Illegals too valuable to lose

I enjoy the good sense of wisdom of professor Thomas Sowell but in his column on immigration, he has it backwards (“Stop immigration rhetoric,” March 29).

Rather than hardening the anti- immigration rhetoric, what we need to do is cool the rhetoric, as another economics professor, Jagdish Bhagwati of Columbia University, suggests.

Face the realities, says Bhagwati. Millions of illegals are in the U.S. to stay and millions more will come over the years. We can’t keep them out. All past efforts have failed. The U.S. has always been “a powerful magnet for immigrants,” as Bhagwati says.

We certainly won’t deport the 11 to 17 million illegals in our midst. We need them. They’re 5 percent of our total work force, 20 percent of hotel and restaurant employees, 30 percent of construction workers, most of the workers in the U.S. fields and orchards, and on and on. Present immigration quotas are totally inadequate to our need.

Yes, illegals are “lawbreakers” of a very soft sort, but it’s absurd to lump them with murderers. Most are decent, honest, hard-working, and not a threat to anyone.

Rather than bash them, we should recognize their worth, treat them humanely and provide reasonable avenues to legal residences and ultimately to American citizenship.

Don Peters

Spokane

Give them a chance

The Mexican government cannot change. We have to develop a lasting logical relationship with their people.

Obviously the people of Mexico desire a change as millions of them are illegally entering our country. We do little to stop them.

Our people and industries need them. They are good, hard-working people.

About 10 years ago a new government was put in power. A change was hopefully to take place. It didn’t as corruption and living standards reverted to the old position.

Let us give those Mexicans here a chance to become citizens via our rules. In the future, a very strong legal penalty must be given to everyone violating our visa regulations.

The basic people who have been in absolute power are very difficult to change. The leaders of change are dedicated people. They are not always right but they are the hope for our tomorrow.

Change is the life- blood of living.

Jack Birkland

Coeur d’Alene

Bill’s in the mail

OK, here’s a thought, Vincente Fox feels that his citizens have a right to seek employment opportunities in the U.S. because his country is unable to do so.

Our president, whose job it is to protect the interests of U.S. citizens, seems to feel that way as well.

Here is my solution. How about for every undocumented Mexican immigrant seeking medical care in an American emergency room and every undocumented child seeking an education in an American public school, the government of Mexico is sent a bill for those costs?

This seems reasonable to me. After all, why should the legal immigrants and citizens of this country be expected to pay over $1 billion in medical expenses for the medical costs of treating the citizens of Mexico or other costs associated with providing them an education?

It is with the blessing and aid of the Mexican government that so many continue to stream over our borders because it costs them nothing and benefits them greatly.

Perhaps some accountability will change the Mexican government’s perspective. Even if it doesn’t, it would make me feel better.

Nancy Clardy

Medical Lake

Government not doing enough

I would like to see action taken on this illegal alien issue before we start seeing people taking the law into their own hands.

I for one am frustrated with our government’s feeble attempt at pacification.

I see nothing wrong with prosecuting the criminals who cross our borders illegally, but more important, prosecute the firms, farmers and individuals who employ them.

In my mind, it’s like slave labor. Most all of these good people are here to find a better life, and I might do the same under their circumstances.

But that doesn’t change the fact that local jobs are taken and a rift is developing in this country that looks very dangerous to me.

I wonder if we call on our new governor to take the steps necessary to quench this fire before it gets out of control in Washington, maybe other states and the feds will follow suit.

Larry Barnes

Springdale, Wash.