Thread: Immigration compact should be compacted

Immigration compact should be compacted
Article Launched: 04/22/2008 05:49:25 AM PDT

"Leprosy and TB Come to Arkansas." So reads a column headline in the March issue of the Middle American News. According to the article, the Marshall Islands have the highest number of leprosy cases in the world, yet people from the islands are permitted to live and work in Springdale, a city of about 60,000, in Arkansas.

Springdale is known as the "Chicken Capitol of the World" because it is the home of Tyson Foods. It is also now home to 6,000 to 8,000 Marshall islanders who work for Tyson Foods and Rockline Industries, which makes baby wipes and scented tissues.

The islanders are allowed to live and work in the United States without being subject to our immigration laws because of a "compact" between our governments.

As if leprosy is not scary enough, the islanders are also infected with tuberculosis and venereal diseases, particularly syphilis.

There was one case of tuberculosis in the Springdale public schools in 2006; by December 2007, that had jumped to eight. There are nearly 900 children from the Marshall Islands now attending Springdale public schools.

Leprosy was unheard of in the area until the islanders arrived. According to Dr. Jennifer Bingham, the local outbreak of leprosy could blossom into an epidemic.

Dr. Joe Bates, deputy state health director, is also quoted: "We have known for a long time of leprosy in the Marshall Islands. It's a substantial issue and they are bringing their health issues to this country with them."

As I have observed before, the inmates have taken over the asylum. What is really frustrating is the apparent lack of interest by the mainstream media. I, for one, would like to know which of the idiots in our government negotiated that "compact."

Earl von Kaenel, Vacaville
http://www.thereporter.com/letters/ci_9012508

A public televison show===this past week told the story of the Marshall Islands. It is the site of Kwajalein atoll where a number of atomic bomb tests were conducted. The natives of Kwajalein actually fought against us for the Japanese. We relocated the natives to smaller islands and conducted those tests. Today, we have an air base there. It is the main source of employment. The Marshalese cannot and do not live on Kwajalein. They must take a water taxi to work each day. They live. mostly. on an island, (forgot the name) 3 miles from Kwajalein. The natives from all the islands crowd onto this small island in the hopes of getting a job at the airbase. They then are overcrowded with inadequate water and sanitary facilities. This makes it a hotbed for TB and a few other diseases.
I am not pleading a case for the Marshalese, I am only trying to explain why they have a high rate of contagious diseases.
Why then does our government not isolate them and examine them before they let them come here??? My grandfather came through Ellis Island. He had to pass a physical examination to be allowed in for exactly the same reasons as today--contagious diseases. I am puzzled.

When the IAs sneak across our borders--I wonder how many of them are carriers????