Immigration From Two Perspectives

Monday, October 27, 2008; A12

Howard County has unveiled a comprehensive, needs-based, affordable health-care program for residents who have no health insurance ["Howard Health Initiative Ready to Enroll Uninsured," Metro, Sept. 30]. It's a sane and fiscally responsible approach to providing health-care coverage to those truly in need.

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) and County Council President Michael Knapp (D-Upcounty), up to their eyeballs in uncontrolled spending and budget deficits, should take note. They contribute county funds to a similar program called Montgomery Cares, a budget-busting, exponentially growing attempt at health care for the uninsured.

What is the difference between the two programs? In Howard, you have to provide proof of legal U.S. status -- a birth certificate, a Social Security card, a certificate of naturalization or citizenship, or a green card. This rightly limits the pool of applicants to citizens or legal immigrants.

In Montgomery, Mr. Leggett and Mr. Knapp allow anyone, legal immigrant or not, to walk in and sign up for comprehensive health care. And illegal immigrants walk in by the thousands with their extended families in tow, coached by taxpayer-funded groups, such as CASA of Maryland, that support illegal immigrants. It's a fiscal black hole that draconian school budget cuts and planned furloughs of county police officers, firefighters and other workers will not solve.


BRAD BOTWIN
Director
Help Save Maryland
Rockville


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Bishop Thomas Wenski's call for increased tolerance of illegal immigrants is welcome ["Hitting a Wall on Immigration," op-ed, Oct. 20]. However, less educated, illegal workers are not the only immigrants who have become the objects of scapegoating, often with racial overtones, by frustrated Americans looking for someone to blame for the loss of their jobs, savings and homes. Tens of thousands of skilled professional workers are turned away each year because of a shortage of H-1B visas, and many others are unable to remain here because there are not enough green cards.

Moreover, employers of educated, skilled, legal foreign workers are coming under increased suspicion by immigration officials looking for fraud, even though the overwhelming majority of these visas are genuine. This is intimidating some employers into refusing to hire the very people who have the most to contribute to our economy by providing scientific and other skills that help U.S. companies compete in the global marketplace. Also, many skilled immigrants start their own businesses and provide jobs to American workers.

With a recession looming, this is not the time to slam America's gates shut against people who have so much potential to give our economy an urgent boost.

ROGER ALGASE
New York

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