Illegal Aliens

As I read about other states cracking down on illegal aliens in their state I see illegals on the move to avoid the consequences of their illegal acts. I bet the advocates for illegals are directing them to sanctuary states like Maryland. And with the recent studies being done to show how these poor people aren't getting the health care someone thinks they should get, you can almost hear the money from all the new taxes, for jobs and transportation needs, being directed at this growing crisis.

It's official: Baltimore is now America's "amnesty city. " President Barack Obama and Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake have teamed up to violate the law and bypass Congress by imposing executive amnesty with troubling consequences for the citizens of Charm City. There is no question that this policy is designed to gut the Secure Communities Act as well as other federal enforcement policies designed to keep citizens safe. This past summer, President Obama issued an executive order that limits the enforcement of federal immigration law. The Obama edict mandates that law enforcement officials at the federal level only arrest, detain and deport illegal aliens classified as criminals.

Dozens of groups from around the state - representing ethnic groups, lawyers, churches, unions and local government - flocked to Annapolis yesterday to oppose a package of bills targeting "illegal aliens" in Maryland. Three Republican delegates who sponsored the bills argued that the public is on the side of their efforts to curb driving by undocumented residents and involve local police in enforcing immigration laws, but that support wasn't apparent yesterday as opponents far outnumbered proponents.

Rep. Andy Harris' off-handed insults aimed at President Obama in the Sun story "Illegal migrants hope for reprieve" (Nov. 19) reveal his blatant contempt for the president of the United States. Unfortunately, they say more about Mr. Harris' lack of respect for the nation's highest office than about immigration or about President Obama. Regardless of anyone's opinions on immigration, Mr. Harris' quoted remark that "If the president doesn't like the current law, he should have come back early from his vacation in the tropics and worked with Congress to change it, not doing yet another unconstitutional end run around our immigration law," was gratuitously nasty, false and ridiculous.

It's official: Baltimore is now America's "amnesty city. " President Barack Obama and Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake have teamed up to violate the law and bypass Congress by imposing executive amnesty with troubling consequences for the citizens of Charm City. There is no question that this policy is designed to gut the Secure Communities Act as well as other federal enforcement policies designed to keep citizens safe. This past summer, President Obama issued an executive order that limits the enforcement of federal immigration law. The Obama edict mandates that law enforcement officials at the federal level only arrest, detain and deport illegal aliens classified as criminals.

The irony of taking away money from our best natural born students while Gov. Martin O'Malley signs a bill giving money to illegal aliens to study here is delicious. Can't wait to see The Sun's editorial on these two stories appearing together. J. Schreibman

You illegal aliens that now will be outlawed from attending college in Alabama ("Alabama sets new standard," June 10) should move here. Our governor will entice you to attend Maryland colleges with taxpayer subsidized, reduced tuition. Move soon to avoid increased gas taxes and tolls that are necessary because he spent the highway "trust" fund. Dan Griffin, Perry Hall

"A nation without borders is not a nation. " — Ronald Reagan Legal immigration plays a key role in building our nation and deserves our full support. But today we are facing rampant illegal border crossings that have a high cost to our state and nation. According to a report by the Federation for American Immigration Reform, in Maryland alone we are paying $1.4 billion per year for costs associated with illegal aliens, such as K-12 education, health care costs and incarceration.

Your January 24th editorial, "College Bound, but undocumented," is based on misguided charity and flawed reasoning when it supports the in-state college tuition discount for illegal aliens. As you noted "Maryland spends, on average, a total of nearly $200,000 each to educate its students from kindergarten through 12. " What you failed to note was that Maryland's taxpaying citizens paid for the free education of illegal alien students because the federal government demanded it. There are an estimated 300,000 illegal aliens in Maryland, and if only 1,000 of these received a "free" education, it has already cost the taxpayers of Maryland $200 million.

Congress averted a national nightmare when it defeated the Dream Act last month. But now, the issue threatens to reemerge here in Maryland, where Sen. Victor Ramirez is proposing a state version of the Dream Act that would offer in-state tuition to illegal immigrants, potentially costing state taxpayers tens of millions of dollars. The difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition at the University of Maryland is about $13,000. If 1,000 illegal aliens were to take advantage of this benefit, that would cost the state $14 million.

