Holding Their Feet To The Fire

April 13, 2005

The illegal immigration problem is a crisis we can no longer ignore. A recent report from FAIR, the Federation for American Immigration Reform, paints a bleak picture. Through analysis of U.S. Census data, the report states that illegal immigrants cost the state of Texas over $4.7 billion per year. These are cost incurred for additional health care, incarceration, and education. Even when the estimated tax contributions of working illegal aliens are factored in, the cost to the state is still north of $3.7 billion annually. A similar study of the state of California put the net cost of illegal immigration at over $9 billion per year.

 

Roger Hedgecock, a San Diego talk show host and former mayor of the city, is on the front lines of the illegal immigration fight. He has organized talk radio to descend upon Washington, DC in order to bring attention to the problem and demand action. Roger and his legion of fellow talk show hosts represent millions of Americans who recognize not only the negative fiscal impact of illegal aliens but the potential disastrous national security implications.

 

The recent Minuteman Project patrolling the border in Arizona was an unqualified success. Hundreds of illegal immigrants were rounded up after being spotted by volunteers from around the country. However, a report from WorldNetDaily stated that the Mexican army was actually escorting illegals to unguarded points along the border to evade detection by the Minutemen and border agents. This kind of activity by an official branch of the Mexican government is not only outrageous it is intolerable. Save the occasional voice of ire from officials like Colorado's Republican Congressman Tom Tancredo, official Washington turned a blind eye to the whole Mexican army affair.

 

Arizona passed Proposition 200 last year. That measure requires proof of citizenship before anyone can register to vote and a valid photo ID at the polls. It also requires any state and local government officials to file a written report to federal immigration officials if and when they discover someone in the country illegally.

 

A bipartisan coalition of opposition stiffly fought Prop 200. This group included some Republicans who desire cheap labor and some Democrats who are looking for votes. Sen. Hillary Clinton has proposed the “Count Every Vote Act of 2005,” a federal law that would allow anyone, citizen or non-citizen, to merely produce evidence of residency in the form of a utility bill on election day then traipse into the polling booth and vote. Of course, she denies that it would encourage illegal voting but the simple fact that election officials would not be able to verify a voter's citizenship in a matter of moments leaves the door wide open to voter fraud.

 

I'm with Roger Hedgecock in his effort to focus national attention on this issue but I suspect the solution will come from the states, especially those that border Mexico. Like Arizona, Tennessee must take the problem into its own hands. We have created a magnet for illegal aliens with the lure of TennCare, driver's licenses or, at least, official state ID, K-12 education and other incentives with no questions asked. It's time we “demagnetize” our state. Not only should we discontinue these asinine incentives, it's time our own lawmakers crack down on illegal immigration with hefty fines for those who knowingly hire them and fines on the illegals themselves. We can no longer wait for the federal government to solve this problem. Just like we did in our fight against the state income tax, we must take the lead on this issue. Hopefully, the rest of the nation will follow.