Legislator wants investigation of illegal immigrants

BY BILL KACZOR
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published Apr. 17, 2007


TALLAHASSEE - Rep. Don Brown on Monday qualified the apology he made last week for e-mailing a cartoon poking fun at illegal immigrants, and asked for a state investigation to determine if they are a burden to Florida's taxpayers.

The DeFuniak Springs Republican said at a news conference his apology may have been misconstrued. Brown said he intended to apologize only for offending some of the lawmakers who received his e-mail - not for its message or use of the term "illegal aliens," which some consider derogatory.

The cartoon read: "Don't forget to pay your taxes. 12 million illegal aliens are depending on you!"

"Illegal, illegal, illegal, what does that mean?" Brown said. "I don't understand at all why they were offended. I see absolutely nothing wrong with the e-mail."

Brown said the cartoon raised a legitimate question about whether undocumented immigrants are a drain on the state's budget and economy.

"They show up in our emergency rooms," he said. "They show up in our schools."

Brown said he planned to ask legislative leaders and Gov. Charlie Crist to order an investigation to determine how many illegal immigrants are in Florida and the financial effect they have on public services such as health care, housing, schools, jails and prisons.

Also, he said he would propose a resolution from the Legislature to Congress and President Bush urging the creation of a deportation program and full funding for construction of a fence on the U.S.-Mexican border.

Rep. Juan Carlos "J.C." Planas, R-Miami, who took offense at the cartoon for labeling undocumented migrants as illegal aliens, said it appeared Brown was trying to justify his behavior by proposing the investigation. Planas said he would welcome an investigation, but didn't think it was needed.

"Let's have a debate on the existing studies that are out there," Planas said.

Some national studies have indicated undocumented immigrants, who pay sales, income and other taxes, have a net positive effect on the economy, but others have come to the opposite conclusion.

"If we can find out they are a positive contribution ... that doesn't change the fact they are illegal," Brown said.

He said he might, though, support a guest worker program such as one proposed by President Bush.

"I don't have any inherent objection to that," Brown said. "It means that we have to know who they are, where they are and why they're here, and we want to know when they're going to go back and forth."



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