Immigration - Let's Get a Few Things Straight

I am sick of the immigration issue. Americans, and others, need to get a few points straight in their heads.
Illegal immigrants are, by definition of the word 'illegal,' criminals. We are a Nation of laws and they have broken them. They are not citizens and have no rights. We do not beat them or starve them. They should be detained until deported. Part of our problem stems from past policy. We let them loose if they promised to show up for hearings. They did not and we now have no idea how many there are or where they are. Now we detain them.
We separate them from their kids. Okay, that is sad, but detention facilities are not a good place for kids. This is not new. When citizens are imprisoned, they don't take their kids with them and in abusive and neglectful home, child welfare removes them. Separating kids and parents is not new. Regretful. but standard procedure..
Do not believe this 'we always welcomed immigrants' nonsense. I am old enough to remember the 'no Jews allowed' signs and in my grandmother's day, the Irish and Italians were scorned. The Asians and Hispanic were never welcomed with open arms.
In our early days we encouraged immigrants because we were sparsely populated and needed people to develop the land. Then, we industrialized and needed factory workers. In case you haven't noticed, we are no longer sparsely populated and since we need things like food and water, we have little land left to develop. And we no longer do a lot of heavy industrial work and much of that is robotically done/ Like it or not, and I don't, get over it. That's just the way it is now.
Immigration should be allowed in an orderly lawful manner. Applicants should have to prove that they can support themselves for some period and that they have something to offer that we need. We have a woeful lack of skilled workers and if an applicant has needed skills, let them in. Maybe that will wake up young Americans and they will get busy learning something. If not, I hope they enjoy picking fruit.
The same scenario is playing out in Europe. Germany's Chairman Merkel is threatened with a loss of power if she does not get a grip on immigration.
Compassion is always required but so is Justice and good common sense. Pay no attention to that inane little poem on the Statue of Liberty. Most people were never enamored of immigrants except when they needed cheap labor. It is just a silly poem, not National law or policy.