backpacks for U.S. soldiers.

Most were shackled and sent to a detention center in Texas , where they faced rapid deportation unless they could post thousands of dollars in bail to buy time to mount a defense.
Then, a mystery benefactor appeared. The anonymous donor ponied up more than $200,000 to spring 40 people from detention.

Many people will argue that illegal immigrants produce negative effects on the economy and others find positive correlations. I think these immigrants in the factory are hurting our economy because they’re not paying taxes and not contributing to our economy. The economic impact of illegal immigrants in the United States depends on whether taxes paid by illegal immigrants and their contributions to the economy make up for the government services which they use as well as the economic input of the immigrants themselves and the cost of externalities such as added strain on public health that they may add.

Do you feel that the positive effects of illegal immigrants outweighs the negative ones?

For more information about this current event visit http://www.workingimmigrants.com/
For more information on the economic impact of immigrants http://www.auditor.leg.state.mn.us/Ped/2006/immig.htm