I think what makes me sympathetic to the plight of the illegals is having gone to school with many immigrants legal and illegal alike. I had one guy in my government class my last year of high school whose family had been oppressed by the Taliban. Believe he was Hazara and Shi’a. I saw a guy who wanted to become American and Americanized. Most immigrants I have known over the years seem to have an ability not to take things for granted that I and my American born classmates have.