Illegal Immigration
Arizona, perhaps more so than any other state, has borne the burden of illegal immigration. It needs to stop. The problem of illegal immigration is damaging our state and costing us billions of dollars. It’s time for the politicians in Washington to stop playing politics and do something about it.
Illegal means against the law. It is a criminal action (U.S. Code Title 8, Section 1325). Those who cross our border without our consent are therefore 'Criminal Aliens'. It is time our federal government stops turning a blind eye to those who have disregarded our laws. It is estimated that 2,000 or more people willfully ignore the law every day. Official estimates of illegals is between 10 and 20 million but knowing how 'officials' count anything, it could be much higher. In Arizona, it is estimated that one out of ten is a criminal alien.
Senator Bill Frist has said, "A nation that can't secure its borders can't secure its destiny or administer its laws."
We need to support our local law enforcement. Their raids on businesses who hire illegals have decreased and discouraged immigrants in Maricopa County outside of so-called 'sanctuary cities' that protect them.
Those that employ them are also breaking the law and are engaging in economic slavery. Many of these people may work for less than minimum wage and under adverse working conditions. They have no money for social services so our economy is strained. Hospitals are closing under the burden of providing health care.
The United States is a nation founded by immigrants and prides itself on the principles of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Obtaining the “American Dream” is an inherent part of our nation’s spirit and we should encourage those who enter our country legally to achieve it. However, we are also a nation founded on the rule of law and we must ensure U.S. immigration laws are respected and enforced to preserve our national security; protect federal, state, and local budgets; and curb unfair strain on our country’s job markets. Between schooling, prisons and health services to illegals, Arizona spent 3 billion dollars this past year. Our current deficit is less than this but quickly approaching it. We need to take away incentives to break the law such as in-state tuition priveleges and allowing children born of illegal immigrants to obtain automatic citizenship.
The last time our immigration laws were overhauled was in 1986, when Congress granted amnesty to almost three million illegal immigrants in the U.S. and promised increased border security in the near future. Twenty years later, the number of illegal immigrants in our country has quadrupled, with no end in sight. Rather than repeating the mistakes of our past, I believe Congress must work to secure our nation’s borders and enforce the immigration laws already in place. Once this is achieved, improvements to the current system can be considered.
Those who approach our immigration system legally and work through the established process should be welcomed. However, any proposal for reform must not reward those who choose to break our laws by entering the country illegally.