Illegal immigration's gifts

MARK J. TERRILL / Associated Press

Before he was "The Dog Whisperer," the author was an illegal immigrant.

By Cesar Millan

When I was 21, I entered the United States illegally. In doing so, I broke the law and disrespected the country I now call home.

But I don't regret coming to America. I've worked hard since then to make it a better place and share the values my parents instilled in me: honesty, integrity, and loyalty. And I've learned firsthand that sometimes it's necessary to break the rules to achieve the American dream.

Politicians tend to cast the debate over illegal immigration in black and white, with amnesty on one side and deportation and border fences on the other. But most Americans - and most immigrants - have more complicated feelings about the issue.

Our national conversation about immigration must keep that in mind. We must remember that illegal immigrants appreciate the opportunities America affords - perhaps even more than some natives do - and are eager to pay society back for the chance to improve their lives.