Cut Spending by Cutting Illegal Immigration

Immigration Costs Us All

By Elois Zeanah, 1st VP, Alabama Federation of Republican Women Chair, AFRW Illegal Immigration Committee

There are many causes for the economic crisis that federal, state, and local governments face. However, there is one common factor: the cost for illegal immigration. Illegal Immigration is an economic issue. The cost of illegal immigration leads to financial crises in education, entitlement programs, healthcare, and deficits at the federal, state, and local levels. Look at states that have budget deficits. Check what they spend on illegal immigration. It will become clear why states like California, which encourage illegal immigration, are going bankrupt. Should government extend taxpayer bailouts to states like California?

No! Taxpayers should send a message: Cut costs for illegal immigration to cut spending.

The economic crisis for federal, state, or local governments cannot be solved long term unless costs for illegal immigration are cut. Why, then, do Democrats push amnesty? The answer lies in the Democrats' motive to add illegal immigrants to their block of voters. Reagan understood that the Democrats' best hope for power is an underclass dependent on government. Reagan told the NAACP in July 1981: "Many in Washington over the years have been more dedicated to making needy people government dependent, rather than independent."

Solutions to Illegal Immigration

Democrats want voters to believe that immigration is so complex that a "comprehensive" solution is needed. In truth, there are two simple answers that will go far to curb illegal immigration.

(1) Get rid of the jobs magnet by requiring employers to use E-Verify. This internet program is free, fast, and 99.5% accurate. If illegal workers cannot get jobs, they will not immigrate to the United States.

(2) Stop giving free benefits to families of illegal aliens by passing H.R. 1940 (currently in the U.S. House of Representatives) to end automatic citizenship to children born to non-citizens. If illegal aliens who come to the U.S. for welfare cannot get benefits, they will have less of an incentive to stay.

Amnesty will result in escalating financial costs to all of us. As the National Academy of Sciences reports, "We simply cannot afford as a nation to bring in millions and millions of under-skill individuals who will eat up government services, but pay virtually nothing in taxes." Our economy and capitalism are at stake. It is time to send a message to Congress.

Cut spending by cutting illegal immigration with two simple actions: (1) Mandate that employers use E-Verify. (2) Pass H.R. 1940. Check http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-1940 to read H.R. 1940. If your U.S. Representative has not co-sponsored this legislation, please call his/her office and request that he/she do so. Contact information can be found at 202-224-3121, www.house.gov or www.senate.gov.