Defenses of apathy are few and far between in the gospel.  (See D&C 42:42, and 88:124 for counter-examples...)  Here's one 'defense', however, for doing absolutely nothing.

The debate over illegal immigration has continued all over the US, especially in Utah where Church authorities have started to weigh in on the matter...

While opinions on what to do about illegal immigrants differ drastically, everyone seems to agree that 'Something Must Be Done!', either making life easier for those who are here (and for those who come later), or harder.

My basic question: why must 'Something' be done?  What's wrong with doing Nothing?

The 'pure conservative' answer to illegal immigration, up to and including a great big fence on the border, is obviously unworkable--there will always be illegal immigrants coming into the US.  Illegal immigration has social consequences, however, and more liberal policies will most likely end up encouraging more illegal immigration, thereby exacerbating those same consequences.

Now, considering the volume and scope of immigration from Mexico and Central America through the years, it seems fair to assume that those considering crossing the border today already have a fair idea of what life is currently like for illegal immigrants in America even before they leave.  (I would even guess that many--if not most--already know where specifically they are going to go after they get across the border, and what specifically they are going to do when they get there.)

I would venture that the majority of Hispanic immigrants know that life in the US is not a 'walk in the park'.  Yet they come anyway, usually because conditions in their home country are far, far worse.  It's hard to create a firm moral objection to someone in desperate conditions doing what it takes to improve the quality of life for themselves and their families.

(This is not the case with some of the less-publicized immigration from Asia and Eastern Europe where they are led to America through false promises and end up in a form of slavery, often sex-trade related.  This is another subject entirely...)

If this is true, however--that life as an illegal immigrant in the US, however difficult, is still much, much better than life in Mexico, even with full citizenship--doesn't that undercut the 'moral imperative' that something MUST be done to make life easier for illegal immigrants now?  After all, their lives are (comparatively) easier, already--otherwise, they wouldn't have come in the first place...    There may not be a 'moral imperative' to make their lives harder, certainly, but one can also decide that we have enough of an 'open border' as it is, and no real need to extend further any benefits of citizenship beyond the inherent 'benefits' of being in the country as an illegal immigrant anyway.

Again, why must 'Something' be done?  Why can't we take the status quo as it is?

We accept that illegal immigration is a fact of life and non-preventable.  We accept illegal immigrants as human beings worthy of respect, treat them accordingly, and acknowledge that being an illegal American immigrant is most often a step up from their previous existence and completely understandable that they would seek it out.   But they, in turn, accept that we have no real need or obligation to extend any additional benefits of being in the US as a citizen other than those they can already make use of.  And that's just how it is...

As with many social policies, oftentimes the tug-of-war between the 'conservative' and 'liberal' viewpoints creates a natural equilibrium in the middle.  If we accept that both extremes will likely have serious drawbacks and negative consequences, then why not just accept the middle ground that the extremes create between them as the most workable solution?

I fully admit that when it comes to illegal immigration I usually just stand there and do nothing.  And perhaps there's an argument to be made for others doing the same...