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Immigration Debate
Sunday, April 02, 2006
Lars Larson

Consider the oxymoron. Hundreds of thousands of law-breaking aliens march in America's streets demanding that their right to live and work in the U.S. illegally be respected.

Fearful of backlash at the polls from millions of aliens who, in theory, have no right to vote, the U.S. Congress is preparing to reward those who have broken our laws with the most precious treasure on Earth -- the opportunity to become United States citizens.

The politically correct call these people immigrants, but what kind of immigrant enters illegally, works illegally, identifies himself illegally and sends every extra dime he makes back to his former home?

The $15 billion to $20 billion sent back to Mexico every year by illegals puts the lie to the idea that these so-called immigrants consider this their home. We are a fat cash cow illegals will milk until the cow goes dry.

The lie that aliens only do jobs Americans refuse seems plain when you see they are driving trucks, building houses and waiting tables -- jobs Americans do. A pool of illegal alien labor slashes the wages of real Americans by 8 percent or more.

Estimates are that as many as 6 percent of Oregon's drivers won't qualify for licenses under a stricter federal act because they're not legally here. In a document written in December of last year, listing arguments for and against the act, Lorna Youngs, head of Oregon's DMV, explains:

"Undocumented immigrants are critical to the state workforce. Without proper identification, these people will find it harder to prove identity in banks and retail establishments and qualify for Oregon jobs."

Ask real Americans (citizens and legal aliens) if the federal government lets them break laws to "improve their economic circumstances." Ask the guy who holds a commercial drivers license. Ask the broker who trades stocks. Ask the Klamath Falls farmer or the fisherman on Oregon's coast how many federal laws they are allowed to break just to keep their jobs -- and not multiply their wages tenfold as the average illegal does.

The thousands of children from families of illegals who crowd school classrooms puts a lie to the claim that illegal workers contribute more than they consume. Tell me how many pay the $10,000 in taxes that a single child costs to educate for a year in Oregon schools.

This breeds disrespect for the laws real Americans are told they must obey. The Oregonian who lets government dictate how he can use his own property, cut his own trees, fish and hunt on so-called public property and how fast he can drive his car on streets he paid for must feel like a fool when he sees the foreigner who takes his job, illegally, then marches in his streets and demand the same rights he enjoys.

Time grows short because last week's protesters warned us they consider that much of America's Southwest belongs to Mexico, and they made it clear they have plans to take it back.

A solution exists. Check the Social Security numbers of everyone licensed to drive, to vote, to do business in Oregon against the federal database. Tell employers any wages paid to a worker whose name doesn't match his SSN can't be deducted as business expenses on Oregon taxes.

Insist that banks stop recognizing the matricula consular cards (given out by the governments of Mexico and other Latin American countries) to open accounts and cash checks.

Dry up the cow, and they'll go home on their own.

Lars Larson is a talk-show host on KXL (750 AM) and 17 other Oregon stations. You can visit his Web site at www.larslarson.com or e-mail him at talk@larslarson.com.