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(This is a sore subject for me, and if I offend anyone, I apologize….I am venting, not pointing fingers.)

There is a part of me that takes pride in the American Dream…the history of the melting pot, and the unlimited opportunities that the United States provides to those who seek sanctuary within the walls of our great country. My ancestors were once a part of the mass exodus from other countries who established themselves here, raised families, and ultimately succeeded in reaching their vision. That was a time of incredible growth and learning for America…and it was welcomed with open arms.

Those who come into our country now, who sneak, or are smuggled (and those who smuggle), are wrong. Not wrong in wanting a better life, but wrong in how they are obtaining that better life. I reside in an area where there is a multitude of undocumented (illegal) aliens, primarily of Mexican heritage. The INS quite regularly “raids” the egg processing plants, and recently the owner of the largest business has been arrested for smuggling them from Mexico. His reasoning is that he is unable to hire American workers to do these “nasty” jobs or pay them what they “want” to be paid. (He pays these undocumented workers in cash - $3-$4 per hour – and the owner has 2 Hummers parked in his “mansion”)

I go to the grocery store, and I see these undocumented residents (I know this, it isn’t guessing – due to the nature of my past employment) pay for their groceries with food stamps (DHS has a special program developed for the illegal immigrants that allow them to take advantage of public assistance without recourse) …and carry them out to vehicles that cost $20,000 - $30,000. I see these people drive to a $90,000 home that holds perhaps 4-6 families. I read in the paper the names of these people who are driving without a license or state mandated insurance, and no “green” card or work permit. I see the children of these people attend school and the school system has had to develop a special budget and classes for those who do not speak English (while the other programs and teachers are cut). I hear the statements made by these children from my children when they tell me about their day at school… “You are a racist for making me do this assignment!” one said to a teacher who was making them do work that was required from the other students. I have seen the survey’s conducted by the county government of ethnic groups who pay local, state, and federal taxes vs. the ethnic population and by the numbers there are a lot of them who don’t pay.

I am all for immigration, if the immigrants live up to the standards and requirements that the United States expects of us all. If there is a program that requires the undocumented to be licensed, then they should comply….they take advantage of all the other things that are there… why not this?