Sunday Symposium: Immigration
From Milwaukee Journal Sentinel readers
Posted: Aug. 18, 2007
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=648664

Those who come here to work can do so proudly, legally
So often there is a "spin" put on the reason illegal immigrants are really in the United States. Hearsay has it, "they come to work." There has never been any objection to immigrants who come to work in America. That is what America was founded on: calloused hands, sweat and tears. Many Americans have open arms to anyone who is willing to work and always will.

Thus, as the Danes, Irish and Germans, along with other ethnic groups, came to America; the motivation has always been to work and to achieve a better life. That is a no-brainer and true for most everyone. However, the opposition seems to be to the illegality of coming to America only to be a part of the entitlement culture. Many are confused as to why this culture cannot comprehend the meaning of illegal. By definition in English, something illegal is "criminal activity" outside of the law.

There are many people who have jumped through the hoops of the fragmented system to become legal citizens and are proud of it. Many Hispanic-Americans as well have proceeded in this manner. There is no need for the smoke and mirrors along with the spin about unemployment rates and numbers.

Many legal Americans of all cultures are saying, "Come here, reap the benefits, do it legally and really be a proud American."

Jan Phelps
Racine

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Let's give some more thought to how we treat people
I understand that people who are in the United States illegally and doing bad things should not be here, but those who work so hard to raise their families should be able to stay and work as they do. I am a U.S. citizen with both parents from Mexico; even if I wasn't Hispanic, I would still support these immigrants because it is just sad how they are being treated.

It makes me cry in anger and grief to see what these people go through as they try to come across the border to reach the American dream. Some people don't deserve to be here, but I know there are lots of immigrants out there working so hard to feed a family and have them get an education.

I wish that people would realize what they are doing. Yelling out to Mexicans that they are criminals is just not right. I hope everyone understands that being an illegal immigrant is not being a criminal.

An example is the Milwaukee police officer who got caught using a false identity. He worked and helped the community, and now he pays for that. There are many legal residents who don't like to work and live off of selling drugs, getting welfare or cheating on taxes. That is worse.

Elizabeth Martinez
Milwaukee

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People who illegally enter the U.S. should be sent home
Regarding the Aug. 17 editorial "The path underground," we need to deport as many illegal criminals as possible. If they are willing to break our country's laws and come here illegally, what other laws are they willing to break?

The news media has been trying to force-feed us the idea that we cannot live without illegal immigrants. Construction jobs today; your job tomorrow. This country is not a job agency. Nor is it an open house for the whole world to come and go illegally. Look at the costs of the country's illegal immigrants, and report the real facts and not the sob stories.

Poll after poll indicates we Americans do not want illegal immigrants here. We owe them nothing. "Illegal" - look it up. Since when do we coddle lawbreakers?

Of course I will be accused of being a racist for these views, but that is just another way of changing the subject by illegal immigrants and their supporters.

Keith Miller
Watauga, Texas