I was very skeptical of this poll when I heard the results. Where was this poll taken and who all was asked? There are other polls out there where the majority of people want less immigration in general and don't feel that illegal immigration should be rewarded in any way. And that would include a "guest worker" plan which is totally bogus because you know that they will become permenent workers and not be returning home.

Even if you cynically sidestep the question of the mendacious nature of the term "guestworker" the dysfunctional nature of the agency (USCIS) that will be administering any "guestworker"/amnesty program will insure the program will be a disaster. Some will argue that all government agencies are inept and corrupt-but that would not be an argument for yet another badly-run government program.

The only sensible alternative is to encourage self-deportation through vigorous workplace enforcement that includes asset seizure and prison for employers of illegals. Those measures along with mandatory on-line verification of SSAN's would solve a lot of the problem.

Another possibility would be formal implementation of the pure open borders position. This would be "self-service" immigration (a variation on what we have now) with no documents required for work (next to impossible in a developed country with a social safety net) or documents isssued via vending-machine or other simple unverifiable procedure(i.e, create as many identities as you want).

On the sorry state of USCIS:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nation/20060307-9999-1n7whistle.html
March 7, 2006

WASHINGTON

well, if there is one thing i am sure of, it is that the general populace is relatively uninformed and ignorant, even on issues that directly affect their well-being. just look at bush's track record and the fact that he led us into to contrived wars overseas and still got re-elected. granted, the options were not all that appealing, but he got away with it nonetheless. as long as anti-illegal sentiment is framed as being racist and anti-immigrant, it is easy to marginalize the arguments against illegal innvasion, no matter how compelling the raw economic and social data. until people feel the effect of illegal immigration firsthand, such as losing a job to low-wage pressures or sending your child into a rotting education system, people will continue to live in ignorant bliss. sometimes i wish i never even knew what the issues were; my life would be that much less stressful. time to move outta california.

Anyone who promotes the Guestworker Myth (e.g. John McCain) is a lying politician of the lowest order and should be considered ineligible for public office by anyone with an IQ above room temperature.