I would commute....
In fact, I do commute. I work for a European major airline and lived in the UK for 12 years, but missed home so much that I moved back to the states last year. Best thing I've ever done. The commute isn't bad at all, although with the setup at my airline I'm pretty much assured not to have to sit in the back; I don't know how it is at BA. But most importantly, don't make such an important decision based on the opinions of a few people here whom you don't know; for example how do the people on this forum know that the US majors prefer to hire US citizens instead of green card holders post-911, when none of the majors have hired anyone since then? When the majors start hiring again, and they will soon, who knows what their criteria will be. Anyone making a living flying big jets for a fine outfit like BA, however, will look pretty good to them. Do your own research on pay scales, retirements, etc., and don't forget to factor in that US airlines will be much more competitive than European airlines in the next decade or so, due to their lower cost structures. Having said all that, good luck with your decision and fly safely.