As I read about other states cracking down on illegal aliens in their state I see illegals on the move to avoid the consequences of their illegal acts. I bet the advocates for illegals are directing them to sanctuary states like Maryland. And with the recent studies being done to show how these poor people aren't getting the health care someone thinks they should get, you can almost hear the money from all the new taxes, for jobs and transportation needs, being directed at this growing crisis.

Blaine Young, president of Frederick County's board of commissioners, has plans to make Frederick "the most unfriendly county in the state of Maryland to illegal aliens. " And while he said some localities might cringe at such a title, "we wear that with a badge of honor. " County officials - motivated by a high-profile murder charge against an alleged illegal immigrant - are attempting to craft sweeping legislation to prohibit undocumented workers from getting jobs and renting homes.

Editor: In response to Patrick Endres' letter printed July 27 in The Aegis and entitled "Immigrants Vital to U.S. ", I would submit that once again, the debate is not one of immigration but one of illegal immigration. We do not have to revisit the sins of our ancestors during the Mexican American War to justify the current failure of our government officials to enforce the rule of law across the land. When a permanent underclass of people living in the shadows of our society is not only allowed but encouraged, the country as a whole suffers.

Editor: "Illegal aliens," "undocumented workers," "unwanted immigrants" and a host of other monikers have been given to migrants to any country. The first settlers (illegal aliens) in the Mexican territories of Texas and California in the early and mid-1800s were not well received by the Mexican people either. Wars were fought and lands confiscated so this country could fulfill its "manifest destiny" of controlling all the land between the two oceans even though the land belonged to native Americans.

I must say that I'm impressed with The Sun and the great wages it obviously must pay its employees. We have Michael Dresser who, for the last two weeks, has written several articles telling us how it's just dandy and about time that Maryland raised the tolls for all us poor folk. Never mind that most of these bridges and tunnels have been paid for several times over. What Mr. Dresser or some adventurous journalist should be doing is to finding out just how much money these tolls amount to, and then how much of that ends up paying for administrative bureaucracy.

I find it amazing that Dan Rodricks and others who support illegal immigrants always mix up legal and illegal aliens ("Immigrants: We detest them — and need them," June 30). An undocumented alien is an unlawful intruder into this country. Seasonal migrant workers on H-2B visas are documented workers and thus legal immigrants. Illegal immigrants in the U.S. are an affront to all immigrants who followed the process, paid their money and waited their turn to arrive in this country.

In response to your editorial, "A flawed compromise on illegal immigrant tuition" (March 7), I propose a better plan. After graduating from high school, the illegal aliens should be deported back to Mexico along with their parents. There the student can enroll in a college in Mexico, and the Mexican government can pay for the student's education. After college, the student can become a productive citizen of Mexico and a part of their economy. Robert J. Stryjewski

The Fox News network published an opinion article entitled "An Illegal Alien's Guide to the Top Five Best Places to Live In America". As an introduction, the author (Bob Dane) stated, "When 'relocating' to the United States, it's best to avoid states that have selfishly put the interests of their legal residents ahead of yours with laws that hinder your access to jobs and benefits. But many attractive destinations remain, endorsed by millions of illegal aliens already living in each.

Dan Rodricks ' recent column ("Immigrants: We detest them - and need them," June 30) against the effort to put the law giving in-state college tuition rates to illegal aliens on the ballot for the voters to decide is misguided. He is obviously very touched that without illegal immigrants, the rest of us may have to pay more for our vegetables and fruits, pay more for our lawn care and pay more for household servants. This is not a very principled stand. He also obviously does not care that these illegal immigrants depress wages and enable employers to pay less than a decent American wage.

The Fox News network published an opinion article entitled "An Illegal Alien's Guide to the Top Five Best Places to Live In America". As an introduction, the author (Bob Dane) stated, "When 'relocating' to the United States, it's best to avoid states that have selfishly put the interests of their legal residents ahead of yours with laws that hinder your access to jobs and benefits. But many attractive destinations remain, endorsed by millions of illegal aliens already living in each.