Illegal aliens have a negative impact

http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pb...511260307/1009

Letter writer Rev. Rich Smith ("Immigrants contribute to the economy," Nov. 11) writes, "I hope the audit by Auditor Phil Bryant ("Immigrants' impact studied," Nov. 5) will take into account the contribution of the many immigrant workers in the state."

I suspect Rev. Smith is referring to illegal aliens, often called illegal immigrants or just immigrants.

I live in California, ground zero for illegal immigration. According to state Sen. Tom McClintock, it costs Californians $10 billion a year to educate, medicate and incarcerate illegal aliens.

My state is in debt for $38 billion. Illegal aliens work for low wages, no benefits and burden our social services. So much for contribution to our economy!

The Catholic Church gets 75 percent of its charity money from the U.S. government. The more poor people the church takes in as charity, the more taxpayers' money flows to its coffers.

I'm Hispanic. I'm a practicing Catholic. I came to the U.S. as a legal immigrant. I'm a naturalized U.S. citizen and I think illegal immigration is a slap in the face to those of us who came to this country by obeying the law.

Haydee Pavia
LaGuna Woods, Calif.