What is the bottom line on illegal immigration?

As politicians, pundits and ordinary people debate what to do about illegal immigration, Review-Journal editors have come to the realization that meaningful discussion of solutions must take into consideration the costs and consequences of present practices. To determine those effects upon Nevada, four reporters from the newspaper's special projects team spent weeks mining official sources for hard data, and found that some of the most affected institutions failed to document the impacts. The writers also found obvious omissions in public policy and that landmark social changes loom, inevitable with or without immigration reform.

TODAY'S IN-DEPTH STORIES

• The proportion of illegal immigrants in Las Vegas' population is probably twice the national rate.

• Too few Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are available to enforce ICE policy.

• Mixed-status families create quandary for themselves and policymakers.

NEXT SUNDAY'S IN-DEPTH STORIES

• It is part of the employment problem, and part of the solution.

• Illegal immigrants have minimal effect on wages, unemployment.

• Most pay taxes and into the Social Security system, but can't collect.

COMING SUNDAY, JULY 15

• Swamped health providers won't turn away the sick and injured.

• Schools pay the price for ineffective immigration policy.

• Jails and the justice system don't count cost, but it's high.