The most rudimentary of public opinion polls will show the importance of immigrants in our economy. Polls sponsored by the Gallup Organization and the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press are not necessary.

Instead, observe this method: By a show of hands, how many like tomatoes, oranges or cherries? Or how about chicken? If so, do you also like not having to pay outrageous prices for these products?

If you answered "yes" to all of the above, then you have immigrants to thank. More specifically, you have predominantly Hispanic immigrants to thank. And chances are your have illegal Hispanic immigrants to thank. Most studies estimate there are at least 11 million of them in this country right now.

But a bill passed by the House of Representatives last week aims to make felons out of them and anyone who helps them. In fact, they are prepared to go as far as building a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border to keep illegal immigrants out of the country.

But isn't this country essentially one of immigrants? Our families all have come from somewhere else, and most importantly, the U.S. has survived several large waves of immigration throughout its history.

Since its inception, the U.S. has been a country that has provided immigrants with the prospect of better lives and economic prosperity. How can the government rightfully say some immigrant groups are allowed to pursue these ideals while others cannot?

Now let's quit the political posturing and be realistic. Obviously anyone approaching the issue intellectually knows we cannot just deport every illegal alien at this point. The bottom would fall out of not just our agricultural industry, but many other industries and probably even our nation's economy in its entirety.

Fortunately, the Senate Judiciary Committee passed a more realistic immigration bill sponsored by Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., in response to the House's attempt to pander to its conservative base. The Senate version closely resembles President Bush's plan, in that it legalizes all immigrant workers currently in this country and sets up provisions for a guest worker program. Those currently illegal could stay -- and more importantly, pay taxes -- as long as they maintained a job and worked toward legal residence.

This version of the bill hardly leaves the border as the sieve it is presently. In fact, it tightens it, and the plan is realistic enough to consider that many immigrants come to the U.S. and take jobs that Americans do not want. And why shouldn't they be able to? When it comes down to it, we're all immigrants anyway.